As children, Sean, Jimmy and Dave were friends. However, after the abduction and abuse of one of them, they grow distant. Although they all remain in the city of their childhood, their paths never cross. One goes on the become a police officer, another serves time in prison, and the other flits from one job to another. Tragedy throws them together. One loses a daughter to violence, one is the investigating officer in the case, and the other.... Is he the killer?
Click here to see the rest of this review...
They must overcome the events and the past and the feelings of friendship they once had in order to find and punish the murderer.
The review of this Book prepared by Betty Porter
Three friends at beginning of story are caught up together latter in life with the murder of one's daughter. The other two friends: one is a loser and the other is a detective. Their lives crash as the loser is thought to have murdered the daughter. With little evidence the father kills the loser and dumps the body. In the fight of wits between the father and the detective in never resolved but is left open at the end of the book.
The review of this Book prepared by Liz Pursley
Morrow, Jan 2001, 25.00, 401 pp.
ISBN: 0066209307
In the Boston area, Jimmy Marcus, Dave Boyle, and Sean Devine are best friends, playing together like preadolescents do everywhere. Their friendship and perhaps childhood ends when eleven-year old Dave enters the car of two strangers claiming to be cops, who sexually molest him. When he escapes and finally returns home he is not the same carefree child.
Twenty-five years later, homicide detective Devine investigates the murder of Marcus' nineteen-year-old daughter. His prime suspect is Boyle, whose own wife believes he is more monster than human being. Marcus, an ex-con, conducts his own inquiries because the grieving father plans to provide his own brand of justice to the culprit. These three former friends appear heading towards a bloody deadly collision.
Dennis Lehane, known for his Kenzie-Gennero series, has written his best novel to date. MYSTIC RIVER contains a who-done-it, but that is a subplot of the theme that centers on the impact on adults of their broken childhood relationships. This psychological suspense tale works because the three key players and several support members like Boyle's wife appear genuine and consistent so that their actions feel right for them. Though his Kenzie-Gennero series is very good, readers will demand Mr. Lehane take further sabbaticals from it so that he can concentrate on more stand alone novels like this excellent book.
Harriet Klausner
The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner
