| Fade Away | |
| Author: | Harlan Coben |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Series: | A Myron Bolitar Novel |
| Genre: | Mystery, Thriller |
| Publisher: | Dell |
| Release Date: | 1997 |
| Media Type: | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages: | 368 |
| Isbn Note: | (1996, Paperback,) (2008, Hardcover,) |
Fade Away is a novel by author Harlan Coben. It is the third novel in his series of a crime solver and sports agent named Myron Bolitar.
Fade Away is a novel featuring Myron Bolitar, a sports agent, hired by the New Jersey Dragons to find a missing basketball star. Myron and his team of associates, work together to puzzle out the disappearance of Greg Downing,drawing Myron into danger, both physical and emotional.
Myron Bolitar is a sports agent and sometimes investigator, called by Clip Arnstein, theowner of the New Jersey Dragons. Clip's star player is missing and he wants Myron tofind him. Greg Downing had been Myron's rival throughout their youth and college days.Both had been drafted to play professional basketball, but Greg is the only one thatmade it. Myron's knee had been injured in what was believed to be a freak accident onthe court, and he had never played professionally. Clip wants Myron to take Greg'splace on the team, feeling that the other players would be more open with him ratherthan an investigator. Myron is reluctant yet excited at the same time. Having never hadthe opportunity to play pro-ball, he is anxious to know if he can make it with theDragons.
Myron investigates Greg's disappearance with the help of his closest friend, Win. Thetwo men discover a mysterious woman had left a message on Greg's answeringmachine to arrange a meeting the night he vanished. Following leads, Myron discoversthe woman has been murdered, and Greg is the main suspect. Initially believing thatGreg had a drug problem, Myron discovers that the woman had in fact beenblackmailing Greg, though he does not know why. Greg also has a large gamblingproblem, and Myron thinks that may be what the blackmail involves. Furtherinvestigation reveals that the mysterious woman is in fact a fugitive. A member of theSixties radical group The Raven Brigade, Liz Gorman had contacted Greg after thegroup had robbed a bank in Arizona several months previously.
The investigation takes several twists and turns, involving custody battles between Gregand his wife Emily, a former girlfriend of Myron's, and the assistance of Audrey Wilson,the sports reporter that covers the New Jersey Dragons. Audrey uncovers the realreason that Myron is on the team, and convinces him that the two of them can worktogether to find Greg. In exchange for sharing information, Audrey agrees not to releasethe story about Greg disappearing. Audrey discovers that Greg had hired a privateinvestigator to follow Emily. Myron uncovers a video tape of Emily and Maggie Mason, awoman known as Thumper, having sex. Mason has close ties to the team. Myronbelieves Emily had been set up and can understand her extreme anger at Greg.
The murder weapon is discovered in Greg's house, and other evidence that had been inthe house vanishes. It is clear that someone is trying to frame Greg for murder, whileanother person may be trying to protect him. In another development, the blackmailerscontact Myron and offer to sell him the information they had offered Greg.Events come to a head when Myron meets up with the leader of the Raven Brigade,Cole Whiteman. He admits that he and Liz Gorman had indeed been blackmailing Greg,but will not reveal with what. Leaving him, Myron meets up with Audrey, and receives aphone call from the blackmailer. The two travel to a remote location and meet with aman in a ski mask. Audrey shoots the man, claiming he was going to kill Myron. Myronconfronts her. Audrey had killed Gorman to protect Greg and their unborn child. It hadbeen Audrey that cleaned up the evidence at Greg's house, leaving the murder weaponplanted by Emily, as it had not been discovered. The blackmailer at the scene was infact a homicide detective, part of the set up to catch Audrey.
Myron returns to the Arena to confront Clip Arnstein and is handed an audio cassette.On the tape is evidence that Myron's injury so many years ago was not an accident afterall. Greg had paid another player to hurt Myron. Though he had not intended for theinjury to be career ending, Greg was angry at Myron for having a one-night stand withEmily the night before their wedding. Arnstein had known about the tape from thebeginning and could think of no other way to tell Myron. Arnstein wanted Myron to haveclosure.
Myron realizes that though his basketball career was ended, he had created a life forhimself, a good life with friends and people that love him. Despite his loss of a career inbasketball, he had moved on, becoming successful. Myron still mourned for thechances that he had missed in life, but cherished the chances he had been given.
Friendship is a strong theme in the novel. The deep friendship ofMyron and Windsor Horne Lockwood III is clearly evident. Myron can depend on Win,no questions asked. The two had met in college, and no matter which directions theirlives turn, the friendship remains. Myron is also close friends with Esperanza Diaz, hisassistant at MB SportsReps. Myron and Esperanza understand each other in the waythat brothers and sisters do.
