A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of A Drink Before the War
Book Review: a competent early Dennis Lehane novel; not his best though..
Summary: 3 Stars
'A Drink Before the War' is the first of several crime novels by Dennis Lehane involving two young Boston private investigators, Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. As will all Lehane novels the writing is uniformly good, the characterizations believable, and the dialogue sharp. However 'A Drink Before the War', a story about gang warfare and corrupt politicians, is somewhat preachy in tone. I found all the overt rascism to be a bit over-dramatized, the anti-rascism rhetoric to be tiresome. In between Lehane throws in plenty of violence and ugliness. While certainly a competent read it was gratuitously nasty. In the end I felt bad for being a white American, ... was that the point of the book?
Bottom line: good, but too much of hate-fest. For Lehane fans only.
Book Review: Outstanding!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is an interesting and fun mix of smarty pants PIs, scum politicians and gang members. Throw in a few cops and Boston for backround and you have a wonderful book. One very small problem is that the author does not seem to know much about firearms. That having been said, don't miss this one.Book Review: One of the best first novels of all time
Summary: 5 Stars
Just an amazing experience reading this novel. Just read the first couple of pages and you know Lehane can write. The dialog is up there with Elmore Leonard as the best in the business. Do yourself a favorite and pick up this noir/crime masterpiece.Book Review: Fantastic debut for guttsy and witty detective duo
Summary: 5 Stars
Set a seemingly simple find-and-deliver task by odious politicians, eminently likeable private investigator duo Kenzie and Gennaro have more on their hands than it first seems. With their superior detection skills, tracing the woman comes relatively easily: delivering her and the documents and untangling the maelstrom that erupts once they find her are much more complicated. Thrown into a scenario involving gang war, drugs, child abuse and blackmail they can only rely on their wits and wit, and a friendly sociopath, to get them out in one piece. Along the way the pair have to battle their personal demons of unrequited lust, a violent spouse and a dead but not forgotten abusive father in a frantic race to emerge with their lives intact, but not without blood on their hands.
Written with style and wit, a solid, fast-moving plot and an eye for interesting supporting characters, this first in the Kenzie and Gennaro series proves that our heros are two to watch.
Book Review: Great Writer
Summary: 5 Stars
Dennis Lehane is my new favorite author. Having previously read Shutter Island and seen the movie Mystic River, drew me in. A Drink Before the War- is one of the best first author books I have read. Very good characters will keep you up nights reading this one. I have ordered the sequels to this series, having enjoyed this one. Keep up the good work.