Title: World Gone By
Author:
Dennis Lehane
Genre:
Crime, Historical Fiction, Gangster.
Series: Coughlin (#3.)
A
few starting notes:
I'm a Dennis Lehane fangirl. Pure. Simple. True. So when I saw World Gone By at the library, I really couldn't help myself.
This is #3 in the Coughlin series - following Danny Coughlin (in The Given Day,) and later baby brother Joe Coughlin (in Live By Night and World Gone By.)
It can definitely be read as stand-alone, though there are spoilers for Live By Night in particular. To be honest, you'll get much more out of this book if you read Live By Night first - just for the character history if nothing else.
My sequel-reviewing rules apply here. No spoilerage for the series beyond what's in the book blurb here.
Premise:
Tampa and Ybor City, Florida, the 1940s. Joe Coughlin is a gangster from back in the days of prohibition.
Joe knows how to get money made; and its mutually beneficial for all of his... associates. So no-one would want him dead... right?
Is his lifestyle - his years of sin - about to catch up with him?
Best
bits:
Lehane, what are you doing to me? A gangster on the young side of 40, a bad boy with a dangerous past, who treats women right and is a loving and sensitive single father? I should not be in love with Joe right now, damn you! He's a gangster! He kills people!
But I totally am, and it's all your fault Lehane.
The writing sweeps you along - as is typical of Lehane books. There's something about his prose which is almost lyrical; and which I totally love.
It also puts your feels (or, in non-fangirlian: emotions,) through the wringer. (Damn you Lehane!) but it's like: I love you book. You just ripped out my heart and handed it to me, and that is why I love you. (*Maniacal laughter.*)
Not
so great bits:
As seems to be true for most of the books I read, this sure as hell ain't for the faint of heart. There's loads of swearing, violence, blood and guts.
There's also some racial slurs - including repeated use of the 'n' word. While that's in-keeping with a) the historical setting, and b) the fact that gangsters, as a rule, aren't particularly politically correct, it's still not OK.
This isn't a happy book. This is pretty grim. If you've read any books by Lehane before, you'll know what I mean - if not, well, just trust me.
Verdict:
I loved this book. A slick gangster novel that's firmly rooted in character and nuance rather than mindless shootings in every paragraph. This is subtle, absorbing, and quite simply excellent.
Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - The Private Eye Deluxe Edition by Vaughan, Martin, and Vicente
Last updated: 8th May 2026
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