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Dennis Lehane
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Shutter Island Kindle Edition

by Dennis Lehane (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 8,864 ratings

The basis for the blockbuster motion picture directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Shutter Island by New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane is a gripping and atmospheric psychological thriller where nothing is quite what it seem.

U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels has come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to find an escaped murderer named Rachel Solando.

As a killer hurricane bears down on the island, the investigation deepens and the questions mount. How has a barefoot woman escaped from a locked room? Who is leaving them clues in the form of cryptic codes? And what really goes on in Ward C?

The closer Teddy gets to the truth, the more elusive it becomes. And the more he begins to believe that he may never leave Shutter Island. Because someone is trying to drive him insane...

Readers say:

'What a roller coaster ride. The book is just as good as the film' five star reader review

'A treat of a reveal and it's a great journey getting there' five star reader review

'Shutter Island held my attention from start to finish. Can't wait to read more of Lehane's work' five star reader review

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  1. Print length
    450 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Abacus
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    October 21, 2010
  6. File size
    1.3 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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  1. Charm was the luxury of those who still believed in the essential rightness of things. In purity and picket fences.
    Highlighted by 776 Kindle readers
  2. The idea is to obfuscate. Confuse the listener until they believe out of exhaustion more than any sense of truth.
    Highlighted by 647 Kindle readers
  3. “But do we lose our past to assure our future?” Chuck flicked his cigarette out into the foam. “That’s the question. What do you lose when you sweep a floor, Teddy? Dust. Crumbs that would otherwise draw ants. But what of the earring she misplaced? Is that in the trash now too?”
    Highlighted by 501 Kindle readers
  4. We were supposed to grow old together, Dolores. Have kids. Take walks under old trees. I wanted to watch the lines etch themselves into your flesh and know when each and every one of them appeared. Die together.
    Highlighted by 434 Kindle readers
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Repackaged as a tie-in to the forthcoming movie, this audio version of Lehane's 2003 chilling novel features two U.S. marshals who arrive at an island off the coast of Massachusetts that's being used as a federal hospital for the criminally insane. Their job: investigate the disappearance of a multiple murderess from a locked room. Tom Stechschulte's rendition of the endlessly shifting story line is a tour de force. He begins by capturing the easygoing male bonding of the two lawmen and slowly adds a harder edge to the narration as they meet the odd people in charge of the facility and encounter an assortment of increasingly disturbing events. Even if listeners may be disappointed with Lehane's somewhat predictable conclusion, Stechschulte's delivery—shot through with pain and rage—ensures that they will not forget it. A Morrow hardcover. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Lehane is red hot--his Mystic River (2001) is currently being filmed by Clint Eastwood--and he returns with another blistering page-turner. It's 1954, and U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule arrive at a small island in Massachusetts' Outer Harbor. It is home to Ashcliffe Hospital, a federal institution for the criminally insane, and one of the patients has escaped. Although the two men are new partners, they have already developed a wry, jocular relationship while also swapping personal, painful details. Daniels' lost his much-loved wife two years prior in a fire, while Aule requested a transfer out of Seattle after being harassed over his personal relationship with a Japanese American woman. After interviewing the hospital's medical personnel, both men have the feeling they are being stonewalled, especially by the director, who seems to alternate between a cold authoritarianism and a sudden and sweeping compassion. When the island is hit by gale-force winds and Aule disappears, Daniels must go it alone, beset by the fear that he has been fed psychotropic drugs and the belief that the hospital is performing radical brain surgery as part of a secret-ops program. Lehane throws in one mind-bending plot twist after another in a psychological thriller that will leave readers in suspense right up to the end. A master of the adroit psychological detail, Lehane makes the horrors of the mean streets pale in comparison to the workings of the human mind. Joanne Wilkinson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0047CPB42
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abacus
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 21, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.3 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 450 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0748124800
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 8,864 ratings

About the author

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Dennis Lehane

Dennis Lehane

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Dennis Lehane (born Aug 4th, 1966) is an American author. He has written several novels, including the New York Times bestseller Mystic River, which was later made into an Academy Award winning film, also called Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon (Lehane can be briefly seen waving from a car in the parade scene at the end of the film). The novel was a finalist for the PEN/Winship Award and won the Anthony Award and the Barry Award for Best Novel, the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction, and France's Prix Mystere de la Critique.

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
8,864 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a perfect beach read with a tightly plotted mystery/thriller that holds them spell-bound throughout. The writing is well-executed and easy to follow, while the characters are well-developed and the story moves at a fast pace. Customers appreciate the book's thought-provoking nature, particularly its insights into the minds of the mentally ill, and note that it's very difficult to put down.

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368 customers mention "Suspenseful story"289 positive79 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful story of this psychological thriller, which keeps the mystery going until the end with many twists and turns.

"...He can express emotion and atmosphere quickly and convincingly. His main characters are incredibly fleshed out and very deep...." Read more

"...books (unless they're political nonfiction), this is one of the most gripping and memorable and thought-provoking and downright alarming books I've..." Read more

"...n't hesitate a bit to recommend this book to anyone that enjoys suspense and mystery novels...." Read more

"...The story plods along in some places - the parts with no dialogue and just pictures is especially interesting and leads you on a merry mind-bending..." Read more

345 customers mention "Readability"324 positive21 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as fantastic and a perfect beach read, with several mentioning they love the movie adaptation.

