Live by Night: A Novel

By Dennis Lehane

From New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane comes this epic, unflinching tale of the making and unmaking of a gangster in the Prohibition Era of the Roaring Twenties—now a Warner Bros. movie starring Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning, Zoe Saldana, and Sienna Miller.

Boston, 1926. The '20s are roaring. Liquor is flowing, bullets are flying, and one man sets out to make his mark on the world.

Prohibition has given rise to an endless network of underground distilleries, speakeasies, gangsters, and corrupt cops. Joe Coughlin, the youngest son of a prominent Boston police captain, has long since turned his back on his strict and proper upbringing. Now having graduated from a childhood of petty theft to a career in the pay of the city's most fearsome mobsters, Joe enjoys the spoils, thrills, and notoriety of being an outlaw.

But life on the dark side carries a heavy price. In a time when ruthless men of ambition, armed with cash, illegal booze, and guns, battle for control, no one—neither family nor friend, enemy nor lover—can be trusted. Beyond money and power, even the threat of prison, one fate seems most likely for men like Joe: an early death. But until that day, he and his friends are determined to live life to the hilt.

Joe embarks on a dizzying journey up the ladder of organized crime that takes him from the flash of Jazz Age Boston to the sensual shimmer of Tampa's Latin Quarter to the sizzling streets of Cuba. Live by Night is a riveting epic layered with a diverse cast of loyal friends and callous enemies, tough rumrunners and sultry femmes fatales, Bible-quoting evangelists and cruel Klansmen, all battling for survival and their piece of the American dream. At once a sweeping love story and a compelling saga of revenge, it is a spellbinding tour de force of betrayal and redemption, music and murder, that brings fully to life a bygone era when sin was cause for celebration and vice was a national virtue.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 2, 2012
• ISBN: 9780062200297

Dennis Lehane

Dennis Lehane is the author of thirteen novels—including the New York Times bestsellers Live by Night; Moonlight Mile; Gone, Baby, Gone; Mystic River; Shutter Island; and The Given Day—as well as Coronado, a collection of short stories and a play. He grew up in Boston, MA and now lives in California with his family.

Reviews for Live by Night

[asxz-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I think I referenced Ellroy in my review of the first in this series and this cements that connection. There's more heart here and while some of the leaps serve the narrative more than they serve logic, there are enough action set pieces to keep things moving.

I will see the Ben Affleck movie but now that I know Joe and Emma are supposed to be 20 when they meet, it may be harder to take seriously.

[carol420 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

[Live By Night] by Dennis Lehane2.5 starsFrom The Book:unflinching tale of the making and unmaking of a gangster in the Prohibition Era of the Roaring Twenties—now a Warner Bros. movie starring Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning, Zoe Saldana, and Sienna Miller.Meticulously researched and artfully told, Live by Night is the riveting story of one man’s rise from Boston petty thief to the Gulf Coast’s most successful rum runner.My Thoughts:I almost hate to rate or review this book since I feel that I'm not being very fair to it or it's very talented author. I have to admit that I chose the book solely to help complete a challenge and not because I was in anyway interested in the content. I'm going to watch the movie in hopes that it will hold more interest for me. Anyone interested in this period of history will more than likely find the book entertaining but for me it was a struggle. Please know that it in no manner reflected on the author or his ability to write an interesting story. I have read others of his books and thoroughly enjoyed them

[sheila1957 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I did not realize there was an earlier novel in this series. This is a standalone book. Joseph Coughlin is working on the opposite side of the law than his father who is hoping to become the Police Commissioner in Boston. Joseph is involved in robbery which leads to cops dying. He is arrested and sentenced to prison where he meets Maso, head of a powerful crime family in Boston. After his release from prison he goes to Tampa where he heads Maso's family branch there. I enjoyed this story. The era of Prohibition, rum runners, and gangsters is portrayed very well here. Joe is not the strong arm. He works to get agreements from all parties involved. He gets involved with Cubans and gets them to work with him and cut out the others. He builds his own mob. I liked the characters. They were complex--not all good or all bad. I like how Joe backs up his people and how he stands up for what he believes as he gets higher in the organization.I will be reading more of this author

