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Since We Fell: A Novel
Since We Fell: A Novel
Since We Fell: A Novel
Audiobook12 hours

Since We Fell: A Novel

Written by Dennis Lehane

Narrated by Julia Whelan

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this audiobook

Since We Fell follows Rachel Childs, a former journalist who, after an on-air mental breakdown, now lives as a virtual shut-in. In all other respects, however, she enjoys an ideal life with an ideal husband. Until a chance encounter on a rainy afternoon causes that ideal life to fray. As does Rachel’s marriage. As does Rachel herself. Sucked into a conspiracy thick with deception, violence, and possibly madness, Rachel must find the strength within herself to conquer unimaginable fears and mind-altering truths. By turns heart- breaking, suspenseful, romantic, and sophisticated, Since We Fell is a novel of profound psychological insight and tension. It is Dennis Lehane at his very best.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperAudio
Release dateMay 9, 2017
ISBN9780062129437
Since We Fell: A Novel
Author

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.

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Reviews for Since We Fell

Rating: 3.7447216161228405 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

521 ratings56 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Best book this year. Nice, nice very nice indeed nice
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Lehane is very, very good at writing suspenseful stories. He is good at plot twists, too. I had a great time reading this one, and recommend you don't read any reviews that have spoiler alerts until after you read the book. Enjoy the ride!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Best story I ever heard plus narration was excellent also. Want to know what happens next. Feel sad to end hearing the voices of possibly the best love story, even though shocking twists and turns, love endured! Going to listen again, besides suggest others do also. Thank you for this great entertainment! Should be a movie for sure!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Just when it started getting good it ended! Not a fan!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great twisty plot.
    Enjoyed listening to the reader's voice - so talented!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    the writing was okay, but I felt like it was a little over-convoluted because it seemed to be all over the place from the beginning to the end from paternity to secrets to criminal masterminding. I just wish it kept on point and was well-balanced.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book kept me interested but I found it exhausting. Too long but as I said it did keep me interested.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The beginnings was slow and long enough to make me consider giving up the book, but it was after all, a Dennis Lehane, so I persevered and then it became un-put-downable. Brilliant, tense, great characterisation, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Terrific multi layered creation. Always a surprise around the next corner and the character development of the principles is deep and rich and keenly created. Sorry when it finished.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It didn't seem like a typical Dennis Lehane novel for a while but it held my interest so I kept reading. Plots and subplots. Many surprises. Loved it. Love him.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really enjoy this genre of audiobooks. To say there are plot twists in this book is an understatement. It's as if Mr. Lehane is leading you around a corner, only to find you are now in a different city. You'll be glad when you get there.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The main character is a women, read fittingly by a woman, and written by an amazing mind. Thanks again.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    4.5 stars. Dennis Lehane is a masterful writer.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I've seen some complaints on this book being two different stories, and about the ending. I'll tell you right up front, I won't spoil either, but I will say, I quite enjoyed the full ride, two stories, ending, and all.

    I'll fully declare my Lehane fan-card. I became a fan with the brilliant Mystic River, then went back and read every single word the man had published. I've long declared that The Given Day was my favourite book of the year when it was published (though I think each of the two follow ups did offer diminishing returns).

    I was deliriously excited to see a standalone novel. Haven't gotten one of those from Lehane in a while. And it was also contemporary. Bonus.

    So, I dived in. There's certain authors that I don't even bother to read the back cover or investigate the book in any way. Lehane is one. Elmore Leonard, Andrew Pyper, Stephen King, and Jack Ketchum are a few of the others. So I went into the story completely cold, knowing nothing about it.

    At first I thought it was going to be the mystery of Rachel's father. Then it seemed to morph into wonderfully sweet romance. Then it took a dark turn. Then it was full-on action for the last third.

    So, was it a little schizophrenic? Absolutely. But Lehane has done this is the past, led us down a path, only to take an unexpected turn and flip the story on its head. So I'm completely okay with that. Life is a bit messy at times, and he doesn't mind making it the same for his characters.

    All I'll say about the ending is that it's a touch--just a touch, mind you--open-ended. And seriously, with all that led up to that point, if it doesn't satisfy you, then I'll say you completely missed the point of the novel...and the thing that makes that messiness all right.

    The point of the story is Rachel's journey from who she was, to who she will be.

