In 1975, three young friends, Sean, Dave, and Jimmy encounter a car and two men who claim to be police officers. Dave is convinced to get in the car; the other two boys remain behind as it drives away. Four days later, Dave is returned, but his life has been altered forever. Twenty-five years later, Sean is detective, Jimmy is an ex-con, and Dave is an average guy with a head full of problems. Jimmy's daughter is murdered, Dave comes home late one night covered in blood, and when Sean is put on the case, the three old friends cross paths again and must deal with demons that have long been buried. Demons that have become restless. Mystic River is a powerful story of friendship, family, love, psychology, and vengeance.

The author’s writing style is concise and hard-hitting. Writers young and old can learn a lot from Lehane’s technique. No wasted words, powerful descriptives, active, aggressive voice. Simply with his word choice and syntax, Lehane sets the tone of the entire book in the opening three pages.

Interestingly, Lehane’s succinctness and powerful style result in dialogue that, at times, sounds a little too “Hollywood”. It seems everyone has the gift of a silver tongue. Bad guys are cunning and sharp, good guys are full of wit and charm. And although the dialogue flowed smoothly, nearly all characters carried with them the same dark, heavy tone of the narrator. Effective at perpetuating the dismal aura but annoying after a couple hundred pages.

Seek out more of Lehane’s work. His writing ability is admirable and worth studying.

It’s a powerhouse of a novel. Tone and mood are set from the opening pages, the suspense settles in not long after, and characters and scenes are painted brilliantly. Rarely will the reader feel as though he or she is “learning” about a character – it just happens – through effective dialogue and action. Lehane immerses the reader in working-class Boston neighborhoods, in their society and culture, and doesn’t miss a thing. The mystery and suspense hold until the end, making this a quick, thrilling read.

It’s a grim, depressing read that’s full of angst and grudges. If you’re looking for a happy, inspirational story with a positive message, this one isn’t it.

If you’ve seen the movie, read the book. I read the book first and was greatly disappointed by the movie (as is usually the case). Lehane’s storytelling is what makes this tale so good.

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Created Dec 22, 2004 at 12:54am • Submit your own review...