Dennis Lehane Books In Order

Publication Order of Kenzie & Gennaro Books

Publication Order of Coughlin Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Graphic Novels

Publication Order of Akashic Noir Books

Publication Order of Michael Connelly Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Anthologies

Dennis Lehane is an American author who was born on August 4th, 1965 and raised in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Dennis Lehane still lives in the city of Boston and has covered the majority of his books’ backgrounds by using Boston as an inspiration. Dennis was the youngest of five siblings in his family and graduated from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. His father had a job of being a foreman for Sears & Roebuck while his mother was an employee at a Boston Public School cafeteria. Dennis has seen many of his novels turned into movie adaptations such as Mystic River, Gone, baby, gone and Shutter Island. Dennis was married to an advocate for the elderly for the city of Boston named Sheila Lawn and is now married to Dr. Angela Bernardo with whom he shares a daughter. Dennis also had a beagle named Tessa which went missing in the fall of 2012 and Dennis has not stopped continuing his search for her ever since. Lehane’s literary career has been so promising over the years that he has now become a member for the Boston public library’s board of trustees, being appointed by ex-Mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino, back in December 2011.

Dennis Lehane wrote many popular books, out of which a number of books were turned into movie adaptations.

Dennis’ book Mystic River which was published in 2001 was awarded the Dylis award in 2002 and was also adapted into a movie by the same name in 2003 which won an academy award. The book’s plot is surrounded by three friends, Dave, Sean and jimmy and the story begins with Dave being abducted by child molesters while the three friends are horse riding only to return home later with shattered emotions from his horrid experience. The novels is then thrust twenty five years forward by Dennis to encompass the three friends’ adulthood where Jimmy is shown to be an ex-convict, Sean as a homicide detective and Dave as someone who is still battered by his childhood experiences. The novel then takes another twist as Jimmy’s daughter is found murdered in gruesome a manner by an unknown assailant while Dave returns to his wife, covered in blood. Sean, being a homicide detective, is called upon to investigate the crime scene and the three friends are entwined into each other’s lives with a tragedy yet again.

The movie adaptation of the book was directed by Clint Eastwood while starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin bacon as Jimmy, Dave and Sean respectively. The movie was such a success that it won 2 academy awards while garnering another 4 academy award nominations.

Published in 2003 by the publishers, Harper Collins, Shutter Island was another best-selling novel by Dennis Lehane which was turned into a movie adaptation. The novel’s hospital and island backgrounds were inspired by the actual hospital and grounds on Long Island in Boston harbor.

The plot of Shutter Island is one of brilliance and will bring constant Goosebumps to any reader who indulges in this part pulp and part gothic fiction. An element of sheer psychological illusions, the novel will leave all of its readers in such confusing delusions that it might haunt them forever. The story summarizes around the character US Marshall Edward Daniels with Teddy as a surname. Teddy and his new assistant, Chuck, travel to Shutter Island, an asylum for the criminally insane, to investigate the escape of a murderess, namely Rachel Solando. This investigation is being carried out by Teddy with his own personal agenda in place as well for the murder of his wife two years prior to this investigation by an Andrew Laeddis who is also present at the asylum. The investigation turns sour after a hurricane hits the island, leaving both teddy and Chuck trapped at the island for the day. During this time, an inmate informs Andrew that his new partner cannot be trusted while the two Marshalls are investigating Ward C which Teddy accuses of being an experimental lab as he finds numerous indicators pointing towards the ward being used to test psychotropic drugs. The two marshalls are separated when they return and teddy wounds up with a psychiatrist who reveals herself to be Rachel Solando and insists that she has been hiding in sea caves while deducing that Teddy, himself is a patient and whatever he eats, drinks or smokes is laced with psychotropic drugs. Teddy refuses to believe such accusations and worries that his partner might be in trouble and must have been experimented upon so he rushes to find Chuck. Teddy ends up at the lighthouse where he sees the administrator of the asylum sitting at the desk.

A few details are revealed where teddy is told that he is the actual Andrew Laeddis and has been a patient at the asylum for the past 2 years for the murder of his wife, Dolores Chanal. Both Rachel Solando and Edward Daniels are revealed to be anagrams of the names Dolores Chanal and Andrew Laeddis created in the mind of Teddy as he is revealed to be living in a dystopian fantasy. The administrator tells him that his treatment was authorized by Chuck who is revealed to be Teddy’s psychiatrist, Sheehan, in an attempt to make him regress to reality for Teddy’s mind could not bear the thought of knowing that he has killed his wife for she had killed his three children. Teddy tries to disapprove with extreme measures but slowly realizes the truth. The readers are then left with puzzled minds as the author ends the novel the very next day when he directs that Teddy deduces Shaheen as Chuck who, in turn signals for teddy’s immediate lobotomy. This leaves characters confused as to whether Teddy really wanted to die, at least consciously, knowing that his three children were dead because of his wife who he had then killed or because he had not regresses completely at all in the first place.

The novel was turned into a movie adaptation by director Martin Scorsese while the character of teddy was portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio.

7 Responses to “Dennis Lehane”

1. Kathie Stevens: 2 years ago

   I love all your books. My sister lives in Mass so I know of the places you mention in your books. I’m reading The Drop now. I forgot out intense your books are. Thanks

   Reply
2. Jack Malone: 2 years ago

   I have always enjoyed your books but I can’t remember the name of the book that had three people with a relationship with Boston .One was Babe Ruth another was a Boston cop and the third was head of the naacp in Boston I would like to read it again

   Reply
   • Graeme: 2 years ago

     Hi Jack – I believe you are referring to The Given Day.

     Reply
3. Dawn: 2 years ago

   I just finished the last of your books & love every single one. That being said, please add more to my addiction!! When is your next book coming out. Long overdue!! Thank you

   Reply
4. Tara: 3 years ago

   Love everything Mr. Lehane has written. That being said, Dude, leave off the TV work, and give us a new novel! I’m jonesing here!

   Reply
5. john: 3 years ago

   Just passing through… Recently started enjoying your books…read a few ‘out of order’ before I realized the order. Excellent dialogue and intrigue sir! Our library is missing a few of ‘the order’, so I have ordered the missing ones and we all are pleased. I like to read your style, and like that the book is hard to put down at the end of a chapter. Best to you and your creativity in the future.

   Reply
   • Cheryl Drever: 3 years ago

     Just dropping a line to say how much I loved Mystic River. It’s been #2 in my top 10 for over 30 years. I have had a book hangover since I have read it and have not found another one that has matched this one. Looking forward to reading more of your work. Keep up the great writing.

     Reply