Last Redemption
In his latest Rick Cahill novel, Last Redemption (Oceanview Publishing), author Matt Coyle takes his former-California-cop-turned-private-investigator on another crime fiction adventure filled with lies, mystery and murder. Maybe even his own.
When Rick’s long-time partner and friend Moira MacFarlane calls him for help with her son, Rick can’t say no. Not even if he promised his pregnant fiancée he’d stay out of trouble and certainly not because he’s just been diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease that can cause early death. Moira has saved him — even from himself — more times than he can count, and there’s no way he’s letting her down now.
NOTHING AND EVERYTHING TO LOSE
So when Moira explains that her son Luke may have violated the terms of a temporary restraining order placed on him by his girlfriend and asks Rick to surveil him, Rick agrees. After all, it’s not like he’s jumping off bridges and chasing down bad guys, right? And if this mission gives him the sense of purpose that’s been missing from his daily life performing background checks in his home office for the last year, then what’s the harm?
But when Luke’s boss is suddenly murdered and Luke goes missing, a simple surveil job becomes much more than Rick bargained for. Still, he can’t quit, especially not when some digging into Luke’s affairs reveals a special project that his company, ConnectTech, hired him to do for a big money cancer research organization. As Rick learns more about Luke’s involvement in the project, he discovers just how far some will go to protect their secrets, and what effect bringing those secrets to light may have on the people he loves.
Though this author has written eight books in this series, I will confess that this was my first Rick Cahill novel. Lucky for me, that didn’t seem to matter. Coyle ensures that each book can be read as a standalone without losing much in translation. It’s not difficult to get a sense of who Rick is — strong, determined, clever and loyal to a fault, even as he battles with his own demons — both physical and mental. And the struggle is real. His commitments to both his fiancée and a woman who is like a sister to him, as well as his fight against his own failing mind and body, clash epically in a way you can both comprehend and feel.
ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE ACTION OF THE NOVEL
I like Rick, even though I know he’s capable of bad things. His dedication to helping Moira find her son and his intense pursuit of the truth, no matter the consequences, seal the deal for me. Rick’s choices are his own. He’s a man who lives by his own code, something you can forgive if it means justice for those who have been wronged.
I particularly love the way Coyle takes the reader along on his investigation, only relaying just enough with each interview to engage you in the plot. More than once, I felt like an active participant — just Rick and I on a casual interview, him asking the questions in his calm and practiced way, me with my notepad and pen, taking notes as I attempted to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. It’s a technique I appreciate and look for in any crime novel, and one Coyle expertly executes here.
If you’re interested in a complex investigative story with believable, relatable characters and enough tension and danger to keep you turning pages, then look no further. Turn off Netflix and reach for Coyle’s Last Redemption. You won’t be disappointed.
For more about Matt Coyle, visit his BookTrib author profile page.
