Third Strike

Brady Coyne #26

by Philip R. Craig, William G. Tapply

Eminent mystery authors Philip R. Craig and William G. Tapply team up for a richly nuanced new installment in the Brady Coyne/J. W. Jackson series that is a tribute not only to two witty, smart fictional sleuths but also to the enduring friendship of their creators. It's late August, just when thousands of vacationers on beautiful Martha's Vineyard are preparing to go home so the kids can return to school. There's a problem, though. A union has gone on strike, paralyzing the Steamship Authority, which runs the ferries to "America," and creating panic and anger among many tourists and islanders alike. When an explosion destroys a boat's engine room and kills the striker who apparently planted the bomb, J. W. Jackson, once a Boston cop but now an island man-of-all-work, reluctantly agrees to the widow's pleas that he attempt to prove her husband innocent of the crime. As J.W. begins inquiries, he discovers a complex series of relationships among strikers, scabs, and boat owners, and encounters violence of his own. Meanwhile, Boston attorney Brady Coyne gets a call from a former client now living full-time on the Vineyard, who tells him about a group of armed men loading and unloading mysterious crates at a dock at midnight. Jackson and Coyne get together and discover that not only are their cases connected but that time is running out for them to prevent a crime that could have international ramifications -- and their only hope will be to confront dedicated killers face-to-face....With its winning contrast of page-turning suspense and evocative Vineyard ambiance, "Third Strike" is crime fiction at its best.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

323 pages, Hardcover

First published December 4, 2007

About the author

Author Philip R. Craig passed away on May 8, 2007 after a brief battle with cancer.

Phil left three completed novels, which have now all been published posthumously. Vineyard Stalker came out in June of 2007 just after Phil's death. Third Strike, co-written with Bill Tapply, came out in November of 2007. The final J.W. Jackson mystery, Vineyard Chill, is on the shelves now. Another J.W. book is partially written, and may someday be completed by his family per his instructions, so stay tuned. Delish, the cookbook co-written with Phil’s wife Shirley Prada Craig, is also still available.

The Philip R. Craig website will be maintained as a tribute to my father and his many fans. ~ Jamie Craig

Reviews

[Carol Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Craig and Tapply write so similarly that I actually checked their obits to make sure they are not the same person. Entertaining!

[Jerry B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Craig and Tapply’s third collaboration, aptly entitled “Third Strike”, again presents their respective main characters, JW Jackson and Brady Coyne, mostly working together to solve what turns out to be a really dangerous terrorist plot to assassinate the just prior US President. Brady is called to Martha’s Vineyard by a desperate sounding client who fears for his life, who is almost immediately indeed found dead. Meanwhile, JW is looking into the death of a boat worker killed in an explosion and thought to be the culprit rather than a victim. In a rather thrilling set of plot developments, our two heroes start to zero in on what is going on, at tremendous risk to both themselves and to some extent their families.

While the same alternating chapters technique as in the other two books is still the mode of presentation, here it wasn’t as bothersome as before since a continuous storyline without the two repeating things for each other’s benefit moved along at a good pace, engaging our interest and delivering quality suspense. Published close to the end of the Coyne set of novels, it was the final appearance of the two great friends, as were the two authors, before their careers and lives came to pass. Well done.

[Kent Woodger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two authors, two protagonists who became first person narrator every other chapter. The trick was to remember which one was talking. Distracting.

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not as big a fan of these jointly written books as the normal Brady Coyne books, but this one set on Martha’s Vineyard is worth 4 stars

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Third Strike by Philip R. Craig and William G. Tapply is the third book of the J.W. Jackson / Brady Coyne mystery series set on contemporary Martha's Vineyard.

The ferry operators go on strike just as the summer tourists need to return home from their summer vacations on the island. Yep, good timing! Violence escalates; a man is killed in an explosion on a boat where he had apparently placed the bomb. The man's widow, friends with J.W.'s wife Zee, begs for J.W. to investigate. She's positive her non-violent husband could not have done the deed.

Meanwhile a recluse on the island sends a terse Help Me message to his lawyer Brady Coyne in Massachusetts. No explanation, just a plea to come to the island to save him from certain death.

Turns out, J.W. and Brady are pals. J.W. sails over to get Brady. They plan to go fishing together after Brady meets with his client. J.W. will do his own sleuthing while Brady's busy.

Nothing goes as planned. J.W. and Brady must team up to defeat a gang of terrorists intent on assassination. The plot is so-so; their teamwork is the appeal of the story. Chapters alternate between J.W.'s and Brady's point of view. Sometimes because they are sleuthing in separate locations, sometimes just expressing each one's point of view about the same shared event. Third Strike is the final book of the series. Just as their protagonists, the authors were friends and fellow fishing devotees.

[Thad Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the third book co-authored by Phillip R. Craig and William Tapley. It features their characters J.W Jackson and Brady Coyne. I have now read all of the books that feature J.W. Jackson and have started reading the Brady Coyne books.

The books were written several years ago so they are somewhat dated. Martha's Vineyard is probably very different than it was when J.W. lived there, but that does not keep the books from feeling like a nice vacation trip with a touch of adventure.

Boston is probably less different than the Boston of Brady, but still the books are dated.

Check out both authors. I highly recommend them.

[Diane Burnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally read the last book written by Craig and Tapply combining their characters Coyne and Jackson.
The action takes place on Martha’s Vineyard where J.W. Jackson lives. Brady Coyne ( a Boston lawyer) gets a frantic call from a client who lives out in the woods of the Vineyard begging for help. J.W. And Brady are buds so they investigate what has happened to the client only they manage to stir up more than they bargained for.
Sadly both Craig and Tapply are no longer available to write more of these adventures.

