What do you think?
Rate this book
Brady Coyne #16
Muscle Memory
WHEN A HUSBAND'S LIE...
Attorney Brady Coyne has found his bar buddy Mick Fallon-former Detroit Pistons' star-brooding in his beer. His wife Kaye's just stunned him with a file for divorce, and she's taking him for everything. What Mick needs is a weapon like Brady to fight back. What Brady needs first is for Mick to come clean about his troubled marriage.
BETRAYS A WIFE'S SECRET...
What's no mystery is Mick's hair-trigger temper and gambling habit that's left him deep in debt to a local mobster. It's the third strike against him that's the eye-opener-Kaye's sudden brutal murder. With a motive that could hang him and an alibi nobody believes, Mick looks as guilty as sin-especially after he disappears.
ONLY MURDER CAN REVEAL THE TRUTH.
Now Brady's left to defend a man wanted for murder and on the run from his secrets. But it's Brady's investigation into Kaye's private life that yields the most surprising secrets of all. As each one unfolds they bring Brady closer to the truth about the crimes of the heart that could claim one more life before they're exposed...
Attorney Brady Coyne has found his bar buddy Mick Fallon-former Detroit Pistons' star-brooding in his beer. His wife Kaye's just stunned him with a file for divorce, and she's taking him for everything. What Mick needs is a weapon like Brady to fight back. What Brady needs first is for Mick to come clean about his troubled marriage.
BETRAYS A WIFE'S SECRET...
What's no mystery is Mick's hair-trigger temper and gambling habit that's left him deep in debt to a local mobster. It's the third strike against him that's the eye-opener-Kaye's sudden brutal murder. With a motive that could hang him and an alibi nobody believes, Mick looks as guilty as sin-especially after he disappears.
ONLY MURDER CAN REVEAL THE TRUTH.
Now Brady's left to defend a man wanted for murder and on the run from his secrets. But it's Brady's investigation into Kaye's private life that yields the most surprising secrets of all. As each one unfolds they bring Brady closer to the truth about the crimes of the heart that could claim one more life before they're exposed...
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1999
42 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
William G. Tapply
79 books89 followersWilliam G. Tapply (1940–2009) was an American author best known for writing legal thrillers. A lifelong New Englander, he graduated from Amherst and Harvard before going on to teach social studies at Lexington High School. He published his first novel, Death at Charity’s Point, in 1984. A story of death and betrayal among Boston Brahmins, it introduced crusading lawyer Brady Coyne, a fishing enthusiast whom Tapply would follow through twenty-five more novels, including Follow the Sharks, The Vulgar Boatman, and the posthumously published Outwitting Trolls.
Besides writing regular columns for Field and Stream, Gray’s Sporting Journal, and American Angler, Tapply wrote numerous books on fishing, hunting, and life in the outdoors. He was also the author of The Elements of Mystery Fiction, a writer’s guide. He died in 2009, at his home in Hancock, New Hampshire.
Besides writing regular columns for Field and Stream, Gray’s Sporting Journal, and American Angler, Tapply wrote numerous books on fishing, hunting, and life in the outdoors. He was also the author of The Elements of Mystery Fiction, a writer’s guide. He died in 2009, at his home in Hancock, New Hampshire.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 17, 2018
This is another good addition to William G. Tapply's long-running series featuring Boston attorney Brady Coyne. As the book opens, Coyne is romantically unentangled and enjoying a burger, onion rings and beer for dinner at Skeeter's Infield, his favorite dive bar. Alongside is a former major league basketball star named Mick Fallon, whom Brady knows slightly.
Fallon is down in the dumps because his wife, whom he claims to love madly, has just filed for divorce. Fallon wants Brady to represent him, and although Brady's one-man practice generally involves wills and estates, Coyne agrees. Brady gets a nasty surprise at the deposition, though, because his client has not been honest with him.
Brady tells Fallon that he's going to drop him as a client and will recommend someone else to represent him. But then Fallon's soon-to-be ex-wife is murdered and Fallon is the principal suspect. He begs Brady to forgive him and to represent him. Brady agrees to do so and sets about trying to find the Real Killer, assuming, of course, that his client isn't guilty.
It's a perilous and interesting undertaking and I enjoyed the story with a couple of reservations: Brady and Fallon are only casual acquaintances; they aren't Major Buds. I can understand why Coyne would agree to represent him in the divorce, but once Fallon has lied to him and basically left him hanging out to dry at the deposition, it didn't make much sense to me that Coyne would so rapidly forgive him and agree to represent him on the murder rap.
