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Youngstown is setting of new mystery novel
By christine keeling
austintown
Youngstown is the setting for a murder-mystery novel.
Cleveland author Les Roberts spoke Monday evening to more than 80 people at the Austintown branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County about his newest book, “The Strange Death of Father Candy.”
The book, which takes place in Youngstown in 1985, was inspired after Roberts visited the city and learned of several crimes that had taken place here from a friend, who was an ex-Youngstown police officer.
“He told me a lot of stories and one stuck in my head,” said Roberts. “I said, ‘I’m gonna write that as a murder mystery.’”
The book, which was released Oct. 25, has a dysfunctional family involved with the mob, a corrupt police lieutenant and a Vietnam veteran trying to find answers about the death of his brother, a Catholic priest known as Father Candy.
It is the 26th book published by Roberts, and a departure from his Cleveland-based, Milan Jacovich mystery series.
“I had fun researching it,” said Roberts. Youngstown “is very much like Cleveland in that the people are tough.”
He said he traveled around town, ate at small pizza places and talked to many people to get the feel of the area.
Many members of the audience laughed when he said he had written half his book before he realized he had Brier Hill spelled wrong and that he tried to title his work “The Youngstown Tune-up,” but publishers wouldn’t let him.
Suzanne Aszalos of Austintown was interested in the book because of its setting, but Nancy Beil of Newton Falls was excited to meet Roberts.
“I have read all his books,” she said.
Janet Loew, director or communications and public relations for the library, said its important to bring in authors and invite the public because it piques people’s interest in reading. She said she believed people would recognize parts of the community, from those days, in the book.
The event was hosted by CSI Y’Town, a group sponsored by the Friends of the PLYMC.