Product Description

An electrifying thriller that is at once gut-wrenchingly violent and achingly melancholy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8579 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-01
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Synopsis
When wisecracking detectives, Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro agree to protect the son of a prominent psychiatrist who believes she may have angered the Boston Irish Mafia, they soon find bodies are piling up around them - seemingly unconnected with their case. And what's more all the clues point to an unlikely suspect - a serial killer who has been in prison for twenty years, so he can't be killing again, can he? As Angie and Patrick try to find out what kind of human being could perform such horrifying acts of rape, mutilation, torture and dismemberment, they discover that the killer's motive is disturbingly rooted in their own distant past. In a series of heart-stopping climaxes that grow ever more terrifying and bloody, the two work frantically with the Boston cops, the FBI, the local Mafia, and the folks from their old neighbourhood to unearth the killer before they become victims themselves.

From the Back Cover
`DARK AND HYPNOTIC' Guardian

When Detectives Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro agree to protect the son of a prominent psychiatrist they soon find bodies are piling up around them. What's more, all the clues point to an unlikely suspect - a serial killer who has been in prison for twenty years, so he can't be killing again, can he?

As the duo try to find out what kind of human being could perform such horrifying acts of mutilation, torture and dismemberment, they discover that the killer's motive is disturbingly rooted in their own past. In a series of heart-stopping climaxes that grow ever more bloody, ever more terrifying, the two detectives work frantically to capture the killer before they become victims themselves.

`LEHANE'S HOLD IS WHOLLY UNREMITTING AND COMPELLED ME TO READ THE NOVEL IN A SINGLE DAY' Daily Express

About the Author
Dennis Lehane:
Dennis Lehane is the author of A DRINK BEFORE THE WAR (which won the Shamus Award for Best First Novel); DARKNESS, TAKE MY HAND; SACRED; GONE, BABY, GONE; PRAYERS FOR RAIN; SHUTTER ISLAND and the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller MYSTIC RIVER. A native of Dorchester, Massachusetts, he lives in the Boston area.

Customer Reviews

Getting better.
I still don't get the Dennis Lehane hype after reading his second novel. Though obviously much superior to his first novel this novel falls short of brilliance. That been said it is still a very enjoyable read and look forward to reading the third in the series. The plot is fast paced, the body count high and shoot ups galore and if you are a fan of the crime fiction genre then this won't disappoint. Certain things annoy such as private eyes investigating serial killers and shooting their guns off without any repercussions and the character Bubba is a joke. A solid four but nowhere near a five.

A Stunning Book from a Master writer.
First off; if you are going to read the Kenzie and Genarro series, of which this is the second, read them in order. Some are better than others, all are at the least, very good while a couple of them (including this one) are absolutely superb. This is the best Lehane book (if you want to argue Gone, Baby Gone is better I won't fight you too hard), it is a thrilling ride full of dense plot, suspense, tremendous finale and likeable characters. I hear you say Bubba is a caricature, I say get a life and enjoy him for what he is, an over the top, funny, memorable personality. Kenzie and Genarro are likeable with good personalities and excellent chemistry. If you like Michael Connelly, Robert Crais or John Sandford you will love these book(s). What are you waiting for---get reading!

Addictive, sombre, the saga continues...
This is my third Lehane after 'Drink' and 'Shutter'. It's a little rough around the edges in the way 'Drink' was and less sophisticated than 'Shutter'. And, yes, a lot of the criticisms other reviewers have highlighted are fair. But, dammit, I've zipped through 'Darkness' quicker than I have almost any other novel in the past. Kenzie and Gennaro are wonderful creations. Lehane's wit and seriousness and intelligence and despair and hope make for literary gold. And 'Darkness', in spite of its macabre themes and plot and tone, was an untrammeled joy to read. This is great, philosphical crime fiction. It is also exciting and unputdownable in a way that reminds me of Thomas Harris's Red Dragon. That is not to say that Lehane is a rip-off merchant. Far from it. In fact, I believe he has found a unique voice in fiction. In these times of great derivativness and apeing of style and lowest-common-denominator narratives, that is no mean feat.