Moonlight Mile

I felt emotionally manipulated reading this - you can tell which characters you're supposed to dislike because they're instantly vile. The ones you're supposed to like are immediately cool - they all feel like they're rushed into the story in artlessly contrived ways; everything is either black or white in this binary world - there's no time for subtleties like shades of grey.I stuck around for the crumbs - the sharp one-liners - and there are a few to be fair, but it felt so dumbed-down: the ending, which was really going to have to be something special to rescue the story, failed hugely and was unbelievable - no matter how much I wanted to, I just couldn't suspend my disbelief. It feels like he's written this story because he felt the one it follows on from didn't end right - he's written it for the wrong reasons. The idea behind it doesn't seem to have ever been fully-formed.Kenzie seemed to have such a lumpen chip on his shoulder about rich people, whereas before it came so naturally - my only conclusion is that Dennis is having to force it now he's hit the big time. It's like watching someone do a poor impression of someone you love.3 stars, but Dennis is much better than this. Comfortable living can do that, I guess.

This book is Dennis Lehane's 6th Patrick Kenzie, Angie Gennaro book, but the first in about 11 year.Kenzie and Genaro are 2 private investigators, though in this book, Gennaro's more a bit part play, having gone back to college. In addition, they're married, and have a kid.At the end of their last book, they had found a kidnapped 4 tear old (Amanda McCready). In this book, she's gone missing again, so her aunt (who'd got Kenzie and Gennaro involved the first time) has got them involved again. That book was turned into a really good film (Gone Baby Gone) a couple of years ago.This book isn't as good as the previous books I don't think. I devoured the previous books with a relish. This book was good, and had a lot of the typical Kenzie and Gennaro humour, but there was something missing in the book.To be honest it felt like someone had attempted to write a "Kenzie and Gennaro" novel in the same way that you paint a picture by numbers. Everything's in the right place, but it still doesn't feel right.That's a shame, because I loved the first 5 books in the series.

I love Dennis Lehane's books, and think the films have made a good job of adapting them. I enjoyed this book, it is a follow up to "Run Baby Run'', but I felt a bit cheated as it seemed more like he had 'rattled' it off to appease everyone who wanted to know what had/would happen to Amanda. It seemed the print was larger than normal which made the book/story appear longer. There wasn't as much depth to the characters - and yeah authors, we get it, we love our children too. Nevertheless I did enjoy it.

A fabulous book. Lehane needs no praise from me but it's worth hunkering down to absorb it. Loved the main characters, warts an' all. I was desperately trying to read the last pages slowly but had to get to the end.......read it.

Absolutely love this book although Gennero does not appear in it - only Kenzie and his wife. An exciting, well written thriller - worth a read!