Bridgehampton - Award-winning author Dan Judson has brought a singular and mesmerizing quality to his novels of murder and suspense set in the Hamptons; in "The Violet Hour" (Minotaur Books, Oct. 13, $25.99), he takes readers on another midnight tour of the coast, a place where luxurious mansions are a façade hiding unspeakable acts.

Cal Rakowski, a young Bridgehampton mechanic, lives in a world removed from the wealth of the beachfront homes; the son of a crook, Cal has spent his life lying low, a tendency which serves him well now that he's sheltering a woman from her abusive - and powerful - husband, Ronnie Pamona. But avoiding danger becomes impossible when Cal is pulled into not one but two deadly situations. First, his guest's sister needs rescuing from Pamona's house, where she's a hostage at a sinister Halloween party. Even more ominous, Cal discovers that his best friend Lebell is a former criminal, currently being hunted down by some ruthless killers. Cal is desperate to help the people who are counting on him, but the odds that he'll survive Halloween are dropping by the second.

Judson currently lives in Connecticut, and spent over a decade in Southampton. His previous books have won a Shamus Award and a Barry Award nomination.