[ptom3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dennis LehaneLIVE BY NIGHTWilliam Morrow, 2012402 pagesCrime / FictionI first discovered Dennis Lehane when I stumbled upon a paperback copy of Mystic River. I knew then I loved this writer. And although I then read several more titles, for some odd reason I drifted away from his books. No blame placed on the author whatsoever!LIVE BY NIGHT has kind of a Departed, or Scarface feel to it. It was layered with an array of characters, three different settings, and constantly twisting plots! The story takes place during prohibition. And even those of us who are considered history-challenged know what happened when booze was outlawed?!? Speakeasies, moonshine, and gangsters sprang up everywhere!Despite being the son of a Boston police captain, Joe Coughlin, has become an outlaw. He starts out small-time with the Bartolos brothers, Dion and Paolo. Given bad information they decide to hold-up a card game. Little did they know it was Albert White's game. Albert White was bad news. One of the big bad names in Boston. Once Coughlin realizes the error, he also realizes it is too late to stop what is already in motion.When things get hot in town, and Coughlin knows it is best to back-off some, he commits to once last heist. A bank job. Only problem is, people are onto the game. Cops are tipped off. Nothing goes as planned. Coughlin does time in prison. Attempts are made on his life. He has a chance to turn things around, and takes it, placing himself in the hands of Albert White's enemy, Maso Pescatore.Tasked with running the operation in Florida, Coughlin begins a new life, improving on his old way of life. He turns the swampy mass of Tampa into a thriving rum-running business for Pescatore. His rise to the top creates a host of enemies. There is no sleep for the man on top when there is always someone scheming to knock you down, or take you out.Prohibition won't last forever, and as the end of a dry-reign is in sight, Coughlin clearly sees the writing on the wall. What is going to happen to his empire, to his family, to him?At the movies not long ago, they showed a trailer for an upcoming Ben Affleck film, LIVE BY NIGHT. I knew that was a more recent Lehane novel, and immediately picked myself up a copy. I had to read it. My interest in Lehane has been restored. I devoured the novel in a few nights. it was absolutely absorbing. (Be advised, LIVE BY NIGHT is actually Book 2 in Lehane's Coughlin series).Phillip TomassoAuthor of the Severed Empire Series, and The Vaccination Trilogy

[lewilliams-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story follows outlaw turned gangster Joe Coughlin, the son of a Boston police captain. This is a taught tale that mostly takes place during proabition that kept me reading to see how it all ends for Joe.

[stephengoldenberg · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love most of Dennis Lehane's novels but much prefer his modern policiers than those like this one set in Irish Boston of the 1920s and 30s. It's still very readable but a bit over the top violent and, at times, improbable in the way the anti-hero escapes certain death at several points. There's also the question of how much you can empathise with a hoodlum. Lehane tries to have his cake and eat it by making a distinction between a gangster and an outlaw.

[barb_h_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Won a copy from Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.Really excited about this one. I've read a few other books by Dennis Lehane and loved them.Awesome book set in the late 1920s and early 1930s during prohibition and gangster times. Started off set in Boston and then relocated to Tampa. As a Tampa native it made the book even more interesting since I know of all the places mentioned in the book and could easily picture it in my mind. Especially Ybor City since not much has changed there. Dennis Lehane is a terrific author and I will most definitely be reading any other books he writes that I haven't already read!

[ewhatley_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lehane never fails to satisfy. Interesting characters and plot. Typical surprise ending from this awesome author. Highly recommend.

[doondeck · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not as good as the Given Day, but the story gained power as it went along. Characters also came into deeper focus.

[labdaddy4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another excellent Lehane novel - fast paced - hard to put down - very violent and often very sad. No heroic figures just primary characters.

[silversreviews · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Prohibition, speakeasies, bank robberies, gangsters, mobsters, jail time, murders....LIVE BY NIGHT has it all. You will follow Joe Coughlin through his life as a privileged child, a gangster, and a mob boss.Joe Coughlin is the son of Thomas Coughlin....the only problem is that Thomas is the Chief Deputy Superintendent of the Boston Police Department and his son is a criminal. Joe feels he and his buddies are invincible, but he finds out they are not. Joe has committed many robberies in his short life, but the last one did him in....he did jail time for this one. He could have prevented jail time and a beating, but he had to see his "girl" before he left town. He should have just left town....she did him in and caused him trouble until the end.This book is about the Roaring 20's and life on both sides of the law. It is fast paced and lets you into that time period along with the characters. You will see that you won't know if you are friend or enemy even if you are in with the gang you are a part of. It is true to life and gives insight into how crime works behind the scenes. It is not a pretty read...you will be part of many mob killings and brutal scenes. The beginning is interesting but the ending is somewhat slow and a bit tedious. It is not one of his better books...sometimes there is too much information, and the scenes seem to drag on. I really lost my interest about half way through the book, but kept reading because I know Mr. Lehane is an outstanding author and kept that in mind as I aimlessly kept turning the pages. To his credit he has creative titles for each chapter with content that lives up to the chapter's heading. He has expressive, descriptive writing as always that brings that particular event, feelings, or person alive, but it lacks connectivity. At times, I was completely lost. I do have to wonder what he was thinking when he wrote this book....I am disappointed.Going to rate it a 3/5.This book was given to me free of charge by the publisher with no compensation in return for an honest review.

