Mystic River

Rating:
Summary: Great Lehane book, but not his best...
Review: I might be a bit biased, as I am from the Boston area and I have read the Patrick/Angie books first. Mystic River was a great book--very realistic and gritty. I do have to admit, though, I like the Patrick/Angie books better; I wish they had made those into a movie before Mystic River. Read the other books first, then read Mystic River

Rating:
Summary: Read it!
Review: The mystery is peripheral to the incredible human tragedy that permeates every page with dark tradgedy. I was able to figure out whodunit about halfway through the book but it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the novel in the least. There were plenty of horrifying scenes left for me to discover. There is a darkness here that has rarely before been so beautifully articulated.

Rating:
Summary: Sad and Soulful
Review: Bursting typical genre straightjackets of 'mystery' or 'police procedural,' the brooding, melancholy Mystic River includes elements of both, but puts them in the service of a gripping, fatalistic story.

Deeply involving from its first paragraphs, this unusually potent crime novel manages to consistently lay bare the wounded hearts of its hardcase protagonists without ever dipping into sentiment or genre fakery. Not since the early days of James Ellroy has pop crime fiction been so fixated on character, but where Ellroy created lurid masterpieces of near-psychotic aberration, Lehane's people are unforgettable in their ordinariness. For crime novel characters, they're shockingly real.

Mystic River isn't for the faint of heart, not because of its violence but because of its genuine despair and anguish. Pulsating with a visceral sense of loss, yet thrilling and compulsively entertaining throughout, this is hands-down one of the best thrillers of recent years.

Rating:
Summary: Lehane's best
Review: This is a must read for mystery fans. If you read Connely, Grisham, and Patterson, you will love Lehane. All of his novels are good. This one is great!

Rating:
Summary: A Thrill around every corner.
Review: I enjoyed this novel from the first page to the last. It kept my interest to the very end. Dennis Lehane has a unique style of writing. When I finished this book I logged onto Amazon.com and bought all his novels.

Rating:
Summary: My first Lehane novel
Review: This was my first Dennis Lehane novel, and when I was finished I immediately went out and bought his first few (A Drink Before War, etc.). I was addicted almost immediately and thoroughly enjoyed myself until the end. I would recommend it!

Rating:
Summary: DENNIS LEHANE JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER
Review: I really loved this book. At first I wasn't sure I would. I thought I would miss Kenzie/Gennaro too much to enjoy this one. But Lehane proved me wrong. From page one it grips you and makes your heart ache. The suspense is so overwhelming, I couldn't stop reading to find out the "whodunnit". I don't want to give anything away... but note this: If it has Dennis Lehane's name to it- you're in for a powerful ride!

Rating:
Summary: Mystic River
Review: This book is special; it stands out amoung all the books I have read in my life. It is so much more than a mystery; it is a drama. There are some parts that are painful to read. Lehane's writing is very descriptive, but I did not find myself skipping over it to "get to the good part", even towards the end when you are desperate to see how it all ends.
I picked this book up on whim at the airport, waiting for my friends' plane to arrive. I could not put it down. It is one of the best books I have ever read. .

Rating:
Summary: A thrilling murder mystery with a brain.
Review: Already being a fan of Lehane's Kenzie/Gennaro series I was a little leery about this book. After about three pages I forgot about Patrick and Angie and became completely engrossed in this story and it's characters. Lehane is an artist at creating mood and atmosphere. Every character is fully rendered. You almost feel like you know them or people like them.

My only complaint about Lehane is that he doesn't write fast enough. I have PRAYERS FOR RAIN sitting on a shelf untouched. I'm afraid to read it because it's the only book of his left that I haven't read. If you're a mystery fan do yourself a favor and discover Dennis Lehane. You won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Anthony award winner
Review: Dennis Lehane is one of my favorite mystery writers. His Kenzie/Gennaro series is one of the best out there. "Mystic River" is not part of the series, so it's a great way to get introduced to his style. Lehane has a terrific ear for dialogue and perfect pacing. He also makes you feel as if you live in the same neighborhood as his characters.

If you haven't read Lehane before, I recommend this one first. It'll turn you on to him, and you'll want to read the Kenzie/Gennaro books in order.