“Moonlight Mile” (2010) by Dennis Lehane is the long-awaited, most anticipated sixth entry in the PI series that featured Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro. The series is set in the author’s hometown of Boston. These characters were introduced to us in A Drink Before the War (1994)

Warning: This review contains spoilers for Gone, Baby, Gone.

Moonlight Mile takes up 12 years after the events in Gone, Baby, Gone. Amanda McCready was kidnapped at age four. Her mother, Helene, was a neglectful parent. Patrick and Angie took on the case of finding her and the outcome shattered their relationship. In “Moonlight Mile” the two are back together and are tracking down now sixteen-year old Amanda McCready, who has once again disappeared.

Times are hard and money is tight in the Commonwealth. Since we last caught up with Patrick and Angie, their relationship has changed. Work wise, Patrick’s been subcontracting with an elite security firm, Duhamel-Standiford. He hopes to get an offer from them for something more permanent. He desperately needs the work. However, Patrick’s been accused of having “class rage.” The clients he’s asked to protect are somewhat shady but for Patrick, it’s just a job. Before the security firm will hire him though, he must to learn how to keep his opinions to himself and bury the guilt of doing assignments that make him feel morally uncomfortable. Continue reading →