Mystic River (novel)

For the film based on the book, see Mystic River (film).

Mystic River is a novel by Dennis Lehane that was published in 2001. It won the 2002 Dilys Award and was made into an Academy Award-winning film in 2003.

Mystic River

First edition cover
Author	Dennis Lehane
Cover artist	Chip Kidd (designer)
Language	English
Genre	Thriller Psychological
Publisher	William Morrow
Publication date	February 2001
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages	416 p. (hardback edition)
ISBN	0-688-16316-5 (hardback edition)

Plot

The novel's plot revolves around three boys who grow up as friends in Boston — Dave Boyle, Sean Devine, and Jimmy Marcus. At the beginning of the story, Dave is abducted by child molesters while he, Sean, and Jimmy are horsing around on a neighborhood street. Dave escapes and returns home days later, emotionally shattered by his experience. The novel then moves forward twenty-five years: Sean has become a homicide detective, Jimmy is an ex-convict who currently owns a convenience store, and Dave is a shell of a man. Jimmy's daughter disappears and is found brutally murdered in a city park, and that same night, Dave comes home to his wife, covered in blood. Sean is assigned to investigate the murder, and the three childhood friends are caught up in each other's lives again.

Film adaptation

Mystic River, the Academy Award-winning adaptation of the novel, was released in 2003. The film was directed by Clint Eastwood and starred Sean Penn as Jimmy Markum (the character's last name was changed from Marcus to Markum for the film), Tim Robbins as Dave, and Kevin Bacon as Sean. Sean Penn won the Best Actor in a Leading Role and Tim Robbins won the Best Supporting Actor for their respective performances. It was also nominated for four other Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (Eastwood), Best Supporting Actress (Marcia Gay Harden), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Brian Helgeland).

Awards and nominations

Mystic River won the 2002 Dilys Award presented by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. The same year, it also won the Massachusetts Book Award.