Mystic river book review

Mystic River

Dennis Lehane

If you are someone who stays up past midnight reading very suspenseful mystery novels then this the book for YOU. Mystic River is the name and brilliant writing is the game. Mystery is my favorite genre, if it’s yours as well then this is the book for you. This book is the average mystery book on steroids.

Mystic River book review

Mystic River is a suspenseful tale, that will have you addicted and wanting to read all of Dennis Lehane’s books.  Mystic River starts out with three boys (Jimmy, Dave, and Sean) growing up in a suburban town near Boston. It takes place in the year 1975 when the boys are only in 6th grade. These boys do as every boy does, by getting in some trouble. These three boys definitely know how to take the advantage of an afternoon in the summer. The boys not only get in trouble for small things, but also they get in trouble for relatively big things, such as stealing cars around their neighborhood and for fighting. The story starts with one of the boys getting abducted after a fight between the friends. The boy is also sexually abused by the abductors.

The novel then jumps to the year 2000, 25 years after the adduction. The same 3 boys are bring back together after separating. They are brought together because of the death of Jimmy’s daughter. Was it murder? Jimmy believes that his old friend Dave is the one who had murdered his daughter. Jimmy believes it is Dave because Dave hasn't been his old self since the kidnapping 25 years prior.  Jimmy is an ex-con who is getting his life together but, will he lose control after his daughter’s murder. Dave is thought of as “The boy who escaped the wolves”  and hadn't had a great childhood. As Dave grew older he became angrier and angrier, more paranoid and capable of things not usually thought about in the sane human mind.  Sean is tied into this as well, as the police detective assigned to the mystery. Of course Sean has problems of his own.  Not only did his wife abandon him, he believes that he's heard everything and life has nothing else to offer him.  He spends his days alone listening to old recordings that he may have not heard clearly the first time he listen to it.

Dennis lehane is the writer the author of the story mystic river. Dennis lehane was born August 4, 1965 in Dorchester  neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts.. Dennis still lives in the Boston. Dennis is the youngest of 5 children. Lehane graduated from Eckerd college where he found his love for writing. Lehane's first book "A drink before the war" won an award for the best P.I novel. The fourth book in the series was adapted to a film "Gone, baby, gone" in 2007. Lehane's book mystic river was also made into a film in 2003 by Clint Eastwood. Dennis Lehane has taught at serval different colleges about fiction story writing.

This novel was so good that it was made into a movie in 2003.  The movie was named after the book Mystic River and the movie won many awards. Lehane is thought of as one of the best fiction writers now.  One thing that boosted his popularity is President Bill Clinton naming him as his favorite author.

My thoughts of the story is that it is a very complex and interesting novel, with many dramatic turns and climactic changes that makes this a very good book.  I recommend it for people who love great writing and mystery stories. The movie is also great. I also recommend Dennis Lehane’s other books such as “Gone, Baby, Gone”, “Sacred” and “Prayers For Rain”.