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Boone Daniels #2
The Gentleman's Hour
Boone Daniels, a laid-back private investigator, gathers with his surfing buddies on Pacific beach. There's no surf, but the Dawn Patrol are out in force regardless...it's what they do. Having no work to do, and no real reason to go to the office, Boone stays for the second shift on the daily surfing clock - the Gentleman's Hour; and ends up taking on a hated matrimonial case. But that soon becomes the least of his worries.When The Sundowner, a symbolic icon of the San Diego surf scene, sees a murderous dispute between a young surfer and a member of the territorial Rockpile Crew, the painful truth that violence is seeping into the surf community can no longer be ignored. So when asked to help on the defence by current love interest Petra Hall, Boone knows there will be outrage from both the community, and the rest of Dawn Patrol.As the two cases overlap in unexpected ways, an isolated Boone finds himself struggling to stay afloat as the water gets deeper...and more deadly.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2011
526 people are currently reading
1792 people want to read
About the author
Don Winslow
111 books7,419 followersDon Winslow is the author of twenty-one acclaimed, award-winning international bestsellers, including the New York Times bestsellers The Force and The Border, the #1 international bestseller The Cartel, The Power of the Dog, Savages, and The Winter of Frankie Machine. Savages was made into a feature film by three-time Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone. The Power of the Dog, The Cartel and The Border sold to FX in a major multimillion-dollar deal to air as a weekly television series beginning in 2020.
A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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November 19, 2025
SURF NOIR
Crystal Pier a San Diego: Boone Daniels vive in uno di quei minicottage sopra il molo, con l’oceano sotto, che gli è stata regalato da Cheerful, il suo ricchissimo contabile.
Prosegue la mia cura ricostituente a base di Don Winslow.
L’ora dei gentiluomini è quella che segue la pattuglia dell’alba: i titoli dei due romanzi di Winslow, legati tra loro, entrambi con al centro il personaggio di Boone Daniels, una specie di Tarzan in versione surfista che di notte legge romanzi russi, indicano i due turni di surf, all’alba i più giovani e rampanti, i gentiluomini sono invece professionisti, spesso di successo, vecchie glorie ma non altrettanto gloriose come la pattuglia, che si svegliano più tardi e scendono in acqua quando i più giovani, tra cui Boone, posano le tavole e iniziano la giornata di lavoro. Uno di loro è il bagnino della spiaggia, tombeur des femmes seriale, un altro è sergente di polizia. Poliziotto era anche Boone, ma poi ha lasciato il corpo ed esercita in privato la professione di detective.
La Pacific Coast Highway. Anche questa diventa un acronimo: PCI.
E come tutti i private eye che si rispettano, viene spesso malmenato, è sovente a rischio di vita, ma annaspando o puntando, i casi finisce con il risolverli incurante delle onde (leggi conseguenze) che mette in moto.
Winslow ha un vero affetto per questi suoi personaggi che grazie al surf si mantengono immacolati, giusti e buoni, per quanto forti e temibili: lo stesso surf diventa linea di confine tra buono e marcio.
C’è più poesia e ironia e tenerezza e paesaggio, meno drammaticità e durezza che nella trilogia dei cartelli (Il potere del cane, (Il cartello, (Il confine): sembra quasi che Winslow scriva per prendersi una vacanza dai morti della lunga guerra alla droga, e che lo faccia con gusto e divertimento personale.
Pacific Beach con il Chrystal Pier: ecco dove si riunisce a surfare la Pattuglia dell’Alba. E subito dopo è il turno dell’Ora dei Gentiluomini.
La trama ha parecchie svolte e twist, chi sembrava colpevole diventa innocente, e viceversa, chi sembrava innocente si rivela una belva. Ci sono corna e razzismo in apparenza, che nascondono business immobiliare e droga, le due grandi attività che muovono denaro a fiumi in quella parte della California.
San Diego, il più affollato corridoio del traffico di sostanze illegali dall’epoca in cui Satana ha passato la mela a Eva.
La Jolla Cove.
Crystal Pier a San Diego: Boone Daniels vive in uno di quei minicottage sopra il molo, con l’oceano sotto, che gli è stata regalato da Cheerful, il suo ricchissimo contabile.
Prosegue la mia cura ricostituente a base di Don Winslow.
L’ora dei gentiluomini è quella che segue la pattuglia dell’alba: i titoli dei due romanzi di Winslow, legati tra loro, entrambi con al centro il personaggio di Boone Daniels, una specie di Tarzan in versione surfista che di notte legge romanzi russi, indicano i due turni di surf, all’alba i più giovani e rampanti, i gentiluomini sono invece professionisti, spesso di successo, vecchie glorie ma non altrettanto gloriose come la pattuglia, che si svegliano più tardi e scendono in acqua quando i più giovani, tra cui Boone, posano le tavole e iniziano la giornata di lavoro. Uno di loro è il bagnino della spiaggia, tombeur des femmes seriale, un altro è sergente di polizia. Poliziotto era anche Boone, ma poi ha lasciato il corpo ed esercita in privato la professione di detective.
La Pacific Coast Highway. Anche questa diventa un acronimo: PCI.
E come tutti i private eye che si rispettano, viene spesso malmenato, è sovente a rischio di vita, ma annaspando o puntando, i casi finisce con il risolverli incurante delle onde (leggi conseguenze) che mette in moto.
