Rating: 
Summary: A Drink Before the War gets 5 stars from a choosy reader.
Review: I don't give five stars easily -- to anything. If the rating system had 1/2 stars, I might have chosen 4 1/2, but that still would have made A Drink Before the War a great read. The first 100 pages had me scratching my head, wondering what all the fuss has been about Dennis Lehane. I read the book on a recommendation from a pal whose tastes I trust, and I wasn't getting this one. Then...everything changed. Lead character Patrick Kenzie's PI wise-cracking was getting on my nerves. Angie Gennaro's role as his PI partner and domestic punching bag was getting on my nerves. Lehane's tendency to put Kenzie on a soapbox doing riffs on race and politics was getting on my nerves. Then, the "schtick" gave way to a compelling and fast-moving story, with action and intelligence and a plot that I wouldn't have figured out for the world, and I'm good at it. The full body of the story made up for what I felt was a weak start off and came to a shuddering end that left me reeling. All was forgiven. There's no way that I could give this book less than a top rating. Dennis Lehane is on his way to being one of the masters, if only he would tone down the "schtick".
Rating:
Summary: Thrill Ride
Review: A Drink Before The War is one of those rare detective novels; it has great characters, a believable plot and a very unique style. The novel is highly entertaining and will keep you guessing until the very last page.Patrick and Angie are two private investigators who are hired to find a cleaning lady who has gone missing. The woman is believed to have stolen some important documents from the senator for whom she worked. But the more they investigate, the more they realize that the case is much more complicated than that. After several ingenious plot twists, the novel turns into a battle of the races as the streets of Boston become the site for a boiling racial war. And Patrick and Angie will be caught smack in the middle of it. Not only is the novel a great mysetery, it is also a very powerful introspection on the race issues that are still being debated today. The book never ceases to surprise you. You can't never predict what will come next. And Lehane's style, an author I admire more and more with each book of his that I read, is witty and often cynically funny. With A Drink Before The War, Lehane has created a highly belivable potboiler that will keep you intrigued until the very last page. But one word of advice: Do not start this book unless you intend on finishing it in one sitting.
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: Truly a fantastic debut. I picked up this book from the library because Mystic River wasn't in. I figured I'd get a taste of Lehane's writing. What I got was a feast of a book. An incredibly engrossing plot and unforgettable characters. I instantly grew attached to Kenzie and Gerarro. These characters are so real you'd think you've known them for years. In addition, the supporting characters are equally unforgettable. I'm especially impressed with the unstable Bubba Rogowski. The book starts with a bang and doesn't stop until the last word. It's a short book to begin with (a little over 250 pages), and the fast-paced writing makes it a very quick read. But, I felt like I had read an epic novel. I was ecstatic to see that there were four more novels in the series...with more to come, hopefully. I strongly recommend this book. Pick it up and sit down for a violent, wild ride with characters you will want to meet again and again.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite author of detective/mystery fiction!
Review: This is the third Lehane book I've read....although it's actually the first in the series. In this book, Lehane does a wonderful job of not only dumping us right into the mystery and then dragging us along like panting mutts until the very last page.....he also manages to introduce well-rounded, interesting characters, especially Kenzie, the protagonist. Okay, the love interest between Gennero and Kenzie isn't that scintilating....or credible, they make better partners in crime than romance....but quite frankly, I think romance would get in the way of the story being told in this type of book. In Kenzie, he has captured the complexity of a flawed, but intelligent and compassionate PI who in his fairminded way would as easily put a bullet through the middle of your chest as throw himself in the path of a bullet intended for you, depending on how he felt justice was best served. Lehane's wit makes his dialogue sizzle and you find yourself cheering when the bad guys finally get theirs in the final chapters. Frankly, I can't wait to read every book in the series as well as everything else that Lehane writes. His books are enormously satisfying. And speaking as one who has already read two of his other books......he only gets better with each one!
Rating: 
Summary: about on par with a made-for-tv movie
Review: I discovered Lehane by way of the film "Mystic River," and was happy to see that this author had several titles in print. I chose "A Drink Before the War" as a starting point more or less at random. I read the book over a couple of days while on vacation. I found it pretty disappointing in several respects. Despite the fact that the book is set in Boston, and written by a native Bostonian, it lacks much in the way of an organic sense of place. The action occurs in various areas of Boston, but it felt more like I was watching a slide show of the city rather than spending time with characters in their native habitat. Another weakness is that Lehane often fails to obey the dictum to show and not simply tell. For example, much is made of an impending war between rival gangs, whose leaders are an estranged father and son pair. Then the war drama unfolds primarily "offscreen" and we are merely told that one of them has won the war by virtue of surprising prowess as a tactician. Contrast this to books such as "The Godfather" or "Day of the Jackal" which are each full of little details of setting and character that seem to have reached the page via personal recollection by an eyewitness.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Read!!
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It is one of the few books I have read lately that I couldn't put down. I enjoyed several things: The relationship between Angie and Pat. The bits of suddle humor that add flavor within each page. And the suspenseful story line and action that keeps you turning the page until the end.
I highly recommend this book. Can't wait to read the next one.
Rating: 
Summary: Great read......Great Story
Review: I must say that I enjoyed how Lehane made his characters so down to earth. That is what made that book. The plot is soild and with the colorful characters it adds such an outstanding twist to the book. I felt as if I could have sat down with Patrick Kenzie and had a beer..lol.
Kenzie and his partner Angela Gennaro are private investators, hired by a senator to find a cleaning woman. Lehane did a masterful job in adding new drama and a by adding a sexual tension between Kenzie and Gennaro(whom herself has her own problems). I am looking forward to reading more from these to, Enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Nothing special
Review: I don't get the hoopla over this one. It didn't sustain my interest, but I don't like to stop reading a book halfway through so I finished it. Not that it's bad, it's just nothing special. I suppose if you're a fan of Lehane or of this genre you'll enjoy it more than I did. To me, it was just a rehash of a few things we've already read or seen.
Rating:
Summary: Lehane my new favorite author
Review: I received this book as a gift, so I decided to give it a try. Lehane has managed to do what very few authors have done- create characters that you really care about. The story line is intriguing and the dialog is perfect. I love how all the settings in Boston are described perfectly; he does an excellent job of making the city a character in the book. I have read a few more of the books in this series and they get better!
Rating:
Summary: NOT RIVITED HERE
Review: This book did not inspire me to continue the series. I found it readable but just another detective novel. Are these people reading the same novel ? This is just another detective thriller. I can not understand all the RAVES it's getting. Maybe you have had to grow up in Boston ? MAYBE IM STUPID ? I found this book just pretty good and quite readable. Nothing special NO Chandler NOT Hammett. BUT it's pretty darn OK and YMMV. So try it you will either LOVE it or kinda like it.
| 
