Coyote

Geoff Cragg is a tenured instructor in the Faculty of General Studies at
the University of Calgary in Alberta.

Coyote, subtitled “a mystery,” is in fact several mysteries. It
opens with the mystery surrounding the death of a famous eco-terrorist
known as Coyote, and the attempt of an avenger called Brian to determine
whether he’s truly dead or merely retired and serving—under the name
Charlie Baker—as the unofficial mayor of an island off Canada’s west
coast.

The action moves to Vancouver, where Inspector Janwar Singh and
Corporal Kirsten Crosby are investigating the mysterious disappearance
of a woman who was involved with a man named Charlie before he moved to
a Gulf island. Inevitably, the various plot lines intersect: Inspector
Singh falls in love and cures his digestive problems; Charlie, Brian,
and a parrot participate in a drunken picnic on the beach; and Coyote
recalls his past exploits.

Brian Brett is an accomplished writer who creates a strong sense of
mood and setting in his vibrant depictions of scenes and local
characters. He has a gift for comedy, too: it is conveyed through
uproarious scenes such as the island dance, and through more ironic
situations such as the interplay between Brian and Charlie (both men are
killers who are determined to survive without giving away their
awareness of the other’s intentions).

Among the book’s weaknesses are an overly complex structure,
confusing shifts in the narratorial voice, an exposition of ecological
philosophy that comes across as contrived, and an ending that is abrupt
and unconvincing. Also, by reminding us again and again that Coyote is
only a story, Brett weakens the suspension of disbelief that the novel
requires.