Dennis Lehane is somewhat of a Boston institution. Author of (among others) Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River, his last book The Given Day was a sweeping epic of the Policeman's Strike in Boston during the 1920's. This book takes off when that one ends, following Joe Coughlin, the police chief's errant son.
Coughlin is a minor criminal when this book begins - bank robberies, that sort of thing. When he falls for a mobster's girlfriend and then ends up in jail, his only choice is to become part of organized crime. Moving to Florida during Prohibition to profit from importing rum, he begins to build his own crime syndicate there. The story follows his rise as a mob boss there.
I really had a good time reading this book. I was fascinated to read about the business deals he did, and loved reading about how he resolved personnel conflicts. Like a young Corleone in The Godfather, he learns how to make deals, punish people, and manage a complex love life. I don't know if Lehane has plans to continue this saga, but I hope so.
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