    Understand that, and you'll be fine with the book.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This was just a very, very silly thriller that made absolutely no sense, at times it felt like I was reading three entirely separate books *sigh* the biggest let down for me was the terrible dialogue it just felt like one of those cheap romantic/thriller films (I was reading a review where someone likened the last half to a terrible Katherine Heigl film and I couldn't agree more). Incredibly disappointing is this really the same author who gave us 'Shutter Island'???
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Dennis Lehane is always so good, I have this book in two forms: the signed first edition that I preordered, and the Audible version so that I didn't have to crack the spine on the first one!This is the story of a woman, searching for her father. Then, it is the story of a woman, building a career as a reporter. Then it is the story of a woman buckling under pressure and nearly losing everything. Then it is a story of her meeting her dream man. And then, lastly, it is the story of her dream man being someone else altogether. I had no idea where this story was going for most of the time I was listening to it. Though some of it was far-fetched, and even though I couldn't quite suspend my disbelief in certain sections, I still had a great time going on the ride. (I think the first half could have been cut down considerably, but those sections were important, if only to know how Rachel got to be where she was later.)Overall, this was a quick read because every 5 minutes we're turned in another direction and it was hard to leave off for long, out of the interest in what was going to happen next!Fun!*I bought this book, (TWICE), with my hard earned cash.*
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Since We Fell is an interesting read. I have seen other reviewers remark that it's really 2 books in one and I think that's an apt description.The first part of the book follows protagonist Rachael Childs as she tries to piece together clues to find her father and make sense of her life. Rachel's mother is a larger than life character who haunts her daughter long after her death. For reasons of her own, she kept the identity of Rachael's father from her. Midway through the book the tale shifts to a typical Lehane tale of grifters and greed. The one constant through it all is the quality of Lehan's writing. One of the true masters of his craft, he shines here once again. This one does take a little patience, but if the reader sticks with it, they will be well rewarded.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. The plot, the characters, the narrator - all top drawer.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I've enjoyed the couple of Dennis Lehane books I've read, and I enjoyed this one. It's full of gullibility, con men, bad choices, panic attacks, difficult relationships, and someone who is afraid to leave her house. And it was entertaining; I enjoyed reading it. But for me, it doesn't hold a candle to Lehane's Shutter Island. Instead, it's more in line with other psychological thrillers/mysteries I've read by countless authors. This one doesn't really set itself apart.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Since We Fell by Dennis LehaneRachel is a former journalist who has some what of a break down on-air. Her life is greatly altered and she lives a secluded life. Once having the perfect life she finds her marriage in shambles. Soon she is filled with deep thoughts, and things may not be exactly what she thought they would be.The story starts slow, then moves at at more even pace. Rachel is definitely at a cross-roads in life and you can feel her emotions on every page. I was pulled in and not able to let go. An intense psychological thriller, those who like this genre should enjoy it as well.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Rachel Childs is a television journalist in Boston whose career is on a steep upward trajectory until she is sent to Haiti on assignment after the devastating 2010 earthquake. The horrors that she sees and experiences there leave her with a severe case of post-traumatic stress disorder that becomes apparent when she breaks down during a live report.Back in Boston, her news career in shambles, Rachel struggles with panic attacks that leave her afraid to even leave her apartment. Her marriage doesn’t survive, but when she meets an old acquaintance by chance, his patient understanding of her problems leads to romance and eventually marriage. With Brian’s help, Rachel starts to re-emerge from her self-imposed exile. Her tentative journey back to normalcy is jolted, however, when she inadvertently ventures downtown and discovers Brian in a place where he shouldn’t be. Her furtive attempts to get to the bottom of the mystery without tipping him off to her suspicions leads her deeper and deeper into a dangerous situation where no one is who they seem.For my money, Dennis Lehane is one of the most underrated mystery/thriller writers in the business. Yes, several of his previous novels, Mystic River and Shutter Island among them, were turned into feature films, but the books themselves never generate much discussion among my friends who enjoy Harlan Coben, Linwood Barclay, and others. With Since We Fell (Ecco, 2017), Lehane has delivered another intricately plotted examination of people who are not what they seem being driven to extremes by circumstances they can’t control. I appreciated that Rachel, despite her emotional fragility through much of the first part of the novel, is far from a hapless victim waiting to be rescued. She manages to engineer her own rescue on her own terms, even as she accepts the consequences of what she has to do in the process.Lehane builds the narrative tension slowly but surely (perhaps a little too slowly) to a white-knuckle finish that seems both unexpected and inevitable. Nothing about this book made me any less eager to read the next offering from a first-rate writer.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This one started slowly for a Lehane book, but it picked up steam about mid-book and ended up as a solid thriller. Highly innovative story line, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I purchased this book from Amazon to read with Reading Butterflies Bookclub. All opinions are my own. ????? Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane. I need more of these books in my life! It was one of those that you can't put down until you reach the last page and even when you do you feel like wait no I need more! Rachel Child's has only ever wanted one thing, to find her father. Her mother held that secret over her head all of her life like a carrot on a string. Be a good girl graduate, be a good girl go to college etc. Then one day an accident and Rachel's mom takes the identity of her father to the grave with her. No one knows anything about Rachel's father. She hires a private detective, she finds her mother's ob/gyn, she finds her mother's old friends but no answers. She goes on to have a successful career and marries a very ambitious man, but after a few trips to Haiti she suffers a mental breakdown like no other and her world begins to spin out of control until someone from her past comes into her life and shakes her back to reality. Rachel then has to learn to battle with herself not only to survive but to protect everything she knows to be true from becoming a lie. Review also posted on Instagram @borenbooks, Library Thing, Amazon, Goodreads/StacieBoren, Twitter @jason_stacie and my blog at readsbystacie.com
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book is kind of like a snowball rolling downhill. It starts off rather slowly, but once it picks up speed, watch out! The first part is more informative, where readers get to know characters, at least, we think we do. But then the action starts, complete with deceptions, chase scenes, and murders. But don’t be too confident that you can predict what will happen next. Author Dennis Lehane has inserted enough twists to keep things very interesting. Once you make it to the second half, you won’t want to put the book down.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is the first book that I have read by Dennis Lehane. I didn't know what to expect, but I had seen Mystic River and Shutter Island movies, and knew that his thrillers were thought provoking. Since We Fell is about Rachel, who, in the beginning of the book, is searching for her father, to give her some sense of identity. She had a volatile relationship with her mother, and her mother never revealed the name of Rachel's father to Rachel. She gave hints, but those lead to a dead end. Rachel meets a private investigator, Brian Delacroix, who advises her to give up the search.
    Meanwhile, Rachel becomes an investigative journalist with a career on the rise. She marries Sebastian, a co-worker, and Rachel is sent to cover the devastating earthquake in Haiti. She suffers a breakdown. Her marriage and career dissolve.
    Brian Delacroix returns to her life, and Rachel and Brian are a great match. While Rachel experiences panic attacks, Brian helps her with them. But, one day, when Brian is supposed to be overseas, Rachel sees him in town. She can't imagine that she really saw him, but a small seed of doubt is now in her mind. As Rachel nurtures that seed of doubt, her life unravels. This is when the book becomes a thriller.
    It took a long time to get to that point, and some of the storyline seems a bit far fetched.
    I am not sure how I feel about this book. Rachel is a very flawed, emotionally unstable woman. Brian is her savior, but is also her undoing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Not your typical Lehane mystery (is that why it's marketed as "a novel"?), but a very good read, nonetheless. There are some atypically exceptional characters here, and some clever plot twists. (Brian)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a review of a free book I received via the Amazon Vine Programme.

