Shutter Island

In Dennis Lehane’s mystery thriller Shutter Island U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his partner Chuck arrive at Ashecliffe Hospital, a mental hospital for the criminally insane located on an island off the coast of Boston.  They’re there to investigate the disappearance of one of the patients, who allegedly escaped without a trace from a locked cell where she was under constant supervision.  As a hurricane bears down on the island Teddy begins to suspect there’s more than meets the eye on Shutter Island.

The Good:  It’s a page-turner and keeps the reader engaged throughout.  Lehane’s choice of setting at a mental institution on an island during a storm set the tone for his dark tale.  The twist (yes, spoiler alert, there's a twist), although I half-guessed it not too far into the novel, was still a surprise and well done.  Like with any mystery I went through several theories throughout the book, so Lehane did keep me guessing.

The Bad:  Not much to really complain about.  There’s nothing revolutionary about the book or its style, but it gets the job done as a fast paced thriller.  And it’s nice to be able to sit back and enjoy one of those every now and again.

The Verdict:  I recommended it to Mrs. so I obviously enjoyed it enough to encourage others to read it.  And it did intrigue me enough to consider seeing the movie (although now I know the ending) with Mrs. fave Leonardo DiCaprio (note: that was sarcastic, he's the opposite of a Mrs. fave).

Next up:  Desire of the Everlasting Hills by Thomas Cahill