Past Tense: A Brady Coyne Novel

While this is apparently the 18th Brady Coyne novel, I had not come across one before a friend of mine gave me this one to read.I read it in a day and enjoyed it very much. What starts out as a weekend on Cape Cod for Coyne and his girlfriend, Evie Banyon ends abruptly with the murder of a man who is apparently stalking her. Following a grilling by the gendarmes both are allowed to leave and return home to Boston and shortly thereafter, Edie disappears. Searching for her, Coyne travels to Cortland, MA, the home town of the murdered man and a place where Edie used to work. The remainder of the story takes place there with numerous interesting characters, twists and turns in the plot along with some surprizes and an interesting ending. Mr. Tapply's writing shows polish and style and the reader is swept along through the labyrinth he has created for his characters in a most enjoyable way.

"Past Tense" is the 18th Brady Coyne novel by William G. Tapply whom I think is one of the top mystery writers working today. Brady and his girlfriend, Evie Banyon, plan a nice weekend on Cape Cod. While at a restaurant there, Evie spots a former lover, Larry Scott whom Evie thinks is stalking her. She has words with him. The next day, Evie finds the body of Larry Scott who has been murdered. Evie and Brady become the prime suspects in his murder. Shortly after they return to Boston, Evie disappears. Brady feels the only way to clear Evie is to find the real murderer, and goes to Larry Scott's hometown in search of the truth. This is another winner by William G. Tapply!

While William G. Tapply has written many books, this was the first one that I have read and I enjoyed it. The editorial review of this book gives quite a bit of information about the story itself so I will focus on my opinion of the book. I sometimes find mystery novels by male writers a little dry, so I was pleasantly surprised with PAST TENSE. Tapply's experience as an author shines throughout the book. The character of Brady Coyne is multi-dimensional with his honesty, yet he walks around the truth and frequently uses his attorney status to further whatever he needs. The supporting characters and small town description of Cortland was amusing and accurate. The story itself was not fast-paced but rather developed steadily. There are several smaller mysteries lurking in the book and while you may figure them out along the way, it's still an enjoyable ride.

This book was another brilliant episode in Brady's life. I've loved every book in this series and Past Tense is equally as enjoyable.

Though he has spent the last six months in a close relationship with Evie Banyon, attorney Brady Coyne knows little about his significant other. They drive to Cape Cod to spend the weekend together. That night in an Eastham restaurant, Evie notices Larry Scott, a man she feels is stalking her even if his actions fail to meet the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' definition of a stalker. They have public incidents in the restaurant and outside in the parking lot. The next morning, Evie goes out running while Brady sleeps a little longer in their isolated cabin until she comes across Larry's corpse. Brady realizes that he and Evie are prime suspects as they each had the means, motives, and opportunity, especially Evie, for murdering Larry. After lengthy, but separate interrogations by the police, Evie and Brady return home. Over the next week he, her boss, and the police try to call Evie, but she vanished. Brady wonders if she fled because she killed Larry or did the killer abduct her? Unable to let her go, Brady begins to search for Evie. William G Tapply provides fans of the amateur sleuth tale with a powerful entry in PAST TENSE. The story line is taut as Brady wonders what is going on with Evie even as he understands law enforcement procedures. He makes the tale work in such a fabulously tense way that fans will seek past Coyne tales (see SCAR TISSUE) by an author on the way to the top of the genre.Harriet Klausner