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Live by Night: A Novel [Hardcover]

Dennis Lehane
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (419 customer reviews)

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Book Description

October 2, 2012

From Gone, Baby, Gone to Mystic River to Shutter Island to The Given Day, the phenomenal Dennis Lehane has proven himself to be one of the most versatile and exciting novelists working in America today—whether he’s breaking new ground with uniquely inventive psychological suspense, redefining the detective story, or bringing a bygone era to life with sweeping and masterful historical fiction. He’s back with Live by Night, an epic, unflinching tale of the making and unmaking of a gangster in the Prohibition Era of the Roaring Twenties.

Meticulously researched and artfully told, Live by Night is the riveting story of one man’s rise from Boston petty thief to the Gulf Coast’s most successful rum runner, and it proves again that the accolades New York Times bestseller Lehane consistently receives are well deserved. He is indeed, “a master” (Philadelphia Inquirer) whose “true literary forefathers include John Steinbeck as well as Raymond Chandler” (Baltimore Sun). And, “Boy, does he know how to write” (Elmore Leonard).


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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best Books of the Month, October 2012: The story might sound a bit familiar: A cop’s son falls in with bad guys and becomes one. But in Lehane’s hands, the Prohibition-era tale of Joe Coughlin’s rise to criminal power is both fresh and nuanced, packed with guns, booze, and babes as it roars from Boston to Tampa to Cuba. As Coughlin crosses deeper into the dark side--among those who “live by night and dance fast”--he provokes the question that sustains this propulsive narrative: Can a man be a good mobster and a good person at the same time? Incredibly, Lehane, who becomes more masterful with each book, has us rooting for Coughlin even as he slowly becomes the kind of monster mobster he once reviled and rebelled against. --Neal Thompson

Review

“LIVE BY NIGHT is Crime Noir 101, as taught by the best of its current practitioners. . . . A sentence-by-sentence pleasure. You are in the hands of an expert. And you’ll know it.” (Janet Maslin, New York Times )

“LIVE BY NIGHT transcends the familiar and assumes an unimpeachable reality of its own. . . . [A] meticulously crafted portrait of our violent national past.” (Washington Post Book World )

“Lehane’s novel carves its own unique place in the Prohibition landscape. . . . This is an utterly magnetic novel on every level, a reimagining of the great themes of popular fiction—crime, family, passion, betrayal—set against an exquisitely rendered historical backdrop.” (Booklist (starred review) )

“Masterful. . . . Lehane has created a mature, quintessentially American story that will appeal to readers of literary and crime fiction alike.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 416 pages
  • Publisher: William Morrow; First Edition edition (October 2, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0060004878
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060004873
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (419 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dennis Lehane was born and raised in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He is the author of A Drink Before the War, which won the Shamus Award for Best First Novel; Darkness, Take My Hand; Sacred; Gone, Baby, Gone; Prayers for Rain; and the New York Times bestsellers Mystic River and Shutter Island.

Mystic River was a finalist for the PEN/Winship Award and won both the Anthony Award and the Barry Award for Best Novel, as well as the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction given by the Massachusetts Center for the Book. Coronado, a collection of five stories and a play, was published in the fall of 2006 and includes the story "Until Gwen," which was adapted for the stage.

Lehane's work has been translated into 22 languages. He holds an MFA from Florida International University and is the writer-in-residence at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he runs the Writers in Paradise writers' conference. Before becoming a full-time writer, Lehane worked as a counselor with mentally handicapped and abused children, waited tables, parked cars, drove limos, worked in bookstores, and loaded tractor-trailers. He lives in the Boston area.

Customer Reviews

The characters were very well defined, the story highly interesting with great plot twists. A Pices Guy  |  122 reviewers made a similar statement
The characters were enjoyable and the plot kept my interest from beginning to end. William Pitman  |  28 reviewers made a similar statement
A great read - I finished it within a couple of days because it was so hard to put down. Pen Name  |  48 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
118 of 127 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Night Rules August 24, 2012
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
Lehane has written a taut, exciting story about a Prohibition Era criminal that delivers on many levels. Live by Night starts quickly and moves at fevered speed through the Boston underworld, Charlestown prison and the Tampa waterfront. The characters, especially Joe Coughlin, are immediately accessible and many layered. The plot is almost unbearably tense at times but the novel also contains a believable love story and historical color.

At its best, Live by Night carries subtle echoes of the Godfather movies and the books of Raymond Chandler. The dialogue sparkles as when Coughlin explains why he does not want to be a noble person: "I've got nothing against noble people. I've just noticed they rarely live past forty." The woman answers, "Neither do gangsters;" to which Coughlin cracks in Marlowe-like fashion: "True, but we eat in better restaurants."

The exploration of Coughlin's descent deeper into the rules of the night is the backbone of the novel. He initially insists that he is an outlaw rather than a gangster but begins to accept the latter label after he has killed a man. He improves the working condition of prostitutes in his employ and can respect an honest policeman but is capable of whatever level of ruthlessness his job requires. He explains: "This was why they became outlaws. To live moments the insurance salesmen of the world, the truck drivers, and lawyers and bank tellers and carpenters and Realtors would never know. Moments in a world without nets - none to catch you and none to envelop you."

And Lehane makes all of this believable as the reader is forced to view the almost unacceptably harrowing experiences of Coughlin in prison. Lehane creates situations that forces the reader to ponder which of the almost equally horrifying alternatives he would choose in the same situation. From that point on, Couglin retains reader sympathy no matter where his path takes him.

