more than a continuation of Gone, baby, gone, Moonlight Mile pays tribute to anyone who wants to escape a world that no longer suits them. Lehane named the new book in the Patrick Kenzie/Angela Gennaro series after a song made by The Rolling Stones about a person on the road, who wants to leave the outside world and come home to loved ones and the safety of him.
For Patrick and Angela, their relationship is marred by Patrick’s decision to return little Amanda to her worthless mother twelve years ago. Angie wanted her to stay with a loving “adoptive” family. Patrick did what was right, but not necessarily what was best for Amanda. So when Amanda’s aunt calls to get Patrick’s help when he goes missing again, a lot of trouble arises. Ironically, Patrick and Angela now have a four-year-old daughter, the same age Amanda was the first time she disappeared.
Although this can be read on its own, you should consider going back to the beginning of the series with A drink before the war. Lehane is an excellent writer, having earned well-deserved acclaim for her standalone thrillers turned into blockbuster movies. Mystical river Y shutter island. If you don’t want to read the entire series, it would be beneficial to read about Amanda’s first disappearance in Gone, baby, gone to get to know the characters of then and now better.
The Kenzie/Gennaro series is set in a mixed-race, working-class neighborhood of Boston, where the two main characters grew up. These are tough mysteries that show the darker side of humanity. And while they may be reminiscent of Robert Crais or Michael Connelly, I enjoy the inclusion of women through the strong female lead. The intricate plots are as well crafted as the work of Harlan Coben, but with an earthy, neighborhood feel that has a much stronger pull on its characters.
The previous five books in the series are as much about being connected to a community as they are about the lives of the main characters. And in Moonlight Mile we see how becoming a parent and getting older puts a different spin on things, despite our desire to hold on to our more reckless youth. It reminds me of a sentence I read somewhere, where an older person says to a teenager: “Yes, I knew everything too when I was your age.”