[kraaivrouw · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dennis Lehane is hands-down one of my very favorite writers. His books are sad and wise and filled with lasting images, some of which haunt my dreams. He is a writer of great depth and breadth and I read and re-read his books over again (although Mystic River is so painful to me that I cannot read it anymore).Mr. Lehane's most recent books, The Given Day and Live by Night, take him into the historical fiction genre, although both are tangentially related to crime. The Given Day is set in the late-nineteenth century and ends with the Boston Police Strike of 1919. Live by Night explores the life of Joe Coughlin, a minor character from the previous novel.Joe Coughlin was his cop father's least favorite child - ignored, neglected, and ultimately brutalized. His relationship with his father and his past lead him to rebellion. Joe Coughlin becomes a gangster and Live by Night tells his story. It is story filled with all the elements of a mobster novel, but rises above its genre in the way that all of Mr. Lehane's writing does. Through Coughlin's story we explore legacies of violence, what it means to be outside of the rule of law, how our choices color our ends. Well-written, as always, with great character exploration, Live by Night is another success for Mr. Lehane. As usual, I can't wait for the next one. You must read this book along with everything else Mr. Lehane's written - you're missing out if you don't.

[laurenbdavis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thoroughly enjoyed this, as I did MYSTIC RIVER and GONE, BABY, GONE. Lehane is a fine writer and this, is first foray into historical fiction, is terrific. I recently read J.R. Moehringer's SUTTON. Both are set in the 1920s and 30s (although SUTTON moves into the 1960s) and both are about gangsters. Moehringer's may be more 'literary', by which I mean it reads at times as both meta-fiction and political/social criticism, whereas Lehane's work is more of a straight story, however both books are terrific character studies, well-written, well-researched and utterly riveting. Read 'em both. You can't go wrong.

[ken1952 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was a bit disapponted that this novel didn't have the scope of The Given Day. Joe, the youngest brother of the Coughlin clan, becomes a gangster during Prohibition. Very well written, but I wanted more.

[jeff1124 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dennis Lehane's latest novel takes place during the prohibition era of the late 1920's and early 1930's. It is the story of one man, Joe Coughlin. The book starts out with a bang. Joe is on a boat in the middle of the ocean, his feet in a tub of hardening cement. The book then jumps and tells the story of Joe's life. He starts a life of crime as a teenager and progresses from there. When we meet him he is robbing a small club, and it is not a club he should have been robbing. Joe notices some people and realizes there has been a mistake. Luckily he is wearing a mask. This small part of this impressive book let's us know that Joe is not your average dumb criminal, he has some brains. Yes he has. Over the course of the book we watch Joe fall in love, go to jail, meet some gangsters, make some friends and live a life of crime. He makes many friendships that are all very intriguing and fascinating to watch develop. Many of the situations set up in this book make you feel as if you are there with Joe. You are terrified for him even though he shows little emotion. We know he is scared, he says it throughout the book. Through all of this you like Joe and want him to make smart decisions. You want him to escape and live happily ever after. I'm not going to tell you what happens. The book is too good and needs to be read and savored.

