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Brady Coyne #3
Follow the Sharks
Brady searches Red Sox Nation for a ballplayer’s kidnapped son
For two years, Eddie Donagan was on track to become the greatest Red Sox pitcher of all time. Then one day, without warning, he went from unhittable to ineffective—forcing him to drop out of the Majors before he even hit his prime. Attorney Brady Coyne met Donagan before he turned pro, and stays friends with him even as the faded star drifts into depression, disappearing from his wife and child for days at a time. Finally, the Donagans are thrown into crisis—but it isn’t Eddie’s disappearance that causes it. It’s his son’s.
One morning, ten-year-old E.J. leaves for his paper route and never returns. Soon, the family receives a ransom demand, and Brady agrees to be the go-between. He finds that the son’s problems stem from the father’s, and that Eddie Donagan has a dark side no amount of natural talent could overcome.
For two years, Eddie Donagan was on track to become the greatest Red Sox pitcher of all time. Then one day, without warning, he went from unhittable to ineffective—forcing him to drop out of the Majors before he even hit his prime. Attorney Brady Coyne met Donagan before he turned pro, and stays friends with him even as the faded star drifts into depression, disappearing from his wife and child for days at a time. Finally, the Donagans are thrown into crisis—but it isn’t Eddie’s disappearance that causes it. It’s his son’s.
One morning, ten-year-old E.J. leaves for his paper route and never returns. Soon, the family receives a ransom demand, and Brady agrees to be the go-between. He finds that the son’s problems stem from the father’s, and that Eddie Donagan has a dark side no amount of natural talent could overcome.
214 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
67 people are currently reading
107 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 28, 2016
This is the third entry in William G. Tapply's series featuring Boston attorney, Brady Coyne, and it's the best in the series thus far. By this book, Tapply had fairly well established Coyne's basic personality and habits, which would not change in any significant way over the rest of the series. His relationship with his secretary, his ex-wife and his two boys was pretty well set, as were a number of friendships that Coyne would carry through his literary life.
Several years before this book opens, as a favor to a wealthy client, Brady had agreed to represent a young baseball phenom named Eddie Donagan. Donagan was a pitcher soon to be signed by the Boston Red Sox and also soon to be the son-in-law of Brady's client. For a while, things went swimmingly. Eddie rose through the farm system and had a brilliant debut with the Sox. But then, for no apparent reason, he lost his mojo, or his magic, or whatever, and suddenly he couldn't pitch worth a damn. Overnight, he was out of baseball and selling sneakers at a local mall. He also left his wife and young son, E.J.
The book opens a couple of years later when Brady's wealthy client calls him on a Saturday morning to tell him that E.J., now ten, has failed to return home from his paper route. Brady is sure that the kid is just playing in the park or some such thing and that he'll return home shortly. But the client and his daughter, the child's mother, are panicked and insist that Brady come over to hold their hands.
Well, of course, E.J. does not return home and eventually kidnappers will call demanding a ransom. Naturally, this sort of thing is best left to the police, but if that were to be the case here, we would have no story involving Brady Coyne. Against his wishes and his better judgment, Brady is soon mixed up in a very confusing and dangerous case. The tale takes lots of twists and turns and contains more than a few surprises. But it's an engaging story, and it's always fun to spend an evening in the company of Brady Coyne. This is a book that will appeal most to those who enjoy a fairly traditional mystery story.
Several years before this book opens, as a favor to a wealthy client, Brady had agreed to represent a young baseball phenom named Eddie Donagan. Donagan was a pitcher soon to be signed by the Boston Red Sox and also soon to be the son-in-law of Brady's client. For a while, things went swimmingly. Eddie rose through the farm system and had a brilliant debut with the Sox. But then, for no apparent reason, he lost his mojo, or his magic, or whatever, and suddenly he couldn't pitch worth a damn. Overnight, he was out of baseball and selling sneakers at a local mall. He also left his wife and young son, E.J.
The book opens a couple of years later when Brady's wealthy client calls him on a Saturday morning to tell him that E.J., now ten, has failed to return home from his paper route. Brady is sure that the kid is just playing in the park or some such thing and that he'll return home shortly. But the client and his daughter, the child's mother, are panicked and insist that Brady come over to hold their hands.
