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Gone, Baby, Gone: A Novel Mass Market Paperback – April 21, 1999
In this “absolutely gripping” (Chicago Tribune) thriller, New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane vividly captures the complex beauty and darkness of working-class Boston.
The tough neighborhood of Dorchester is no place for the innocent or the weak. Its territory is defined by hard heads and even harder luck; its streets are littered with the detritus of broken families, hearts, and dreams.
Now one of its youngest is missing. Private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro don’t want the case. But after pleas from the child’s aunt, they open an investigation that will ultimately risk everything—their relationship, their sanity, and even their lives—to find a little girl lost.
- Print length448 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherWilliam Morrow Paperbacks
- Publication dateApril 21, 1999
- Dimensions4.19 x 1.08 x 6.75 inches
- ISBN-100380730359
- ISBN-13978-0380730353
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Gone, Baby Gone is a tough, true powerful story written by a stunningly good novelist, one of our very best.” — James Patterson
“Powerful and raw, harrowing and unsentimental.” — Washington Post Book World
“Compelling…Mr. Lehane delivers big time.” — Wall Street Journal
“A chilling, masterfully plotted tale.” — People
“Chilling, completely credible….[An] absolutely gripping story.” — Chicago Tribune
“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
About the Author
Dennis Lehane is the author of thirteen novels—including the New York Times bestsellers Live by Night; Moonlight Mile; Gone, Baby, Gone; Mystic River; Shutter Island; and The Given Day—as well as Coronado, a collection of short stories and a play. He grew up in Boston, MA and now lives in California with his family.
Product details
- Publisher : William Morrow Paperbacks; unknown edition (April 21, 1999)
- Language : English
- Mass Market Paperback : 448 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0380730359
- ISBN-13 : 978-0380730353
- Item Weight : 7.5 ounces
- Dimensions : 4.19 x 1.08 x 6.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,921,895 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7,144 in Hard-Boiled Mystery
- #68,706 in Suspense Thrillers
- #81,213 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Dennis Lehane (born Aug 4th, 1966) is an American author. He has written several novels, including the New York Times bestseller Mystic River, which was later made into an Academy Award winning film, also called Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon (Lehane can be briefly seen waving from a car in the parade scene at the end of the film). The novel was a finalist for the PEN/Winship Award and won the Anthony Award and the Barry Award for Best Novel, the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction, and France's Prix Mystere de la Critique.
Bio and photo from Goodreads.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the story engaging and thought-provoking. They praise the writing quality as great and masterful. The characters are well-developed and likable. Readers appreciate the pacing and gritty, original writing style. However, opinions differ on the heartbreaking story.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the suspenseful story. They find the plot engaging with many twists and turns that keep them hooked from the first chapter. The book is thought-provoking and adds depth to the movie adaptation.
"...of why I liked this book so much, it not only delivered a great gumshoe trail of clues that was stimulating and entertaining - it also retained it's..." Read more
"...All in all, the story is incredible, but if you've seen the movie and enjoyed it, you, like me, might find the book a bit less powerful...." Read more
"...The best mysteries include surprises in the plot, hidden clues that lead to later revelations that transform the entire nature of the crime under..." Read more
"...There are many twists and turns here but it’s perfectly crafted. The suspense and emotion in this story are palpable...." Read more
Customers find the book engaging and worth reading. They appreciate the well-crafted plot and the series progression. The ending, while not satisfying, is appropriate for the story.
"...delivered a great gumshoe trail of clues that was stimulating and entertaining - it also retained it's humanity and the humanity of the characters..." Read more
"...In other words, it makes for a great read and some valuable insights into the dark recesses of the human soul, but it's best not taken TOO very..." Read more
"...These books are considered an excellent series. As well as this series, Lehanne's pieces of work also include "Mystic River" and "Shutter Island."..." Read more
"Best read following the prior 3 novels in the Kenzie Genaro series." Read more
Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book. They praise the masterful dialogue, voice, and brilliant storytelling. Readers also mention that the book is well-crafted and presented in a rewarding way.
"...and depressing work, but one that is sufficiently well-presented to be rewarding for readers...." Read more
"...Dennis is a fine author if one likes this genre...." Read more
"...If you enjoy historical, character driven fiction and excellent writing I don't think this will let you down." Read more
"Great storyline, great writing, great spelling and grammar. The ending was sad and the outcome could be debated for a long time...." Read more
Customers enjoy the well-developed characters. They find the main character engaging and likable, and the supporting characters genuine and human. The city of Boston is also described as a character in its own right. Overall, customers consider it a great detective/crime fiction book by Dennis Lehane.
