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    Brighton: A Novel
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    Brighton: A Novel
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    Brighton: A Novel
    Ebook343 pages5 hours

    Brighton: A Novel

    By Michael Harvey

    3.5/5

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    Currently unavailable

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    About this ebook

    An extraordinary thriller—gripping, haunting, and marvelously told—about two friends growing up in a rapidly changing Boston, who must face the sins of their past in the midst of a series of brutal murders.

    “You came back here to bury your past. . . . Thing is, you gotta kill it first.”

    Kevin Pearce—baseball star, honor student, the pride of Brighton—was fifteen when he left town in the back of his uncle’s cab. He and his buddy Bobby Scales had just committed heinous violence for what they thought were the best of reasons. Kevin didn’t want a pass, but he was getting it anyway. Bobby would stay and face the music; Kevin’s future would remain bright as ever. At least that was the way things were supposed to work, except in Brighton things never work the way they’re supposed to.

    Twenty-six years later, Kevin is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist for the Boston Globe. He’s never been back to his old block, having avoided his family and, especially, Bobby Scales. Then he learns his old friend is the prime suspect in a string of local murders. Suddenly, Kevin’s headed home—to protect a friend and the secret they share. To report this story to the end and protect those he loves, he must face not only an elusive, slippery killer, but his own corrupted conscience.

    A powerhouse of a thriller, Brighton is a riveting and elegiac exploration of promises broken, debts owed, and old wrongs made right . . . no matter what the cost.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJun 14, 2016
    ISBN9780062443021
    Author

    Michael Harvey

    Michael Harvey is the author of seven previous novels, including Brighton and The Chicago Way. He’s also a journalist and documentarian whose work has won multiple News & Documentary Emmys, two Primetime Emmy nominations, and an Academy Award nomination. Raised in Boston, he now lives in Chicago.