Well, of course, E.J. does not return home and eventually kidnappers will call demanding a ransom. Naturally, this sort of thing is best left to the police, but if that were to be the case here, we would have no story involving Brady Coyne. Against his wishes and his better judgment, Brady is soon mixed up in a very confusing and dangerous case. The tale takes lots of twists and turns and contains more than a few surprises. But it's an engaging story, and it's always fun to spend an evening in the company of Brady Coyne. This is a book that will appeal most to those who enjoy a fairly traditional mystery story.
June 18, 2024
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Despite “regional mystery” having an actual definition--usually novels where the locale is as important as the people--for me it's always been more a matter of feel and scope. Stories that take place in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago just seem bigger. Detroit and New Orleans, while in no way small cities, produce stories that carry less weight and are more immediate, at least as seen through the eyes of Amos Walker and Lew Griffin. San Francisco and Boston seem to be cusp cities. Their stories can easily go big or stay intimate. Follow the Sharks by William G. Tapply, despite involving the meteoric rise and subsequent fall of a Boston Red Sox pitcher, still has the feel of a regional mystery.
The protagonist, Brady Coyne, is a lawyer by trade, but he gets talked into becoming an agent for the aforementioned pitcher a month or so before the draft. This could only happen in 1970. Today agents are aware of budding athletes in all sports long before they approach the professional level. Eddie Donagan is at the State College level when Brady meets him. Donagan is also about to marry the daughter of an old friend and client, which contributes to Brady reluctantly accepting the offer.
The novel actually takes place in 1985. The flashback to the beginning of Donagan’s entry into professional baseball is necessary in order to show his quick rise to stardom, its slow disintegration when he inexplicably loses his command, the even slower disintegration of his marriage and, most importantly, to establish the birth of his now 10-year-old son, E.J. It is E.J.’s disappearance one Saturday morning that brings Brady into what turns out to be a kidnapping.
The conceit of this type of story is that the main character who is not a professional investigator keeps butting into the case. I like how Brady tries to stay out of it. At first he is drafted just for emotional support, and even then it is given grudgingly. Once they know the boy has actually been taken, the kidnappers tap him to deliver the ransom money. Afterwards there are various reasons for his continued involvement, some on the part of the bad guys, some because he feels the authorities have acquired a different agenda. Each time Brady Coyne remains attached to the investigation feels completely reasonable.
This was a simple entertaining story that avoided too much focus on high drama or emotional angst; a quality mystery with an interesting protagonist. The only thing I didn't care for was the constant references to “Steve Blass Disease.” I understand it was common baseball parlance at the time, but he was also a real person. I'm also sure he was not the first pitcher to suddenly be unable to throw the ball anywhere near the plate, though he was probably the most successful to date. He had come off two World Series complete game wins just two seasons before. And there have been notable victims since. Rick Ankiel, a pitcher who reinvented himself as a hitter and outfielder and finished with a successful career. Chuck Knoblauch, an infielder who had trouble making the throw to first. Mackey Sasser, a catcher who would double or triple pump--sometimes more--before returning the ball to the pitcher. Runners on base stealing the next bag literally ran him out of the position. Perhaps being aware of all those that followed makes me feel as if repeatedly referring to Steve Blass Disease was a form of piling on. The man himself seemed to have no trouble living with it. But that's my issue. The book itself is not focused on the sport of baseball, just uses it as an important piece of background. It’s the characters explored and the untangling of the mystery that makes Follow the Sharks a triumph.
Despite “regional mystery” having an actual definition--usually novels where the locale is as important as the people--for me it's always been more a matter of feel and scope. Stories that take place in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago just seem bigger. Detroit and New Orleans, while in no way small cities, produce stories that carry less weight and are more immediate, at least as seen through the eyes of Amos Walker and Lew Griffin. San Francisco and Boston seem to be cusp cities. Their stories can easily go big or stay intimate. Follow the Sharks by William G. Tapply, despite involving the meteoric rise and subsequent fall of a Boston Red Sox pitcher, still has the feel of a regional mystery.
