Small Mercies

In the scorching summer of 1974, Boston's Irish American stronghold of Southie is a tinderbox, simmering with racial tension as forced school desegregation ignites the city. Mary Pat Fennessey, a battle-hardened resident perpetually on the edge of financial ruin, faces her worst nightmare when her teenage daughter, Jules, vanishes without a trace after a night out. Concurrently, a young Black man is discovered dead beneath a subway train under mysterious circumstances. Though seemingly unconnected, Mary Pat's desperate search for Jules propels her into the heart of Southie's criminal underworld. Her relentless questioning quickly draws the ire of Marty Butler, the chieftain of the powerful Irish mob, and his ruthless enforcers, who prefer old secrets remain buried. As Mary Pat unearths a brutal reality steeped in ingrained racism, systemic corruption, and personal betrayals, she confronts the dark forces that bind her community. Dennis Lehane delivers an unflinching and masterful thriller, blending a gripping missing-person mystery with a searing indictment of prejudice, family loyalties, and the price of silence in a divided city.