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Jules Landau Mysteries #2
Windy City Blues
In the vein of Robert Crais’s fast-paced novels, Marc Krulewitch’s new Jules Landau mystery tells the action-packed tale of the private eye trying to keep his hands clean as he digs through Chicago’s dirtiest secrets.
Jules Landau feels right at home in the ethnic stew of the Windy City, where he’s indebted to the hopes and schemes of his criminal ancestors. Street-smart and college-educated, Jules wants nothing more than to go straight and atone for his family’s past. But when he investigates a horrific killing, Jules uncovers a hidden world of lucrative corruption.
Jack Gelashvili had his head bashed in and no one knows why. The most obvious answer is that he was a parking cop, a universally loathed job—especially in Chicago. Turns out there’s a lot of money to be made on expired meters, and when Jules starts making noise, he starts making enemies—from the head of a media empire to the mastermind of a prostitution ring. When rumors of bloodthirsty Mob connections arise, Jack’s gorgeous cousin Tamar objects, and Jules is increasingly swayed by the logic and charms of the sexy baker. Following this beautiful woman into the cloistered world of Georgian immigrants, Jules brings his hunches, his family connections, and his gun. But he’s just one man against a pack of criminals with a million reasons to shoot first.
Previously published as Scofflaw Blues
Jules Landau feels right at home in the ethnic stew of the Windy City, where he’s indebted to the hopes and schemes of his criminal ancestors. Street-smart and college-educated, Jules wants nothing more than to go straight and atone for his family’s past. But when he investigates a horrific killing, Jules uncovers a hidden world of lucrative corruption.
Jack Gelashvili had his head bashed in and no one knows why. The most obvious answer is that he was a parking cop, a universally loathed job—especially in Chicago. Turns out there’s a lot of money to be made on expired meters, and when Jules starts making noise, he starts making enemies—from the head of a media empire to the mastermind of a prostitution ring. When rumors of bloodthirsty Mob connections arise, Jack’s gorgeous cousin Tamar objects, and Jules is increasingly swayed by the logic and charms of the sexy baker. Following this beautiful woman into the cloistered world of Georgian immigrants, Jules brings his hunches, his family connections, and his gun. But he’s just one man against a pack of criminals with a million reasons to shoot first.
Previously published as Scofflaw Blues
- GenresMystery
254 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2011
137 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Marc Krulewitch
11 books7 followersFor his sixth novel, author Marc Krulewitch changes the venue to Boulder County, Colorado where he’s lived since 1992. His previous books, Maxwell Street Blues, Windy City Blues, Gold Coast Blues, Doubt in the 2nd Degree, and Something to Call Your Own, all take place in Chicago, where he was born and where his family has lived for generations.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 19, 2015
Originally published at Reading Reality
In my review of the first book in this series, Maxwell Street Blues, I said that the Chicago the author portrays feels right to me. I lived and worked in Chicago for a lot of years, and the place in the books feels like the place I knew.
That’s even more true in Windy City Blues. The murder that kicks off this story takes place four blocks west of where I used to live. It is stranger than you can imagine to find your old neighborhood starring in a murder investigation.
And what a murder investigation it is.
The dead body belongs to a parking enforcement officer. That’s a fancy term for what we used to call “meter maids”. Jack Gelashvili’s head was beaten to a pulp, and it killed him. The question that Jules Landau ends up asking starts out as “Why did the managing editor of the Republic (read that as Chicago Tribune) call the city desk to quash the human interest story?” The death of a meter reader shouldn’t have crossed the head honcho’s radar. Not that the city editor didn’t obey his boss’ whim, but that the whim sticks out way more than the crime itself.
And suddenly Jules has a case, looking into Jack’s murder. Of course, Jules discovers that nothing involved is anywhere near the way it seems, starting with the two dirty cops in their last days before retirement, assigned to pretend to stake out the most likely murder suspect. Who can’t possibly be a real suspect, but can certainly serve as a real scapegoat, especially if he dies too.
Jules, as always in Chicago, follows the money. Which weaves a very tangled thread between the City’s Department of Revenue and kickbacks from the private company who leases certain city territories for very lucrative parking meter enforcement.
In Chicago, one hand always seems to wash the other. But when Jules looks into the background of that first unfortunate dead victim, the trail leads to the internecine warfare between the Russian and Georgian immigrant communities. In Chicago, police corruption and political kickbacks are expected. Human trafficking is a whole other shipload of wrong.
A wrong that has claimed more victims than Jules can ever find - and may claim his life and the lives of everyone he is involved with to protect the dirtiest of dirty secrets.
Escape Rating B+: This is definitely the Chicago I lived in. And it makes the story even more fun to recognize sights and suss out which Chicago institution’s names have been changed to protect the innocent, or more likely the guilty.
The major newspaper that is described in this book may be called The Chicago Republic, but based on the description of its policies. its relationship to the other daily in town, and especially to its iconic North Loop offices, its the Chicago Tribune.
The mystery in this story is one that is definitely helped by its Chicago context. The Chicago of popular imagination is a place where city officials taking kickbacks from contractors doesn’t even cause a momentary eyebrow raise on the part of the general public. In Chicago, its expected.
And yes, Chicago has privatized some of its parking enforcement. Probably not exactly the way it is in the story, or we all certainly hope not, but the parking has been privatized and the deal made was definitely questioned. Not necessarily because of outright graft, although that’s certainly possible, but because it looked like either a sweetheart deal or a desperation move that probably would cost the city more than it earned.
So to make the crime something that people in Chicago would actually kill for, the author had to up the ante. Way, way up. The scary thing is that even as heinous as the crime turns out to be, it still seems all too plausible. That one man’s dogged determination would be able to uncover everything, maybe not so much, but the crime, unfortunately, yes.
The readability of this story hinges on its main character, Jules Landau. We’re following him, so he has to be likeable, and be someone we could imagine talking with. Jules is an interesting set of contradictions, in ways that also seem endemic to Chicago. He was brought up in an affluent North Shore suburb, but his great-grandfather was a crony of Capone’s, and his dad did time for bribery and other typical white-collar Chicago crimes.
Jules knows cops because he’s worked with them as a private investigator, and because some of them were responsible for his dad’s arrest. The love/hate relationship he has with his cop friend/informant is sad, funny and useful, all at the same time.
