The
Violet Hour
Non-series
Daniel
Judson
St.
Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-38357-6 (0312383576)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-38357-2 (9780312383572)
Publication Date: October 2009
List Price: $25.99
Synopsis (from
the publisher): Bridgehampton auto mechanic Caleb Rakowski gets paid
under the table at his friend Eric Carver's auto repair shop and lives
in an apartment above. He's good at his job, he's a hard worker, and
he’s making a decent living.
But right now he's sheltering a pregnant friend who’ll do
anything to keep her abusive husband away from herself and her baby.
Cal has sworn to protect her; that's the kind of guy he is, a true
friend. Little does he know, though, the trouble destined to come down
on them over the course of three days---Mischief Night, Halloween, and
the Day of the Dead---when he learns the truth about Eric Carver and
what he's been hiding all these years. And little does Cal know how
those lies will force him to risk everything to save the people closest
to him.
Review:
It takes just three days to turn Cal Rakowski from a quiet,
hard-working, honest auto mechanic into a man running for his life in The Violet Hour,
the fifth suspense thriller by Daniel Judson.
Cal’s father and his older brother were both criminals. For
this reason Cal keeps a low profile, hoping to keep the Rakowski name
out of the news. He works and lives in Bridgehampton, about as far
removed from the
Hamptons as you can get. His shop is in a rundown three pit garage with
a dilapidated home attached. His boss, Eric Carver, pays him
“under-the-table” for the work he does. He lives
rent free with all utilities paid. Normally he spends Fridays with his
friend, Lebell, bar hopping and occasionally drinking too much, but
staying out of trouble. One day an old friend, Heather Pamona, calls
Cal telling him that she is six months pregnant and she could sure use
his help. She has just run away from her abusive husband, Ronnie, and
needs somewhere to stay that he won’t find her. Cal suggests
that she come to his place. He assures her will take care of her and
keep her safe. That Friday, Lebell doesn’t show up for their
evening of fun, nor does he call or answer his cell when Cal calls him.
But this wouldn't be the first time Lebell skipped out, so Cal isn't
overly concerned.
It's Halloween weekend, and Cal finds himself at a party where
Heather's husband, Ronnie, is present. As is Heather's sister, Amanda,
though it isn't clear if she's there voluntarily or not. Most
surprising, though, is the presence of Lobell and his boss Eric, who
Cal overhears talking about Lebell's criminal past. Why
didn’t Cal know about it? They had been friends for years.
What has his friend become involved with now? And what does this have
to do with Ronnie Pamona and Eric Carver? Cal, confused by the
association of his friend, his boss and Heather’s husband,
first makes sure that the sisters are safe, then goes back to find his
friend to help him. In doing so, he becomes involved in a criminal
activity himself, and when trying to help Lebell flee from the killer,
he too must go into hiding.
The
Violet Hour is a compelling,
if darkly written thriller that exposes abuse of power and corruption
in the ranks of authority and compassion and good will between friends
who have no one else to turn to. Cal's transformation from
mild-mannered homebody to man of action is not as unexpected as it
might initially appear; as a mechanic, he's good at tackling a problem,
looking at the big picture and determining what he needs to do make
things work. He's smart, pro-active, and resourceful. The book's
success as a suspense novel is largely due to the strength of character
he exhibits. It's all quite well done.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Violet Hour and to St. Martin's Minotaur for providing a copy of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read The Violet Hour? How would you rate it?
Novels by this author …
The
Bone Orchard
Bantam (Mass Market Paperback), March 2002
ISBN-10: 0-553-58416-2 (0553584162)
ISBN-13: 978-0-553-58416-5 (9780553584165)
The
Poisoned Rose
Bantam (Mass Market Paperback), October 2002
ISBN-10: 0-553-58419-7 (0553584197)
ISBN-13: 978-0-553-58419-6 (9780553584196)
The
Darkest Place
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover), May 2006
ISBN-10: 0-312-35253-0 (0312352530)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-35253-0 (9780312352530)
The
Water's Edge
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover), June 2008
ISBN-10: 0-312-35254-9 (0312352549)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-35254-7 (9780312352547)
The Violet Hour
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover), October 2009
ISBN-10: 0-312-38357-6 (0312383576)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-38357-2 (9780312383572)
Omnimystery
keywords for The Violet Hour
...
Location(s) referenced: The
Hamptons.
