He never called back. Convinced Karen's death is no suicide, Patrick begins probing. In Prayers for Rain Dennis Lehane depicts a convoluted and chaotic universe. Nothing is as it seems. Revelation leads only to refutation.
Characters cover up identities and relationships.
Discoveries taint one character after another. Lehane's hard-driving narrative maintains its speed. He endows his characters, even minor ones, with depth. The natural dialogue possesses reality and nuance. Descriptions of people and places reveal character.