Darkness Take My Hand (Kenzie & Genaro #2)-Dennis Lehane

Book Title: Darkness Take My Hand (Kenzie & Genaro #2)
Author: Dennis Lehane
Version: Nook book
ISBN: 9780061807992
Published: October 13th, 2009
First Published: 1996
Number of Nook Book Pages: 239
Genre: Mystery

SYNOPSIS: It starts at the end, Patrick is scarred and Angie is away. Patrick is visited by friends and they discuss everything except what had happened. But it's all Patrick can think about and night after night he gets sucked into the memories. 

At first Patrick and Angie's newest case seems like a simple case of stalking. They take on the case of a prominent psychiatrist who feels that she is being threatened by the Irish mob. She received a picture of her son in the mail with no note, no address and no indication of what it could mean. Patrick and Angie decide that they will take on the case, they make a rather gutsy trip into the Irish mob and basically tell them to back off. After many assurances that they have nothing to do with it and with a few threats thrown in, the mob sends Patrick and Angie on their way. 

Playing it safe Patrick and Angie start following the son around, taking turns watching him in his daily life. When he's not watching with Angie, Patrick spends time with his new girlfriend and her daughter. Patrick is hit hard and finds himself falling madly in love. After weeks of nothing everyone decides that it is a waste of time and money and Patrick and Angie decide to drop the case. Little do they know that this might just be one of the worst decisions of their career.

Shortly after their decision the young man ends up dead. A death that is similar not only to a recent murder but murders that date back years in the past. And these aren't just any murders but murders of the most grisly and disturbing nature. When Patrick and Angie take on the case and end up in the sights of the killer their lives become one big cat and mouse game.

REVIEW: Although I really enjoyed this book I didn't like it quite as much as the first. I felt that the mystery aspect was a little lacking. It was still a really good story with characters I have already fallen in love with and the same great writing. 

The story was good but I felt that it lacked that same edge of your seat feeling as the first one had. I still wanted to know who done it and all that but for me there was something off about the whole thing. Maybe it was because Patrick and Angie were targets right off the bat and so much of the book was them in hiding. I don't know what it is but I know that it was a little off for me.

The writing was just as great as before. At times humorous and always well put together Mr. Lehane's writing is some of the best that I have come across. He has such a way with words, he knows how to phrase things and he always knows when to add in some much needed humor. I always look forward to reading what he has to say even if I find the story a little lacking.

This was an all around really good read. I loved diving once more into the world of Patrick and Angie and I can't wait to get back to their world once more. I suggest this series for anyone who wants a really good mystery series that has a little bit of humor and a lot of really great characters. Dennis Lehane knows how to write and I promise that this is a series that proves that again and again. 


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"Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore"-Robin Sloan

Book Title: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
Author: Robin Sloan
Version: Hardback
ISBN: 9780374214913
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Published: October 2nd, 2012
Genre: Fiction/Mystery
Number of Pages: 288

REVIEW: This book was a really awesome mix of fiction and mystery. I was interested in it from the moment we first got it into the store based solely on the title. I mean I have said before how much I love books about books so the idea of a book about a whole bookstore was pretty exciting. When I read the description, explaining that the book was about a mysterious clientele that usually came in after midnight always searching for some of the strangest books and what happens when the hero of the story starts looking at the books himself, I found that I couldn't wait to get started. 

From the very beginning I knew that I was going to like the book. The writing was fresh and upbeat infused with humor and great suspense. I love writing that surprises me and makes me think about the author's motivation. With "Mr. Penumbra's..." I felt that each sentence was carefully crafted by Mr. Sloan. He has a very unique voice and a wonderful way of expressing it. The way the writing flows is fantastic and it becomes a character all on it's own. 

The story is so much fun. It's all about this man, Clay Jannon, who happens upon a rather strange job after being let go of his fancy web designing job. He finds work as the late night clerk at Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour bookstore. Although at first things seem to be pretty normal, sure Clay finds it a bit strange that he has to write down detailed descriptions of the people that come in and ask for certain books. But pretty soon he gets to be too curious and starts to look into the books that this strange late night customers are checking out. It starts out as a fiction story but it quickly becomes a story full of mystery and intrigue. What's not to love about that?

The characters are really weird but that is what I love most about them. They aren't your normal heroic types, it's a couple of tech nerds and an old bookstore owner. They don't scream hero to you and yet they make the book so rich and beautiful. As a reader I quickly fell in love with these unlikely characters. They are just awesome and I don't know if I can say much more about them. They are just so fun and strange and wonderful all rolled into one. It's really fun to root for them and see the journey they take.

This is a great book all around. It has all the elements of a true classic in the making. It's fun and thrilling and full of twits and turns. It's greatly written and full of lovable characters and the story is a true winner. A triple threat book! I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who likes books about books or fiction books that have an air of mystery to them. I give "Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore" five stars with all my heart. I hope that you dear reader go out and get a copy of it and fall in love with it jut like me.