And therein lies the second problem. As I indicated above, Coyne has a very small, quiet practice that focuses on the financial needs of a few wealthy clients. He doesn't do criminal defense law and in earlier books, when one of his clients has been charged with a crime, Brady immediately has immediately hooked the client up with an excellent defense attorney. It's completely out of character for him to so casually and readily agree to defend someone on a murder charge. I enjoyed the book, but these two concerns kept nagging at me as I read it, and so three stars instead of four.
Fallon is down in the dumps because his wife, whom he claims to love madly, has just filed for divorce. Fallon wants Brady to represent him, and although Brady's one-man practice generally involves wills and estates, Coyne agrees. Brady gets a nasty surprise at the deposition, though, because his client has not been honest with him.
Brady tells Fallon that he's going to drop him as a client and will recommend someone else to represent him. But then Fallon's soon-to-be ex-wife is murdered and Fallon is the principal suspect. He begs Brady to forgive him and to represent him. Brady agrees to do so and sets about trying to find the Real Killer, assuming, of course, that his client isn't guilty.
It's a perilous and interesting undertaking and I enjoyed the story with a couple of reservations: Brady and Fallon are only casual acquaintances; they aren't Major Buds. I can understand why Coyne would agree to represent him in the divorce, but once Fallon has lied to him and basically left him hanging out to dry at the deposition, it didn't make much sense to me that Coyne would so rapidly forgive him and agree to represent him on the murder rap.
And therein lies the second problem. As I indicated above, Coyne has a very small, quiet practice that focuses on the financial needs of a few wealthy clients. He doesn't do criminal defense law and in earlier books, when one of his clients has been charged with a crime, Brady immediately has immediately hooked the client up with an excellent defense attorney. It's completely out of character for him to so casually and readily agree to defend someone on a murder charge. I enjoyed the book, but these two concerns kept nagging at me as I read it, and so three stars instead of four.
March 26, 2007
Tapply doesn't do anything fancy, but Brady Coyne is a good guy without being boring, meets interesting characters, and always fools me just enough with the solutions to his mysteries.
August 16, 2009
Excellent; Continuing character: Brady Coyne; lawyer helps client/friend whose wife wants divorce, then gets further involved when the wife is murdered
August 10, 2011
Love this series. Reminiscent of Robert Parker except Brady Coyne is a lawyer. Dry sense of humor, fast moving and a nice read when you need something not so deep and emotionally grabbing!
March 6, 2015
After you read a lot of books by the same author you tend to know what clues to look for. I thought I had this one figured out but wasn't really sure until the end. Good mystery.
December 24, 2015
This book is about a guy called Mick, who has gambling addiction and owes money to a notorious gang leader Mr Russo.
His wife, Kaye, gets involved in an affair with their long time family friend Lyn, who is the husband to Kaye's close friend.
Lyn and Kaye both decide to devorce each of their partners so they could be togethe. However, upon learning this plan,Lyn's son decides to pay Kaye a visit inorder to talk her out of the plan, and to break the affair between his father and Kaye. This only results with Kaye refusing his advise and Lyn's son therefore murdering her.
This mixture of love affair, gang related overdue payments and murder gives the reader an amazing journey through the mind of the author himself. Each character has his/her own personality. It helps the reader to form an image of each character quite easily.
I loved this book very much. I extremely enjoyed the whole time I read it.The book successfully conveyed what the author intended it to convey, and as a result, I was totally sucked into the book.
I have no hesitations whatsoever,to recommend this book to anyone who would love to just sit down and read.
His wife, Kaye, gets involved in an affair with their long time family friend Lyn, who is the husband to Kaye's close friend.
Lyn and Kaye both decide to devorce each of their partners so they could be togethe. However, upon learning this plan,Lyn's son decides to pay Kaye a visit inorder to talk her out of the plan, and to break the affair between his father and Kaye. This only results with Kaye refusing his advise and Lyn's son therefore murdering her.
This mixture of love affair, gang related overdue payments and murder gives the reader an amazing journey through the mind of the author himself. Each character has his/her own personality. It helps the reader to form an image of each character quite easily.
I loved this book very much. I extremely enjoyed the whole time I read it.The book successfully conveyed what the author intended it to convey, and as a result, I was totally sucked into the book.
I have no hesitations whatsoever,to recommend this book to anyone who would love to just sit down and read.
May 12, 2010
WHEN A HUSBAND'S LIE...
Attorney Brady Coyne has found his bar buddy Mick Fallon-former Detroit Pistons' star-brooding in his beer. His wife Kaye's just stunned him with a file for divorce, and she's taking him for everything. What Mick needs is a weapon like Brady to fight back. What Brady needs first is for Mick to come clean about his troubled marriage.
BETRAYS A WIFE'S SECRET...