Jules also has a marvelous cat named Punim. Jules may be a vegan, but Punim gets the best bits of animal innards from a local butcher. Punim rules that apartment, but also keeps Jules from being totally alone. Jules’ loneliness, or at least "Lone Ranger-ness", is also a theme of the stories. In Windy City Blues, he suffers a loss in his inner circle that is expected but still very touching, and leaves readers wondering who will fill that gap in his life and his investigations.
In my review of the first book in this series, Maxwell Street Blues, I said that the Chicago the author portrays feels right to me. I lived and worked in Chicago for a lot of years, and the place in the books feels like the place I knew.
That’s even more true in Windy City Blues. The murder that kicks off this story takes place four blocks west of where I used to live. It is stranger than you can imagine to find your old neighborhood starring in a murder investigation.
And what a murder investigation it is.
The dead body belongs to a parking enforcement officer. That’s a fancy term for what we used to call “meter maids”. Jack Gelashvili’s head was beaten to a pulp, and it killed him. The question that Jules Landau ends up asking starts out as “Why did the managing editor of the Republic (read that as Chicago Tribune) call the city desk to quash the human interest story?” The death of a meter reader shouldn’t have crossed the head honcho’s radar. Not that the city editor didn’t obey his boss’ whim, but that the whim sticks out way more than the crime itself.
And suddenly Jules has a case, looking into Jack’s murder. Of course, Jules discovers that nothing involved is anywhere near the way it seems, starting with the two dirty cops in their last days before retirement, assigned to pretend to stake out the most likely murder suspect. Who can’t possibly be a real suspect, but can certainly serve as a real scapegoat, especially if he dies too.
Jules, as always in Chicago, follows the money. Which weaves a very tangled thread between the City’s Department of Revenue and kickbacks from the private company who leases certain city territories for very lucrative parking meter enforcement.
In Chicago, one hand always seems to wash the other. But when Jules looks into the background of that first unfortunate dead victim, the trail leads to the internecine warfare between the Russian and Georgian immigrant communities. In Chicago, police corruption and political kickbacks are expected. Human trafficking is a whole other shipload of wrong.
A wrong that has claimed more victims than Jules can ever find - and may claim his life and the lives of everyone he is involved with to protect the dirtiest of dirty secrets.
Escape Rating B+: This is definitely the Chicago I lived in. And it makes the story even more fun to recognize sights and suss out which Chicago institution’s names have been changed to protect the innocent, or more likely the guilty.
The major newspaper that is described in this book may be called The Chicago Republic, but based on the description of its policies. its relationship to the other daily in town, and especially to its iconic North Loop offices, its the Chicago Tribune.
The mystery in this story is one that is definitely helped by its Chicago context. The Chicago of popular imagination is a place where city officials taking kickbacks from contractors doesn’t even cause a momentary eyebrow raise on the part of the general public. In Chicago, its expected.
And yes, Chicago has privatized some of its parking enforcement. Probably not exactly the way it is in the story, or we all certainly hope not, but the parking has been privatized and the deal made was definitely questioned. Not necessarily because of outright graft, although that’s certainly possible, but because it looked like either a sweetheart deal or a desperation move that probably would cost the city more than it earned.
So to make the crime something that people in Chicago would actually kill for, the author had to up the ante. Way, way up. The scary thing is that even as heinous as the crime turns out to be, it still seems all too plausible. That one man’s dogged determination would be able to uncover everything, maybe not so much, but the crime, unfortunately, yes.
The readability of this story hinges on its main character, Jules Landau. We’re following him, so he has to be likeable, and be someone we could imagine talking with. Jules is an interesting set of contradictions, in ways that also seem endemic to Chicago. He was brought up in an affluent North Shore suburb, but his great-grandfather was a crony of Capone’s, and his dad did time for bribery and other typical white-collar Chicago crimes.
Jules knows cops because he’s worked with them as a private investigator, and because some of them were responsible for his dad’s arrest. The love/hate relationship he has with his cop friend/informant is sad, funny and useful, all at the same time.
Jules also has a marvelous cat named Punim. Jules may be a vegan, but Punim gets the best bits of animal innards from a local butcher. Punim rules that apartment, but also keeps Jules from being totally alone. Jules’ loneliness, or at least "Lone Ranger-ness", is also a theme of the stories. In Windy City Blues, he suffers a loss in his inner circle that is expected but still very touching, and leaves readers wondering who will fill that gap in his life and his investigations.
April 6, 2015
Scofflaw Blues
By Bob Gelms
I was born, raised and mostly educated on the south side of Chicago and although I haven’t lived there in a long time I still consider it home. I love everything about Chicago. It is one of the great American cities. So, when I read books or watch movies set in the windy city I get a charge out of it. I’m a little tired of seeing New York and LA in every movie and detective book that comes out.
Marc Krulewitch has written what is now a series with the publication of the second book featuring Chicago detective, Jules Landau. It’s called Windy City Blues and it’s a hum dinger.
Jules is a newly minted private detective, college educated and related to some middle management gangsters. His dad just got out of the slammer as the first book, Maxwell Street Blues, gets underway. Both dad and his mentor, a private eye of dubious Chicago underworld connections named Frownie, keep telling Landau to not take any murder cases. They are dangerous and require you to carry a gun. Of course Jules Landau’s first case is a murder case involving some heavyweight Chicago politicians – naturally – and a few other big wigs.
As Windy City Blues opens, it is now two months later and even though both dad and Frownie are ill, they still tell him to just stick to cases of cheating spouses, credit card dead beats, divorces and the occasional background check. But Jules’ next case is another murder case. He seems undaunted that during his last one, his life was in danger and he was beaten pretty badly with what we on the south side call a Chicago feather, a lead pipe.
Backdrop: In December 2010, in the real Chicago parking meter world, Mayor Daley announced to the City Council that he had struck a deal to lease the 36,000 parking meters in Chicago to the mega-bank Morgan Stanley. They would receive 75 years of total parking meter revenue for just over $1 billion (about one cent on the dollar upfront. Morgan Stanley put together a consortium of investors, which included the state-controlled investment arm of the country Abu Dhabi, (who, by now, might even own controlling interest). You could hear the screaming in every cemetery in the city where the residents raise themselves from the dead to vote on Election Day. It is turning out to be the one of the biggest boondoggles in the history of Chicago considering that, to-date, most of the $1 billion dollars is already spent. This is the milieu into which Jules was dragged by an innocent little ole murder in the neighborhood.
