Books like Coronado by Dennis Lehane

Dennis Lehane’s “Coronado” gathers five newly written short stories and a play, presenting a compendium of his most compelling narratives. From a small southern town’s descent into danger, to a young girl’s transformation from victim to avenger in an inner‑city gang war, and an innocent man pursued by government agents, the stories span diverse settings and themes. A youthful romance amid the Vietnam War’s waning days, a compromised psychiatrist confronting an unstable patient, and a father‑son duel over a stolen diamond combine suspense, surrealism, and tragic comedy. The collection offers fresh material alongside selected previously published works, including “Until Gwen,” adapted as the play Coronado. At its core, the volume probes American identity and the expectations that shape our understanding of truth.

First publish date: August 8, 2006