The protagonist, Brady Coyne, is a lawyer by trade, but he gets talked into becoming an agent for the aforementioned pitcher a month or so before the draft. This could only happen in 1970. Today agents are aware of budding athletes in all sports long before they approach the professional level. Eddie Donagan is at the State College level when Brady meets him. Donagan is also about to marry the daughter of an old friend and client, which contributes to Brady reluctantly accepting the offer.
The novel actually takes place in 1985. The flashback to the beginning of Donagan’s entry into professional baseball is necessary in order to show his quick rise to stardom, its slow disintegration when he inexplicably loses his command, the even slower disintegration of his marriage and, most importantly, to establish the birth of his now 10-year-old son, E.J. It is E.J.’s disappearance one Saturday morning that brings Brady into what turns out to be a kidnapping.
The conceit of this type of story is that the main character who is not a professional investigator keeps butting into the case. I like how Brady tries to stay out of it. At first he is drafted just for emotional support, and even then it is given grudgingly. Once they know the boy has actually been taken, the kidnappers tap him to deliver the ransom money. Afterwards there are various reasons for his continued involvement, some on the part of the bad guys, some because he feels the authorities have acquired a different agenda. Each time Brady Coyne remains attached to the investigation feels completely reasonable.
This was a simple entertaining story that avoided too much focus on high drama or emotional angst; a quality mystery with an interesting protagonist. The only thing I didn't care for was the constant references to “Steve Blass Disease.” I understand it was common baseball parlance at the time, but he was also a real person. I'm also sure he was not the first pitcher to suddenly be unable to throw the ball anywhere near the plate, though he was probably the most successful to date. He had come off two World Series complete game wins just two seasons before. And there have been notable victims since. Rick Ankiel, a pitcher who reinvented himself as a hitter and outfielder and finished with a successful career. Chuck Knoblauch, an infielder who had trouble making the throw to first. Mackey Sasser, a catcher who would double or triple pump--sometimes more--before returning the ball to the pitcher. Runners on base stealing the next bag literally ran him out of the position. Perhaps being aware of all those that followed makes me feel as if repeatedly referring to Steve Blass Disease was a form of piling on. The man himself seemed to have no trouble living with it. But that's my issue. The book itself is not focused on the sport of baseball, just uses it as an important piece of background. It’s the characters explored and the untangling of the mystery that makes Follow the Sharks a triumph.
September 5, 2018
Brady Coyne, Boston lawyer returns and we learn a man who was his client and friend, Eddie Donegan, promising young pitcher for the Red Sox and it turns out it's a sad story indeed. Eddie was promising, in fact he was the one to beat until he actually hit the big leagues and it seemed he couldn't handle the fame, his gift left him and he was banished to the minors again. Along with his banishment went his wife and child, seemingly Eddie couldn't handle the responsibility of that either and he vanished into the ether.
Eddie's wife Jan lives with her wealthy parents and when her 10 year old son EJ is kidnapped she contacts Brady who steps into the breach again as the bagman. The money is paid but the boy is not returned.
When the FBI becomes involved but Brady's not giving up the search and continues to step on their investigation, earning censure until they just finally give it up and include him. The kidnappers are still contacting him with information about the child. Meanwhile Eddie is in the wind.
Tense, well written and interesting.
Eddie's wife Jan lives with her wealthy parents and when her 10 year old son EJ is kidnapped she contacts Brady who steps into the breach again as the bagman. The money is paid but the boy is not returned.
When the FBI becomes involved but Brady's not giving up the search and continues to step on their investigation, earning censure until they just finally give it up and include him. The kidnappers are still contacting him with information about the child. Meanwhile Eddie is in the wind.
Tense, well written and interesting.
June 7, 2020
This is the first book by Tapply I have read and I am glad to have discovered this author through the goodreads reviews of author / reviewer James Thane.
Brady Coyne is an excellent character that has survived for a long time in the world of fiction. He seems to be a gentleman with a solid conscience and a quick wit. The plot of Follow the Sharks is interesting, with an intriguing story and some well made characters in addition to Brady. It moves at an optimum pace, and the descriptions of places, people and the action are very enjoyable.
