Rating: 
Summary: One-night read
Review: Mr. lehane delivers fast-paced, intricately plotted thrills once again with Prayers for Rain. As with his previous Kenzie-Gennarro novels, the reader is drawn into the story instantly...the apparent suicide of Emily Post-like Karen Nichols just doesn't make any sense. Patrick vows to find out what or who made her do this, even though he has been warned to leave well-enough alone. This book will make you almost stand up and cheer on Kenzie, Angela and their lunatic, yet lovable friend Bubba Rogowski as they journey closer and closer to the truth and the root of the evil. My only hope is that Mr. Lehane does not tire of continuing this fantastic series, much like some writers have in the past(ie, Patricia Cornwell). And my only regret is that I finished the book in one day, now i have to wait another year for the next chapter.
Rating:
Summary: Dennis Lehane gets you on to the streets of Boston with him.
Review: Once again I have neglected reponsibilities to read a Dennis Lehane mystery. Every one of his books takes you right in to the action with him, Angela Gennaro, and Bubba Rogowski. " Prayers for Rain" continues the tradition of excellent phrasing and insightful observation of life as a private investigator in Boston. This is a book for all of you who enjoy great characterization and a believable story. I look forward to the next one from Dennis Lehane.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent urban Noir
Review: Private Investigators Patrick Kenzie and Bubba Rogowski are very proud of the simple persuasion they used to make Cody Falk stop stalking their client Karen Nichols. Over the next six months, instead of celebrating her victory, Karen's life falls apart. Suddenly, Karen becomes headlines for the Globe as she jumps from the Customs House tower. The police officially call it suicide after an apparent run of bad luck. A stunned Patrick obsesses over his former client's death. He learns that a car hit her fiancé and she lost her job and apartment. The coincidences pile up to the point that Murphy would not believe it possible. Patrick enlists the help of his former partner and estranged lover Angela Gennaro. They soon begin to realize that an insidious murderer uses his victim's minds by manipulating events in their lives till they cannot take any more. Still, the killer and his associates appear to be above the law unless Patrick and company can find a way to stop him before they become the next victims. With his fifth novel, Dennis Lehane clearly proves that he sits at the apex of the modern urban Noir. His current novel, PRAYERS FOR RAIN, is a superb, but frightening tale that turns justice on its head. No one does Boston (including the Red Sox) better than Mr. Lehane. The lead trio continues to be an interesting, warm mix while the support cast provides insight into the city. The main villain may prove to be the top culprit of the year. A great novel that will bring many new fans to Mr. Lehane. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Lerhane keeps getting better; a solid mystery series
Review: The fifth in the Kenzie/Gennaro series has everything you've come to expect from Lehane: hard-boiled action, great dialogue and characters and a deep emotional core. I cannot say enough good things about Lehane. Search out all his books now.
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Summary: "The best mystery writer you've never heard of"
Review: That's what Entertainment Weekly said, anyway. Lehane's style is really refreshing, really sharp and witty. I've loved all of his books, especially for the characters, which are easily the most creative and original I've read in a long time. I work in a bookstore, and I picked it up the first day it was sent to us. If you haven't read Lehane's series, read them now!