"...- it also retained it's humanity and the humanity of the characters in the process...." Read more
"...Lehane gives his reader historical facts, tons of strong characters, both good and evil, social and political unrest, murder and mayhem and throws..." Read more
"...town seeps into you as you read this book and you begin to understand all the characters. You begin to sympathize with them. Even the bad guys...." Read more
"This is a lengthy book. Full of twiswts and turns. Characters are multi-layered -- though it can a bit tideous of how there negatives regarding the..." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it engaging and say it's a quick read. The characters are strong, both good and evil. Many readers consider it the best in the Kenzie and Gennaro series.
"...Lehane gives his reader historical facts, tons of strong characters, both good and evil, social and political unrest, murder and mayhem and throws..." Read more
"...subjects – namely the neglect and abuse of children, and police corruption...." Read more
"...I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the plot structure and pacing of this novel...." Read more
"...If you're a fan of fast paced, intelligent crime mystery, and aren't afraid of a strong dose of grisly realism, "Gone, Baby, Gone" is simply a must..." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's crafted quality. They find it gritty, original, and engaging. The book is described as a solid, enjoyable thriller with a great ending.
"...There are many twists and turns here but it’s perfectly crafted. The suspense and emotion in this story are palpable...." Read more
"...I enjoyed the main character Patrick and he felt genuine...." Read more
"...All in all, this was a solid, enjoyable thriller. The reader will feel his time was not wasted." Read more
"Gritty and depressing but well worth the read. The author really makes you think about the traditional notions of right and wrong." Read more
Customers have different views on the story. Some find it an earthy and emotional tale about diverse backgrounds, while others find parts depressing and disturbing with gruesome descriptions of death and dying.
"This book is captivating and disturbing. It is about Amanda McCready, a four year old who is neglected by her troubled mother and who goes missing...." Read more
"...the others but it’s very heavy subject matter once again, so not for the faint of heart...." Read more
"...so many different levels of feelings from levity, fun, intrigue, sadness, disappointment, and hope concerninig the human condition that you seem to..." Read more
"Great storyline, great writing, great spelling and grammar. The ending was sad and the outcome could be debated for a long time...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the book's tone. Some find it well-written and engaging, while others find the subject matter somber and gruesome.
"...The themes covered- child abuse and kidnapping, while dark are not excessively lurid, and you can read Lehane's portrayals without losing your..." Read more
"...Maybe it's her chain-smoking that alienates me. Finally: the extremely dark, almost nihilistic view of human life presented by Lehane can be..." Read more
"...This book is dark. This book is stunningly well written...." Read more
"This story is dark and just keeps getting darker...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2014I bought this book after reading Nightfall by Brian White, a pleasant mystery novella that whetted my appetite for something longer. A friend had been recommending this series for a while, but I kept putting it off because I typically don't stray out of my beloved fantasy genre when it comes to fiction.
Finally, I relented. Boy, am I glad I did. I asked my friend if she had to pick one of the series which it would be and she said this one. And after reading it, I couldn't agree more.
The story centers around a missing persons case. A child. The grandparents come to the protagonists, Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennarro, asking for help locating their kidnapped granddaughter, since the kid's mother seems like she could care less. Reluctantly the two detectives take the case and what follows is an emotional rollercoaster that is unrelenting.
This is not your formulaic mystery. The two lead characters are partners. One is not the faithful sidekick to the other you see so often in famous mystery novels. And I think that's part of why I liked this book so much, it not only delivered a great gumshoe trail of clues that was stimulating and entertaining - it also retained it's humanity and the humanity of the characters in the process.
I don't want to give too much away here, but the ending is one that will leave you introspective about your own moral compass for a little while after you put the book down. The physical mystery gets solved, but the emotional one, the one that makes us ask why we do the things we do, lingers long after the last page is turned.
I found out that Lehane ended the series, which makes me a little sad. But I'm also happy he apparently wanted to keep it self contained rather than let his lovely characters wear out their welcome in our hearts.
I will definitely be picking up the rest of the series and reading them start to finish. I highly recommend this book.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2013Don't judge a book by its movie, right? I absolutely LOVED the film version of Gone Baby Gone, so much so that I went right out and grabbed Moonlight Mile, the sequel book, which I also loved. I noticed a couple of discrepancies between the first movie and the second book, the most notable being that in the film version of GBG, Bea and Lionel were a childless couple. A son was mentioned in Moonlight Mile.
