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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
entertaining crime tale, September 22, 2007
Twentyish Robert Lancaster calls attorney Brady Coyne from the New England Medical Center to inform him that his dad, the lawyer's law school roommate and fishing friend, was in the emergency room after three thugs beat him up as a warning to pay off his gambling debt within a week or else. Brady quickly learns the physical message was delivered by those in the pay of Boston mobster Paulie Russo, son of the North End crime kingpin Vincent. He also finds out that the victim owes nothing, but that Robert, being a chip off the old block, has run up the debt. Apparently like his dad, he has a horrific gambling addiction too.
Not long after Brady tries to mediate with the Russo mob on behalf of his father-son clients, three thugs escort him to meet Paulie. The gangster chip off the old block wants Robert to intercede with his grandmother, Superior Court Judge Adrienne Lancaster, on a Russo case. Brady informs the Judge, who plans to remove herself from the case until a CD arrives starring a taped up Robert with demands including Brady serve as the middle man. As Brady struggles to free the son of his friend, his girlfriend Eve, who left him to spend time with her dying father, calls.
Except for the Judge recusing herself from the Russo case, this is not a legal thriller, but instead an entertaining crime tale that is a weaker Brady Coyne entry even if the attorney and his pals discuss 2004 as a one time aberration with the Buckner Syndrome being the norm. The story line is a ONE-WAY TICKET as Brady struggles with keeping the Lancaster duo safe from the mob, who demands payment in terms of fixing their court case. Fans of the series will enjoy the entry, but know the Red Sox are not in top form in this tale.
Harriet Klausner
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Flawless book about flawed characters, January 30, 2009
The title here seems to refer more to the romantic subplot than to the mystery. Evie is at least temporarily leaving Brady Coyne's life and this would be the main point of the title.However, this also deals with gambling addiction and that could metaphorically be called a one-way ticket. Anyway, this is the 2nd recent Brady Coyne book I've read, having read THE DUTCH BLUE ERROR long ago. I found it more engrossing and memorable than HELL BENT. I enjoyed the use of what may be the end of a relationship used as a counterpoint to the case at hand.Well, case may not be the right word since Coyne isn't really acting as a lawyer in this, but as the go-between in an unreported kidnappingas a personal favor for a former classmate and friend. The former friend crashed and burned as a gambling addict and now his son is following the same road owing a tremendous sum to a Boston mobster. He gets kidnapped apparantly for ransom by the mob,but Coye grows to suspect there's more to it than meets the eye.There's fair suspense here and sharp characterization of the victim's family including the guilt-ridden father, his present wife, the boy's mother, and his grandmother who just happens to be a judge. There's also an effective conlict between the judge and lawyer Coyne as to how the kidnap situation should be handled. Mystery fans won't fnd this a great challenge as a mystery puzzle, but the trip is exhilarating and not a one-way ticket at all, not for me. I will be awaiting the next Brad Coyne novel while I catch up on the previous ones in the meantime.
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Is Brady channeling Spenser?, October 22, 2007
As a long-time Brady Coyne fan, I look forward to each new volume. This time I was not disappointed. Tapply writes flawlessly, creating believable characters and evoking scenes of New England in all its glory. Brady is just a likeable guy, a lawyer who created a career and lifestyle that couldn't be closer to perfect. A few super-rich clients pay for that in-town house and leave Brady time for all those fishing trips.
One-Way Ticket is neither a legal procedural nor a police thriller nor even a classic murder mystery. Brady gets roped in (as usual) to help a client in a jam. He finds himself negotiating with Tony Soprano's Massachusetts counterpart - and sounding a lot like Robert Parker's Spenser. Up to now, Brady has always been the smooth sophisticated lawyer. Now he hangs tough. He even talks like Spenser at times, in those clipped tough sentences.
Not a problem for me.
What is a problem, though, is Brady's relationship with Evie. She comes across as an attractive woman of an appropriate age, but she just doesn't have a spark that would get us interested. She indeed goes through a personal challenge, but I her response seems a little odd. Hopefully the author was looking for a way to write her out of future installments. I could see Brady with that cute police officer. Or I could see him becoming a confirmed bachelor.
And ultimately that's the challenge of the series. Brady Coyne may be a smooth lawyer to the rich, but he's presented as a realistic, plausible guy who just gets caught in a lot of situations as he tries to help his clients. Spenser, being larger than life, can attract a partner who's his equal in charisma. We can't let the woman outshine the hero so ... well, who cares? Tapply still writes some of the best murder mysteries around. When I need to curl up on a rainy afternoon, I appreciate that.
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