Through Jules's office door walks a strange little man who drops a load of cash on Landau’s desk and wants to hire him to solve the appalling murder of a neighborhood man whose body was dropped in his front yard. The man, Mr. Gelashvili, was a parking meter attendant, essentially, a profession singled out for special hatred by the people of most any city but especially now in Chicago, in particular in Old Town and Lincoln Park. At first whiff it doesn’t pass the smell test and this immediately intrigues Jules. He takes the case.
There are so many ways that corruption wheedles its way into the fabric of big city life. Jules Landau enters into the ways and means of the city that works with payoffs, money laundering, kickbacks, and the Russian mob. It’s just delightful and so realistic you might as well be reading the front page of the Chicago Tribune.
Having grown up on the south side of Chicago this all sounds like “just another day in paradise” to me but really it’s the people of Chicago that are getting screwed – with apologies to all the dead bodies that start cropping up in Jules’ life. And, the fact is, I don’t live there anymore, it's not my monkey, it's not my circus.
Windy City Blues is a terrific book, even better than Maxwell Street Blues. Ah, home sweet home. I miss it already.
By Bob Gelms
I was born, raised and mostly educated on the south side of Chicago and although I haven’t lived there in a long time I still consider it home. I love everything about Chicago. It is one of the great American cities. So, when I read books or watch movies set in the windy city I get a charge out of it. I’m a little tired of seeing New York and LA in every movie and detective book that comes out.
Marc Krulewitch has written what is now a series with the publication of the second book featuring Chicago detective, Jules Landau. It’s called Windy City Blues and it’s a hum dinger.
Jules is a newly minted private detective, college educated and related to some middle management gangsters. His dad just got out of the slammer as the first book, Maxwell Street Blues, gets underway. Both dad and his mentor, a private eye of dubious Chicago underworld connections named Frownie, keep telling Landau to not take any murder cases. They are dangerous and require you to carry a gun. Of course Jules Landau’s first case is a murder case involving some heavyweight Chicago politicians – naturally – and a few other big wigs.
As Windy City Blues opens, it is now two months later and even though both dad and Frownie are ill, they still tell him to just stick to cases of cheating spouses, credit card dead beats, divorces and the occasional background check. But Jules’ next case is another murder case. He seems undaunted that during his last one, his life was in danger and he was beaten pretty badly with what we on the south side call a Chicago feather, a lead pipe.
Backdrop: In December 2010, in the real Chicago parking meter world, Mayor Daley announced to the City Council that he had struck a deal to lease the 36,000 parking meters in Chicago to the mega-bank Morgan Stanley. They would receive 75 years of total parking meter revenue for just over $1 billion (about one cent on the dollar upfront. Morgan Stanley put together a consortium of investors, which included the state-controlled investment arm of the country Abu Dhabi, (who, by now, might even own controlling interest). You could hear the screaming in every cemetery in the city where the residents raise themselves from the dead to vote on Election Day. It is turning out to be the one of the biggest boondoggles in the history of Chicago considering that, to-date, most of the $1 billion dollars is already spent. This is the milieu into which Jules was dragged by an innocent little ole murder in the neighborhood.
Through Jules's office door walks a strange little man who drops a load of cash on Landau’s desk and wants to hire him to solve the appalling murder of a neighborhood man whose body was dropped in his front yard. The man, Mr. Gelashvili, was a parking meter attendant, essentially, a profession singled out for special hatred by the people of most any city but especially now in Chicago, in particular in Old Town and Lincoln Park. At first whiff it doesn’t pass the smell test and this immediately intrigues Jules. He takes the case.
There are so many ways that corruption wheedles its way into the fabric of big city life. Jules Landau enters into the ways and means of the city that works with payoffs, money laundering, kickbacks, and the Russian mob. It’s just delightful and so realistic you might as well be reading the front page of the Chicago Tribune.
Having grown up on the south side of Chicago this all sounds like “just another day in paradise” to me but really it’s the people of Chicago that are getting screwed – with apologies to all the dead bodies that start cropping up in Jules’ life. And, the fact is, I don’t live there anymore, it's not my monkey, it's not my circus.
Windy City Blues is a terrific book, even better than Maxwell Street Blues. Ah, home sweet home. I miss it already.
October 27, 2015
Rating 3.5
**I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own and are uninfluenced by any outside entity.**
Oh, Chicago...you dirty, crooked bastard of an uncle that everyone still loves...As a down-state Illinoisan, my relationship with and attitude toward Chicago is a complicated one. First of all, I was raised on Chicago sports. WGN was always on our TV and the Cubs and Wrigley field are such a large part of my relationship with my dad, I can't separate the two.
But as I've grown up, I've learned that Chicago, the fast-paced city with great tourist attractions, the most loyal sports fans - ever, and amazing food of all kinds, is also a true political machine. Corruption and crookedness is a part of life for anyone with a bent toward politics or finance. This is the state where the joke is that voters' rights laws are so liberal that they often extend after death (See election conspiracies in Chicago) and that our governors leave the governor's mansion to become wards of the state (i.e. Rod Blagojevich, George Ryan, et al). Look a little bit further and you'll find many more mayors, representatives, county commissioners, etc. that have fallen into similar alleged crimes.
I thought this book did a wonderful job at illustrating the twisted corruption and unlikely political connections between white collar, blue collar, and no collar residents of Chicago. Also, the representation of Chicago as a diverse melting pot of cultures and languages is quite accurate and makes the place at some times colorful and at other times confusing.
The writing was simple and direct, and at times I thought it was overly so. But there were also times I thought that the transitions could have been more smooth. They were a bit clunky and confusing in some spots. This could be attributed to the fact that I read an uncorrected ARC and the transitions may be more smooth in the final version.
The style was less conversational than I might normally like, but to the author's credit, it also managed to avoid the cliché of the noir PI novel. I also thought that more exploration into the character of Jules would have fleshed out the story somewhat. I mean we know so many facts of Jules without being privy to much in the way of his thoughts and feelings. These personal preferences no doubt affected the rating, somewhat, but I've rounded up to 4 stars to make up for the personal preferences in writing style.
The story itself is well-woven and gritty and did not try to wax lyrical about the dirty side of Chicago. I did like the author's nod to poetic language toward the end of the book when describing the residents near the port, "Had I been a poet, the flash of lighters and the glow of long drags on cigarettes would've been East Side's fireflies." Some might complain about the foul language used in the book, but really the language is no worse than one any other crime novel or many romance novels. And while, sure the book could have been written without it, it adds to the authenticity of talking to a city cop.