Before I get too far off-track, Gone Baby Gone is the story of Amanda McCready, a four-year-old girl who's gone missing from her mother, Helene's, `unlocked' apartment. Helene is an unfit parent, no two ways about that, and her brother, Lionel, and his wife, Beatrice (Bea), step in where they can to fill the void left by her absentee parenting. When Amanda goes missing, Bea hires Patrick Kenzie and Angie Genarro, two private detectives, to augment the police investigation, which immediately (and conveniently) turns up no leads. Patrick and Angie are reluctant to take the case, having found too many dead kids and unwilling to face the personal toll it takes on them, again. Something about Bea changes their minds. The deeper they look into Helene, the more shady characters emerge from her drug muling past as probably suspects in Amanda's kidnapping.
I'm going to stop there to avoid spoilers, but I'm going to go back to the film/book comparison because while so often Hollywood destroys a story with the cutting of scenes to pare down run time, in GBG's case, the film did some things really right. The book features an extended cast of characters, including Bea's son, which detracts from the believability that she'd go so far to `save Amanda'. There's a line in the film where Helene criticizes Bea for `God making her barren' (Helene is an ignorant, hateful character), and that simple fact made me believe that Bea would mortgage everything down to her socks to save this child who is, by proxy, `hers'.
Several of the characters names were changes, as were their descriptions, the most notable being Cheese "Olamon" who was an overweight white inmate in the book, and was a Haitian drug lord in the movie. Remy Broussard is Remy Bressant in the movie, and his partner Poole, was much less present. A drug transaction between Bubba and the Trents (in the movie) was a gun transaction in the book, but the end result of that grisly scene is the same. These minor changes were no big deal, but there's a football scene in the book that I, not being a sports fan, didn't enjoy, and it dragged on across a couple of chapters. The book seemed to take the long way around to the things the movie managed to accomplish in a line or two of succinct dialogue.
All in all, the story is incredible, but if you've seen the movie and enjoyed it, you, like me, might find the book a bit less powerful. The book deals a lot in low-level crime and more so in the police angle than in the Kenzie and Genarro's dynamic. Angie is particularly unlikeable in the book, by comparison. Her squeaky clean movie image was tainted by her chain smoking, tough girl persona in the book. Helene's character was lost in the book, which seemed less about Amanda and more about the Boston PD. I give the book four stars because I'm a Lehane fan and I'm not sure I can rate the book objectively since the translation to film was my biggest hang-up. I know, in my heart, that's wrong. But I liked Moonlight Mile better.
Top reviews from other countries
- SandraReviewed in Canada on June 22, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
LeHane did not disappoint
- Cliente de AmazonReviewed in Spain on September 2, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Really good
I have read the first four books of the Kenzie & Genaro series and this is probably the best of them. All of them are pretty good, though. Interesting movie, also
- Prasun ParimalReviewed in India on May 25, 2018
4.0 out of 5 stars tone serious and the end is not so happy. What was a bit disappointing for me is ...
Gone, Baby, Gone is complex investigative novel about the disappearance of a child. Etching a realistic portrayal of the blue collar Boston, novel is in the league of hard boiled tradition. Characters are developed, race is pacy, tone serious and the end is not so happy. What was a bit disappointing for me is that the narration is not as bright and witty as A Drink Before the War. Nevertheless, this book kept me engrossed. Overall an entertaining stuff.
- DanielReviewed in Australia on July 30, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best
One of the very best kidnap books out there. I haven’t read the rest of the series, but I’ll go back and read them all now. The way Lehane weaves the philosophy of crime and wrongdoing into a story of a missing child is epic.
- Veronika Robitschko-PosaniReviewed in Germany on February 27, 2014
5.0 out of 5 stars In Dennis Lehane's novel Gone, Baby, Gone
In Dennis Lehane's novel Gone, Baby, Gone, Patrick Kenzie, a private investigator from working-class Boston takes on a case involving a kidnapped girl. The girl's aunt begs Patrick to take the case because he has connections to criminal Boston that the police do not. He agrees and along with his partner, Angie Gennaro, they uncover that the mother of the girl has a relationship to the drug-boss called Cheese and they get in very big trouble...
I think this is a very exciting book. It was thrilling from the beginning to the end because you never know what happens next. I just can recommend it to all of you and I give 5 of 5 stars.