This book may be a guilty pleasure or it may be the next best representative in the uniquely American genre of noir literature. In either case, it is an absorbing reading experience.
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34 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
In the opening paragraph of this new novel by Dennis Lehane, the hero of our story Joe Coughlin finds himself with his feet in cement and about to tossed overboard into the water off Tampa Florida. The novel then flashes back to telling Joe's story beginning in 1926.
"Live by Night" is the second in a planned trilogy of stories exploring the early part of the 20th century. The first book, "The Given Day" was an utterly brilliant story examining the country in the period just following World War 1 and featured Danny Coughlin, Joe's older brother.
This book stands on its own but I do recommend that readers pick up the first book when they can.
"Live by Night" will be compared by many to the "Godfather" story as it is not a mystery like Lehane usually writes. It is a sprawling saga about a petty criminal who happens to be the son of the Assistant Chief Superintendent of the Boston police department. Joe Coughlin has chosen a path unlike his father Thomas or his brother Danny who also was a member of the police department. Though his family are not major characters, nevertheless their mark is left on Joe for his entire life.
He works for one of the crime bosses in the era of Prohibition and finds himself dealing with various crime syndicate characters as he tries to work himself up the ladder of success by various illegal dealings.
Joe is a fascinating lead because the path he has chosen for himself is often at odds with his beliefs however as the story evolves, he becomes more infamous and conflicted living in a world of violence. Even when he falls in love, it is due more to his criminal connections than his trying to find romance in normal places
The story shifts from the streets of Boston to a prison in Massachusetts to the Ybor section of Tampa as Coughlin maneuvers his way through violent confrontations, graphic deaths, political machinations, crooked cops, Cuban refugees and rum running all the way to a heart stopping conclusion.
This is a book to be absorbed slowly and carefully as Lehane has written a colorful and complex cast of characters who often disappear at some point in the story only to resurface at critical points later in the book.
Loyalties are made and broken, partnerships are negotiated in both legal and illegal ways and often end in brutal fashion. Some of the violence in this book is tough to deal with but it all makes sense in the world that surrounds the society and dealings of the USA in the mid 20's to early 30's timeline.
How Coughlin works his way to the top of the crime world and finds true love makes for a fascinating tale. How he changes his personality yet retains his humanity is beautifully described by Lehane. The history of Prohibition as well as the evolution of Cuba and it's ties to Florida will provide excellent education to the reader.
Lehane is famous for a series of novels featuring the private eye duo of Kenzie and Gennaro including "Gone Baby Gone" among others. He also has written a number of stand alone mysteries including the amazing "Shutter Island" which has one of the most stunning endings ever written.
This new book like the first book in the trilogy is a major departure for him and it is a good one. Readers expecting a mystery may be disappointed but they need to slowly dip into this chronicle. Loads of thrills, tension, excitement and surprises await a dedicated reader. And at the end, I along with others will be looking forward to the final part of this gripping trilogy.
This book has already had film rights sold and it will undoubtedly could be excellent but will have a tough time living up to the novel. Read this!
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34 of 43 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Why? October 22, 2012
Format:Hardcover
I have loved this author since I read him for the first time and I was eagerly awaiting this novel. I think Dennis should keep his books based in Boston, as soon as this one heads south to Tampa so does the whole story. Stick to what you know and where you know it, Dennis. This whole thing is a reach. Joe takes on the US Navy and the KKK? Why does it all have to be so grandiose? I liked the book until the plot went to Tampa, it then took the tone of a guy who had to one-up himself the rest of the book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Action, Period Detail, Smart Dialogue Show in LIVE BY NIGHT
Dennis Lehane really likes period detail and it shows in his latest novel, LIVE BY NIGHT. Lehane, the Boston scribe best known for the film adaptations of his novels GONE BABY... Read more
Published 6 hours ago by Stacy Helton
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic LeHane Writing...will keep you wanting more
If historical fiction is your genre of literature then Dennis LeHane will not dissappoint. The Given Day, the novel prior to Live By Night which introduces the Coughlin Family is... Read more
Published 21 hours ago by Valerie Karlsson
3.0 out of 5 stars Braun shaver system
My only real deception was with the Braun shaver system. The descripion was ambiguous. I already have 2 Braun shavers - bought from Amazon - and all I wanted was a cleaning and... Read more
Published 5 days ago by ralgood
2.0 out of 5 stars A Disappointing Followup
I was a huge fan of Lehane's previous work, and prequel to this novel "The Given Day". The Given Day was an extraordinary work which combined high paced action with informative... Read more
Published 6 days ago by JayStizzle
5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly enjoyed this book
I'm generally more into fantasy stuff, but I read this book in part because of the Ybor City connection (I live in the Tampa Bay area and like Ybor a lot). Read more
Published 7 days ago by Rich
4.0 out of 5 stars Live by Night
Very well researched therefore believable story. This one I couldn't put down. Left me with many questions about the various characters choice of weapons.
Published 11 days ago by JB HILL
5.0 out of 5 stars interesting and very well written
Dennis Lehane has captured the very essence of the Prohibition era and the criminal world that flourished as a result. Read more
Published 11 days ago by J. Tyler Pugh
2.0 out of 5 stars Not up to his usual wonderfulness
I couldn't finish this. I found it boring
even though thus history is usually of
interest to me. I like his use of more
contemporary culture better. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Patricia L. Titus
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Gripping. Although it was perplexing to me how Joe arrived in Tampa wielding so much power and prestige fresh out of prison, especially since he seemed to be inept and foolish... Read more
Published 14 days ago by Debbie
5.0 out of 5 stars couldn't put it down!
Great book, read it in 1 day. I wanted to go to sleep, but the last 50 or so pages are absolutely riveting.
Published 15 days ago by Faith Bagnall
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Casting Suggestions For Movie?
I was picturing Leonardo Di Capprio as Joe, too! He could convey Joe's kinder side, but still be believable as a criminal.
Jan 23, 2013 by Bookworm |  See all 3 posts
writing mysteries again? Be the first to reply
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