Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

24 reviews

nutfreenerd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Child death, Grief, Racism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Murder, and Racial slurs

arf26's review against another edition

emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book!  So well written - taking a heavy and charged set of topics and adding humor.  The insight into the South Boston neighborhood, code, and mindset was riveting.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Violence, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, and Sexism

isabelboswinkel's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Death, Blood, Drug use, Hate crime, Violence, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Murder

Moderate: Pregnancy and Adult/minor relationship

pcarey1356's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

the book covers a emotional and turbulent time in history. It's hard to read about those times but I think it was handled well and I gained insight. I'm a big fan of Dennis Lehane and this book didn't let me down. 
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Hate crime, Violence, and Racial slurs

marthadude's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Torture, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, and Gun violence

kmad's review

4.0

This is an ugly book (both with the language and the violence), but also very well written historical fiction. Conflicted about how to rate it and could change this later. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Racism, Grief, Murder, Violence, Cursing, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Drug abuse and Addiction

Minor: Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Adult/minor relationship

lee_ann_a's review

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 Fair warning before you dive into this gem of a historical fiction novel: It’s gritty and ugly.  It’s written mainly from the perspective of Mary Pat, a feisty as hell Irish-American woman living in public housing in 1970’s Boston, and it doesn’t hold back. Her thoughts, her prejudices, her general beliefs during that time period along with those around her -  it’s all there without any sort of politically correct modern day filter.  If you’re offended by the word “fuck,” or if it’s hard for you to stomach derogatory language for people of color, then this book may not be for you.  It’s rife with racism and a side of homophobia. But I applaud the author for taking the risk, and staying true to life at that time, and also giving us glimmers of how we are still struggling with a lot of the same issues.  The writing it raw and real and the characters are palpable.  I read an interview with the author who said, “My job is not to write to your safe space.” 

<i> “They keep us fighting among ourselves like dogs for table scraps so we won’t catch them making off with the feast.”</i> 

It’s the summer of 1974, its hot in the projects of South Boston, the schools are about to be integrated by mixing predominately Black and white school districts together, the mob is busy waging a war against the forthcoming desegregation, and Mary Pat’s daughter has gone missing.   Mary Pat is a multi-faceted character who has grown up with her fists swinging, using anger and violence to protect herself both physically and emotionally.  As the story of her missing daughter unfolds, she learns to slowly confront some of her long held beliefs about herself, life, and people of color, all while she tries to get to the bottom of where her child is. This is where we also gain the perspective of Bobby Coyne, a homicide detective, recovering addict, Vietnam Veteran and someone who becomes Mary Pat’s unlikely ally.  

This book is a deep dive into racism, power, the cycle of poverty, and how rage fueled one summer in the projects of Boston.  Five unapologetic stars 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Murder, Racial slurs, and Hate crime

shellbell31's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Hate crime, Addiction, Grief, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, and Child death

alexisgarcia's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

this is incredibly dark and hard to read. this book is very very depressing but it’s a good and important story that shows a woman having to face her own racism, as well as the racism in her community, while searching for her missing daughter. there are no heroes in this story, and there is no happy ending. while this is a crime novel, it covers racism, politics, grief, and much more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Toxic friendship, Murder, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Racism, and Toxic relationship

magicinwords23's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was such a spectacular read. I was bewitched from the first page. Mary Pat was a badass and someone you want fighting your corner. The courage she showed in front of some of the most dangerous criminals and situations she found herself in was commendable. Her efforts in searching for Jules and the lengths she went to were so admirable that no one could fault her loyalty and love for her daughter. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Murder, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Child death, Violence, and Grief

This story takes place over the summer of 1971, during a heatwave, in the housing projects of Southie, Boston. The city has decided to desegregate the white and black public schools and no one is happy about it. Mary Pat Fennessy is a single mother trying badly to keep her head above water. Having spent her life in the housing projects she is tough and doesn’t let too much get by her. One night her daughter Jules doesn’t come home, the same night a black kid is suspiciously killed mysteriously by a train in Southie. After a few nights and there is no sign of Jules Mary Pat becomes worried and starts doing her investigation, interrogating those who might know her whereabouts. Mary Pat’s interrogation does not go down well with Marty Butler, the boss of the city’s mob and his crew, and along with this, the recent killing of the black kid and the desegregation, it forces a shining beacon over Southie and Marty’s dodgy businesses. But Mary Pat’s whole life is her daughter and will not let anything stand in her way, not even Marty and his posse, to find Jules.