A Drink Before the War

By: Dennis Lehane

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

With novels like Mystic River and Shutter Island, Dennis Lehane has dramatically altered the landscape of the crime thriller—while boldly overstepping the boundaries that have long separated mystery from literature. Now two of his sensational early novels have been combined in a single volume—two gritty and mesmerizing masterworks of suspense featuring the private eye duo of Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro—brilliantly showcasing the unique voice and dark, exhilarating vision of a crime fiction phenomenon.

©1994 Dennis Lehane (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers

I love this author!

Where does A Drink Before the War rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 50 of around 700 books in my Audible library.

What did you like best about this story?

The male and female PI partners have a great collegial relationship, but the story and the partners deal the possibility of a romantic relationship.

What does Jonathan Davis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I love the way an accent helps create the setting.

Any additional comments?

Is there anything we can do to help Dennis Lehane to write faster?

A bit dated, but a great story

Would you listen to A Drink Before the War again? Why?

I have yet to listen to any book other than The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings more than once, so it's unlikely. On the other hand, this was a good story excellently read.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Drink Before the War?

the story

What about Jonathan Davis’s performance did you like?

He seemed to understand the story and read it with humor and pathos. Excellently done. Too many male readers don't do women well, but he did.

Any additional comments?

Although a bit dated for 2016 (it's from 1994) a lot of the story line still fits today. The problems, if they can be called that, were the dating of the references to films, music, and political figures. Other than that, it was an excellent story excellently read. I will be reading more Dennis LeHane.

Stellar

In the grit and beauty of his storytelling, as well as the art and craft of his writing, author Dennis Lehane never ceases to awe me as one of the truly masterful.

Now, years after reading Lehane's hardcover books, I've begun to reexplore them via audiobook. What a splendid surprise and treat to discover that narrator Jonathan Davis (with whom I was unfamiliar) parallels and complements Lehane in quality.

Great story and narrator

I bought this book a few years ago, never read it, lost it, and tried it on Audible. It’s terrific. A really good crime story (as you would expect from the author) and great narration. Mr. Davis has a great narrative voice, and he manages to make each character sound distinct. Well done all around.

twenty years old and still topical <br />

I'm reading this in 2016. it was written in the early 1990s after the LA riots, Rodney King etc. there is still the same abyss between the races in America. same corruption and self serving politicos. Same perverts, sexusl predators and abuse of women unchecked. great story telling as well.

not as good as mystic river

I did very much enjoy this book. I thought the story was well written. Mystic River is one of my favorite books this did not surpass Mystic River but it was still very worth the time

loved it!

great story, fabulous narrator! truly hoping he continues to narrate the series! Can't wait to dig into the next one

fantastic

perfectly narrated, expertly plotted, beautifully written, with wonderfully realized characters. there is a realism and a vitality to these characters that rivals the best in modern fiction. lehane is the Stephen King of crime dramas when it comes to this kind of thing. DL had it from the very start. every book he has written and writes is a gift and we are fortunate that he is so prolific.

A Very Good Debut Novel, But Dark And Violent, Excellent Narration

This is a good debut novel by Dennis Lehane. As an audiobook the narration is excellent. The story itself is modern urban noir, dark, tough, violent and cynical. There is graphic sexual violence. I am planning on reading more novels by Dennis Lehane. But I do not envision reading 5his novel again without specific cause. Thank You….

Highly Enjoyable Potboiler on Beantown Backstreets

Excellent, suspenseful beginning to the series. Lehane was able to create magic mojo between partners Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro from the start, for a super 1-2 Irish-Italian P.I. punch, taking it to the Boston streets, dodging bullets, brawn and barbs from 2 black street gangs and some powerful politicians.

This is a close 2d in the series to #4 "Gone Girl." I have criticized a couple of the other (particularly, #3) in the series as being too implausible and feeling forced. While the plot in #1 could be seen by some as far-fetched, it all seemed real and true to me.

A highly enjoyable potboiler on the backstreets of Beantown.