
SHUTTER
ISLAND
By Dennis Lehane
Janet
Maslin,
The New York Times:
[A]n
eerie, startlingly original story....[Lehane writes] with a crisp clarity that
makes the layout of SHUTTER ISLAND instantly cinematic....[A] deft, suspenseful
thriller that unfolds with increasing urgency until it delivers a visceral shock
in its final moments. When it comes to keeping readers exactly where he wants
them, Mr. Lehane offers a bravura demonstration of how it's done.
Publishers Weekly (starred):
All
of the characters...are wonderful creations, but no more wonderful than the spot-on
dialogue with which Lehane brings them to life and the marvelous prose that enriches
the narrative...There is no mystery...about how good this book is; like MYSTIC
RIVER, it's a tour de force.
Kirkus Reviews (starred):
Lehane's
lollapalooza of a corkscrew thriller....After an extraordinarily humane series
of neo-noirs, Lehane has produced a brilliantly far-fetched page-turner that's
sure to be the most talked-about thriller of the year.
The Miami Herald:
The
ride this novel provides is as good as entertainment gets.
Patrick
Anderson,
The Washington Post:
To finish the novel - and it would be criminal even to hint at its ending - is
to be disoriented, perhaps angered, and finally to reflect on the ability of a
master storyteller to play havoc with our minds. If we could bring back Edgar
Allan Poe and equip him with today's postmodern bag of tricks, he might give us
a tale as unexpected and unsettling as SHUTTER ISLAND.
David
Lazarus,
San Francisco Chronicle:
Anyone
dazzled by Dennis Lehane's previous psychological thriller, MYSTIC RIVER, will
be completely blown away by his new work, SHUTTER ISLAND. This is really good
stuff, a moody, deeply atmospheric mystery that combines the claustrophobia of
an Agatha Christie whodunit with the creepiness of a good Stephen King yarn. SHUTTER
ISLAND has its share of chills, but the real pleasure is in its unrelenting tightening
of the vise on both Daniels and readers. At times, the pressure is so fierce,
you find yourself begging for relief. There isn't any. Good luck putting this
one down.
Tom
Walker,
The Denver Post:
SHUTTER
ISLAND is a tremendously satisfying thriller. The suspense is molasses-thick with
a plot that will keep you guessing. Lehane doesn't miss a trick. It's a great,
fun read, and then there's that ending. You're sure to talk about this one over
lunch.
Esquire:
[Dennis Lehane is one of] the
very best young mystery writers.
Joseph
Barbato,
USA Today:
It
has the headlong suspense and whopper of a story you would expect in any well-made
thriller.
Austin American-Statesman:
Shutter Island is another exceptional accomplishment.