The Last Redemption

The Last Redemption: Matt Coyle

Being a private investigator takes a special and different kind of skill than police detectives. Knowing how to gather information, ask the right questions of witnesses and people that you suspect that are responsible for whatever crime or situation you need to manage take tack, ingenuity and persistence. Rick Cahill is close friends with Maura McFarlane and her son Luke is missing. She asks that he find him, but the trail is short, the facts might not be in his favor and the result might shock not only Rick but Maura too.

Luke was missing and now Rick has the job of trying to find out why. He worked for Connect Tech and how his boss Jim Harness found  dead was he guilty? The Sheriff’s department was managing part of the case and Luke was in the ConnectTech building with his boss minutes before he was killed. Learning more about him we find out he was connected to Linda Holland and her husband Sandstrom using him to create compute programs and then she mentored him but why? His girlfriend has a restraining order again him and Linda Holland lived across  the street why did he meet with her ask  then go  to ConnectTech. Did Holland ask him to kill Harkness? Things get complicated when we learn more about Luke’s job and the reasons why he was hired by another company to create programs that would help them advance the drug they were creating.

There are many people attached to this company that Luke was working for. Sheila Perkins was vital to helping Rick learn more about Luke and the special project his late boss had him working on. She is the leader of a startup group and he collaborated with her, and she did not know why Harkness wanted him to work on something special and not her. Luke is a genius and writes great programs that really helped the company get new clients. But Rick meets first with Mathias Charles a Professor Luke has and gets picture of him that he did not expect. Violent attitude did not accept criticism and was so angry at the professor what he did got him a suspension. When learning more about Luke and his relationship to Jim Harkness and the cash payment in huge bills he received did he kill his boss?

Luke was doing work for Sequence Corp the company hoping for a cure for Cancer that would be worth billions to the company. But, it was not a cure, but a predictor of a way to fight the disease early. This is about money, power, greed and pharmaceutical companies vying for the big payout. Imagine if these companies could sell you the DNA test when the results come back precancerous, it also sells you that drug that will keep you from ever forming it. Sandstrom s invested in it and wanted to decide whether to go public or sell but either way they would cash out big. Sandstorms and Holland his wife would squeeze Luke for anything she knows about Sequence Corp or good or bad every so delicately so that he does not feel the vice around his neck getting tighter.

Would the public receive? What about the IPO for the sale of Big Pharma?

What would happen if Cancer Swept really worked? Is it legitimate or not? Doesn’t the FDA or HHS have to give its approval? Meeting with Charlene Dewey the wife of the late Phillip Dewey who died from a heart attack was related to the company run by Bryson Basquez, Sequence Corp. His could no longer run it and now he was incharge and the dynamics changes. American Health Innovations set up an IPO to go after Cancer Sweet or privately sell the company. This would be work millions or three billion to them. Luke was hiding and disappeared and how was he involved? Putting his life in danger of Sequence Corp that caused him to have to disappear, then Maura and Sheila were passengers going along for the ride and what about Charlene? The people behind this were mire than dangerous and Rick questioned whether Phil really had a  heart attack or was murdered was Bryson a scheming opportunist or an over cautious son who never found his own path in life until this opportunity happened?

The final scenes will leave you with fear, terror and heart stopping palpitations as Rick his blindsided and someone else is taken and his life is more than on the line it could end. Who were the men doing surveillance and why did he manage to draw their attention? What happens when Luke calls him to go to Gabby’s to find out why she never answered his calls? Didn’t she have a TRO against him? What was the truth and the lies, betrayals, deceptions, greed, unethical medical practices and more are just at the heart of this Rick Cahill novel?

Rick comes clean with the detective in charge and tells him about Moira hiring him, Gabby Dates’ restraining order against Luke, Luke’s’ visit to Linda Holland’s and then the arrive of Bryson Basque to Gabby’s condo. Luke’s trip the ConnectTech office and then he vanishes. Rick has a talk with Gabby , meeting with Linda Holland and her husband and at their  luxurious home. Then we remind everyone of the men in the BMA spying on Luke’s apartment and the identity of one of them. Added in there is one piece of odd evidence found in Luke’s trash that allows Rick  to know that he was in ConnectTech with someone. Charlene Dewey’s visit and learning about her husband’s death. Then he goes to Muldoon’s and talks with Pat and then his call for help from Luke.

Some endings are tragic and this one is no different as the body count rises, Sheila and Rick are in danger, but will anyone come to their aid? Who killed Jim Harkness, Phillip and one more person? Why did the take that last life and what was that about? Would she pay for helping him? An ending that will shock readers and the killers and someone else will learn for the last time not to mess with Cahill, but will he avenge these deaths and live to see his child born? Luke  was introduced to Gabby, and they became close and then Cancer Sweep DNA evaluated and that kept him even closer Linda mentored him but how did she find out that Harkness planned to talk about cancer sweep on a podcast? Larceny, greed, power, drugs that would attack cancer and other created a heart attack as Rick risks it all for friendship, loyalty and the hope that  Luke will finally realize his own self-worth. The Epilogue will bring a smile to your face and tears to your eyes as some endings are new beginnings and will at last provide Rick with his LAST Redemption! Bold, straightforward, characters that are tough, have hearts and Rick Cahill who risks it all for his friend and more, this is one novel you don’t want to miss as once again author Matt Coyle really raises the bar quite high!

Fran Lewis: Just reviews