I wasn't sure when I first started reading this book, that I would continue to read this series, now, however, I think my TBR list has just grown by a couple of books.
**I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own and are uninfluenced by any outside entity.**
Oh, Chicago...you dirty, crooked bastard of an uncle that everyone still loves...As a down-state Illinoisan, my relationship with and attitude toward Chicago is a complicated one. First of all, I was raised on Chicago sports. WGN was always on our TV and the Cubs and Wrigley field are such a large part of my relationship with my dad, I can't separate the two.
But as I've grown up, I've learned that Chicago, the fast-paced city with great tourist attractions, the most loyal sports fans - ever, and amazing food of all kinds, is also a true political machine. Corruption and crookedness is a part of life for anyone with a bent toward politics or finance. This is the state where the joke is that voters' rights laws are so liberal that they often extend after death (See election conspiracies in Chicago) and that our governors leave the governor's mansion to become wards of the state (i.e. Rod Blagojevich, George Ryan, et al). Look a little bit further and you'll find many more mayors, representatives, county commissioners, etc. that have fallen into similar alleged crimes.
I thought this book did a wonderful job at illustrating the twisted corruption and unlikely political connections between white collar, blue collar, and no collar residents of Chicago. Also, the representation of Chicago as a diverse melting pot of cultures and languages is quite accurate and makes the place at some times colorful and at other times confusing.
The writing was simple and direct, and at times I thought it was overly so. But there were also times I thought that the transitions could have been more smooth. They were a bit clunky and confusing in some spots. This could be attributed to the fact that I read an uncorrected ARC and the transitions may be more smooth in the final version.
The style was less conversational than I might normally like, but to the author's credit, it also managed to avoid the cliché of the noir PI novel. I also thought that more exploration into the character of Jules would have fleshed out the story somewhat. I mean we know so many facts of Jules without being privy to much in the way of his thoughts and feelings. These personal preferences no doubt affected the rating, somewhat, but I've rounded up to 4 stars to make up for the personal preferences in writing style.
The story itself is well-woven and gritty and did not try to wax lyrical about the dirty side of Chicago. I did like the author's nod to poetic language toward the end of the book when describing the residents near the port, "Had I been a poet, the flash of lighters and the glow of long drags on cigarettes would've been East Side's fireflies." Some might complain about the foul language used in the book, but really the language is no worse than one any other crime novel or many romance novels. And while, sure the book could have been written without it, it adds to the authenticity of talking to a city cop.
I wasn't sure when I first started reading this book, that I would continue to read this series, now, however, I think my TBR list has just grown by a couple of books.
January 8, 2015
Marc Krulewitch in his new book, “Windy City Blues” Book Two in the Jules Landau Mystery Series published by Alibi gives us another adventure with Jules Landau.
From the back cover: In the vein of Robert Crais’s fast-paced novels, Marc Krulewitch’s new Jules Landau mystery tells the action-packed tale of the private eye trying to keep his hands clean as he digs through Chicago’s dirtiest secrets.
Jules Landau feels right at home in the ethnic stew of the Windy City, where he’s indebted to the hopes and schemes of his criminal ancestors. Street-smart and college-educated, Jules wants nothing more than to go straight and atone for his family’s past. But when he investigates a horrific killing, Jules uncovers a hidden world of lucrative corruption.
Jack Gelashvili had his head bashed in and no one knows why. The most obvious answer is that he was a parking cop, a universally loathed job—especially in Chicago. Turns out there’s a lot of money to be made on expired meters, and when Jules starts making noise, he starts making enemies—from the head of a media empire to the mastermind of a prostitution ring. When rumors of bloodthirsty Mob connections arise, Jack’s gorgeous cousin Tamar objects, and Jules is increasingly swayed by the logic and charms of the sexy baker. Following this beautiful woman into the cloistered world of Georgian immigrants, Jules brings his hunches, his family connections, and his gun. But he’s just one man against a pack of criminals with a million reasons to shoot first.
Every so often I watch a TV show, “Parking Wars”. It’s about the lives of individuals working in the various aspects of Parking, the towing, the fines. People tend to be near violent with these officers I think it is the camera person that saves them.In the book there is none with a camera and an officer is killed. Now the hunt for the killer is on and Jules has a lot to try to figure out. “Windy City Blues” is a top-notch thriller filled with corruption, prostitution and murder. This is a tough case that just when you think you have it possible figured out, zing, it takes a turn you did not see coming. Mr. Krulewitch really knows how to write bringing you into the world of Chicago. My only complaint was the language it is “R” rated. I suppose it makes them sound tough but Bogart, Cagney and the others never spoke like that and those stories are classics. Other than that this is grade A+. I am so glad to have found Marc Krulewitch and am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
From the back cover: In the vein of Robert Crais’s fast-paced novels, Marc Krulewitch’s new Jules Landau mystery tells the action-packed tale of the private eye trying to keep his hands clean as he digs through Chicago’s dirtiest secrets.
Jules Landau feels right at home in the ethnic stew of the Windy City, where he’s indebted to the hopes and schemes of his criminal ancestors. Street-smart and college-educated, Jules wants nothing more than to go straight and atone for his family’s past. But when he investigates a horrific killing, Jules uncovers a hidden world of lucrative corruption.
Jack Gelashvili had his head bashed in and no one knows why. The most obvious answer is that he was a parking cop, a universally loathed job—especially in Chicago. Turns out there’s a lot of money to be made on expired meters, and when Jules starts making noise, he starts making enemies—from the head of a media empire to the mastermind of a prostitution ring. When rumors of bloodthirsty Mob connections arise, Jack’s gorgeous cousin Tamar objects, and Jules is increasingly swayed by the logic and charms of the sexy baker. Following this beautiful woman into the cloistered world of Georgian immigrants, Jules brings his hunches, his family connections, and his gun. But he’s just one man against a pack of criminals with a million reasons to shoot first.
