Hell Bent

I thought that this was the first Brady Coyne novel I've read, but mention of THE DUTCH BLUE ERROR rings a bell in my memory. I've been off mysteries for a long while, and have forgotten many that I once read. Be that as it may, I found this quite satisfying. There's a lot of backgroundof previous stories I haven't read, but I did find this good as a stand alone book.The setting of the situation and the meeting of the eventual victim works quite well I quite like how this builds from a rather pedestrian mystery up to one of monumental proportions. Highly recommended.

I HAVE BEEN READING MYSTERIES FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS AND EVERY YEAR I CREATE A LIST OF FAVORITE AUTHORS. WILLIAM TAPPLY IS ALWAYS ON THAT LIST. WHEN ANOTHER REVIEWER SAID THIS TITLE "DRAGGED AND DRAGGED," I FELT I HAD TO STAND UP FOR MR. TAPPLY. YOU CARE ABOUT BRADY COYNE AND HIS LIFE AND HIS FRIENDS, BOTH HUMAN AND ANIMAL. YOU WANT TO KNOW ALL ABOUT THEM. AND ANY BOOK IN THIS WONDERFUL BRADY COYNE SERIES IS A GIFT. THANK YOU, MR. TAPPLY. START THE SERIES WITH Death at Charity's Point (Missing Mysteries).

If you like Tapply, you will enjoy this book. Pick it up and start reading, and you will feel like you are visiting with an old friend. His old girlfriend, Alex, hires Brady to represent her brother, Gus, in a divorce case. Several days later, her brother's body is found in his apartment. The cops think it was suicide. After all Gus was a photojournalist who had just come back from Iraq, missing his right hand. Alex thinks it was murder and wants Brady's help proving her case. Brady has to work hard on this one. He doesn't have a lot to go on and everyone, except Alex is convinced it was suicide. Tapply writes a good story, that will keep you guessing throughout the book. A perfect book for that 3 hour flight. For those of you who have read the previous books in the series, Evie is still in California and she may just stay there, or will she?

AS ALWAYS, WILLIAM TAPPLY SATISFIES. THE CHARACTER, BRADY COYNE & HIS ADVENTURES ARE VERY INTERESTING, AS IS HIS PRIVATE LIFE. THAT'S WHY THESE BOOKS SHOULD BE READ FROM THE BEGINNING, STARTING WITH "DEATH AT CHARITY'S POINT". THE BOOKS ARE FAST READING. TAPPLY IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS, ALONG WITH JAMES HADLEY CHASE, ELMORE LEONARD, ROBERT B. PARKER, ROBERT CRAIS, MAX ALLEN COLLINS, DONALD WEATLAKE, BILL PRONZINI, ROB KANTNER, & DICK FRANCIS. NEED I GO ON ?

My first Brady Coyne experience was a pleasant surprise. Brady's ex-girlfriend Alex seeks his help for her unfortunate brother Gus. Gus, a photographer injured in Iraq, has returned to the states sans a hand and suffering from a deep depression. His career cannot continue because of his injury and his marriage has fallen apart. Alex wants Brady to help with the divorce, since Gus is unable to help himself. But Gus' tragic death catapults Brady into a possible murder investigation. The characters are well drawn and leap off the page. Gus has haunted me for weeks after I finished the book. I passed my copy on to a friend and he agreed: Gus was a special character. I also enjoyed the incredibly accurate representation of Boston and Concord Massachusetts. This ranks up there with Dennis Lehane and Robert Parker in capturing the uniqueness of Boston and her suburbs. Brady himself is a likable soul, flawed but honest. I'm going to pick up earlier books in the series. Don't miss this wonderful book!