Nervous Water: A Brady Coyne Novel

"Nervous Water" is the 21st Brady Coyne novel by William G. Tapply whom I feel is one of the finest mystery writers working today. Brady is called by his Uncle Moze in Maine to try to find his daughter Cassie who has apparently disappeared. Cassie is actually Moze's niece, but he and his wife had raised Cassie as their own. Brady begins to search for his cousin and finds that most people who are close to her are not cooperative. Her husband Richard Hurley is not helpful to Brady and he wonders if Hurley knew something of her disappearance. When Cassie's former lover is killed, Brady knows that someone will stop at nothing to keep Cassie's whereabouts a secret. He even wonders if Cassie is still alive. When Moze suffers a heart attack, Brady knows that he needs to find Cassie. There is also a suplot in which Brady's girlfriend, Evie, is acting strangely. I gave this novel a 5 star because it is a fast paced and very suspenseful read. The only thing I felt was strange about the plot was the fact that Brady had not visited his uncle in 30 years, but I overlooked that and highly recommend this book.

I am not a huge "mystery" genre lover. I much prefer a good thriller. However, Tapply and Brady Coyne are the exception to my rule. Nervous Water is another entry into the Coyne series. I am never sure if I just really like Tapply's writing or if I just really like the character her created. Regardless, this book is another wonderful Brady Coyne story. What makes these books so great is that Tapply has given his characters "real life" traits. They fight, make mistakes and work their way through the storylines at such a delightful and real pace that you can almost feel that they are real. Nervous Water explores deep-rooted family issues intermingled with legal and personal issues. At the same time, being entertaining and a page turner. I am not sure about the relationship between our main character and his "love". I always kind of feel that this does not work for Coyne and he should be single for a while. Also, I do find it difficult to plod through all the fishing references made (and there are alot in this one). I know that Tapply is a fishing enthusiast, but I would love for him to figure out that there is a really good chance that most of his fans ARE NOT and that is why I give this book 4 instead of 5 stars. Otherwise. Another perfect read.

Where is Cousin Cassie? Boston lawyer Brady Coyne needs to find her and reunite her with her ailing adopted father, Brady's Uncle Moze, before the worst happens. His search covers ground from his ancestral home in southern Maine to towns west of Boston and south to Rhode Island. Cassie's new husband and stepchildren are less than helpful and seem to know more than they're telling about her disappearance. The task gets even trickier when Cassie's previous boyfriend is murdered mere minutes before he can talk to Brady. Very few strands of a trail exist, and Brady diligently pursues each one of them. If Cassie's not responsible for the most recent attacks, then who is? At the same time, Brady is serving as a mediator to a couple planning divorce, and that causes him to debate the stability of his own two-year live-in relationship with Evie. His own reunion with Uncle Moze forces him to think about the family matters that he usually ignores. With a storyline that's driven by dialogue, this is a fast read that can be finished in one or two sittings. Now that we know more about Brady's past, some of us may want to read (or re-read) the 23 previous episodes in the series at our earliest convenience.

Maine lobsterman Moze Crandall has called his estranged niece Cassie, who he raised with his late wife, several times to attempt reconciliation before he dies from cancer. However, though his calls turn increasingly frantic, Cassie has not returned any. He knows she may just simply not want to speak to him since he objected to the man she eventually married, but his gut tells him otherwise. He asks his nephew Brady Coyne to talk to Cassie. Brady learns from Cassie's belligerent husband, dentist Richard Hurley that she has vanished though he tells him little else. Brady soon learns that Hurley's two previous wives mysteriously died. However, the simple missing person's case turns bizarre when an assailant assaults Moze, who suffers a heart attack, and someone murders Cassie's former lover, Professor Grantham Webster. NERVOUS WATER showcases why the Coyne novels are one of the best regional mystery series on the market today though there are over twenty books published. The story line is obviously personal as Brady searches for his missing cousin. Readers will ponder why getting cooperation from her spouse is like pulling teeth though he might be cautious thinking strike three and your out or hiding that he did something nasty to Cassie. Though how Cassie serves as the central magnet of several ugly even deadly incidents is never explained, fans will appreciate Coyne's thrilling caper. Harriet Klausner