In Review

04 December 2008 03:11 BST

Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane

Bantam Books Ltd, 448pp, out now.

In a nutshell...

A damn good ride that is observant, well written and packs a punch.

What's it all about?

Dennis Lehane's Gone Baby Gone, takes you on a very dark journey following the disappearance of four-year-old Amanda McCready. Boston private detectives Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, hired by the child's aunt and uncle, half-heartedly take the case, realising that the odds are that Amanda could already be dead. Their investigation is drawn-out by Amanda's mother, Helene, whose inattention to her daughter is highlighted so vividly that it is easy to hope that, wherever Amanda is, she is somewhat better off. For example Helene seems more interested in drinking at the local bar than in finding her own daughter.

After a second child vanishes, Kenzie and Gennaro are drawn into a morass of paedophiles, drug dealers and crooked police. The plot gets deeper and deeper and more horrifying as the truth unravels. The book offers a very intricate plot and a sequence of facts and actions at very high pace. Gone Baby Gone is tightly written and the story takes the reader on a non-stop literary journey. Tighten your seatbelt as there are no relaxing moments, the tension builds and new twists and turns develop in almost every chapter. Warning, this is not a tale for those easily upset by graphic imagery.

Dennis Lehane is the author of A Drink before the War, Take My Hand, Sacred, Prayers for Rain and the New York Times bestsellers Mystic River and Shutter Island. A citizen of Dorchester, Massachusetts, he now lives in the Boston area.

As an example...

"Nothing is louder than the silence of the missing child. It's a silence that's two and a half to three feet tall... You refuse to accept it and so it screams at you." – Patrick Kenzie

"The Filmore, a white-trash bar which attracted men who'd lost anything worth caring about a long, long time ago. They came in here to nurse their drug habits and their alcoholism and their hate." – Patrick Kenzie

Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster

Gone Baby Gone has already succeeded in lending its idea to the movie industry. The film which was postponed in UK due to its similarities to the Madeline McCann disappearance has been praised by the critics for its close-to-home storyline, marvellous acting and great depiction of realism.

Even though the plot is anything but unique this movie does not beat around the bush and deliver the usual cliche Hollywood ending, it portrays a rather shocking truth that we all are less willing to encounter.

Gone Baby Gone is the directual debut from Ben Affleck (don't cringe yet) and has received rave reviews by the critics, proving that Affleck can bring substance to a production. This film is evidence that Affleck was willing to take risks with such an emotional outline but he has accomplished something special with Gone Baby Gone and should be proud of his success.

On the contrary this film was not as enjoyable as the book as it doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Conversely this film definitely does Lehane proud in getting his point across.

What the others say

"Complex and unsettling... Lehane tackles corruption in many forms as he brings his complicated plot to its satisfying resolution, at the same time leaving readers to ponder moral questions about social and individual responsibility long after the last page is turned." - Publishers Weekly

"When it comes to describing the action, Mr Lehane delivers big time... By the end of this caper, there is enough blame, heartbreak and cruelty to please most fans of hard-boiled fiction." - Wall Street Journal

So is it any good?

The strength of the book lies in its morally ambiguous core, the deepness of the characters, and its thought-provoking social commentary.

Dennis Lehane proves he is on top form in Gone Baby Gone. The story moves at a slower pace through the first quarter of the book but you can usually trust Lehane not to take a blase approach as the speed fastens up towards the centre of the book.

Lehane takes the reader through the dark streets of Dorchester and even the darker side of humanity and then swiftly manoeuvres the story through twisted roads before transporting the reader to its final destination. The plot is complex and expertly crafted; this is not a sweet novel, nor is it gentle. The subject matter of child abduction is sombre, and it shares a few horrific descriptions of death and dying. Although the language can be pretty colourful and the descriptions of violence can create quite dark mental imagery, they are in fact relevant and add a sense of realism and suspense to the storyline.

Mr Lehane's Gone, Baby, Gone is a tour de force of life's complexities and sheer ugliness. This book is a portrait of the realisms that confront those who live in the underbelly of today's society. Lehane deserves the praise he's received for his writing. This book is a deeply cynical work of fiction that has an unquestionable impact that makes it difficult to dismiss or simply forget. After reading this book, you'll be sure to seek out other Lehane novels.

There are many plot twists to wrestle with and more than a few serious moral issues that will have you fidgeting or at least scratching your head. All things considered, this was a stable, enjoyable gritty detective novel. The reader will not feel his time was wasted.

9/10

Natalie Gurvitz