This one is a fine book to spend a lazy weekend with, and I did just that.
Brady Coyne is an excellent character that has survived for a long time in the world of fiction. He seems to be a gentleman with a solid conscience and a quick wit. The plot of Follow the Sharks is interesting, with an intriguing story and some well made characters in addition to Brady. It moves at an optimum pace, and the descriptions of places, people and the action are very enjoyable.
This one is a fine book to spend a lazy weekend with, and I did just that.
April 7, 2010
First Sentence: Sylvie Szabo normally speaks with the careful diction and precise grammar of one whose English is a second language, but when she's a little sleepy or drunk or wants to tease, her speech tends to betray her Slavic origins.
At the bequest of a friend, attorney Brady Coyne becomes the agent for young baseball pitcher Eddie Donogan. Although his career starts with great promise, over time his pitching falls apart. Eddie not only quits baseball, but walks away from his wife and their young son, E.J.. Now, 12-years later, Brady receives a call that E.J. has been kidnapped and the family wants his help.
You don't need to be a fan of baseball to like this book even though it does include one of the most lovely and reverential descriptions of the game I've ever read. But it's that level of description of all aspects that makes Tapply such a pleasure to read. He pays such wonderful attention to the details in providing time, place and atmosphere."The sky along the horizon was turning from black to purple." With that, you know exactly the point in the day to which he is referring.
Tapply brings the same life to his characters. Brady is one of my favorite protagonists as he is a true "good guy," which is so refreshing. He doesn't automatically go to bed with the attractive woman, he plays by the rules while protecting his clients, he likes classical music and classic jazz and misses his children. Even with the secondary characters, there is not only the physical description, but that sense of who they are.
As with other books I've read recently, it is interesting to read a book set within the past 25 years and to realize how much has changed within that short period of time in terms of technology and social behavior. Even so, the story did not feel dated to me at all, as plot is very well constructed.
Although, the events take place over a period of time, there is still plenty of action and suspense with a very effective first-person voice. The thing to which I keep coming back is that Tapply makes it feel real.
William Tapply passed away in 2009. I, personally, should hate to see his work overlooked or forgotten, and am greatly enjoying reading his series in order. I highly recommend this book.
FOLLOW THE SHARKS (Lic Inv-Att. Brady Coyne-Boston-Cont/1985) - VG Tapply, William G. - 3rd in series Charles Scribner's Sons, 1985, US Hardcover - ISBN: 068418446X
At the bequest of a friend, attorney Brady Coyne becomes the agent for young baseball pitcher Eddie Donogan. Although his career starts with great promise, over time his pitching falls apart. Eddie not only quits baseball, but walks away from his wife and their young son, E.J.. Now, 12-years later, Brady receives a call that E.J. has been kidnapped and the family wants his help.
You don't need to be a fan of baseball to like this book even though it does include one of the most lovely and reverential descriptions of the game I've ever read. But it's that level of description of all aspects that makes Tapply such a pleasure to read. He pays such wonderful attention to the details in providing time, place and atmosphere."The sky along the horizon was turning from black to purple." With that, you know exactly the point in the day to which he is referring.
Tapply brings the same life to his characters. Brady is one of my favorite protagonists as he is a true "good guy," which is so refreshing. He doesn't automatically go to bed with the attractive woman, he plays by the rules while protecting his clients, he likes classical music and classic jazz and misses his children. Even with the secondary characters, there is not only the physical description, but that sense of who they are.
As with other books I've read recently, it is interesting to read a book set within the past 25 years and to realize how much has changed within that short period of time in terms of technology and social behavior. Even so, the story did not feel dated to me at all, as plot is very well constructed.
Although, the events take place over a period of time, there is still plenty of action and suspense with a very effective first-person voice. The thing to which I keep coming back is that Tapply makes it feel real.
William Tapply passed away in 2009. I, personally, should hate to see his work overlooked or forgotten, and am greatly enjoying reading his series in order. I highly recommend this book.
