Susan Rogers Cooper

First in a good series

I bought this after reading the second book in the series, "Houston in the Rearview", which was a good book that kept me interested enough to read it in one day.

If you're looking for a plot-driven thriller, this won't satisfy. It's a cozy, meaning that the setting is like a character of its own and no one you know is in any real danger.

"The Man in the Green Chevy" kept me reading to find out what happens, but that was at least partially because I was waiting for the Deus ex machina moment, the magic fix. I figured that that was the only way this story could resolve, at 75%, when Milt Kovak had spent the entire book with his head up his-not doing a bit of investigating or analyzing or even looking at clues. Everything happens when Milt is not around and usually he's doing something he shouldn't be doing.

The magic moment just *happens* to him and he figures out whodunnit by just happening to run into the right person. He does figure it out for himself, and he wraps the case up in a very unconventional way. The end was a good twist.

Milt is a very likable character in what is definitely a character-driven story. With two major exceptions, Milt is a genuinely good person, the kind who helps old ladies rake their lawns. He's a good old boy in the best way with a wry sense of humor that made me laugh a couple times.

I liked Milt a lot and plan to read more of this series.… (more)