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    Reviews for Brighton

    3.5/5

    47 ratings11 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I AM one of those who read and loved this book! Born and raised in Mass., tho not in this area but on the south shore, i think this was one of THE most Massachusetts-y books i've read in a long while. Along the lines of an up and coming Dennis Lehane. Gritty, real, with characters filled with dreams, anger and self- delusion for the most part. Survival on the streets. Lots of references to places and things i know which struck a chord. Dunkin' Donuts, Weymouth, my dad grew up on Joy St. in Boston, to name a few.... This book is going on my KEEP shelf, THAT'S how much i enjoyed it.
    • 3/5
      I was unsure about this book at first. I almost gave up on it. I have never lived in America and I have no interest in baseball and there did seem to be a lot about this at the beginning of the book which did not appeal to me. However, I kept going and I ended up thoroughly enjoying it.
    • 4/5
      Fascinating story of personalities in conflict and in the irresistible draw of the past. The crime story which is the frame for the characters' actions seems implausible but it all comes together as a good read.
    • 4/5
      Kevin and Bobby were boyhood friends in Brighton until a tragedy forced their separation. Kevin went on to become an investigative journalist and win a Pulitzer Prize while Bobby remained in Brighton and became a bookie. Twenty seven years later, Kevin is drawn back to Brighton to investigate the murder of a young woman. This book started out as a coming of age story and an authentic-feeling slice of life in the Brighton neighborhood. I loved most of the characterizations, except for one character who turned out to be so over-the-top crazy that they were totally unbelievable. What was compelling for me were the interpersonal relationships. Less compelling was the crime story which I thought was unrealistic and too obviously trying to be a movie.While I thought the book was suspenseful, and it was certainly entertaining, there were just too many coincidences and plot holes and irrational motivations for this to be a five star book for me. I'm sure Brighton is not a very large place, but still it seemed too easy for the characters to find each other, even when they had no possible way of knowing where they would be. Towards the end of the book, one character desperately needed to hide out, yet they continued to go from place to place meeting with various people instead of just getting the hell out of town. It was an incredibly long departure. Also, conveniently there was always someone to drop a clue or reveal a secret at just the right moment.There was a very high body count in this book, which I'm sure will increase its chances of being made into a movie. It will probably make an entertaining movie. I hope they find someone good to play Bobby, he was my favorite character.I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
    • 4/5
      This is a fast-paced story about two friends who grew up together in Boston – Kevin and Bobby – who are linked together forever by violence in their pasts. Fast forward to where Kevin is a Pulitzer Prize winner and investigative reporter for the Boston Glove while Bobby is immersed in local criminal activity and you have real conflict, especially when their pasts come forward to control the action. There are lots of twists in the action making it a great read on a hot summer day.
    • 5/5
      Wow! I almost didn't buy this book as it had -what is for me, the kiss of death on the cover- a recommendation from Stephen King. I usually really like Mr King's books, I almost always hate any he recommends. This book may change that.An excellent story of friendship, murder, family, revenge and outstanding storytelling. The seedy side of Irish Boston starting in the 70's and ending in the 2000's. The story is perfectly laid out and is easily one of the top 5 books this year, or possibly any year. Do yourself a favor and read it.
    • 4/5
      Brighton is like an early Dennis Lehane book . . . gritty, Irish Boston/Brighton, prejudice, love, hate. Though I didn't feel the story could ever be true, I did enjoy reading it (as I'm familiar with the territory and the past) and I was thoroughly surprised by the ending though it seemed appropriate. I would recommend it.
    • 5/5
      “At the centre of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by sin & by illusion, a point of pure truth….”By the time Bobby Scales quotes Thomas Merton, you already know he’s not your garden variety thug. But then he never really had a chance to be anything else.The book opens in 1970’s Brighton, a tough suburb of Boston where dreams of a better life tend to die young. Bobby was on his own by the time he hit high school. The closest thing he has to family is Mary Burke, a strong no-nonsense woman who runs a cab company. She looks out for him while keeping an eye on her grandson Kevin Pearce. Mary senses he’s special & vows he’ll make it out of Brighton. But first he’ll have to survive growing up in a house ruled by his drunk, abusive father. By 1975, Bobby & Kevin are inseparable. Times are tough but they have Mary, baseball & each other. Then the unthinkable happens. One night Kevin arrives at his grandmother’s in time to see a young black man run from the building. After racing inside, the first thing he finds is one of his sisters bleeding from stab wounds. The second is Mary’s body. He can’t know it yet but the fallout from this senseless act will define his life for years to come. Fast forward to 2002. Kevin left Brighton in 1975 & never looked back. He’s now an investigative reporter for The Globe & just won a Pulitzer for his series of articles about a black man wrongly accused of murder who was killed in prison. Add to that his relationship with Suffolk County prosecutor Lisa Mignot & life is good. Hold that thought, Kev. Lisa’s office is called in after 2 women are killed in Brighton & she thinks they’re tied to the unsolved murder of a young black man in 1975. When Kevin sneaks a look at the files, his blood runs cold & he knows it’s time…..time to go home & pay his debt to Bobby. Put the kettle on, curl up in your favourite reading spot & turn off the phone because once you crack the cover on this one, you’ll be ticked if you have to put it down. What follows is a complex & heart wrenching story of friendship, loyalty, betrayal & redemption. The author uses the first section to build the history of Kevin & Bobby’s friendship, ensuring that readers become invested. Brighton itself is a major character, so well rendered through descriptions of seedy streets, crowded apartments & hopeless lives that the grit sticks to you fingers. But it’s only as action switches to the present that we learn the truth of everything that happened in the past. And holy crap, are there some shockers lurking in the pages. When Kevin begins his own investigation, his intention is to stay one step ahead of the law & protect Bobby. What he eventually uncovers will rewrite his childhood memories & strip the veneer off the life he’s created.These characters don’t just appear on the page. They come out swinging, shouting & scheming. There are no stick people here. Each is a combination of good & bad, capable of great love & thoughtless violence. Part of the rising tension is due to not knowing who can be trusted when push comes to shove. And while you may dislike some of them, you can also understand how they became who they are. Although it’s ostensibly Kevin’s story, Bobby is the one that stuck with me. He’s a man who never caught a break but will go down fighting to protect a friend or keep a promise.This is a dark & compelling story that will have you holding your breath in the final chapters. It definitely reminded me of books by Dennis Lehane (especially “Mystic River”) & Greg Iles, 2 authors who excel at creating stories that are richly atmospheric. This is the first I’ve read from Mr. Harvey. Guess my groaning TBR pile just got taller.
    • 4/5
      Brighton tells the story of two boys growing up in Brighton MA, during the 70's that are involved in a horrible crime. Intialy it appears that one escapes the shadow of the crime but does he really? For three quarters of this book I thought I'd discovered a masterpiece. Something akin to the early Denis Lehane books. Alas the last third is not as strong. However I still strongly recommend this book.
    • 4/5
      I liked the characters. Made me see into a kind of life that thankfully, I never had to experience. The ending was a bit much- at the river... but all in all I enjoyed it and it kept me reading to find out "who done it". Interesting surprise! I had a feeling, but didn't really think so.
    • 4/5
      Twisty, dark, and very, very good.