FOLLOW THE SHARKS (Lic Inv-Att. Brady Coyne-Boston-Cont/1985) - VG Tapply, William G. - 3rd in series Charles Scribner's Sons, 1985, US Hardcover - ISBN: 068418446X
October 3, 2020
Cleverly-titled “Follow the Sharks” is the third of Tapply’s 28-book Brady Coyne series of quick-reading traditional mysteries of 20-25 years ago. This time our nice-guy lawyer to the wealthy takes on an unusual assignment for a client to become agent to a very promising baseball pitcher – and does so effectively despite no real background in such a job. Things don’t go well for the pitcher; but one day he calls and says his 10-year-old son may have been kidnapped – and now the plot is off and running. The case drags on despite the parents and law enforcement doing all they were supposed to; but as is typical of these tales, a very clever resolution wraps up the puzzle in the end to mixed blessings. We might quibble that some of the late action scenes were a bit tough to swallow...
I think this is a set that’s easy to really like and enjoy. While it seems most will end with a big reveal in the manner of Perry Mason or Nero Wolfe (just dating ourselves!), there are developments galore in the story that our likable protagonist has a terrific knack for unraveling. Good writing and the variety in the plots of the four we’ve read so far suggest the novels will all be fun, despite the lack of PCs, cellphones, and DNA processing. We’re in for all 28 for sure! {3.5}
I think this is a set that’s easy to really like and enjoy. While it seems most will end with a big reveal in the manner of Perry Mason or Nero Wolfe (just dating ourselves!), there are developments galore in the story that our likable protagonist has a terrific knack for unraveling. Good writing and the variety in the plots of the four we’ve read so far suggest the novels will all be fun, despite the lack of PCs, cellphones, and DNA processing. We’re in for all 28 for sure! {3.5}
July 15, 2015
This was Brady Coyne at his best. This is a story about a young kid who gets drafted in the big leagues. You don't have to like baseball to like this book. Great mystery.
June 16, 2017
(2 1/2) These Brady Coyne books are my retro Stone Barrington fix. Big fun, comfort reading, couple of hours invested into (usually) interesting procedural stories. This one even has a little baseball flavor to make it even more up my alley. There is usually a nice twist somewhere along the way to let you know that Tapply really knows what he is doing. Three down, many more to go!
February 14, 2017
Feb 2017 An early Brady Coyne and poor Brady gets hurt but guess what, he can walk and drive a car and being shot in the leg. Amazing! Still - a page turner and a captivating story.
February 6, 2016
#3 in the Boston attorney Brady Coyne series.
Boston attorney Brady Coyne series - Brady searches Red Sox Nation for a ballplayer's kidnapped son For two years, Eddie Donagan was on track to become the greatest Red Sox pitcher of all time. Then one day, without warning, he went from unhittable to ineffective--forcing him to drop out of the Majors before he even hit his prime. Attorney Brady Coyne met Donagan before he turned pro, and stays friends with him even as the faded star drifts into depression, disappearing from his wife and child for days at a time. Finally, the Donagans are thrown into crisis--but it isn't Eddie's disappearance that causes it. It's his son's. One morning, ten-year-old E.J. leaves for his paper route and never returns. Soon, the family receives a ransom demand, and Brady agrees to be the go-between.
Boston attorney Brady Coyne series - Brady searches Red Sox Nation for a ballplayer's kidnapped son For two years, Eddie Donagan was on track to become the greatest Red Sox pitcher of all time. Then one day, without warning, he went from unhittable to ineffective--forcing him to drop out of the Majors before he even hit his prime. Attorney Brady Coyne met Donagan before he turned pro, and stays friends with him even as the faded star drifts into depression, disappearing from his wife and child for days at a time. Finally, the Donagans are thrown into crisis--but it isn't Eddie's disappearance that causes it. It's his son's. One morning, ten-year-old E.J. leaves for his paper route and never returns. Soon, the family receives a ransom demand, and Brady agrees to be the go-between.