Every so often I watch a TV show, “Parking Wars”. It’s about the lives of individuals working in the various aspects of Parking, the towing, the fines. People tend to be near violent with these officers I think it is the camera person that saves them.In the book there is none with a camera and an officer is killed. Now the hunt for the killer is on and Jules has a lot to try to figure out. “Windy City Blues” is a top-notch thriller filled with corruption, prostitution and murder. This is a tough case that just when you think you have it possible figured out, zing, it takes a turn you did not see coming. Mr. Krulewitch really knows how to write bringing you into the world of Chicago. My only complaint was the language it is “R” rated. I suppose it makes them sound tough but Bogart, Cagney and the others never spoke like that and those stories are classics. Other than that this is grade A+. I am so glad to have found Marc Krulewitch and am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
January 22, 2015
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley as a part of a book tour for a fair and honest review. I rated it 4.5 out of 5 Stars.
Chicago. The Windy City. A city on a lake known for the White Sox, The Cubs, and other sporting clubs. Also known for its ties to organized crime, corrupt police, high crime rates and lots of immigrants. Such is the setting for Marc Krulewitch’s newest Jules Landau Mystery, Windy City Blues. Filled with colorful characters, adult dialogue and plenty of action, this story grabbed my attention from the very first page and never let go. Fans of crime thrillers and mysteries alike will enjoy sinking their teeth into this series.
When the grisly murder of a parking cop received little attention from the press or the police, private investigator Jules Landau is hired by a concerned citizen to uncover the truth. While no one likes the meter cops, why would someone bash Jack (Bagrat) Gelashvili’s skull in and leave his body to be discovered by a toddler? Determined to uncover the truth, Jules finds himself with the toughest case of his career. Realizing money is the root of all evil, or the main reason behind almost all crime in Chicago, Jules uncovers a web of corruption, prostitution and organized crime. Strapping on his .40 caliber, Jules faces off against a group of criminals who would rather shoot first and ask questions later.
Mr. Krulewitch does an excellent job developing Jules character; a member of a family with ties to political corruption, Jules is determined to atone for his family’s previous behavior. Smart and well educated, he’s still somewhat green when it comes to running an investigation and makes some “rookie” mistakes. Mistakes with deadly consequences. Mr. Krulewitch also does a good job developing the secondary characters and I really enjoyed getting to know Sid “Frownie” Frownstein, Jules 90 year old mentor dying from cancer, and Tamar, “Jack’s” cousin, who Jules finds very attractive.
The mystery is well written and takes several twists and turns. When Jules begins to realize how much money is at the root of the crime, and begins asking the right questions, he starts making enemies. Enemies with money, power and ties to organized crime. A world Jules is trying to avoid.
Will Jules discover who killed Jack and why? Will his trust and attraction to Tamar get in the way of his investigation and endanger his life? You’ll have to read Windy City Blues to find out. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Chicago. The Windy City. A city on a lake known for the White Sox, The Cubs, and other sporting clubs. Also known for its ties to organized crime, corrupt police, high crime rates and lots of immigrants. Such is the setting for Marc Krulewitch’s newest Jules Landau Mystery, Windy City Blues. Filled with colorful characters, adult dialogue and plenty of action, this story grabbed my attention from the very first page and never let go. Fans of crime thrillers and mysteries alike will enjoy sinking their teeth into this series.
When the grisly murder of a parking cop received little attention from the press or the police, private investigator Jules Landau is hired by a concerned citizen to uncover the truth. While no one likes the meter cops, why would someone bash Jack (Bagrat) Gelashvili’s skull in and leave his body to be discovered by a toddler? Determined to uncover the truth, Jules finds himself with the toughest case of his career. Realizing money is the root of all evil, or the main reason behind almost all crime in Chicago, Jules uncovers a web of corruption, prostitution and organized crime. Strapping on his .40 caliber, Jules faces off against a group of criminals who would rather shoot first and ask questions later.
Mr. Krulewitch does an excellent job developing Jules character; a member of a family with ties to political corruption, Jules is determined to atone for his family’s previous behavior. Smart and well educated, he’s still somewhat green when it comes to running an investigation and makes some “rookie” mistakes. Mistakes with deadly consequences. Mr. Krulewitch also does a good job developing the secondary characters and I really enjoyed getting to know Sid “Frownie” Frownstein, Jules 90 year old mentor dying from cancer, and Tamar, “Jack’s” cousin, who Jules finds very attractive.
The mystery is well written and takes several twists and turns. When Jules begins to realize how much money is at the root of the crime, and begins asking the right questions, he starts making enemies. Enemies with money, power and ties to organized crime. A world Jules is trying to avoid.
Will Jules discover who killed Jack and why? Will his trust and attraction to Tamar get in the way of his investigation and endanger his life? You’ll have to read Windy City Blues to find out. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next book in this series.
January 12, 2015
RIP, Sid “Frownie” Frownstein. Frownie was ninety years old — a longtime friend of Jules Landau’s family. He loved Jules and referred to him as “the grandson he always never wanted.” He offered advice from his own experience to Jules as he began investigating murder cases. The author starts right in with a rather gruesome scene. A toddler is looking for his neighbor’s kitty and stumbles upon a headless corpse. His mother snatches him up from the scene, cleans him up, and calls 911. The deceased is Bagrat Gelashvili (Jack), a Georgian immigrant and a parking ticket officer. The two detectives assigned the case are both short timers, lazy, and irresponsible. It seems that Jack is not even considered one of their own since parking tickets are being handled by the DOR instead of the police department. Jules gets pulled in when a concerned citizen pays him to investigate. He lives in the area and is concerned for his family and neighbors. The first oddity in this mystery is why did a CEO of a conglomerate media group personally call a lower level admin to squash the story of what happened to Jack?
I’ll miss Frownie going forth in this series as he served as a great mentor for Jules. Even though he was ninety, he ‘breathed life’ into the spirit of the series. Jules father was part of corruption at one time, but has paid his dues and now worries about the dangers of his son investigating murders. The mystery wrapped itself around several components – city corruption; prostitution; mob connections; and foreign intrigue. Jules is a bit of a wise-cracker and much of that gets him into more trouble. But, hey, we the reader love it! The novel was originally called Scofflaw Blues. I rated Windy City Blues at 4 out of 5.
I’ll miss Frownie going forth in this series as he served as a great mentor for Jules. Even though he was ninety, he ‘breathed life’ into the spirit of the series. Jules father was part of corruption at one time, but has paid his dues and now worries about the dangers of his son investigating murders. The mystery wrapped itself around several components – city corruption; prostitution; mob connections; and foreign intrigue. Jules is a bit of a wise-cracker and much of that gets him into more trouble. But, hey, we the reader love it! The novel was originally called Scofflaw Blues. I rated Windy City Blues at 4 out of 5.