[Bill Dod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Philip Craig

I have read all of Philip Craig's books in the last few months and finished the marathon with the three bookshelves do wrote with William Tapply ... The hours and hours of enjoyment has been priceless ... I would love to sit down with my high school English teacher, Philip Craig and William Tapply and enjoy a case of cold Sam Adams and various fish appetizers and discuss the wonders of all the books I totally enjoyed !!!! If you have not read these books start with number one and enjoy the journey!!! Thank you gentlemen it was outstanding !!!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting book with a dramatic conclusion as the other Brady Coyne books I read had--a bit far-fetched plot with attempts on an ex-President as a motivation because of things that took place in Latin America during his time in office. Several deaths but Coyne and Jackson survive and are heroes! I had to finish the book and read a lot today to do so!

[Helen Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

These several novels were coauthored by Philip R. Craig and William G. Tapply but shortly afterward both authors died. (2007 and 2009) Some sources list this book as Craig's alone but the cover of the book itself gives credit to Tapply as well. There is more action in the plot of this novel, a little less humor, so it would appear that Craig completed it by himself.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Vineyard setting is enjoyable. The two lead characters (retired cop) JW and (lawyer) Brady make a great team. I enjoyed the story and am sorry that this is the last book in the series.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. It’s been ages since I read a Philip R Craig mystery, I’ve collected them all and recently stumbled across these 3 written with William Tapply. What a great read, I lived every page!!!

[Art · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's always something old to discover. A library book sale got me to try the 26nd book in this series. I'll be back for more.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

12/25/07
TITLE/AUTHOR: THIRD STRIKE by Philip R. Craig & William G. Tapply
RATING: 4/B
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Mystery/2007/317 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: #3 Brady Coyne/JW Jackson Mystery
TIME/PLACE: Present/Martha's Vineyard
CHARACTERS: Brady Coyne/attorney; JW Jackson/PI
FIRST LINES: The first death was that of a striker named Eduardo Alvarez who, according to the morning GLOBE, had been killed by an explosion he'd apparently detonated in the engine room of the TRIDENT, a small trimaran car & passenger ferry that had been tied up for the night in Vineyard Haven, between trips crewed by scabs trying to make some good money while the Steamship Authority ships weren't running.

COMMENTS: library book. A strike has ended all ferry service to/from Martha's Vineyard. JW is asked to look into the death of Eduardo Alvarez -- from all accounts it does not look like he was responsible for the explosion & may be a victim. Brady gets a call from a client who has seen something he shouldn't have relating to the strike. Another fun visit to MV w/ JW & Brady.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#3 in the Brady Coyne/J.W. Jackson series. Final installment in the series featuring William G. Tapply's lawyer Brady Coyne and Philip R. Craig's Private Investigator J.W. Jackson on Martha's Vineyard. This fun collaboration ended after the 2007 death of Craig followed by the 2009 death of Tapply.

Brady Coyne/J.W. Jackson mystery - Boston attorney Brady Coyne gets a call from a frightened client on Martha's Vineyard who believes he's in danger after having seen armed men unload suspicious cargo at a remote inlet. Brady agrees to travel to the Vineyard to help assuage his client's fears, but it's no easy trip, thanks to a strike by ferryboat operators, prompting Brady to call on another Vineyard friend, private detective J. W. Jackson, to get him from America as the year-rounders call the mainland to the island. J. W. is working his own case involving an explosion on one of the ferries that resulted in the death of a striking union worker. When Brady's client is murdered the next day, lawyer and PI decide to pool their resources and solve both crimes.

[Rosanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this third in a series of mysteries written by the late Philip R. Craig and William Tapley. I enjoy the camaraderie between the two main characters (J. W. Jackson and Brady Coyne)and their relationships with their families/ significant others. If you like Martha's Vineyard, these books are for you!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the 2 series i love with brady the lawyer and jw the man married to zee with 2 kids. the former pres was going to land on the island and brady and jw figured it out before the plane was shot down but not before bradys friend was killed. i love both series and im very sad the authors died.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last in the Brady Coyne/J.W Jackson series - Philip craig died last year.

As most of this type of "mystery" fiction, somewaht predictable, but JW and brady have become likeable old friends, and its fun to see what they're up to.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read. Third book of 3-book series with these two characters. Like how it is based on the Vineyard with references to Boston and other New England states. Too bad P. Craig passed away; would have liked more books with both characters.

[Joe O'Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Good; Continuing characters: J.W. Jackson and Brady Coyne; coming at it from different directions, the two friends come across a plot to shoot down an ex-President's plane as it comes to the Vineyard

[Kevin Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all of the Brady Coyne books as well as some of the J.W. Jackson series and I realized that I had never read this last book of their combined series. It was a treat to revisit these fictional characters for the lats time, as sadly both authors have since passed away.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dec 2019 Still a favorite...... Love this quote: "Nature may be violent, but only man is vile"

Feb 2017 I'm sure I've read this around 7 years ago but norecored oit.
Another good duo - interesting effect with alternating chapters with J W and with Brady.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the firsxt book I have read by this author. I bought it because the author lives in Hancock, N.H. and also because the venue for the book is Martha's Vineyard. A fun read.

[Anne]

J.W. and Brady team up in this Vineyard thriller

[Cyndee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy the Vinyard books. Sadly, this is the last since Philip Craig died a couple of years ago.

[Sue Scully-Rose Scully-Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always liked when these two mystery authors come together, but as always, they wrap up the ending much too quickly.

[Aaron James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series. However, this one was finished after Craig had passed away. This novel did not have the same overlapping story lines as the previous books in the series.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this one as well as Craig's classic Vineyard mysteries.

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great series, always exciting and interesting.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good for a novel written by two authors melding their signature characters and settings of Brady Coyne, lawyer-fisherman-sleuth of Boston and J.W. Jackson fisherman of Martha's Vineyard.