February 2, 2017
The third entry in the Brady Coyne series and easily the best to date, if Tapply can keep up this standard, it is understandable how he could roll out 20+ Brady Coynes in his lifetime. The characters, especially Brady, we know by now and the plot is plausible and complex. Highly recommended.
August 16, 2009
Very Good; Continuing character: Brady Coyne; the son of a baseball player that Coyne represented years ago, is kidnapped and the lawyer works to broker a deal to get him home safely
November 25, 2009
Good but different from his earlier ones which reminded me a little of PD James. What can I say; I am a true mystery junky.
October 18, 2017
Great, clear, precise, simple reads are what he is great at.
April 29, 2019
A boy is kidnapped, the son of an ex-baseball player whom Brady represented, and gets drawn into a real mystery which takes weeks to unravel.
July 20, 2022
Nicely captures New England in the 1980s. Interesting plot.
September 27, 2023
This one is really good.
March 20, 2019
On a whim, I picked this slim little novel up at the library. A tiny thing about whose author I knew nothing. Cracked it open and marveled at the very cheesy 70's dialogue. This read like a run of the mill 1970s detective show on TV, but before too long, I was hooked.
The kicker is, the "detective" isn't even a detective - he's a lawyer who winds up doing some sleuthing as a favor for some family friends whose 10-year-old son has been kidnapped. Fairly straightforward plot, very relaxed (albeit humorously dated) dialogue, and enough twists to make it all worth your while. If you're looking for something refreshing after tearing through a 700-page slice of literary fiction, this is a nice place to turn. 3.5 stars.
The kicker is, the "detective" isn't even a detective - he's a lawyer who winds up doing some sleuthing as a favor for some family friends whose 10-year-old son has been kidnapped. Fairly straightforward plot, very relaxed (albeit humorously dated) dialogue, and enough twists to make it all worth your while. If you're looking for something refreshing after tearing through a 700-page slice of literary fiction, this is a nice place to turn. 3.5 stars.
December 30, 2024
Coyne doesn't seem to learn: 3 books (so far) and 3 times he gets hit in the head from behind. Although there were no cell phones in the book's timeline, there's a moment when Coyne's foolish trust in himself made me want to scream. Without any spoilers, he misses a chance to make what could have been a crucial call from a gas station to get help, but -- no -- he just gets back in the car and continues on his journey in the same direction instead of turning around and taking a different route!
Still, the characters and the plot were well-done and I'll come back to this series for more.
Still, the characters and the plot were well-done and I'll come back to this series for more.
December 22, 2025
The son of a former baseball phenom is kidnapped and attorney Brady Coyne is brought in to help.
I enjoyed this very much, both for the baseball and the kidnapping details.
Brady is a likeable character and is successful in focusing on the important things, instead of butting heads with the FBI.
The ending was a surprise.
I read this in one evening - a throwback to smaller books from the 80's.
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
I enjoyed this very much, both for the baseball and the kidnapping details.
Brady is a likeable character and is successful in focusing on the important things, instead of butting heads with the FBI.
The ending was a surprise.
I read this in one evening - a throwback to smaller books from the 80's.
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
July 24, 2025
So nostalgic now! Yangtze River, Lauriat's bookstore at the Burlington Mall - and no cell phones. Brady thought a small ice cream cone from Haagen-Daas for $1.05 was expensive. When I mentioned Lauriat's to my DH he showed me a bookmark from his collection with a list of all their locations. 35 years of marriage, and this is the first I've heard of this collection....
November 5, 2023
The cloak-and-dagger bit in this plot makes no sense whatsoever and no one would do it that way.
Still, this was pretty entertaining and brisk.
Still, this was pretty entertaining and brisk.
September 27, 2024
My second Brady Coyne. Excellent mystery with just the right amount of humor. Well-done!
I want to read more Tapply books.
I want to read more Tapply books.
October 14, 2024
Solid Brady Coyne story. Not the best of the series but enjoyable. Terrific descriptions. Good plot. Interesting characters.
September 29, 2016
Great series and characters. Can't wait for next book from library.
January 1, 2017
Baseball. Kidnapping a child. Murder.
Eddie Donagan had been a promising major league pitcher until suddenly, he could no longer throw the ball. His life fell apart.