What's no mystery is Mick's hair-trigger temper and gambling habit that's left him deep in debt to a local mobster. It's the third strike against him that's the eye-opener-Kaye's sudden brutal murder. With a motive that could hang him and an alibi nobody believes, Mick looks as guilty as sin-especially after he disappears.
ONLY MURDER CAN REVEAL THE TRUTH.
Now Brady's left to defend a man wanted for murder and on the run from his secrets. But it's Brady's investigation into Kaye's private life that yields the most surprising secrets of all. As each one unfolds they bring Brady closer to the truth about the crimes of the heart that could claim one more life before they're exposed.
Attorney Brady Coyne has found his bar buddy Mick Fallon-former Detroit Pistons' star-brooding in his beer. His wife Kaye's just stunned him with a file for divorce, and she's taking him for everything. What Mick needs is a weapon like Brady to fight back. What Brady needs first is for Mick to come clean about his troubled marriage.
BETRAYS A WIFE'S SECRET...
What's no mystery is Mick's hair-trigger temper and gambling habit that's left him deep in debt to a local mobster. It's the third strike against him that's the eye-opener-Kaye's sudden brutal murder. With a motive that could hang him and an alibi nobody believes, Mick looks as guilty as sin-especially after he disappears.
ONLY MURDER CAN REVEAL THE TRUTH.
Now Brady's left to defend a man wanted for murder and on the run from his secrets. But it's Brady's investigation into Kaye's private life that yields the most surprising secrets of all. As each one unfolds they bring Brady closer to the truth about the crimes of the heart that could claim one more life before they're exposed.
February 6, 2016
#16 in the Boston attorney Brady Coyne series.
Boston attorney Brady Coyne series - 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.
Boston attorney Brady Coyne series - 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.
December 31, 2017
I always have thought that if I ever needed a real honest attorney that Brady Coyne would be the guy. The late William Tapply's Coyne series is one of my favorites. I have read every installment at least 3 times and never tire of the earnest, clever, persistent and lucky-to-still-be-alive protagonist who is a failure with women but a vital savior for his wealthy Boston Brahmin clientele.
Along with Phillip R. Craig and Robert B. Parker, this trio of deceased Massachusetts detective authors have given me hundreds of hours of reading enjoyment.
I miss them terribly.
Along with Phillip R. Craig and Robert B. Parker, this trio of deceased Massachusetts detective authors have given me hundreds of hours of reading enjoyment.
I miss them terribly.
July 12, 2007
Tapply calls it "invisible writing" and that's just how I like it. You don't need big words and lots of intricate knowledge to write a good story, but to me a good book is one from which I've learned something useful.
June 18, 2014
Believable everyday characters. Mystery that wasn't able to figure out 3 chapters in. Figured it out about the same time the book revealed it - I had guessed incorrectly. Enjoyed following Mr. Coyne's steps while questioning his client and others.
April 24, 2013
I always love reading a Brady Coyne novel. Although Tapply is not the greatest writer, he's among the greatest.
February 28, 2015
I knew it! I didn't really. Well crafted.
September 17, 2015
This was my first time reading a William G. Tapply book and certainly won't be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!!!!
November 2, 2015
A good read
February 24, 2018
Boston attorney-Coyne has superb investigative powers but his love life gets a twist.
March 31, 2017
MARCH 2017 I thought I read this story years ago but it could be the familiar with some of the ensemble characters that show up in each story. Brady seems to be a paragon of virtue..... until he isn't.... Watch out for red herrings!!!!!
April 15, 2021
(3). It just occurred to me, Brady Coyne is kind of a blueprint for Stone Barrington. The excesses are nowheres near the same level, but Brady is operating in a different time and place. The comfort level, however, is unmatched. These books just sail right along at an incredible pace. Brady slowly peels back the layers, and there is always a delicious twist and/or turn to finish things up. I thought I had this one sussed out but I was wrong (what a surprise). Close but no cigar. A thoroughly entertaining read. Good stuff.
October 17, 2017
Classic Coyne
February 24, 2023
Muscle Memory, the sixteenth in the series by William G. Tapply featuring Boston lawyer Brady Coyne, finds the attorney taking up a divorce case that soon turns into a murder investigation. Mick Fallon, a former basketball star and an acquaintance of Brady’s, hires Brady to represent him in the divorce case filed by his wife, Kaye. Mick and Kaye have two grown-up children and have had a long, happy marriage that has soured for Kaye, despite Mick’s love for her and his wish to keep the marriage alive. During the deposition called for by Kaye’s lawyer, Brady gets a nasty surprise as some damaging facts about Mick come out, which the client has not disclosed to him beforehand.
