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Title: Shadow of Death: A Brady Coyne Novel by William G. Tapply ISBN: 0-312-30377-7 Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur Pub. Date: 01 November, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (3 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: An Engaging Detective Story with a Lousy Mystery
Comment: As a long-time fan of William G. Tapply's Brady Coyne mysteries, I really enjoyed Shadow of Death . . . right up until the mystery began to completely unravel. Then, I was appalled to find out that Mr. Tapply made all kinds of improbable assumptions in setting up the events. These assumptions were entirely unnecessary to telling this story, so I have to believe that Mr. Tapply just didn't put the effort into his mystery that he should have.
Shadow of Death makes for interesting reading because it has several strong lines of story development: an unusual marriage between a female political aspirant who has been a prosecutor and a quiet male history professor; a tough ethical issue as Brady Coyne has to honor client confidentiality while the cops desperately need some help; the evolving relationship between Evie Banyon and Brady as they move in together and take up with Henry, their new dog; and a remote scandal in a small New Hampshire town that no one seems to want to discuss. The background for these story lines is that Brady has been hired by Ellen Stoddard's senatorial campaign manager, Jimmy D'Ambrosio (known as Jimmy D), to find out what's happened to the candidate's husband ("He's acting . . . weird."). Since Ellen is the daughter of a client, and a friend, Brady checks with her before taking on the case. His job: Hire a PI to find out what's going on . . . and keep his mouth shut (attorney-client privilege being helpful in such matters). Brady duly hires Gordon Cahill, a great PI, to do the tailing . . . and everything seems to work fine until Cahill skips the meeting to make his report. Instead, Detective Horowitz is tossing Cahill's office. Cahill has turned up dead . . . and evidence soon points toward foul play. Horowitz wants answers, and Brady cannot get permission from Jimmy D to provide any. Feeling guilty and responsible, Brady follows Cahill's trail. In the meantime, Professor Stoddard has disappeared.
Brady's search takes him to New Hampshire with substantial complications along the way for all of the characters. The action is leavened by several interesting characters who are specific to this book, lots of bad puns and speculation about trout streams.
If you don't mind the clunky mystery and weird, ineffective methods of investigating it (for example, why didn't Brady just look up the details about the town's past in a newspaper?), you will probably think this is a four or five star book.
As I finished the book, I began to realize why it is so hard to write great books. You can get all but one part right . . . and still far below the mark. Keep getting feedback on what you have written and then keep rewriting has to be the lesson from this unfortunately flawed book.
Rating: 4
Summary: a well told suspenseful story
Comment: Attorney Brady Coyne is hired by the campaign manager of a senatorial candidate to conduct a discreet investigation of the candidate's husband. Brady hires his friend, former undercover cop turned PI, to tail the husband. When the PI is killed in a staged car crash, the campaign manager who evoked attorney/client privilege prevents Brady from helping the police. Since he cannot help the police and feels a responsibility for his friend, he decides to investigate himself. He ends up opening a Pandora's box of secrets going back thirty years.
Brady Coyne is a nice-guy lawyer. Recent novels featuring him have been a bit bland because frankly nice guys in crime novels are boring. This recent novel is the best one in years. The characters were well defined and the plot of suspenseful. Brady is still laid back and too nice, but this time he suffers some angst which makes him more human. It was a pleasant page turning, quickly read book.
Rating: 5
Summary: strong Coyne entry
Comment: Political kingmaker Jimmy D'Ambrosio knows that spousal trouble when one runs for elected office means trouble for the candidate. Jimmy D worries about Albert, husband of the US Senater from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts candidate Ellen Stoddard. Jimmy D asks old friend Boston based attorney, Brady Coyne to hire the most discreet private investigator to determine why Albert is acting strange.
Brady employs private eye Gordon Cahill, who learns what is bothering Albert, but dies in a car accident that looks more like deliberate murder before he can meet with Brady. Knowing that Gordon concentrated on Albert's Southwick, New Hampshire cabin, Brady travels there, but stirs the pot enough that someone else is also killed. Cops in two states are interested in Brady, his unidentified client, and solving two homicides.
SHADOW OF DEATH is a strong Coyne entry, perhaps the best in the last decade. The story line moves at a rapid pace as Brady is caught between client confidentiality and the homicides. The support characters propel the tale forward while Brady seems refreshed as if he rolled back the clock twenty years. Fans of the hero or the New England who-done-it scene will enjoy William G. Tapply's latest story runs on all cylinders.
Harriet Klausner
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Title: A Fine Line: A Brady Coyne Novel by William G. Tapply ISBN: 0312303521 Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur Pub. Date: 01 November, 2002 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Stone Cold: A Jesse Stone Novel by Robert B. Parker ISBN: 0399150870 Publisher: Putnam Pub Group Pub. Date: 29 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Bad Business by Robert B. Parker ISBN: 0399151451 Publisher: Penguin USA Pub. Date: 08 March, 2004 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Last Car to Elysian Fields: A Novel by James Lee Burke ISBN: 0743245423 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 30 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Past Tense : A Brady Coyne Novel by William G. Tapply ISBN: 031228442X Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur Pub. Date: 19 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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