We are on the mean streets of Boston in "The Drop," by Dennis Lehane. Christmas is over and Bob Saginowski, who tends bar for his Cousin Marv, spends his days working, going to church, and looking for a companionable female to alleviate his loneliness. Unfortunately, nothing ever comes easily for Bob or Marv...

In this hard-edged novel, Lehane entertains us with brief sketches of hardened, selfish, and greedy individuals, some of whom are as dim-witted as they are heartless.

The plot is fast-paced and edgy, and Lehane dishes up some twists that few will see coming. This is a bleak and savage world in which people go to great lengths to maintain a semblance of self-respect, fend off anyone who poses a threat, and in Bob's case, find love.

[ Contains violence and adult language ]