Free Audio Book : Small Mercies, By Dennis Lehane

During the sweltering summer of '74, Boston is under a heatwave’s grip, and Mary Pat Fennessy is in a constant battle with her bills. Her entire existence has been within the confines of “Southie,” an Irish American neighborhood that clings to its traditions and stands distinct.

One evening, Jules, Mary Pat’s adolescent daughter, doesn’t return home after staying out late. On the same night, a young Black man’s life is tragically ended, hit by a subway train under puzzling conditions.

The two incidents appear unrelated. However, Mary Pat, driven by the frantic search for her lost daughter, starts to dig into matters best left alone—posing questions that unsettle Marty Butler, the Irish mob’s leader, and his henchmen, who are not fond of disruptions to their operations.

“Small Mercies,” set during the heated, chaotic period when the city’s public schools were being desegregated, leading to violent outbreaks, is a top-notch thriller. It brutally portrays crime and authority and fearlessly depicts the grim reality of American racism. It’s a captivating, heart-wrenching piece that could only be penned by Dennis Lehane.