[edgoldberg · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dennis Lehane follows up his blockbuster historical novel, The Given Day, with Live by Night, which is a narrative of Joseph Coughlin's life of crime from 1926-1935. Joseph, as you may recall, is Boston Police Department Deputy Superintentent Thomas Coughlin's son in The Given Day. Joseph, a small time hood, is involved in a bank heist, in which three policemen get killed in the ensuing car chase. While Joseph escapes, he is later recognized and captured (and beaten to a pulp) by policemen, following Thomas' orders.While in prison, he meets and impresses mob boss Maso Pescatore. When Joseph is released, Maso sends him to Tampa to revive an ailing illegal bootlegging business, which he does quite nicely.But it's not the story that makes Live by Night worth reading, for the story is uncompelling, at least to this reader. It is the characters and their limits. Joseph would rather be deemed a gangster than an outlaw, the distinction being one commits murder and one doesn't. The Tampa police chief, Irv Figgis, is OK with illegal rum running as long as it's on the outskirts of town. Thomas Coughlin, after living a life of graft, is faced with becoming a lackey of Maso in order to protect his son in prison. What are his limits? Local businessmen, pillars of the community, hidden underneath white cloaks, commit outrageous acts of violence. The bigotry in a region inhabited by whites, Cubans, Spanish and Blacks is blatant. The treatment of women is appalling, especially women of color. Many will try to counter these inhumane acts with acts of humanity. Does one offset the other? It is Lehane's description of people and the times that make Live by Night another must read.It is a father's love for a child (Thomas and Joseph, Irv and his daughter Loretta, Jospeh and his son Tomas) and the extent and nature of that love that makes Live by Night worth reading. Some of us grew up with undemonstrative or even mean parents, especially fathers, yet knew how much we were loved. Some may know what happens to a parent when a child is hooked on drugs. Some may know the sheer joy in a father's eye upon the mere sight of his child. Lehane explores this as well.If you're in the mood for a good story, Live by Night will entertain you. If you are in the mood to understand what makes people tick, Live by Night will give you material to think about.

[norinrad10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

While not as ambitious as "Any Given Day" this an excellent read. Lehane strips things down and tells the tale of the youngest Coughlin. Using Tampa in the 30's as a back drop he tells s fascinating tale of the mobs and prohibition. Pace was on this one is like being in a run away car. Truth is, I would to hear more of Joe Coughlins adventures.

[eachurch-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The Given Day was an extraordinary book. Based on its strengths, I preordered Live by Night and I regret it. It is kind of a sequel. Unfortunately, gangsters and prohibition hold much less interest for me than the social and political unrest in Boston in the 1910s. It didn't help that I found most of the characters rather flat. I almost stopped reading 100 pages from the end.

[darcia_10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have long been a fan of Dennis Lehane, and Live by Night reminds me of all the reasons why. The characters here are unforgettable. The plot unfolds in the chaotic times of prohibition, pervasive prejudice, and mafia ruling the cities. In the midst of this madness, Joe Coughlin is trying to find his way. His character touched me deeply, a rare accomplishment in fiction. Live by Night is Dennis Lehane at his best, and I loved everything about this book.

[mikedraper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Live by Night' is an incendiary story spanning the rise in power of Joe Coughlin who is about to turn twenty as the story begins.Prior to the start of the actual story, there is a scene where Joe is in the hands of his enemies. It is clear that this might be his last moments and we wonder how he came to this predicament and if he will be able to survive. The rest of the novel tells of events that led up to this.Those who have read Dennis Lehane know how memorable his characters can be. Just consider the grieving father, Jimmy Markum and his nervous childhood friend, Dave Boyle, from "Mystic River."Here again, Lehane returns to Boston to create Joe Coughlin, a strong, resolute character who is the son of Thomas, the deputy supervisor of the Boston Police Department.We pick up the story in 1926. Mobs ruled the city and Joe is the youngest member of the Tim Hickey crew. Most of the time mobsters have a cruel streak and don't think anything of taking another person's life. Joe is anachronism in that he cares for his friends and those around him.After spending time at the Charlestown Prison and being there when Sacco and Vanzetti are executed, Joe makes his way to Tampa. His goal is to destroy a man who robbed him of his first love.I was impressed to watch Joe's rise to power and the manner in which he demonstrated his strength and leadership ability. There was something inside him that made others want to follow him.The prose is descriptive and vivid. Joe is a character who will take his place as one of Lehane's characters who live on in our memory and Lehane strengthens his reputation as one of our best story-tellers.

[justmelissa_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Live by Night is the story of Joe Coughlin, Prohibition-era gangster who sees himself as an outlaw, as an essentially good man who lives by the rules of the night rather than those of the day. He faithful, loving and forgiving. He'd rather broker agreements with his competitors than kill them. But he's also a gangster - a wildly successful gangster - which sometimes requires him to be ruthless and base. Joe may be soft, but he's not a coward.Over the course of a decade we follow Joe as he progresses from small time crook to Consigliere, struggles with family relationships and women, builds his empire and reigns with generosity, and tests his belief in God and karma. It's a nuanced story of a complex man - one who struggles to do the right thing in a lawless profession.In Live by Night, Dennis Lehane brings Boston, Tampa, Cuba, the Great Depression, and the American immigrant experience to life through this fast-paced and engrossing story.

