Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane

Moonlight Mile (Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, #6)

by Dennis Lehane

Sixteen-year-old Amanda McCready has disappeared. Her anxious aunt contacts Patrick Kenzie to investigate. It is not the first time she has gone missing, as Patrick well knows - he was the investigator who worked on her case when she was kidnapped before, as a four-year-old.

But this is not a simple case of a runaway girl. In fact, nothing in Amanda's life has been simple: brought up by the world's worst mother, neglected throughout her childhood, she has nonetheless blossomed into a formidably intelligent young woman. A young woman so bright that she can seemingly out-think and out-manoeuvre anyone...

For Patrick, the case leads him down Boston's darkest, most dangerous streets - and into a world of shocking secrets that will threaten not only Amanda's life, but also his own and that of his partner Angie Gennaro.

Reviewed by ibeforem on

3 of 5 stars

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A lot has changed since Patrick and Angela’s last book. Now married with a four-year old daughter, they are struggling to make ends meet as Patrick sticks to benign insurance and infidelity cases and Angela works on getting a degree. Then Beatrice McCready waltzes back into their lives and they’re faced with a choice — Should they try to save Amanda again?

Some of Lehane’s edge is gone in this book. Now that he’s a dad, Patrick is less willing to take chances. But the real weak spot is in the supporting cast. The Russian mobsters are cartoonish stereotypes, and I’m not sure Amanda’s cool detachment is all that believable. She’s put in several situations that I’m sure would freak out any 16 year old, no matter how tough their upbringing is.

But overall, I enjoyed the story, as well as revisiting some of the issues raised in Gone, Baby, Gone.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 1 March, 2011: Finished reading
  • 1 March, 2011: Reviewed