Rating: 
Summary: Publishers Weekly starred review
Review: * After the shattering consequences of their last case (GONE BABY GONE), Lehane's PI partners Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro are back, but not together. Estranged from Angie personally and professionally, Patrick works the old Boston neighborhood - with the occasional help of his loyal and happily homicidal pal Bubba Rogowski - while Angie has moved uptown to a blue-chip corporate security firm. Enter Karen Nichols, a nice, hardworking sort who's being stalked. Patrick and Bubba are glad to take care of the stalker - in an extremely satisfying way - and everybody expects a happy ending. Which no one gets, because six months later the woman dives to her death off the Custom House tower. It turns out that everything that could go wrong with her life did - all at the same time. Everyone, including the police - and Karen's strangely unsympathetic family - chalks it up to a streak of extraordinarily bad luck, but Patrick is suspicious. He doesn't believe in coincidences and needs Angie's help to uncover a killer whose methods seem to put him beyond the law - one who makes his victims do the work, by manipulating their minds and lives until suicide seems a plausible alternative. Lehane's sense of place is acute, and his ear is finely attuned to the voices of Boston's many neighborhoods, as Patrick and Angie trace Karen's downward spiral, from the exclusive, cobbled streets of Beacon Hill to the wharves and bars of the North End. As the plot twists through layers of old deceit and current corruption, the victims multiply while the killer remains elusive, protected by the terror he inspires. With sharp dialogue, inventively gruesome violence and the darkest of dark humor, Lehane's fifth novel proves again that he's the hippest heir of Hammett and Chandler. Author tour. (June)
Rating: 
Summary: Twisted and Compelling
Review: This was my first venture w/this series by the author and I might have benefitted from reading the four previous novels involving Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro as some of the interplay between them alluded to previous matters. My first Lehane experience was Mystic River which, in my opinion, is a stand alone classic. This is a different breed of cat, but an interesting one, nonetheless. Kenzie has helped a young woman who claimed that a man from her gym was stalking her and that he had in fact trashed her car. This matter is easily set right by Kenzie and his side-kick and protector, Bubba Rogowski. A few months later the young lady jumps naked from the 24th story of the Custom House Tower in Boston. Kenzie feels some moral responsibility to look in to the matter as he had neglected to return a call from the woman before heading of to Bermuda with a tempoary romantic interest and when he got back he had forgotten to call. His looking into the matter sets him on a chilling course of events which are better read than described here. Kenzie/Gennaro/Rodowski make a formidable and somewhat entertaining team, although some of the diologue and situations strain credulity a bit. All in all, a read that you will enjoy and be reluctant to put down until the rather twisted ending is revealed.
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Summary: The Best One! Mr. Lehane, when is the next one coming out?
Review: This was by far the best Genero/Kenzie novel of the series. I loved this book. Everything about it. In this one, you really got to see the emotional side of Bubba. Made him more likeable.
The storyline kept me riveted and not wanting to put the book down. I was happy to see Angie and Patrick back together. The ending was very good and left you thinking the character could possibly come back in a future book.
I'm scratching my head wondering why this was the last book of the series and why Lehane hasn't published another. It's been 5 years. I will be watching for it.
Rating:
Summary: Funny and Original Crime Novel
Review: It was startling to read this book because Dennis Lehane's writing style is so distinctly unique and engrossing. I was drawn into the story from the start because the narrative was funny, smart and original. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the characters which made them come alive on the page which is a real accomplishment for any writer. The plot was intriguing and compelling and I somehow ended up reading the whole book in the space of one day (and most of the night!). I had never read a Kenzie / Gennaro / Rogowski crime novel before and so I was new to the characters, but they all seemed to me to be very well developed and interesting. I even liked the fact that Bubba was more like a superhero than a real life human being. However, I was shocked by some of the things that the lead characters did, for example, arranging for criminals to be beaten up severely and other shady dealings which made me a bit uncomfortable. Overall Prayers For Rain was a great introduction for me into this series. The excellent humour was a real surprise and definitely made me read on and there was a satisfying twist at the end. The twists and turns of the plot were entertaining and the action scenes were described really well. I'll certainly be checking out other Lehane books in the future. Highly Recommended. JoAnne
Rating:
Summary: The best of the series
Review: 'Prayers for Rain' is my first Dennis Lehane book. I now think I'll read the rest. Why? Unlike many of the popular crime/mystery writers of today Lehane can *really write* as opposed to just tell a good story. 'Prayers for Rain' should be considered literature by any standard. In this book we have a couple of private investigators following upon the odd suicide of a young woman. The more they dig into it the more strange things become. Before long it all becomes a bit unbelievable yet the author is so deft at spinning this story that each little twist comes as an exciting surprise (as opposed to a groan of disbelief). I should also add that much of the story is very violent, with some very cruel/sadistic moments. But back to Lehane's writing ability. The prose is uniformly excellent, and the characters are very well-developed. Compared to the likes of Robert Crais and George Pelecanos, two authors I admire, Lehane is clearly the superior writer. It was a complete pleasure reading 'Prayers for Rain'. Bottom line: slightly over-cooked story aside, 'Prayers for Rain' and Dennis Lehane are definite winners. Strongly recommended.
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