While Brady contemplates firing his lying client, Kaye is violently murdered at her home, and Mick becomes the prime suspect, with the state police working on an arrest. But Mick professes his innocence and asks Brady to defend him, which Brady accepts despite the recent events and tries to find Kaye’s killer, which seems to be the only way to save his client. Even as Brady unearths a few surprising truths about Kaye, who was universally loved for her warm personality and impeccable character, Mick disappears from his house, and another person connected to the Fallons is murdered. The question that confronts Brady now is whether his trust in Mick is misplaced or whether Mick has fallen victim to a larger, entirely different conspiracy.
Muscle Memory is another fine yarn by the much-loved author – a breezy read that is sure to leave the loyal readers satisfied. Brady Coyne is intelligent, practical, and has a pleasant personality, making him a good ally in tight situations. The other characters, like Mick Fallon, Homicide Lieutenant Horowitz, Skeeter – the bar owner, and the beautiful women that Brady meets, also are well etched. Tapply neatly fits in Brady’s love for fishing and his unpredictable love life, with a few informative bits of Boston’s history, in his engaging, optimally paced narrative. All in all, Muscle Memory provides solid entertainment and works well enough as a standalone despite being part of a long-running series.
While Brady contemplates firing his lying client, Kaye is violently murdered at her home, and Mick becomes the prime suspect, with the state police working on an arrest. But Mick professes his innocence and asks Brady to defend him, which Brady accepts despite the recent events and tries to find Kaye’s killer, which seems to be the only way to save his client. Even as Brady unearths a few surprising truths about Kaye, who was universally loved for her warm personality and impeccable character, Mick disappears from his house, and another person connected to the Fallons is murdered. The question that confronts Brady now is whether his trust in Mick is misplaced or whether Mick has fallen victim to a larger, entirely different conspiracy.
Muscle Memory is another fine yarn by the much-loved author – a breezy read that is sure to leave the loyal readers satisfied. Brady Coyne is intelligent, practical, and has a pleasant personality, making him a good ally in tight situations. The other characters, like Mick Fallon, Homicide Lieutenant Horowitz, Skeeter – the bar owner, and the beautiful women that Brady meets, also are well etched. Tapply neatly fits in Brady’s love for fishing and his unpredictable love life, with a few informative bits of Boston’s history, in his engaging, optimally paced narrative. All in all, Muscle Memory provides solid entertainment and works well enough as a standalone despite being part of a long-running series.
October 13, 2021
We continue our reading in order of Tapply’s popular 25-book series about Boston-based lawyer to the wealthy Brady Coyne, “Muscle Memory” the 16th episode. Our protagonist almost always proceeds to exercise his detective skills once he’s engaged on some sort of legal matter. Indeed, herein, he’s hired to assist with an unwanted divorce from a client, who soon thereafter is then suspected of murdering his wife, with all of the obvious motives and opportunity to do so. Brady is convinced the man is innocent, and proceeds to doggedly interview friends and family ad nauseam as he tracks down what might have happened instead to a somewhat surprising outcome. Meanwhile, Brady’s love life is mostly quiet, although a minor dalliance creates a spark of interest.
While these tales invariably pose a decent mystery and clever solution, the thrills and chills are modest despite nothing in particular to dislike. Sometimes a dependable reading adventure is exactly what was desired.
While these tales invariably pose a decent mystery and clever solution, the thrills and chills are modest despite nothing in particular to dislike. Sometimes a dependable reading adventure is exactly what was desired.
April 5, 2020
This is another smartass Boston-area P.I. going after bad guys, Robert Parker style. Same snappy dialogue. Same local references, which are fun if you're from the area, but I don't think particularly appeal to people who aren't from Boston. And the same guilty pleasure, Dorito syndrome I always feel when I finished a Spencer novel. It's a fun escape for a little while, it reads fast, and heaven knows we all need escapes more than ever...
October 30, 2019
Will be reading more.
July 23, 2021
Another excellent story in the Brady Coyne series, when the wife of the man he is representing in a divorce is murdered and his client becomes the prime suspect.
May 13, 2024
Another good Brady Coyne mystery. The ending was a bit off though.
June 22, 2008
Obviously not a good book since I didn't even remember finishing it. It was on my "currently reading" list, but when I went back to finish it, I realized that I had! Then I remembered how bad it was. Poor character development...the plot not fully developed...too many parts of the story that could've been told. It just wasn't good enough.
December 31, 2015
I don't get the appeal of this series. The pacing is okay, but the protagonist, Brady Coyne, is two-dimensional and the characters straight out of Central Casting.
April 2, 2017
I've another favorite mystery writer. This time the protagonist is not a detective but a lawyer and not a lawyer who represents criminals but who writes wills for aging clients and likes to go fishing. He also has a habit of getting involved. Really entertaining stories.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews