Close to the Bone (Brady Coyne Mysteries (Hardcover))

Rating:
Summary: When in Doubt, Go Fishin'
Review: A most enjoyable Brady Coyne outing where Brady's tranquil pace is an ideal balance for the busy plot that swirls around him. A typical Coyne client's (think "very rich") son needs representation for a DUI accident that killed a woman. Brady recommends his good friend Paul, a cracker jack defense attorney. Paul, in the throes of mid-life angst, reluctantly agrees and gets the thoroughly guilty miscreant off. Paul is depressed over the caliber of his clients, the state of his marriage, and the state of the legal profession. Paul disappears and bad things start happening to his less than pristine clients.

Mr. Tapply has given us much more a plot than usual, and the fast pace of events work nicely against Brady's reluctant involvement. Brady centers his attention on getting one good day's worth of trout fishing while everything conspires against him. To make him even more miserable, his comfortable life style is threatened when the love of his life proposes getting away from it all and moving to Maine.

The exquisite descriptions of Newburyport and Plum Island MA are a joy to read. The personal crisis Brady faces is portrayed honestly and well. He does some excellent sleuthing and hands the reader some surprises. This is a well done tightly woven narrative. Best of all is how fond one becomes of Brady. You want to reward him with a good fishing trip for a job well done. This story is included in "The Brady Coyne Omnibus."

Rating:
Summary: When in Doubt, Go Fishin'
Review: A most enjoyable Brady Coyne outing where Brady's tranquil pace is an ideal balance for the busy plot that swirls around him. A typical Coyne client's (think "very rich") son needs representation for a DUI accident that killed a woman. Brady recommends his good friend Paul, a cracker jack defense attorney. Paul, in the throes of mid-life angst, reluctantly agrees and gets the thoroughly guilty miscreant off. Paul is depressed over the caliber of his clients, the state of his marriage, and the state of the legal profession. Paul disappears and bad things start happening to his less than pristine clients.

Mr. Tapply has given us much more a plot than usual, and the fast pace of events work nicely against Brady's reluctant involvement. Brady centers his attention on getting one good day's worth of trout fishing while everything conspires against him. To make him even more miserable, his comfortable life style is threatened when the love of his life proposes getting away from it all and moving to Maine.

The exquisite descriptions of Newburyport and Plum Island MA are a joy to read. The personal crisis Brady faces is portrayed honestly and well. He does some excellent sleuthing and hands the reader some surprises. This is a well done tightly woven narrative. Best of all is how fond one becomes of Brady. You want to reward him with a good fishing trip for a job well done. This story is included in "The Brady Coyne Omnibus."

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful read
Review: In William G. Tapply's "Close to the Bone," Boston attorney Brady Coyne is asked to represent a drunk driver in a trial that should be a slam dunk for the prosecution. Coyne doesn't take the case, though, since it's not the sort of case he can handle well. Instead, he refers the client to Paul Cizek, a former prosecutor who is now an amazing defense attorney. Cizek takes the case, and Brady goes on with his life. Cizek's new client is just another in a string of clients whom he loathes, from the child molestor to the mob hit man.

Soon, Cizek's boat turns up empty, and it's not clear whether Cizek has been murdered, committed suicide, or gone over the edge in an accident during the storm. Coyne is brought into the investigation of Cizek's disappearance due to his status as lawyer for Cizek and his wife. At the same time, Coyne is trying to figure out just what to do about his relationship with his lover, who will be moving soon to write a book.

"Close to the Bone" is an interesting sort of mystery. In a sense, it's a paradox. For a long time, it is not precisely clear what the mystery is. On the other hand, the twist ending is predictable (though that may be because I've read too many mysteries). At any rate, the novel is very well written and very enjoyable. Coyne is a devout fisherman, and the book's pace seems to be a great deal like an ideal fishing trip--sure, there's a goal in mind, but the point is to enjoy the experience and to savor the reflection that fishing brings. Tapply's characters, Coyne and his lover, Alex, in particular, are exceedingly realistic and the sort of people with whom one would enjoy spending time. "Close to the Bone" is a highly recommended mystery, primarily for the vivid characters and the writing.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful read
Review: In William G. Tapply's "Close to the Bone," Boston attorney Brady Coyne is asked to represent a drunk driver in a trial that should be a slam dunk for the prosecution. Coyne doesn't take the case, though, since it's not the sort of case he can handle well. Instead, he refers the client to Paul Cizek, a former prosecutor who is now an amazing defense attorney. Cizek takes the case, and Brady goes on with his life. Cizek's new client is just another in a string of clients whom he loathes, from the child molestor to the mob hit man.

Soon, Cizek's boat turns up empty, and it's not clear whether Cizek has been murdered, committed suicide, or gone over the edge in an accident during the storm. Coyne is brought into the investigation of Cizek's disappearance due to his status as lawyer for Cizek and his wife. At the same time, Coyne is trying to figure out just what to do about his relationship with his lover, who will be moving soon to write a book.

"Close to the Bone" is an interesting sort of mystery. In a sense, it's a paradox. For a long time, it is not precisely clear what the mystery is. On the other hand, the twist ending is predictable (though that may be because I've read too many mysteries). At any rate, the novel is very well written and very enjoyable. Coyne is a devout fisherman, and the book's pace seems to be a great deal like an ideal fishing trip--sure, there's a goal in mind, but the point is to enjoy the experience and to savor the reflection that fishing brings. Tapply's characters, Coyne and his lover, Alex, in particular, are exceedingly realistic and the sort of people with whom one would enjoy spending time. "Close to the Bone" is a highly recommended mystery, primarily for the vivid characters and the writing.