    I am reviewing the book Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane. This is essentially a love story, shrouded in suspense and family drama. When Rachel meets Brian, they're made for each other, but can their love sustain the choices they make? Here are my thoughts:

    ^^ I am a fan of Dennis Leahane's work, so was eager to read his latest book. But, I have to admit at first I thought this was a bit slow going at the beginning. Part One covered the searching for her father, and hearing how her relationship with her toxic mother had affected her, and was still affecting her after her death.

    ^^ Then it sped up and by the last third I was reading unbelievably super-fast and only then realising how it all came together, and why I needed so much background detail earlier. What I thought was slow going was actually providing a deep insight to why she'd have trust issues and provide motivation for her actions years later. I understood how Rachel's mother abandoning her contributed to her own lack of self-worth, and why she carried around with her so much guilt about a girl in Hati. After my original slow start I honestly didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did.

    ^^ Once again Lehane has proved to me (not that he really needs to!) just how much of a superb writer he is. He has such a distinctive way of writing which makes me feel like I'm seeing this played out on a screen, watching a movie in my mind.

    ^^ It's not one of those books that you're trying to work out who did it. You know straight away from the first line: "On a Tuesday in May, in her thirty-fifth year, Rachel shot her husband dead. He stumbled backward with an odd look of confirmation on his face, as if some part of him had always known she’d do it."

    ^^ What this story does it raise the question, "Why?"

    ^^ I also love Rachel and Brian's relationship. They mess each other about something chronic. They love each other, they hate each other. It seems like their relationship shouldn't work, yet it does. In fact, Brian is good for her! Honesty, if this sounds complicated it's only because their love story is complicated. They are two messed up characters, and pretty realistic with it.

    ^^ The ending has some great plot twists, and was quite emotional. It's one of those books that kept me thinkin g long after I'd read "The End".

    Overall: Characterisation is a big part of what I love about Dennis Lehane's writing, his characters are never boring or straightforward, even the good guys have issues. You get to see into the lives of the main two characters and see how they touched the lives of others. Everyone is looking for something in their life, or wanting to be something they're not. What this book asks is "Why?"
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Dennis Lehane comes up with some very intriguing plots (see "Shutter Island"). This particular book was suspenseful, chilling, nerve-racking, and in the end maybe somewhat unbelievable - but still, it was definitely an enjoyable read and one I would recommend.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    It gets off to a slow start, but really picks up around the halfway mark. The ending, unfortunately, didn't work for me—it just felt rushed and implausible—which affected my overall impression and left me feeling "meh".
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I enjoyed the book right up until the end. I felt like the story needed to go a little further to provide some closure.