"Shutter Island had a strong, twisty ending that definitely made me stop and think—but it took a long time to get there...." Read more

"...Loved it so much!" Read more

"...This is not a story for the faint of heart, but Shutter Island is unquestionably a must read...." Read more

"Dennis Lehane is one of the best writers currently producing books. He has the ability to write in a very engaging style that draws the reader in...." Read more

103 customers mention "Writing quality"86 positive17 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting it is well-written and easy to follow, with one customer highlighting the brilliant prose, while another appreciates the excellent narration by Tom Stechschulte.

"Dennis Lehane is one of the best writers currently producing books. He has the ability to write in a very engaging style that draws the reader in...." Read more

"...The writing was also not skimped on--it wasn't dry or weak, but actually quite beautiful in places...." Read more

"...Well written and creatively crafted to keep you turning page after page. I would read it again just to see what I missed." Read more

"This is a haunting story that is beautifully written. It's a mystery wrapped in heartbreak. For those who watched the movie, read the book!..." Read more

69 customers mention "Interest"69 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging throughout, with one mentioning how it kept them guessing until the end.

"...It kept me involved and guessing. The prologue really was a great way to start the story...." Read more

"...In a heady mix of possibilities, hallucinogens, Nazi surgical experiments, torture, death and the ready tricks of a damaged mind, Lehane navigates..." Read more

"...He has the ability to write in a very engaging style that draws the reader in. He can express emotion and atmosphere quickly and convincingly...." Read more

"...Interesting subplots: Who is this girl that disappeared from her cell? Why are there guards around a "sanitation facility?"..." Read more

57 customers mention "Pacing"45 positive12 negative

Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, describing it as a fast-paced great read with action that moves quickly.

"...He can express emotion and atmosphere quickly and convincingly. His main characters are incredibly fleshed out and very deep...." Read more

"...It is a fast pace book, with things happening one after another and another, leaving me breathless at times and unable to put down the book willingly..." Read more

"...Lehane tells the story in a fast paced manner with good emphasis on the development of the main character..." Read more

"...It was a fast read and I sat up far into the night to finish it...and then could not rest...." Read more

44 customers mention "Character development"38 positive6 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with well-developed characters and great acting, and one customer particularly admires the character Teddy.

"...The characters were interesting and kept a great dialog going for the entire book...." Read more

"...Lehane is the master and the characters are his puppets, beautifully manipulated through the halls of an institution where mental patients run amok,..." Read more

"...His main characters are incredibly fleshed out and very deep...." Read more

"...The world created in the book is vivid and there's a starkness to the characters that adds to the atmospheric quality...." Read more

39 customers mention "Thought provoking"35 positive4 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, particularly appreciating its insights into the minds of the mentally ill, with one customer noting that it provides more depth than the movie adaptation.

"...His main characters are incredibly fleshed out and very deep...." Read more

"...this is one of the most gripping and memorable and thought-provoking and downright alarming books I've read possibly ever...." Read more

"...I was sold. I ate up the first 150 pages, loving every single minute...." Read more

"...Lehane uses this well worn story to make some really good points about society in general...." Read more

19 customers mention "Difficulty to put down"14 positive5 negative

Customers find the book very difficult to put down, though some mention it is complicated.

"...The first half of the book had me wondering about it. Seemed pretty routine, well written. But, where was it going?..." Read more

"This book is intriguing, fast paced, thought provoking, and nearly impossible to put down...." Read more

"...Mr Lehane does it again only better! This book is hard to put down once you start reading it. So many twists and turns...." Read more

"...The story is generally easy to follow and the vivid detail the author spends time to develop really immerses the reader in this "island" with all it..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • debbie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Crazy...lots surprises
    Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I'm un sure about last page ending. Not sure what happened. Im looking forward to a Good book club discussion
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  • RiNNA
    4.0 out of 5 stars A solid 4-star read
    Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Shutter Island had a strong, twisty ending that definitely made me stop and think—but it took a long time to get there. The first 200 pages dragged for me. There was very little action, and I felt like the pacing was too slow to really keep me hooked. The atmosphere and concept were intriguing, but the buildup didn’t match the payoff until the final chapters. The ending was worth it, but I wish the journey there had been more engaging. It took me way too long to finish this book - I wanted to DNF if - but I couldn’t because it was a book club read
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  • Tiffany Hampton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this story!!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2025
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    I’ve seen the movie and wanted to read the book because you know the books are always better and this one DID NOT disappoint! Loved it so much!
    One person found this helpful
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  • SweetRead
    5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely Engaging
    Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Not everything or even everyone is as it seems. Or maybe just stating plain intriguing. I could certainly see how people would want to read this book more than once. It kept me involved and guessing. The prologue really was a great way to start the story.

    The characters were interesting and kept a great dialog going for the entire book. I can't even say who my favorite character was since they just all really added depth to the book.

