Book Review–Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane

This book is the last (6th?) of a very good series with private eyes, Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro. All the books in the series are page-turners. I’m glad Lehane wrapped this up so I can move on to other books by him. (I did already manage to slip in the great Shutter Island, though.)

I can’t think of any other author who draws characters as vividly as Lehane does with such efficiency. Depending of the character’s importance, the author can sear an impression into the reader’s mind in a few paragraphs or draw out a description for several pages or even a full chapter if necessary. Of course, the main characters of Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro are continually developed throughout the series. To my delight, my favorite character, Bubba Rogowski, makes an appearance. Bubba is a criminal, but he’s good-guy muscle without a conscience when the heroes need it.

My biggest complaint with Moonlight Mile is that Kenzie, Gennaro, and their 4 year old daughter continually fall into mooshy, familial affection fests. Enough is enough. There is also a lot of class resentment by the main characters, who struggle with bills that can’t ever seem to be paid from their meager P.I. incomes. But that’s who they are, and Lehane does a good job of consistently working that monkey-on-their-backs into the plot. Actually, it propels the plot at times.

Some of the similes and metaphors are over the top, but the book is written in first person, and hard boiled noir prose seems to bubble up that writing style. All in all, it’s another entertaining read by Lehane.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

* Copy This Password *

* Type Or Paste Password Here *