Angie Gennaro and Patrick Kenzie once roamed the mean streets of Boston catching criminals. Now that they're married, Angie spends most of her time looking after their young daughter and going to school; Patrick works cases as an independent contractor for a prestigious private investigation firm, hoping to get into full-time employment there, despite his "attitude" problems. Then a name from the past resurfaces that will take Angie and Patrick down a new but strangely familiar path: Amanda McCready.

The girl was taken at age four from her neglectful mother by well-meaning kidnappers (one of them the girl's uncle) and placed with a couple eager to raise her in a loving home. But Patrick was hired to find Amanda, and when he did, he returned her to her biological mother. Angie has never quite forgiven him -- and perhaps Patrick has never quite forgiven himself -- for doing his job instead of what was right, causing heartache not only for the good- intentioned kidnappers, but for an innocent little girl. Now, 12 years later, Amanda has gone missing again, and her aunt turns to Patrick for help. Could this be his chance at redemption? With Angie's assistance, he searches for answers, but the more he finds out, the more complicated things get. No one has really considered that wherever Amanda is, she might not want to be found.

For those readers who only know Dennis Lehane from SHUTTER ISLAND and MYSTIC RIVER, here's a change of pace, although it's really a return to his roots with the two main characters from his original mystery series. (And if you're thinking the names sound familiar, this is technically a sequel to GONE BABY GONE). The tone is a bit lighter but with the same great dialogue, narrative and tight plotting you've come to expect. If you've never read any Lehane books, this is a terrific place to start, with two engaging, wisecracking leads, a stark but affectionate portrait of Boston, and a satisfyingly twisty plot. I first discovered Patrick and Angie several years ago and was delighted to find out what was going on with them. I hope this is a new beginning rather than a final chapter.