Rating: 
Summary: Superb thriller....recommended for first time Lehane readers
Review: This was my first Lehane book (I have since read the rest) and I fell in love with him, the story and the characters. I am a fan of realistic, gritty neighborhood stories be they in Boston or New York or New Orleans or wherever. The relationship between Gennaro and Kinzie is utterly believable (and I have had a problem in the past with male authors writing in a woman's voice)and realistic. Be forewarned: this book is darker than the others in his series, especially the subsequent ones. It is scary, morally complex, and graphic. It is also filled with a wonderful cast of characters from Gennaro and Kinzie's neighborhood, especially "Bubba". Those who have never read Lehane but enjoy a gritty neighborhood thriller, wait no longer.
Rating: 
Summary: Be prepared to be scared
Review: This was my first Lehane novel - - I'm hooked! Not only was I scared to read this at home alone (noises always seemed louder while reading this book), I was kept in suspense to the very end.
Rating: 
Summary: Started Gamely - Ended Lamely
Review: I seem to be in the minority on this book. I started reading it with great hopes of discovering a new crime writer. But I found it too wordy, too graphically sexy, too psychopathic and too derivative. Based on my feelings about this novel, I don't think I'll try any of his other works.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning
Review: A clerk in a local bookstore recommended this book. He said that the action was in Dorchester, and that I'd be familiar with the area where events take place which usually makes things more interesting. If I liked action mysteries, I'd like this book. I live in a suburb of Boston, as is Dorchester, love action mysteries, so I bought the book. Thus began my addiction to this author. I was with his characters every step of the way because, as promised, I could picture some of the neighborhoods where he went. I knew people who were like some of his characters (the good guys!). I was tantalized to stay with the book even when I found myself overwhelmed by the violence. When I had to put the book down, I found that even walking by it made me pick it up to see what would happen next. I viewed the action Patrick lived so vividly and the tension was so intense that I sometimes found myself holding my breath, or gasping with relief as some action or suspense ended. I am so! ! mewhat reminded of the way James Patterson describes similar events in his books with a small sampling of Stephen King. Lehane writes fluidly. There are no peaks and valleys. There is always something happening or something being set up to happen and you feel it. He entices you to stay through the book's chilling conclusion and if you've got the guts to stay, you're in for an incredible ride!
Rating:
Summary: A very dark, but extremely memorable thriller
Review: Dennis Lehane is easily one of the best things to happen to mystery and detective fiction in the past couple of years. After his amazing first novel, _A Drink Before the War_, _Darkness, Take My Hand_ only serves to solidify his ascendancy to the upper ranks of active detective novelists.This is a great book, a convincing exploration of how "the sins of the fathers" are visited upon the sons (and daughters). Throw in a serial killer or two (or three), a dangerous neighborhood watch group, and some of the most atmospheric descriptions of setting I've read, and this novel is a must-read, even if you're a bit squeamish (and heaven knows, there's much to be squeamish about in this book). Lehane does a marvelous job of showing the lingering effects of violence and how they affect (and infect) succeeding generations. Right now, he's near the top of my "must-read" list, with such writers as Les Roberts and James Lee Burke.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent thriller, well-drawn characters
Review: This is the first novel by Lehane that I've read, and it's one of the best novels I've read this year. A solid thriller (though, be warned, not for the squeamish) about murder, a serial killer, two Boston private eyes, and the past histories that tie it all together, is wonderfully written. You feel what these characters feel; their pain, their memories, their longings...Lehane is a writer to watch, and I'll be seeking out the rest of the novels in this series! Highly Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Superb reprise!
Review: I had the classic conflict that comes with reading a good book: Couldn't put it down and hated for it to end. Lehane has both the eyes and ear for the street and the talent to bring them to us in this very enjoyable and quick read.
Rating:
Summary: Picture Boston at dusk, a misty autumn evening...
Review: then add a serial killer, and darkness has taken your hand. Dennis Lehane has done what Koontz and King nor anyone else has ever done--scare me. This is truly a dark book, not for the faint of heart. Walking in his world is like walking through a dark, misty autumn dusk in Boston with a trusted friend and both of you are looking over your shoulders.
Rating:
Summary: Chilling
Review: I am thrilled with this author! Dennis Lehane has written a gritty and grim story here. If you are at all squeamish this may not be the book for you, but if you like a thriller that will make the hair on your arms stand up, this is it! Lehane's characters are funny, tough, insane and intelligent. I highly recommend this author!
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put it down
Review: Darkness Take My Hand was a wonderfully well written work. The first Lehane book I read was Drink Before the War. I enjoyed the style and the characters were fun. Therefore, I looked forward to a continuation of Kenzie & Gennaro which I found in Darkness Take My Hand. This book is honestly one of the best I have had the pleasure of reading. It beat out my all time favorite, The Stand. The suspense was chilling, the storyline flowed and the characters, compelling. I have passed it on many friends who are now huge Lehane fans. Some can't find the book and have requested that I locate the one I gave away, sure. I am looking forward to Sacred which I plan to purchase tomorrow in hard cover.
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