    I am a little surprised that this book is still available for reading. I would assume that too many people would find some things in this book as very offensive. I think the time when this book was set makes this story even more interesting. Mental health was still such a new concept. The practice in this book is very true and hard to understand.

    Some language and sex/sexual encounters/innuendos. Trigger warnings of suicide/mental health.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Luan Gaines
    4.0 out of 5 stars (4.5) Face to face with pure evil?
    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2003
    Verified Purchase
    Shutter Island is the kind of scary that creeps up, slowly, taking its time, compounding the menace. Marshall Teddy Daniels and his new partner Chuck Aule come to Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane in 1954 to find an escaped murderess, Rachel Solando.
    There are varying levels of patients at the hospital, the worst of them in Ward C. While conducting their search, unaided by top hospital personnel, Teddy mentions the loss of his wife, who died in a fire two years earlier. The arsonist responsible for that fire is currently held somewhere in the facilities, possibly in Ward C. Chuck expresses his concern that Teddy hasn't told him everything about this visit, his possible desire to seek out and confront the arsonist, Andrew Laeddis. Add to the mix a hurricane bearing down upon the island and no outside communications and the stage is set. Then a patient slips Teddy a note that says, "run"...
    All this is merely window dressing, the bare bones plot. The truth of this terrifying novel is purely psychological and devastating. For this reader, visions of Jacob's Ladder and Carrion Comfort loom, novels equally as frightening in this particular, and exclusive, genre.
    Lehane is the master and the characters are his puppets, beautifully manipulated through the halls of an institution where mental patients run amok, friends become foes and nothing is what it seems. In a heady mix of possibilities, hallucinogens, Nazi surgical experiments, torture, death and the ready tricks of a damaged mind, Lehane navigates through a mélange of terror that uncovers the most basic of human fears. Teddy Daniels comes face to face with his own demons, realizing too late that he ignored the warnings all along the way. Quickly infected with Teddy's paranoia, the reader is helpless as the intrepid Marshall forges ahead, unstoppable.
    This is not a story for the faint of heart, but Shutter Island is unquestionably a must read. Just don't make the mistake of thinking you've figured it out...Luan Gaines/2003.
    17 people found this helpful
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  • Kenneth E. Cather
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not Lehane's Best Effort + Obvious Twist Ending = Meh
    Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2010
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    Dennis Lehane is one of the best writers currently producing books. He has the ability to write in a very engaging style that draws the reader in. He can express emotion and atmosphere quickly and convincingly. His main characters are incredibly fleshed out and very deep. However, I didn't think this was one of his better books due to the ending.
    I really enjoyed getting to know the main character. He's a very well developed man of strengths and weaknesses. I found myself caring for his quest and his overall well being. The world he enters into on the island is a spooky one. The book definitely imparts a level of paranoia and fear every time we open the pages. This is a very atmospheric book.
    For all the strengths, the book totally falls apart due to the twist and the ending. The twist is one I thought was obvious and quite cliched. I think if you have a mind for anagrams or have encountered a lot of stories with twists, this will be an easy guess for you. It's just not very clever and worse, it takes a great story and makes it totally irrelevant.
    Twist endings are a tricky beast. There's the kind that come almost totally out of the blue and redefine the story - the good ones pay off all the build-up before the twist (think Million Dollar Baby), the bad ones are just silly (the Village). Then there's the kind that have the entire story build to them - good ones leave clues and everything fits together like a puzzle, the bad ones have tons of clues, some that contradict other clues, and force the story to serve the twist. Shutter Island is the last kind - the twist is obvious and doesn't even make sense in context of some of the scenes. I think Lehane would have been much better off just telling a straight story and letting the conclusion come naturally from the story he was telling rather than trying to force his twist onto the story.
    I give this book 3 stars because it's written so well, but I'd recommend avoiding the story if you have a mind with any propensity for logical puzzles.
    13 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Maria
    5.0 out of 5 stars Chegou top
    Reviewed in Spain on December 25, 2021
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  • L. Lacroix
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in Canada on May 4, 2025
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    I purchased this for a friend on her birthday. She loved the writing, and the story. I'll be looking for more of his books.
    Report
  • Alicebrallis
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best book
    Reviewed in Sweden on June 13, 2024
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    Such a good book, never read something better. It’s the small things you don’t understand that will be important in the end. The writer build up the plot twist sooo good
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  • J. Wells
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Despite having seen the film, I really enjoyed this book that I took with me on holiday. A real page turner.
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  • Dynamite
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sehr spannend geschriebene Geschichte
    Reviewed in Germany on March 19, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Ein tolles Buch. Sehr spannend. Guter Schreibstil. anfangs etwas schwer wenn man es gewohnt ist auf Deutsch zu lesen und nicht auf Englisch aber man gewöhnt sich sehr schnell daran. Je weiter man in der Story voranschreitet, desto spannender wird es. Die Letzten 150-200 Seiten könnte ich das Kindle nicht mehr aus der Hand legen. Der Film ist ja schon sehr gut, aber das Buch ist einfach viel besser weil einfach die ganzen Gedanken und die Gedankenwelt des Hauptprotagonisten ausführlich beschrieben werden was in einem Film ja nicht geht.
    Report

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