The Seventh Enemy (A Brady Coyne Mystery)

Rating:
Summary: Gun Control Pro & Con
Review: Brady Coyne helps an old friend, outdoorsman Wally Kinnick, with his testimony before a state subcommittee. The issue is assault weapons and whether they should be sold to private parties. Kinnick is a strong anti-gun control advocate, and an offshoot of the NRA called SAFE has paid his expenses.

After an all-night session of reading the bill, Kinnick comes to the conclusion that the bill is reasonable, and he testifies in favor of its passage to the dismay of his sponsors, SAFE. When Wally and Brady take off to do their favorite thing, fishing in the wilds of Massachusetts, Wally is shot with an assault rifle.

Have NRA types disgruntled with his testimony shot him? Is it a hunting accident? Could it be his lady friend's about-to-be ex-husband? Brady has more than a passing interest because he, as well as Wally, has been put on SAFE's "enemy list."

The author presents a balanced view of this explosive issue, which is much to his credit. However, the story lacks momentum. It is one of these where vital facts are kept secret because of "confidentiality," which I find annoying. The choices are too narrow for who the attacker might be. So the reader is a few steps ahead of Brady all the way. As always, the author does an excellent job of describing the local scenes. Brady is a very likeable guy, but his laid back persona slows the story down badly. "The Seventh Enemy" is a quick read, pleasant, but one you forget by the next day.

Rating:
Summary: Gun Control Pro & Con
Review: Brady Coyne helps an old friend, outdoorsman Wally Kinnick, with his testimony before a state subcommittee. The issue is assault weapons and whether they should be sold to private parties. Kinnick is a strong anti-gun control advocate, and an offshoot of the NRA called SAFE has paid his expenses.

After an all-night session of reading the bill, Kinnick comes to the conclusion that the bill is reasonable, and he testifies in favor of its passage to the dismay of his sponsors, SAFE. When Wally and Brady take off to do their favorite thing, fishing in the wilds of Massachusetts, Wally is shot with an assault rifle.

Have NRA types disgruntled with his testimony shot him? Is it a hunting accident? Could it be his lady friend's about-to-be ex-husband? Brady has more than a passing interest because he, as well as Wally, has been put on SAFE's "enemy list."

The author presents a balanced view of this explosive issue, which is much to his credit. However, the story lacks momentum. It is one of these where vital facts are kept secret because of "confidentiality," which I find annoying. The choices are too narrow for who the attacker might be. So the reader is a few steps ahead of Brady all the way. As always, the author does an excellent job of describing the local scenes. Brady is a very likeable guy, but his laid back persona slows the story down badly. "The Seventh Enemy" is a quick read, pleasant, but one you forget by the next day.