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The Drop

A Novel

Dennis Lehane author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers Inc

Published:17th Feb '22

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The Drop cover

A gripping tale of love and survival unfolds in The Drop, where a bartender's life changes after rescuing a puppy and meeting a troubled woman.

In The Drop, bestselling author Dennis Lehane weaves a compelling narrative that intertwines crime, love, and a search for faith within the gritty backdrop of Boston's underworld. The story unfolds two days after Christmas, introducing us to Bob Saginowski, a solitary bartender whose life takes a turn when he rescues an abandoned pit bull puppy from a trash can. This act of kindness leads him to Nadia Dunn, a woman burdened by her own struggles, both searching for something to hold onto in a world that seems unforgiving.

As Bob and Nadia's relationship develops, they find themselves entangled in a web of danger involving the Chechen mafia, who have taken over Bob's cousin Marv's bar as a money drop. Marv, once a hopeful man, now grapples with despair and desperation. The narrative is further complicated by a pair of inept robbers who mistakenly target the bar, a curious cop investigating the area, and Eric Deeds, the disturbed original owner of the puppy, who is determined to reclaim his dog.

The Drop is not just a story about crime and survival; it delves into themes of redemption and the human spirit's resilience. Through Bob's journey, Lehane explores the complexities of love and the lengths one will go to find solace amidst chaos. This novel is a stark yet moving portrayal of lives intersecting in unexpected ways.

“Lehane…is a master of the sort of deadpan-noir pioneered by the late Elmore Leonard… It’s a style full of dark situational humor, sudden mayhem and quirky regional grammar.” — Wall Street Journal “This book is as authentically grounded in place as his earlier works and more pleasurable than any tie-in novelization…has a right to be. And The Drop benefits from bracing blasts of Lehane-ian humor.” — Boston Globe “Understated and perfectly paced….What makes The Drop so good is not just the pacing, which is just about right, but the mood…. There’s also the very stylish writing. — Philadelphia Inquirer “A tight, gritty little tale of working-class crime in Boston… Lehane breathes pulsing life into his story through the small details of his stoop-shouldered characters’ lives, investing their every mannerism with unspoken emotion and the weight of too many bad decisions, all of which makes Bob’s transformation from quiet desperation to quiet determination a powerful kind of existential drama.”  — Booklist (starred review) “The bard of blue-collar Boston crime returns with a sleight-of-hand novel tinged with sin and redemption.”  — Kirkus Reviews

ISBN: 9780063084896

Dimensions: 203mm x 135mm x 13mm

Weight: 200g

224 pages