Dennis Lehane is pretty much a sure thing for me (the exception being Shutter Island, which I think inspired so many other books that by the time I got to it it felt derivative).
The Drop reads like Lehane channeling Elmore Leonard – it’s dialogue driven, full of seedy gangster types, and a story that involves several disparate threads that come together in a twisty, funny and satisfying ending.
The characters here aren’t as full as in Lehane’s classics. They’re less developed and a little more cartoonish, a little more roughly drawn than what Lehane’s fans would expect. This is likely partly because it’s adapted from his own screenplay (I haven’t watched the film yet but it got pretty good reviews).
At any rate – if you’re a Lehane or Leonard fan, this is worth picking up. It’s twisty and undemanding, and even if it’s not a classic, it’s a good time.
