Dark
Tiger
A
Stoney Calhoun Mystery
William
G. Tapply
St.
Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-37978-1 (0312379781)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-37978-0 (9780312379780)
Publication Date: September 2009
List Price: $24.99
Synopsis (from
the publisher): Seven years ago, Stoney Calhoun woke up in a VA
hospital with no memories and a series of unexplained talents (language
ability, weapons expertise, etc.). Since then he’s been
living quietly, working as a part time fishing guide and co-owner of a
local bait shop—with an unnamed visitor coming around
occasionally to see if he’s regained any memories.
But this time, the visitor shows up looking for his help—and
creating potential mayhem in Stoney’s life to prove
he’s serious. In exchange for making those problems go away,
Stoney must go to the far corner of Maine, sign on as a guide at a high
end fishing lodge, and look into a couple of suspicious deaths. A
government "operative" was found shot dead in a staged murder/suicide
pact involving a local sixteen year old girl. Now Stoney has to uncover
what the dead agent was investigating and got him
killed—without being killed by the very same people.
Review:
The late William G. Tapply, author of the long-running Brady Coyne
mysteries, began a new series in 2004 featuring the enigmatic Stoney
Calhoun, a man who has no memory of his past. The third mystery in this
series, Dark
Tiger, gives additional hints
as to who he may have been, but sadly, the readers of his adventures
are destined, like Stoney himself, to learn no more.
Stoney is surprised to be told that the lease on the bait and tackle
shop he runs with Kate Balaban has been terminated. There seems to be
little he can do; the owner isn't interested in having them as tenants
and wants them out by the end of the following month. Shortly
thereafter, someone known to Stoney only as the "Man in the Suit"
arrives, asking for Stoney's help. He makes it clear Stoney has no
choice by saying he can "fix" the lease problem. "Thank the Man in the
Suit," Stoney says to himself. "He created the problem, just to show me
that he could, and then he solved it." Stoney agrees to meet with a Mr.
Brescia, who clearly knew Stoney from before he lost his memory. "Our
operatives have a good deal of latitude. Our system is unique among
government agencies. We select our people for their intelligence and
initiative and resourcefulness, we train them thoroughly, and then we
trust them and support them," Mr. Brescia says. "Doesn't that ring any
bells with you, Stoney? I've just described your career with us." One
of Brescia's operatives, posing as a guest at a luxury fishing lodge in
northern Maine, has been found murdered and Mr. Brescia wants Stoney to
find out why. For starters, his death is also mysterious: he was
already dead when someone shot him. Stoney is to take his place, and
discover whatever it was that got the man killed.
Stoney Calhoun has a kind of quiet strength about him that is reflected
in the writing of Dark Tiger.
He speaks simply but with authority, his movements deliberate and
spare, without unnecessary action. The story gives the impression of
being slow at first, with little seeming to occur, yet the first 100
pages just fly by. Once Stoney is at the lodge, as a temporary guide
for which he is eminently qualified, he stirs things up as he might
while hunting partridge, by "shaking every bush and kicking every clump
of grass." He achieves his goal, identifying who killed the operative
and the reason for his murder, but the plot here is somewhat
implausible and raises a few more questions than it answers. Still,
given how well Dark Tiger
is written, the solid characters and descriptive setting, it's well
worth accompanying Stoney on this, his final journey.
Special thanks to St. Martin's Minotaur for providing a copy of Dark Tiger for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read Dark Tiger? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series …
Bitch
Creek
The Lyons Press (Hardcover), September 2004
ISBN-10: 1-59228-435-3 (1592284353)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59228-435-1 (9781592284351)
Gray
Ghost
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover), March 2007
ISBN-10: 0-312-36303-6 (0312363036)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-36303-1 (9780312363031)
Dark Tiger
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover), September 2009
ISBN-10: 0-312-37978-1 (0312379781)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-37978-0 (9780312379780)
Omnimystery
keywords for Dark Tiger
...
Location(s) referenced: Maine.
