Rating: 
Summary: Desperate for some summer reading--found it!
Review: At beginning of my blessedly long schoolteacher summer vacation, I go to the bookstore and treat myself to a lot of books. However, this year I was in a hurry because I was going away a lot and to places where I couldn't easily get to bookstores.I hurriedly grabbed the first three of the Lehane books with some others and hoped that they would be good. (The last time that I bought some books in a big rush, I ended up in a Swiss mountain camp at night with only some stinking, boring books...) Well, these Lehane books were better than I had even hoped. I couldn't put them down and I read them in snatches at a national softball tournament. (The other parents thought I was nuts.) I was surprised that I had never noticed these books in a bookstore before this or had never heard anyone recommend them. ? The books reminded me of the Robert Parker SPENSER books, but with more of an edge. Great characters and great Boston setting..... I am looking forward to buying the rest of them.
Rating:
Summary: Man, Oh Man, I loved this!
Review: Based upon customer reviews of Dennis LeHane's series of novels featuring detectives Kenzie and Gennaro, I bought all of them at one time and have just finished this series debut. I had not quite finished it last night when I went to bed. After about 30 minutes of wondering what was going to happen, I got up and finished the book in the middle of the night. That's gotta tell you something! I am mesmerized by the characters: the detectives are sharp, quirky, risk-taking folks most of the time; and they surround themselves with a wonderful assortment of cohorts from Bubba the bodyguard to Devin and Oscar the cops. Throw in a sympathetic priest and you have an excellent mix of lovable, if not quite understandable, characters. The story was gripping, terrifying and believable. I couldn't wait to start "Darkness, Take my Hand, " the second in the series, but I did wait until the coffee perked this a.m. A must read, but read the series in order so you don't miss the personal and touching references to the childhoods and personal lives of the heroes!
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Summary: Lehane, please join us in the 21st century.
Review: I love to read and I am always looking for good mysteries and science fiction. Amazon.com and Waldenbooks both listed Dennis Lehane on my account under recommendations. I read the first few pages of three of his books and bought them, now I wish I had read a little further. Lehane gets rave reviews from quite a few sources and nowhere in those reviews have I seen one word about Lehane being ignorant, disrespectful and downright prejudiced, which he is. You see Lehane refers to black people with that old ugly word, yes the 'n' word. He is consistent and most of the characters in this book use that ugly archaic term. It must make things easier for Lehane in terms of characther development, look at all the time he saves in fleshing out a character by simply describing them as a nigger. Well Lehane, I am Black and definitely not a nigger. I am a consumer, a consumer who loves to spend money on books and one who will never again enrich you coffers with even ten cents of my money. If anyone is looking for a detective to love try teaming up with Elvis Cole, a series of books by Robert Crais. If you see people as people, good and bad, don't buy books from this author who sees people in terms of color and if the color isn't white then the person couldn't possibly be a good worthwhile human being.
Rating:
Summary: A tremendous first novel!
Review: Dennis Lehane has given the PI genre a much needed shot in the arm with A DRINK BEFORE THE WAR, the first book of the Kenzie/Gennaro series. A DRINK BEFORE THE WAR reads like hip film noir, the characters of Patrick and Angie are both likeable and believable and manage to hold on to their morality despite dealing with Boston's lowest thugs. This book is just terrific...don't miss it!
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Summary: Another great Lehane novel
Review: I was first introduced to Lehane in his book Gone Baby Gone and then read Prayers For Rain. He was so good I decided to see what he had written previously. I thought A Drink Before The War and Sacred were as good if not better than his two newest books. If you like yhis gendre A Drink Before The War and Sacred are a must Read.
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Summary: Where has Lehane been hiding?
Review: Started on this series based on a recommendation I read from Michael Connelly (author of a bunch of books, most recently Void Moon). Had never heard of him before --- but man, oh man! This book is incredible, a true page turner --- in a time when page turners really are kind of rare. Mystery-thrillers seem to follow a set formula that a seasoned fan/reader can spot from the beginning. I fell in love with Patrick and Angie and even Bubba. Lehane's characters are so REAL, you feel like you really do know them. They're screwy, quirky, flawed, funny as hell,one or two are downright psychopaths, but you're bound to love them. Tight, well-written -- masterfully written to be honest. Buy this today, and while you're at it, go ahead and order the next four (Darkness, Take My Hand, Sacred, Gone, Baby Gone, and Prayers for Rain). You'll need them fast. This book will leave you literally thirsting for more Lehane.
Rating:
Summary: What a find!
Review: Thank you Amazon.com! Once again, I happened to stumble upon this title while I was browsing your website, and I'm glad I did! With this, in the first of the Kenzie/Gennaro series, Dennis Lehane has given the PI genre a shot in the arm. The characters of Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro are both believable and likeable---two individuals with strong morals who deal with thugs and lowlifes and sometimes play dirty to get the job done. A DRINK BEFORE THE WAR is like seeing Philip Marlowe updated for the 90's...his writing easily translates into hip film noir. Mr. Lehane is a fresh new voice and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series.
Rating:
Summary: excellent
Review: I first read Dennis Lehane in Gone Baby Gone recommended to me by a book shop in Martha's Vineyard. I immediately bought his next book Prayers for Rain, and recommend both highly. While in Prague over Xmas, and out of books, I found a shop that sold a few dated English books, A Drink before The War was unexpectedly superb. When I returned to the US I immediately bought Sacred and, Darkness, Take My Hand. Highly recommend.
Rating:
Summary: Oh- I loved this book!
Review: Oh my goodness! I really loved this book. It was such a good exciting read, but also had me questioning my values and having me ask myself "what if" questions. I am so glad that I haven't read any of his other books so I can read all of them now!
Rating: 
Summary: Does not disappoint
Review: This is my first read from author Lehane and I am presently reading his second book....Lehane provides continuity and detailed description as you venture around Boston and its surrounding towns....character development is excellent and the quality follow through provides a welcomed familiarity as you move to his second work.
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