November 7, 2014
Take a trip to the Windy City – never been? – here’s your chance – to relish along with newbie detective Jules Landau one of the country’s great melting pots and to see just how Landau, with family members who worked the shady side of the street, tries to vindicate his family’s
past by sleuthing the dark underbelly of Chicago.
The brutal killing of a parking meter immigrant and a rich guy who wants that murder solved starts Landau on a journey into the nastier bits of the immigrant community – where young Russian women are brought to this country with promises of a better life only to find they
are forced into prostitution by the Russian mafia.
But the crimes don’t stop there – for there is more to the parking meter murder than meets the eye – his love is found in the river, and more deaths follow – while Landau with the help of a lovely young woman from the former Russian republic of Georgia discover that theft and human trafficking go all the way to the top of a city department.
Travel to Chicago, meet Jules Landau, his cat, his love, and discover for yourself just where your parking fines may go and the deep complications of a spider web of criminal activities in one our biggest and best cities.
past by sleuthing the dark underbelly of Chicago.
The brutal killing of a parking meter immigrant and a rich guy who wants that murder solved starts Landau on a journey into the nastier bits of the immigrant community – where young Russian women are brought to this country with promises of a better life only to find they
are forced into prostitution by the Russian mafia.
But the crimes don’t stop there – for there is more to the parking meter murder than meets the eye – his love is found in the river, and more deaths follow – while Landau with the help of a lovely young woman from the former Russian republic of Georgia discover that theft and human trafficking go all the way to the top of a city department.
Travel to Chicago, meet Jules Landau, his cat, his love, and discover for yourself just where your parking fines may go and the deep complications of a spider web of criminal activities in one our biggest and best cities.
January 11, 2015
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Jules Landau is back and is called into another murder investigation against the advisement of his father. This investigation gives him a new view of Chicago and maybe not the prettiest side of the city! With parking officers, billionaires, money and prostitution the amount of work that went into this investigation was quite large.
I have only visited Chicago a few times, but both times that I finished Marc Krulewitch's books I have wanted to make a return trip to see the things he describes in his books. I could feel the grittiness of the city and the neighborhoods that Jules Landau ends up in. I loved also seeing the business buildings and the relationship between the working class and the banking folk.
Jules Landau is back and is called into another murder investigation against the advisement of his father. This investigation gives him a new view of Chicago and maybe not the prettiest side of the city! With parking officers, billionaires, money and prostitution the amount of work that went into this investigation was quite large.
I have only visited Chicago a few times, but both times that I finished Marc Krulewitch's books I have wanted to make a return trip to see the things he describes in his books. I could feel the grittiness of the city and the neighborhoods that Jules Landau ends up in. I loved also seeing the business buildings and the relationship between the working class and the banking folk.
January 8, 2015
I thought this was a great read. The plot hooked me from the beginning and kept me flipping pages as fast as I could until the explosive ending. The plot was well written and fast moving. I won't give away any of the .plot as I think that would take away the enjoyment of seeing it all unfold in the manner and order it is given to us by the author. The characters were engaging and real, flaws and all. A great PI novel with new and interesting characters and a great plot that will grab you from the beginning. I would highly recommend this book and I will be looking for more books by this author.
I was provided with a coy of this book by the publisher for an honest review. This did not effect my review one way or the other.
I was provided with a coy of this book by the publisher for an honest review. This did not effect my review one way or the other.
November 23, 2014
This is the second book in thsi series that I have read and it basically is just a smooth and silky ride. Jules Landau is a wonderful protagonist, a one man band who follows every lead and makes every turn down every street a mini adventture. His wonderful paleo cat is a entertaining addition to the story and the way this one unravels is exceptional. A simple murder turning into a major intrigue. Chicago is a great setting and Krulewitch uses it well. If you are looking for a fun, easy to read P.I story this would be a good candidate.
January 7, 2015
Another exciting romp with Jules and his friends in Chicago. Against his father's wishes, he takes on another murder case. He encounters every bad thing you can find in Chicago: crooked cops, Russian mobsters, corrupt politicians, sex trafficking, illegal immigrants, and mental cases. His carnivorous cat is good for a laugh, and he does find time for hanky-panky. This is not a deep and serious book, but a fun read worth more than one trip through.
April 27, 2015
Jules Landau a private investigator in Chicago who is college educated and street smart is trying to atone for his families criminal past. But when he starts looking into a horrific death, he makes lots of enemies. From a media empire big wig, a prostitution ring, and corruption within the parking meters in the city of Chicago, what could possibly go wrong. Thank you netgalley.com for the free preview.
January 26, 2015
This taut tale is filled with tension, snappy dialogue, ruthless characters and plenty of surprises. Readers will especially enjoy traveling with the book's central figure: the impassive and complex, Jules Landau. It is all brought nicely together for a very satisfying climax and denouement.
July 22, 2020
A fun Chicago mystery
If you like mysteries and know something about Chicago, you'll enjoy this book. The hero is private investigator who gets hooked into his second murder case and quickly becomes enmeshed in a complicated web of city corruption, the Russian mob and more.
If you like mysteries and know something about Chicago, you'll enjoy this book. The hero is private investigator who gets hooked into his second murder case and quickly becomes enmeshed in a complicated web of city corruption, the Russian mob and more.
August 22, 2020
Excellent Chicago Detective Story
The characters are like those in an old movie. Fun to watch newly minted Detective Landau find his way around unsavory characters and follow leads to Pier 24. Feels like a film noir novel. Highly recommended.
The characters are like those in an old movie. Fun to watch newly minted Detective Landau find his way around unsavory characters and follow leads to Pier 24. Feels like a film noir novel. Highly recommended.
September 17, 2020
Lots of action.
PI, gets involved with finding out who killed someone. The person killed, was an employee of the city. He wrote parking tickets. This was the tip of the iceberg. Mafia, more murders, money laundering and prostitutes round out the list.
PI, gets involved with finding out who killed someone. The person killed, was an employee of the city. He wrote parking tickets. This was the tip of the iceberg. Mafia, more murders, money laundering and prostitutes round out the list.
January 2, 2021
Intriguing
Well written story about corruption, murder and human trafficking in Chicago. The main character comes from a family of small time criminals, but he decided to become a private investigator instead of sticking with the family business. Great.
