Small Mercies A Novel

“Small Mercies is thought provoking, engaging, enraging, and can’t-put-it-down entertainment.” — Stephen King

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mystic River comes a searing, unforgettable thriller that plunges you into the heart of 1974 Boston during one of the city’s most volatile summers.

Mary Pat Fennessy is a working-class mother in Southie, barely keeping her head above water, when her teenage daughter Jules vanishes into the sweltering night. That same evening, a young Black man dies under a subway train—an incident the authorities are quick to dismiss. But Mary Pat knows better than to trust easy answers.

Driven by a mother’s fierce love and desperate rage, she begins asking dangerous questions. Questions that draw the attention of Marty Butler and his crew—men who control the neighborhood with an iron fist and don’t appreciate anyone threatening their carefully maintained order.

Set against the explosive backdrop of Boston’s school desegregation crisis, this masterwork weaves together a propulsive mystery with an unflinching examination of power, prejudice, and the toxic legacy of American racism. Lehane’s prose crackles with authenticity, capturing both the fierce loyalty and the festering darkness that defined an era.

Perfect for readers who love:

• Atmospheric crime fiction with social conscience
• Complex, morally gray characters
• Historical thrillers that feel urgently relevant
• Stories about mothers who refuse to give up

This is Dennis Lehane at his absolute best—raw, riveting, and impossible to put down.

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