Coughlin Trilogy

Dennis Lehane

Set in Boston during the turbulent aftermath of World War I, this sweeping historical novel captures a nation at a critical crossroads, torn between revolution and tradition. Through the intertwined lives of Danny Coughlin, a beat cop drawn into a burgeoning union movement, and Luther Laurence, a fugitive seeking redemption and a path home to his pregnant wife, Lehane weaves together the stories of two families—one black, one white—caught in a maelstrom of political upheaval, radical activism, and social transformation. Populated by unforgettable characters both fictional and historical—from Babe Ruth to Calvin Coolidge to a young J. Edgar Hoover—the narrative unfolds against the backdrop of the Spanish Influenza pandemic and culminates in the pivotal Boston Police Strike of 1919. As Danny, Luther, and those around them struggle to survive and define themselves amid escalating violence and social chaos, they discover unexpected family bonds and resilience in the face of overwhelming hardship. This richly drawn epic explores the crippling violence and irrepressible hope of a country at war with itself, revealing how ordinary people navigate extraordinary times.

Dennis Lehane

In the roaring 1920s, Prohibition fuels a world of speakeasies, rumrunners, and ruthless ambition. Joe Coughlin, the rebellious son of a Boston police captain, rejects his privileged upbringing to plunge headfirst into the violent underworld. His ascent through the ranks of organized crime takes him from the gritty streets of Boston to the sun-drenched, yet equally perilous, landscapes of Cuba. As Joe navigates a treacherous path paved with illegal liquor, betrayal, and escalating violence, he discovers that the pursuit of the American dream comes at a steep and often deadly cost.