Well written story about corruption, murder and human trafficking in Chicago. The main character comes from a family of small time criminals, but he decided to become a private investigator instead of sticking with the family business. Great.
August 5, 2022
Good detective story
This story was sort of hard to follow. So much back and forth between the city corruption and main characters. The main character Jules was quite the character. Don't know if I would read the next book.
This story was sort of hard to follow. So much back and forth between the city corruption and main characters. The main character Jules was quite the character. Don't know if I would read the next book.
September 14, 2020
Enjoyed
I have enjoyed reading this latest book of yours I like to follow the story line and then look for your clues.
I have enjoyed reading this latest book of yours I like to follow the story line and then look for your clues.
March 4, 2021
Windy City Blues
Well at least I finished it. Too many long names. Too many what seems like skipped parts. Like the author was a thug doing a quick getaway
Well at least I finished it. Too many long names. Too many what seems like skipped parts. Like the author was a thug doing a quick getaway
November 10, 2014
NOTE: This book was previously publish in a different format as “Scoflaw Blues”
It’s been two months since Jules Landau, a private investigator in Chicago, solved his first (and so far only) murder case. Jules is hoping he can go back to following cheating spouses and bail jumpers, and leave murders to the Chicago PD. But, a man walks into his office and offers him $10,000 to find a killer. The dead man, Jack Gelashvili (an immigrant from the country of Georgia) was found with his head cut-off on waste ground behind Chicago public housing.
The client is no relation, but a member of a small immigrant community and wants this murder solved. Then Jules finds out that the dead man was a Chicago Parking Citation Officer but that the cops could care less about finding the killer. Why? It seems that this department is not part of the police force but of the Department of Revenue. Even worse, the DOR has leased some of their areas to a private company Windy City, which is a subsidy of a subsidy of an unlisted holding company.
Landau’s only help in the community is Gelashvili’s cousin Tamar, who is a baker and so hot she doesn’t need an oven to bake bread. Landau’s first thought is that Gregory was killed by a disgruntled citizen who had gotten one too many parking tickets and freaked-out. Turns out there is a lot of money in writing tickets for expired meters, so much so that the head of DOR gets a little kick-back from the franchisee.
But as Jules works his way further into Windy City, he finds that kick-backs are nothing compare to the other ways they are making money. It turns out that some of those working at “meter maids” are Eastern European women who were smuggled into the country and forced to work as prostitutes. After a while the lucky ones become members of Windy City.
Though during the case Jules, loses his ‘uncle’ and mentor Frownie, using connections and trick that he was taught, his hunches, his family connections, and the Chicago Detective he befriended in his first murder case, Jules gets to the bottom of everything. (Who could have guessed it?) Cute, interesting read but nothing special.
Zeb Kantrowitz zworstblog.blogspot.com
It’s been two months since Jules Landau, a private investigator in Chicago, solved his first (and so far only) murder case. Jules is hoping he can go back to following cheating spouses and bail jumpers, and leave murders to the Chicago PD. But, a man walks into his office and offers him $10,000 to find a killer. The dead man, Jack Gelashvili (an immigrant from the country of Georgia) was found with his head cut-off on waste ground behind Chicago public housing.
The client is no relation, but a member of a small immigrant community and wants this murder solved. Then Jules finds out that the dead man was a Chicago Parking Citation Officer but that the cops could care less about finding the killer. Why? It seems that this department is not part of the police force but of the Department of Revenue. Even worse, the DOR has leased some of their areas to a private company Windy City, which is a subsidy of a subsidy of an unlisted holding company.
Landau’s only help in the community is Gelashvili’s cousin Tamar, who is a baker and so hot she doesn’t need an oven to bake bread. Landau’s first thought is that Gregory was killed by a disgruntled citizen who had gotten one too many parking tickets and freaked-out. Turns out there is a lot of money in writing tickets for expired meters, so much so that the head of DOR gets a little kick-back from the franchisee.
But as Jules works his way further into Windy City, he finds that kick-backs are nothing compare to the other ways they are making money. It turns out that some of those working at “meter maids” are Eastern European women who were smuggled into the country and forced to work as prostitutes. After a while the lucky ones become members of Windy City.
Though during the case Jules, loses his ‘uncle’ and mentor Frownie, using connections and trick that he was taught, his hunches, his family connections, and the Chicago Detective he befriended in his first murder case, Jules gets to the bottom of everything. (Who could have guessed it?) Cute, interesting read but nothing special.
Zeb Kantrowitz zworstblog.blogspot.com
December 20, 2014
A special thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Alibi, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Marc Krulewitch returns with Windy City Blues: A Jules Landau Mystery after the introduction of "Maxwell Street Blues", the first of his Blues Trilogy with PI Jules, trying to overcome his family’s criminal past in the Windy City of Chicago.
From Book one we learn of Jules Landau as a new private detective been thrown into the dark secrets of Chicago and a family full of criminals. When he gets his first case, the client is his ex-con father and the job is finding the killer of a man whom Jules loved like family. All about Charles Snook and finding answers. Snooky had all sort of clients as he uncovers one dirty secret after another to solve the murder. .
In Windy City Blues PI begins to uncover all sorts of corruption, prostitution, the mob, murder, dirty cops, and politics. He was hoping after the previous case, he could get back to simpler less violent crimes.
When someone gets involved in a murder story and the Meter police, the small news media and Landau is offered a retainer to investigate, since his last victory; this time he needs to find a killer. Jack is the deceased, an immigrant for the country of Georgia and was found with his head decapitated behind Chicago public housing.
The client hiring him is not related to the victim; however, a part of the small immigrant community and wants the killer found. Appears the police are not working to find the killer as part of the Department of Revenue, leasing to a private company, Windy City, is subsidy of an unlisted holding company.
As he investigates he uncovers all sorts of dirt from kick-backs, illegal immigrants, prostitutes, organized crime, and the mafia. Then there is the wealthy, adoptive grandfather, the Georgian community, and The Kutaisi Georgian Bakery. The entire book seemed very confusing, and I did not connect with the story, nor did not hold my interest. Sorry, gave up on this one (which is something I seldom do). Not one I can recommend, even though I do love Chicago.
Marc Krulewitch returns with Windy City Blues: A Jules Landau Mystery after the introduction of "Maxwell Street Blues", the first of his Blues Trilogy with PI Jules, trying to overcome his family’s criminal past in the Windy City of Chicago.
