“My first thought was that a beam had fallen from the roof. The force of the blow slammed me facedown on the floor. Pain zipped into my eyes and explosions ricocheted around inside my skull . . . Before I could further analyze my prognosis . . . something heavy rammed into the small of my back and stayed there, pinning me to the floor.”Going through my “mystery” shelf looking for inspiration I came across “Outwitting Trolls” by William G. Tapply: a Brady Coyne Mystery - #28 in series. Despite being the only Coyne installment I've read, I remembered enjoying Tapply’s easy-flow writing style and wry wit. Plus Coyne seemed an exceptionally affable guy – quite an anomaly for an attorney. So I thought it’d be fun to go back a ways and read through the series from mid-point forward. Good decision! “First Light” - #19 in series and “The first ever Brady Coyne/J.W. Jackson Mystery" – is a fast, entertaining whodunit. The writing was considerably simplistic, more so than in “Trolls.” However it flowed well and the dialogue read genuine. Coyne travels from Boston to Martha’s Vineyard to oversee a property sale, catch some bluefish in a week long Vineyard fishing derby, find a client’s AWOL wife, and hang out with friends: married couple J.W. and Zee. Sounds like the perfect getaway – a nice balance between business and pleasure. But practically before they can wet a hook, Coyne and J.W. find themselves caught up in a tangled web of a modern day Shakespearean tragedy of deadly proportions. A good puzzler. Tapply kept my mind buffering, swirling from one scenario to another trying to put all the pieces together. I had it somewhat figured out before the climatic ending, but not quite. Plus, it was interesting reading a pre- 9-11 whodunit, crime solving without use of cell phones or Google or facial recognition software or GPS navigation; everything was done the old gumshoe way: feet to the pavement, phone books, pagers, paper maps, and payphones. Great weekend read! Intriguing, not overly graphic, and expletives were minimal. An entertaining, simplistic 3-star whodunit – certainly worth the time investment. Bonus perks: I love this quote:“Why is it that parents are afraid to have their kids do what they themselves used to do fearlessly when they were kids? As the poet said, down we forget as up we grow.”
First Light is co-authored by William Tapply - I'm a big fan - and Philip Craig - not so much. Both of their protagonists - Brady Coyne and J.W. Jackson - are Massachusetts based - Boston and Martha's Vineyard respectively. (I understand that Craig/Jackson fans may take umbrage with the Massachusetts label - my bad.) Brady is a single/divorced/father of two grown boys and a lawyer who does a lot of investigating. J.W. is a married father of two young children and an ex-cop who also does a lot of investigating. Both - as are/were the authors - avid fishermen - hence the "connection" between our authors and protagonists. The product of this partnership is a romp - heavy on fishing and light on plot - with each author/hero "telling" this story in alternating chapters.Brady makes his way to the Vineyard to settle the financial matters of a very wealthy and ailing widow. His "visit" coincides with the island's annual striped bass/bluefish Derby. Hosting Brady is resident J.W., who takes on a missing persons' case - a woman last seen on Martha's Vineyard a year earlier - hired by the estranged, but very concerned husband. In between fishing excursions - and there is a lot of fishing in First Light - both our heroes work their "cases" and before it's all over - lo and behold - the two cases "connect".A quick light read - which may have more appeal if you like to fish.
Do You like book First Light (Brady Coyne, #19) (2004)?
I've never read anything by either of these authors, but apparently they each have significant series of mysteries starring, respectively, Brady Coyne and J.W. Jackson. In this book the two characters combine forces to track down a missing woman on Martha's Vineyard. The authors and characters alternate chapters, so the story is told from both perspectives. It's a little frustrating as the information-sharing between the characters is not perfect, so the reader can put together the clues well before the protagonists. And there is a *lot* of fishing. But it's a good story and fun characters and I'm going to put some of their separate works on my to-read list.
—Elizabeth Hunter
FIRST LIGHT (Unlicensed investigators-Massachusetts-Cont) – G+Craig, Philip R. and William G. Tapply – first collaborationScribner, 2002 – Hardcover*** Boston attorney Brady Coyne is visiting his friend J.W. Jackson on Martha’s Vineyard to participate in the annual striped bass and bluefish derby. Brady is also there to visit an elderly client who, dying of cancer, wants Brady to advise her on the sale of her property; much to her family’s dismay. J.W. Jackson is contacted by a man looking for his estranged wife, missing after last being seen on the island. J.W. and his wife, Zee, introduce Brady with a woman, who he realizes is his client’s nurse. Brady believe she has stood him up for a subsequent date, but later realizes she has gone missing. Both women are in the 40s with blond hair and, it turns out, are only two of such women missing.*** I was pleasantly surprised how well this worked. The two authors alternated chapters with their characters but I didn’t find it awkward or disruptive. The characters are interesting and ending suspenseful. I always enjoy the setting of Martha’s Vineyard, but it does help, with this book, if you like fishing. The story definitely kept me reading. This is not quite cozies, in spite of the very good recipes at the back. Both authors are very good in their own right and the blending of their talents.
—LJ