Win and Esperanza both know and understand Myron well, sometimes better than heunderstands himself. When Myron is given the chance to play professional basketballagain, both refuse to attend the games, unwilling to see Myron suffer the loss of thegame again. Esperanza feels that Myron will give himself to the game completely, andthe loss will crush him. Win has always felt that Myron's injury was intentional, and hadnever followed up at Myron's request. Still, the thought of seeing Myron on the courtwould be too much of a reminder for Win to bear. Myron's friendship with Win andEsperanza is enduring and trusting. The three are free to express themselves honestly,without worry of offending each other or losing the true friendship that they share.
The central plot of Fade Away, is the blackmail of Greg Downing. The blackmailersthemselves practice deception, by trying to blackmail many people with the sameinformation. Greg Downing had paid for someone to injure Myron, and the RavenBrigade had discovered this information when they had robbed a bank in Arizona. ClipArnstein also practices deception when he hires Myron to find Greg. Though Clip isaware of the blackmail, and the proof that Myron's injury was intentional, he does notreveal this to Myron at the outset. Clip is unsure of how to tell Myron the truth, so heorchestrates Myron's discovery of the tape revealing the original plot by Greg.
Audrey Wilson's deception is the most dramatic. Though she tells Myron that she isworking with him to locate Greg simply as a guarantee to be first with the story, in realityshe is also looking for Greg. The blackmail scheme had driven Greg into hiding, andAudrey, in order to protect her husband and unborn child had killed the blackmailer, LizGorman. By working with Myron to find Greg, Audrey is also keeping track of theinvestigation, covering her tracks and protecting Greg when he becomes the primesuspect
Many characters exhibit loyalty throughout the novel. Myron's friends, Esperanza and Win are extremely loyal to him. Though Esperanza shrouds her caring in sarcasm and humor, she is a bit like a guard dog, always watching to make sure Myron is safe. Esperanza deeply dislikes Myron's girlfriend Jessica, because Jessica had left him and broke his heart years before. Even though Jessica has returned and Myron seems to be happy, Esperanza still refers to her as 'the bitch.' Myron does not like the name, but accepts that Esperanza loves him and still hurts for the times that he had suffered. The fact that Esperanza and Win will not attend any of the games Myron plays in also demonstrates loyalty. They are aware that he had been devastated when he wasinjured and forced to give up the game he loves.
Myron is deeply loyal to his girlfriend Jessica. Though Jessica had left him a few years earlier, they had gotten back together. Myron believes in the love they have for eachother, even though Esperanza has made it clear that she does not like of trust Jessica,Myron exhibits his loyalty to Esperanza, by allowing her to feel the way that she does,without getting angry at her outbursts.
Perhaps the oddest loyalty throughout Fade Away, is Myron's loyalty to Greg. Myronfeels a bond with Greg due to the competitive nature of their relationship in their youthand college years. Because of this loyalty, Myron works throughout the novel to findGreg, as well as prove his innocence in the murder of Liz Gorman. This loyalty ismisplaced, as Greg is the person who had caused Myron's injury ten years ago, endinghis career in professional basketball.
The novel takes place in many different locations in the New York metropolitan area. The Continental Arena, home of the New Jersey Dragonsis located in New Jersey, as is the main character, Myron Bolitar's hometown ofLivingston. Myron's office is located in the same building as Locke-Horn Securities inManhattan. A central location in the novel is the Meadowlands Arena, the home of theNew Jersey Dragons, where Myron plays professional basketball for the first time. Muchof the novel takes place within the city of New York as well as Greenwich Village. Thestoryline follows Myron Bolitar as he searches for Greg Downing. Myron travelsthroughout different areas of the city the outlying suburbs in his search for Greg, as wellas trying to find the truth behind the murder of Liz Gorman.
The novel is written in the third person, omniscient. For the mostpart, Myron Bolitar is the main focus, however there are brief passages where hisassistant Esperanza is highlighted. Myron, as the main character, is the center of themajority of the novel, however Esperanza is highlighted in order to bring important factsto the readers attention.
Myron Bolitar is a 32-year-old sports agent and owner of MB SportsReps. Myronlives in his parents basement, but spends most nights at the apartment of his girlfriendJessica. A former basketball player, Myron was destined to be a star with the Celticswhen a career ending injury forced him to give up the game he loved. Myron moved onwith his life, getting his law degree and starting the agency, but never lost his love forthe game or his desire to play.