From Book one we learn of Jules Landau as a new private detective been thrown into the dark secrets of Chicago and a family full of criminals. When he gets his first case, the client is his ex-con father and the job is finding the killer of a man whom Jules loved like family. All about Charles Snook and finding answers. Snooky had all sort of clients as he uncovers one dirty secret after another to solve the murder. .
In Windy City Blues PI begins to uncover all sorts of corruption, prostitution, the mob, murder, dirty cops, and politics. He was hoping after the previous case, he could get back to simpler less violent crimes.
When someone gets involved in a murder story and the Meter police, the small news media and Landau is offered a retainer to investigate, since his last victory; this time he needs to find a killer. Jack is the deceased, an immigrant for the country of Georgia and was found with his head decapitated behind Chicago public housing.
The client hiring him is not related to the victim; however, a part of the small immigrant community and wants the killer found. Appears the police are not working to find the killer as part of the Department of Revenue, leasing to a private company, Windy City, is subsidy of an unlisted holding company.
As he investigates he uncovers all sorts of dirt from kick-backs, illegal immigrants, prostitutes, organized crime, and the mafia. Then there is the wealthy, adoptive grandfather, the Georgian community, and The Kutaisi Georgian Bakery. The entire book seemed very confusing, and I did not connect with the story, nor did not hold my interest. Sorry, gave up on this one (which is something I seldom do). Not one I can recommend, even though I do love Chicago.
November 27, 2012
An Intriguing Mystery 3.8 stars
Mr. Krulewitch has written a fine mystery in Scofflaw Blues. This book contains all the elements one expects in a mystery such as:
• Corrupt government
• Cops on the take
• Foreign intrigue
• Several murders to solve
• A P.I. whose life is in danger as he probes the crooked regime looking for the killer(s)
Mr. Krulewitch has woven a great mystery tale including all these elements and a romantic interest. Suspicion was thrown from one character to another throughout, so that the reader had trouble picking out the bad guys until near the end.
As this book is one in a series with Jules Landau, I found I could have used both a little more introductory material as well as a tighter closing. This is the only book I've read in this series, so I needed that. While I consider this a minor flaw, it did not distract from an otherwise good story.
Dawn Edwards, the Kindle Book Review
The KBR received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. We are not connected with the author, publisher, or Amazon in any way.
Mr. Krulewitch has written a fine mystery in Scofflaw Blues. This book contains all the elements one expects in a mystery such as:
• Corrupt government
• Cops on the take
• Foreign intrigue
• Several murders to solve
• A P.I. whose life is in danger as he probes the crooked regime looking for the killer(s)
Mr. Krulewitch has woven a great mystery tale including all these elements and a romantic interest. Suspicion was thrown from one character to another throughout, so that the reader had trouble picking out the bad guys until near the end.
As this book is one in a series with Jules Landau, I found I could have used both a little more introductory material as well as a tighter closing. This is the only book I've read in this series, so I needed that. While I consider this a minor flaw, it did not distract from an otherwise good story.
Dawn Edwards, the Kindle Book Review
The KBR received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. We are not connected with the author, publisher, or Amazon in any way.
January 16, 2015
This was very much an old school crime saga in a modern setting. The entire book gave me the sense of dark clouds, greyed out colors and hats pulled over eyes. I envisioned a very similar setting to the beginning of “Watchman” accurate or not. One of my favorite things I liked about the book was the accurate portrayal of Chicago. The locations and descriptions of the various neighborhoods were legitimate and as a long-time resident of Chicago, I loved tracking on a map where the character was going.
It was a fun read though I at times had trouble following what was happening in the action scenes. Regardless, I found the portrayal of the meter maids and police at city hall funny and not that far off the mark. The story was solid and certainly had enough to keep it interesting. I did not find myself compelled to stay up late to finish the book, but over all a very solid and fun mystery read.
Warning: Contains violence.
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review courtesy of TLC Book Tours.
Who should read it? Fans of old school crime stories.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
It was a fun read though I at times had trouble following what was happening in the action scenes. Regardless, I found the portrayal of the meter maids and police at city hall funny and not that far off the mark. The story was solid and certainly had enough to keep it interesting. I did not find myself compelled to stay up late to finish the book, but over all a very solid and fun mystery read.
Warning: Contains violence.
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review courtesy of TLC Book Tours.
Who should read it? Fans of old school crime stories.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
January 14, 2015
As with all crime stories a different cast of characters and scenarios either keeps the reader turning pages or decide to go to the next book. Windy City Blues has all the elements to keep the reader engaged. The author has given the reader a peek at reality fictionalized to create a very worthy read. A look at “The Windy City” will reveal districts where various ethnic groups inhabit amongst their own kind. Bound by the commonality of their lives as immigrants they will quickly come to the aid of other ethnic groups. From this mixture of individuals a criminal element is inevitable as they struggle to survive in strange and often hostile surroundings. And so the criminal elements plot their path to wealth, eliminating obstacles they cannot bribe or coerce by threats. Enter the gumshoe. Of course the gumshoe has connections with law enforcement and now we have a story. To best enjoy a story the reader must form images in his or her own mind and follow the course plotted by the author. I therefore give up no details but do recommend it to those who enjoy a good crime story.
January 23, 2015
Got this from netgalley. I enjoyed it. The writing was smooth with a little bit of tough guy talk thrown in. It was a bit convoluted though....At times I had to stop and do a mental map in my head as to who was who. The main character Jules Landau is a PI. His father, grandfather and great grandfather were all gangsters which plays a part in the narrative. He's also a vegan and the author loves describing his meals.
the book deals with corrupt Chicago city employees, the Russian mob and financial shenanigans (some legal, some not). The legal ones brought Bain Capital to mind.
Good read.
the book deals with corrupt Chicago city employees, the Russian mob and financial shenanigans (some legal, some not). The legal ones brought Bain Capital to mind.
Good read.
January 8, 2015
Jules Landau is back and this time he's hired to investigate a murder that nobody else seems to care about. His investigation leads him into Chicago's strange and unpopular parking meter privatization, mass media cover-up, police corruption, and a human-trafficking ring run by a Russian mafia. Of course there's also more murder. Along the way we see his mentor waste away from cancer, his out-of-jail father sink slowly into dementia, and we learn more about his cop frenemy's relationship to both.
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