Muscle Memory [Hardcover]

William G. Tapply (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1999

Boston attorney Brady Coyne doesn't handle criminal cases--he makes a nice living drafting wills and deeds and doing other small legal work for a select list of clients. He does, however, handle divorces and, against his better judgment, he decides to represent Mick Fallon, a former professional basketball player, in a divorce suit brought against him by his wife. Mick doesn't want the divorce, nor does he understand why his wife wants one, and he isn't going to make it easy for anyone involved--including Brady.

But that, as Brady soon discovers, is only the beginning of Mick's problems. A compulsive gambler, Mick is deep in debt to a local mobster, and he has a talent for making difficult situations worse. In fact, nothing is ever quite the way that Mick represents it to be, and the early stages of the divorce action aren't going well for Brady's client. Before it can get very far, however, Mick's wife is found brutally murdered in her living room. The obvious suspect is Mick himself--he was seen at her house that night and later lied about it--but Mick has disappeared. Though everyone from the police to the mob is after Mick, only Brady believes him to be innocent of the crime--a crime he has to solve before Mick's troubles overtake him permanently.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Readers will find Tapply's 16th novel featuring attorney-sleuth Brady Coyne a pleasure, but they will have to forgive Coyne if he's holding a grievance. For Coyne's client, former pro-basketball player and long-time drinking buddy Mick Fallon, not only repeatedly lies to him, he also gets Coyne knocked unconscious and embroiled in a hostage situation. There's one grievance Coyne is certain Fallon is not responsible for, however: the death of Fallon's wife, who was suing Fallon for divorce before she was murdered. A "muscle memory" accrues to any action repeated so frequently that it becomes second nature. In Fallon's case, muscle memory enabled him to ace late-game free throws, but since he has retired, the practice has underpinned his reflexive habit of lying to hide his decades-long gambling problem, which has led to an alarming debt to Boston's most notorious mobster. Enter Coyne, who's recovering from his own divorce and isn't yet ready for the relationship opportunities that present themselves. Tapply (Cutter's Run) integrates Coyne's personal travails and his professional obligations, marking this novel as a model addition in a mature series: smoothly written, accessible to new readers and solidly plotted. with a singular, self-contained story that satisfies on its own while advancing the book-to-book progression of the series. Picking up the latest Brady Coyne novel could easily become a muscle memoryAthat is, for those to whom it's not one already. (July)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

When series lawyer Brady Coyne agrees to handle a divorce case, he opens the door to trouble. His client, in hock to the mob, disappears, and his client's wife is found murdered. A solid, satisfying Boston mystery.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1st edition (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312205635
• ISBN-13: 978-0312205638
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #812,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Brady Coyne Winner, October 25, 2000

By 

Ricky N. "Ricky C. Nelson" (Commerce, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Muscle Memory (Hardcover)

William G. Tapply is one of the best writers out there today. His series character, lawyer Brady Coyne, is back with another case. Brady is asked by his friend, former NBA player Mick Fallon to help him fight a divorce which his wife Kaye wants. When Kaye is found murdered, Mick is the likely suspect. Brady's investigation turns up things in Kaye's life that are contrary to what most people believe about her. Tapply does a super job in drawing the character of Mick Fallon, who has a quick temper and a gambling problem. The plot is strong, as usual. This, the 16th Brady Coyne novel, is one of the best in the series.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent mystery!!!, October 22, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Muscle Memory (Hardcover)

If William G. Tapply's books were published in paperback, they'd be flying off the bookshelves. Why aren't they??? Every Brady Coyne novel I've read has been a thrilling adventure. Read any one of them (this one included). You won't be disappointed.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tremendous legal thriller starring a fresh Coyne, July 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Muscle Memory (Hardcover)

When Mick Fallon pleaded with his friend attorney Brady Coyne to represent him during his wife's divorce proceedings, he swore he did not want to lose his beloved spouse, Kaye. Reluctantly, the Boston lawyer accepted Mick as his client. However, Brady quickly becomes frustrated with Mick because the former basketball star hides needed information. Apparently, Mick is also a professional liar, who owes an enormous amount of money to a local gambling mobster.

Kaye's lawyer Barbara Cooper earned her reputation as a barracuda who went for the jugular and who did not mind running up billable hours. Barbara forces Michael to provide a deposition of his assets. This quickly leads to Coyne learning that his client holds a major gambling debt. During the session, the hot headed Michael loses his cool several times. However, things turn bleak when someone murders Kaye and Michael vanishes. The police, the mob, and his attorney search for the prime suspect, the missing Michael.

The sixteenth Coyne novel is a fabulously fresh legal thriller that shows how talented author William G. Tapply is. The story line is entertaining as the divorce case turns into a murder mystery. Adding to the fun is Coyne's personal life moving forward even as he reluctantly begins a relationship. Sub-genre fans who want to read a quality legal series need to tap into the Coyne novels because they consistently are among the best of the best.

Harriet Klausner