As much as I hate this from Dennis Lehane:

He knows what he won't do: write another whodunit about the two private eyes, Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, in his first five novels, which include Gone Baby Gone. "They were written from a young man's perspective. I left Patrick when I was 33 and he was 33. I've tried, but his voice won't come."

I completely understand and admire it. Too many authors keep writing the series long after the "voice" has left them. If they ain't talkin' to you, quit tryin' to make them talk to us.

Read the rest of Lehane's article here. I was on the fence about his latest book, but I think he pushed me over to the "read it" side.