Several years previously, attorney Brady Coyne received a call from a wealthy client. He had spotted Donagan, then playing baseball in college, and marked him as someone with a great future in the game. He wanted to sign him but realized that Donagan needed an agent who would watch out for his interests. He decided that Coyne was the right person for the job. Though it wasn’t his specialty, Coyne took the job. Sure enough, Donagan was signed by the Boston Red Sox, began a successful career, and married his client’s daughter.
A few years later, the career and marriage ended and Coyne lost contact with Donagan. That was until he got a panicky phone call from Donagan’s ex-wife and her father telling him that Donagan’s ten-year-old son E.J. hadn’t come home after finishing his morning paper route.
When Donagan got to E.J.’s house, he discovered that the police weren’t concerned with his disappearance. They said that at that age, a lot of boys take off for a short time for various reasons and then return one their own. In real life, the case would be handled properly by the police, especially since it involves a prominent, wealthy citizen and a ten-year-old boy, but that would not make for an interesting novel, so against his better judgment, Coyne was soon mixed up in a very confusing and dangerous case.
The story continued with a $150,000 ransom demand with very strict, convoluted demands for delivering the money. After the ransom was paid, however, E.J. still did not return home. And then Eddie disappeared and Coyne began to receive some very cryptic clues from the kidnapper. Questions arose as to whether the kidnapping was connected to Eddie, either directly or because of something that might have happened when he was still playing professional baseball.
William G. Tapply’s descriptive writing put the reader into the story. There is an amazing description of what it feels like to be drowning that left me gasping for breath..
He also presented a lot of interesting information and background on baseball. He stated
“Baseball is a game of absolutely flat planes, perfect right angles, precise distances, measured velocities, and beautiful parabolas. Euclid would have loved baseball....Baseball demonstrates repeatedly all the physical laws of motion.” I had never looked at it that way. I will always be seeing that in the future.
Eddie Donagan had been a promising major league pitcher until suddenly, he could no longer throw the ball. His life fell apart.
Several years previously, attorney Brady Coyne received a call from a wealthy client. He had spotted Donagan, then playing baseball in college, and marked him as someone with a great future in the game. He wanted to sign him but realized that Donagan needed an agent who would watch out for his interests. He decided that Coyne was the right person for the job. Though it wasn’t his specialty, Coyne took the job. Sure enough, Donagan was signed by the Boston Red Sox, began a successful career, and married his client’s daughter.
A few years later, the career and marriage ended and Coyne lost contact with Donagan. That was until he got a panicky phone call from Donagan’s ex-wife and her father telling him that Donagan’s ten-year-old son E.J. hadn’t come home after finishing his morning paper route.
When Donagan got to E.J.’s house, he discovered that the police weren’t concerned with his disappearance. They said that at that age, a lot of boys take off for a short time for various reasons and then return one their own. In real life, the case would be handled properly by the police, especially since it involves a prominent, wealthy citizen and a ten-year-old boy, but that would not make for an interesting novel, so against his better judgment, Coyne was soon mixed up in a very confusing and dangerous case.
The story continued with a $150,000 ransom demand with very strict, convoluted demands for delivering the money. After the ransom was paid, however, E.J. still did not return home. And then Eddie disappeared and Coyne began to receive some very cryptic clues from the kidnapper. Questions arose as to whether the kidnapping was connected to Eddie, either directly or because of something that might have happened when he was still playing professional baseball.
William G. Tapply’s descriptive writing put the reader into the story. There is an amazing description of what it feels like to be drowning that left me gasping for breath..
He also presented a lot of interesting information and background on baseball. He stated
“Baseball is a game of absolutely flat planes, perfect right angles, precise distances, measured velocities, and beautiful parabolas. Euclid would have loved baseball....Baseball demonstrates repeatedly all the physical laws of motion.” I had never looked at it that way. I will always be seeing that in the future.
January 24, 2011
09/02/08 purchase at a thrift store
August 20, 2019
See previous comments about this excellent series.
February 4, 2015
I am enjoying this series. This book had me fully engaged all the way through.
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