cover image The Violet Hour

The Violet Hour

Daniel Judson, . . Minotaur, $25.99 (293pp) ISBN 978-0-312-38357-2

Shamus-winner Judson (The Water's Edge ) once again successfully mines Long Island's south fork for glittering noir nuggets. Auto mechanic Caleb Rakowski, the lone survivor of a criminal family, lives on the fringes of respectability in a two-room apartment above the garage owned by his wealthy boss, Eric Carver. Staying out of trouble isn't possible when you're sheltering the pregnant wife of Ronnie Pamona, vengeful former NFL player. Nor is it possible when your occasional assistant, Lebell, is being sought by killers who think you're the best connection to him they've got. The action plays out over a mere three days—Mischief Night, Halloween, Day of the Dead—as the inexperienced Cal tries to protect a growing number of people against crooked cops, trained assassins and other bad guys. Readers will want to see more of the flawed but appealing Cal, with his inbred distrust of authority and outsized sense of loyalty. (Oct.)