About My Books

Hello, and thank you for stopping by my author’s website. I’m Claudia N. Oltean and have had the pleasure (and some pain) to write a two-book historical crime novel series called “The Man in the Middle.” The books are set in the Roaring 20s/Prohibition era, primarily in Detroit, Michigan. The inspiration for this writing journey and the model for the series protagonist is my paternal grandfather, Allen J. Nieber. He was an amazing person, a true larger-than-life character.

There’s more about him in the Historical Background section, but here’s some personal backstory. Several years ago I received his printed article scrapbooks dating back to 1920 along with journal notes from his time as a Prohibition crime reporter for the Detroit News. Included in this treasure trove were letters, telegrams, and other archival materials. Diving into all this blew the top of my head off. I knew and admired my grandfather and had an inkling of Prohibition, but this went so much farther. It read like fiction! That’s when I decided to work with the material and turn it into historical fiction—to blend these fascinating facts and surprising events with imaginative storytelling.

I hope you will read the first chapters of each book provided below to see if the books might be your “cup of tea.” Feel free to contact me with your questions.