Myron gets drawn back into the game of basketball when he agrees to help ClipArnstein find Greg Downing, one of the stars of the New Jersey Dragons. Playingprofessional basketball is both a thrill for Myron, and difficult at the same time. As muchas Myron loves the game, he comes to realize that he does not have what it takes toplay pro ball.
Following leads into Greg's disappearance, Myron discovers that Greg is beingblackmailed. Though at first Myron believes that the blackmail scheme involves Greg'sgambling problem, it is revealed that the information the blackmailers possess is muchmore personal. Ten years earlier, Myron had been injured in what he believed to be afreak accident on the court. In truth, the injury had been set up by Greg Downing inretaliation for Myron having sex with Greg's wife the day before their wedding.
Windsor Horne Lockwood III is Myron's best friend. President of the investment firmLocke-Horn Securities, Win is somewhat of an enigma. Wealthy and intelligent, he looksthe part of the aristocratic blue blood, however, he is also a loner, letting very fewpeople into his inner circle of friends. Win is very loyal to those whom he considers hisfriends, Myron being the closest friend he has. The two men had been roommates incollege, and have been best friend ever since. Myron runs his sports agency, and Winruns the family firm, and both have been known to work for the FBI undercover.
Win stays to himself for the most part and has no close relationships other than Myron.Raised in a world of power and prestige, Win seems not to have developed thepersonality to become close to people, preferring his lifestyle of one-night stands with nostrings attached. Win readily admits to Myron that he is not the person with whom todiscuss personal relationships, as he does not have any way to guide himself, let aloneanyone else. Myron and Win seem to balance each other. Both are intelligent and carefor other people. However, Myron has a conscience, and Win does not appear to have one.
Myron's right hand 'man' at MB SportsReps, Esperanza is the former star of theFabulous Ladies of Wrestling, or FLOW. Spotted by a modeling agent at the age ofseventeen, Esperanza had finally made a name for herself as Little Pocahontas. Now,working with Myron, Esperanza also attends night school, working toward her lawdegree.
Esperanza and Myron share what seems to be a brother and sister type of relationship.Esperanza holds nothing back with Myron, expressing her opinions freely, with nothought that Myron will be angry. Esperanza is very clear about her feelings towardMyron's girlfriend Jessica, calling her 'the bitch.' Esperanza has never forgiven Jessicafor leaving Myron and breaking his heart many years ago. Myron understands this, andthough he asks her not to call Jessica names, realizes that Esperanza cares for himdeeply.
Esperanza is a key character in the novel Fade Away, as it is she that discovers thereason the blackmailers have contacted Greg. Esperanza also shows her depth ofcaring for Myron when she contact Win immediately in order to protect Myron fromdiscovering what is on the blackmailer's tape.
Jessica is Myron's girlfriend and a writer. Myron and Jessica began dating right beforeMyron was injured ten years ago, forcing him to give up his dream of professionalbasketball. Though they had broken up previously, they are back together, and thoughMyron technically still lived in his parents basement, the majority of the time he spentthe night at her apartment.
Jessica is one of the few people who does not question Myron's taking Greg's place onthe Dragons. Though everyone else that knows Myron is worried that he will be hurtwhen his chance is over, Jessica feels that Myron needs to play, even if only to prove tohimself that he can not play the way he used to. It is Jessica's feeling that when Myronwas injured he turned to her, crushing their relationship under the weight of his needs.
A star player on the New Jersey Dragons, Greg disappears, causing Clip Arnstein tohire Myron to find him. Greg has been known to run away from problems before, and ashe is in the middle of an ugly custody battle with his ex-wife Emily, the team ownerthinks that things may have gotten to be too much for Greg. Myron is hired to find him.Myron feels a bond with Greg, as they had been competitors in their youth and thoughcollege. Myron believes that the bond they share had made them both better players.Myron had been injured before his chance to play for the Celtics, but Greg had gone onto become a major star. In his search for Greg, Myron uncovers a blackmail scheme and murder, making Gregthe main suspect of the police. Myron proves his innocence in the murder, but discoversthat his knee injury was not a freak accident as he had thought for the past ten years,but had been orchestrated by Greg in retaliation for Myron sleeping with Emily the nightbefore their wedding.
Audrey Wilson is the sports writer assigned to the New Jersey Dragons. Audrey seemsto catch on to the reason that Myron is actually on the team and convinces him that theyshould work together to solve the mystery of Greg's disappearance. In exchange for notreleasing the information to the public, Myron agrees to share whatever he finds withher. Audrey agrees to use her contacts to find out what she can about Greg's personallife. Audrey is actually using Myron in order to find Greg, her secret lover. Audrey hadkilled Liz Gorman, the blackmailer, in order to protect Greg and the future of her unbornchild.