Cover of A Drink Before the War
Cover of Darkness, Take My Hand
Cover of Gone, Baby, Gone
Cover of Prayers for Rain
Series

Kenzie & Gennaro

4 books

Here are 4 books from the Kenzie & Gennaro series by Dennis Lehane. Start with A Drink Before the War (1994), then read the rest in the order below.

Books in order

1
Cover of A Drink Before the War

A Drink Before the War

Dennis Lehane

In the gritty streets of Boston, private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro are drawn into a case that plunges them into the heart of a city simmering with racial tension. When a cleaning woman is brutally murdered, their investigation unearths a dangerous conspiracy that pits Irish mobsters against a powerful African-American drug lord. As they navigate the treacherous landscape of gang warfare and deep-seated prejudice, Kenzie and Gennaro must confront the dark underbelly of their city and the moral compromises required to survive. This gripping novel explores themes of race, violence, and the corrupting influence of power, showcasing Lehane's signature blend of hard-boiled atmosphere and compelling character development.

FictionMysteryDetective Fiction
2
Cover of Darkness, Take My Hand

Darkness, Take My Hand

Dennis Lehane

When a prominent psychiatrist hires private investigator Patrick Kenzie to protect her son from anonymous threats, the case seems straightforward. But this simple assignment quickly spirals into a nightmare, plunging Kenzie back into the dark underbelly of his own past in Dorchester, Boston. A series of brutal, ritualistic murders begins, and the victims are all people Kenzie knew, forcing him to confront a terrifying connection to his adolescence. As Kenzie, his partner Angie Gennaro, and their loyal friend Bubba Rogowski race against time, Kenzie realizes he might be the killer's ultimate target.

MysteryThrillerDetective Fiction
4
Cover of Gone, Baby, Gone

Gone, Baby, Gone

Dennis Lehane

In the unforgiving streets of Dorchester, where broken dreams are as common as broken glass, a young girl vanishes, plunging her world into darkness. Private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, initially reluctant, are drawn into a desperate search that will test the limits of their resolve and their relationship. As they delve deeper into the city's underbelly, they uncover a labyrinth of deceit and desperation, forcing them to confront the brutal realities of their neighborhood and the true cost of finding a lost child. This gripping narrative explores themes of loyalty, morality, and the enduring fight for innocence in a world that seems determined to crush it.

MysteryDetective FictionContemporary Fiction
5
Cover of Prayers for Rain

Prayers for Rain

Dennis Lehane

When private investigator Patrick Kenzie encounters the seemingly perfect Karen Nichols—a refined, well-educated woman from Boston's elite—he thinks he understands her completely. Six months later, when she plummets from a building, the official story is clear: her life spiraled into darkness after a tragic accident left her husband in a coma. But Kenzie refuses to accept this convenient narrative, convinced that Karen was systematically destroyed by someone operating in the shadows. Reuniting with his former partner Angela Gennaro and the formidable Bubba Rogowsky, Kenzie launches a dangerous investigation into an invisible killer—only to discover that the predator has already chosen new victims. Now the trio must hunt down a master manipulator before he claims them as his next casualties, in this gripping thriller that explores how easily a life can be unraveled by someone with sinister intent.

MysteryDetective FictionThriller