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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Violence
I started the Kenzie and Gennaro series with the last one (#6) because someone gave it to me, and I knew nothing about Lehane's work, so I didn't realize it was one of a series. I liked the first one I read very much (#6), so I started at #1 and have been working my way through them. I have enjoyed all of them, though none as much as #6, The Moonlight Mile. Turns out, this one is the story for which that one serves as a sequel, 12 years later. Perhaps coincidentally, I liked this one as much as I liked that one. Lehane's characters are interesting and complex, but they also tend to be quite violent and even the "heroes" behave in immoral ways sometimes, so these are not my favorite mystery books, but they are entertaining and the plotting is good enough to keep me reading. This book, I would like to add, ultimately raises (but does not answer) a very interesting question about what it means to do the right thing.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The world can be unfathomably, relentlessly, and grotesquely cruel—and it can be easy to forget that stay unaware if you lead a certain kind of life. This had a lurking gravity that the previous cases didn't reckon with. Even when Kenzie and Gennaro tracked a serial killer, they still had a wry and dry gallows humor, but that pops up a whole lot less when dealing with a missing kid case that doesn't add up. This had a hulking push through each clue, twist, and suspicion. It was great. All these entries are. Just two PIs who dig on each other and can't rest until they settle the world around them. Keep it up.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I've read quite a few mystery/thriller books that are well written but not actually that suspenseful, (Cuckoo's Calling, Into the Woods) but this book kept me on my toes. I should also admit I have a soft spot for Dennis Lehane and Boston; regardless, I think he writes unique books (Shutter Island,) even if they get a little cheesy at times. Highly recommend reading at least one of his books.
4.0⭐ I wish I’d Realized Sooner That This Was Book 4 In A Series
It’s a great stand alone, but there are obvious implications and allusions to deeper story. I just picked a Dennis Lehane title and started listening, didn’t even really look. I bet I vaguely remembered the title from having heard the movie title (although I’ve never seen the film).
Anyway, it’s Lehane. Fantastic, hard-boiled, 90’s noire. Great, great, great.
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It’s a great stand alone, but there are obvious implications and allusions to deeper story. I just picked a Dennis Lehane title and started listening, didn’t even really look. I bet I vaguely remembered the title from having heard the movie title (although I’ve never seen the film).
Anyway, it’s Lehane. Fantastic, hard-boiled, 90’s noire. Great, great, great.
-