Book Review: Shutter Island

Dennis Lehane's Shutter Island is a gothic mystery/suspense novel that takes place on an island near Boston. The story starts with Teddy Daniels and his partner on a boat nearing the island. They are detectives looking for a woman who has disappeared. There are numerous twists which kept me guessing and a cast of characters ranging from those in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest to Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It's hard to say anything more about the plot without giving anything away, so I'll leave it at that.

Dennis Lehane's writing ability is on another level from his peers. Despite the nature of the novel, he writes with eloquence and grace, creating vivid images and setting scenes that translate perfectly to the big screen. The pace of the novel is like a runaway train. It starts fast and only gets faster as Teddy Daniels gets closer to the strange truth behind Shutter Island.

I put this on my book shelf as a definite reread. I'd recommend it to any lover of mystery or suspense who wants some real writing for a change instead of the hacks who fill up most mystery sections these days. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Bookophile Rating: Ludicrous!