[jsharpmd · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Joseph" to his police chief father, Joe Coughlin has been a renegade in the Coughlin family since childhood. As he gets older it gets worse and he considers himself an outlaw; everyone else thinks of him as a gangster. He does have good parts especially after he is "married" to Graciela whose husband lives in Cuba.The setting is in Tampa, Florida in the 1920s through the 1930s. Prohibition is in full swing with the gangsters including Joe selling bootleg liquor in speakeasies. Lots of action, love, betrayal. It was a good read by author Dennis Lehane who I really enjoy reading.

[bluesgal79 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If Dennis Lehane gets any better at his craft, we will know he is supernatural.

This follow-up to The Given Day, which I also reviewed in my list here somewhere, is even more powerful than its forebear. It could well serve as a stand-alone, but why cheat yourself?

Stunning. Absolutely stunning.

[literarylinda · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

LIVE BY NIGHT by Dennis Lehane is a suspense/thriller story that I enjoyed. As a suspense/thriller fan, it was fun to read a story quite different from most stories I’ve read. I feel the writing is good and the characters are well defined. This book would appeal to mystery readers as well as those who enjoy suspense. Book clubs could find many areas to discuss from gangsters and their morality to knowing how to love the right person. I would not call it a Young Adult story even though the protagonist is in his late teens. It can make you smile occasionally, but is basically a serious story with serious questions. Who will get killed? Who will not get killed? Who is trustworthy, if anyone? I appreciate the chance to read this book.

[kr04bps · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

again, the effects of violence on individuals and families.

[librarianbryan · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Okay for what it was but not really my thing. With so much cartoonish sex and violence, it should have been 200 pages shorter and not as moralizing. It made me miss Jim Thompson or Gary Indiana. For an award winning genre exercise, no one else in my book club finished it either, except for one member whose father was an Irish mafia member.

[techeditor_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Dennis Lehane has been a dependably great mystery/thriller/suspense writer for many years. But readers who pick up LIVE BY NIGHT with the expectation of more of the same may be disappointed. While this book is Lehane’s usual exceptionably good writing, mystery/thriller/suspense it is not. This is historical fiction.Yes, it won the Edgar Award in 2013, which may lead you to believe that I am wrong. Go ahead, read it, and you’ll see.LIVE BY NIGHT is sort of a continuation of Lehane’s previous book, THE GIVEN DAY, his first deviation from mystery/thriller/suspense. I say “sort of” because LIVE BY NIGHT concentrates on one of THE GIVEN DAY’s lesser characters, Joseph, the little brother in THE GIVEN DAY all grown up and a gangster in LIVE BY NIGHT. But our hero is a gangster with a conscience.This is about the days of gangsters and prohibition and speakeasies (“speaks”) and easy murders. Lehane writes this genre just as well as he did mystery/thriller/suspense. But LIVE BY NIGHT is historical fiction and not what bestowers of the Edgar Award imply.I won this book from BV Lawson at bvlawson.com.

[elmoelle · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Because of the settings of author Dennis Lehane's other books, I anticipated that this story about prohibition era gangsters would center around Boston. The story did start there but then quickly moved south when the main character, Joe Coughlin, is sent to Tampa, Florida to take over the liquor business there.
Most of the other books I have read about prohibition era gangsters took place in cities, so it was really interesting to see how the usual gangster problems intermixed with issues of race, such as dealing with the KKK, and with the vibrant population of Cuban nationalists.
I really enjoyed following Joe Coughlin's story to see how his morals were shaped by the positions he found himself in and how these morals were shaped by the philanthropic leanings of a woman he meets named Graciela and how these morals clashed with the stricter religious leanings of Tampa's police chief.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in historical fiction of the prohibition era as well as anyone who is interested in considering how you arrive a definition of right and wrong.
As a side note, I read this in the summer, but as a native of upstate New York, I can imagine that if I had read Lehane's descriptions of the pre-air conditioning humidity in Tampa during a long, cold winter, this book would have been even more appreciated.

[ktp50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. It is somewhat of a continuation of Dennis Lehane's earlier work: The Given Day. This time the youngest son of the Couglin clan is featured. He is an educated outlaw with a good heart but an irrestable urge toward the unlawful. The story moves along a fast pace and the reader is instantly drawn into the action. This is a hightly readable book where the action moves from Boston to Tampa to Cuba.

[dysmonia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good Lehane. The story of a gangster with a heart -- not a heart of gold, but more to him than dollar signs. The book also offers a nice glimpse of the Gulf Coast of Florida in the twenties and thirties.