Winslow ha un vero affetto per questi suoi personaggi che grazie al surf si mantengono immacolati, giusti e buoni, per quanto forti e temibili: lo stesso surf diventa linea di confine tra buono e marcio.
C’è più poesia e ironia e tenerezza e paesaggio, meno drammaticità e durezza che nella trilogia dei cartelli (Il potere del cane, (Il cartello, (Il confine): sembra quasi che Winslow scriva per prendersi una vacanza dai morti della lunga guerra alla droga, e che lo faccia con gusto e divertimento personale.
Pacific Beach con il Chrystal Pier: ecco dove si riunisce a surfare la Pattuglia dell’Alba. E subito dopo è il turno dell’Ora dei Gentiluomini.
La trama ha parecchie svolte e twist, chi sembrava colpevole diventa innocente, e viceversa, chi sembrava innocente si rivela una belva. Ci sono corna e razzismo in apparenza, che nascondono business immobiliare e droga, le due grandi attività che muovono denaro a fiumi in quella parte della California.
San Diego, il più affollato corridoio del traffico di sostanze illegali dall’epoca in cui Satana ha passato la mela a Eva.
La Jolla Cove.
July 18, 2012
I thought surfers were supposed to be laid back?
This is the second book featuring the surfing private detective Boone Daniels. An ex-cop turned PI, Boone seems to be the epitome of SoCal surf culture with a lifestyle that revolves around spending as much time as possible in the water with his surfing pals, the Dawn Patrol. Boone gets roped into a job that he doesn’t much want by Petra, a lawyer and his kinda sorta girlfriend.
Surfing legend and beloved community activist Kelly Kuhio, also known as K2, was killed in a senseless act of violence by a young punk representing the dark side of surfing territoriality. K2 was a friend of Boone’s, and he wants nothing to do with the case when Petra asks him to help prove that it wasn’t premeditated murder so they can get a reduced sentence for the punk. After realizing that K2 would never want anyone to be scapegoat in a misguided attempt to seek justice for him, Boone reluctantly signs on, but this instantly puts him at odds with the surfing community he loves and his friends in the Dawn Patrol, especially his best friend Johnny who was the cop who got a confession in K2’s death. Another rich surfer adds to Boone’s mental stress by begging him to find out if his wife is cheating on him.
Just like The Dawn Patrol this book has a unique setting and likeable main character. Winslow conversational style makes the reader understand surf culture and as always, his writing is entertaining as hell. However, the two Boone books rate a bit down my Winslow scale. There’s nothing wrong with them, and I’d recommend them to anyone looking for a readable mystery with style, but they just lack a certain heft that you get in Winslow’s best like Savages or The Power of the Dog or The Winter of Frankie Machine.
But since the worst thing I can say about them is that they aren’t Don Winslow’s best books, it still means they’re pretty damn good.
This is the second book featuring the surfing private detective Boone Daniels. An ex-cop turned PI, Boone seems to be the epitome of SoCal surf culture with a lifestyle that revolves around spending as much time as possible in the water with his surfing pals, the Dawn Patrol. Boone gets roped into a job that he doesn’t much want by Petra, a lawyer and his kinda sorta girlfriend.
Surfing legend and beloved community activist Kelly Kuhio, also known as K2, was killed in a senseless act of violence by a young punk representing the dark side of surfing territoriality. K2 was a friend of Boone’s, and he wants nothing to do with the case when Petra asks him to help prove that it wasn’t premeditated murder so they can get a reduced sentence for the punk. After realizing that K2 would never want anyone to be scapegoat in a misguided attempt to seek justice for him, Boone reluctantly signs on, but this instantly puts him at odds with the surfing community he loves and his friends in the Dawn Patrol, especially his best friend Johnny who was the cop who got a confession in K2’s death. Another rich surfer adds to Boone’s mental stress by begging him to find out if his wife is cheating on him.
Just like The Dawn Patrol this book has a unique setting and likeable main character. Winslow conversational style makes the reader understand surf culture and as always, his writing is entertaining as hell. However, the two Boone books rate a bit down my Winslow scale. There’s nothing wrong with them, and I’d recommend them to anyone looking for a readable mystery with style, but they just lack a certain heft that you get in Winslow’s best like Savages or The Power of the Dog or The Winter of Frankie Machine.
But since the worst thing I can say about them is that they aren’t Don Winslow’s best books, it still means they’re pretty damn good.
February 15, 2018
"Violence on the beach is very uncool."
- Don Winslow, The Gentlemen's Hour
San Diego Surf Noir, Take Two.
I'm enough of a Don Winslow fan after The Power of the Dog and The Cartel to seek after al of Winslow books's. There is a cost and a benefit of going back to read earlier books of an author you admire.
Cost: The books, invariably, are a bit weaker. This is usually the case. Writers grow, develop, and yes they too eventually slump. But this one follows the typical arc of a writer's carrer. This isn't top-shelf Don Winslow. Some of the characters are almost silly. The stories are a bit too neat and symetrical. So, you end up being a bit disappointed when viewing an author backwards. Try reading Mardi after reading Moby-Dick. I dare you. It is still writen by Herman Melville, but it ends up being a bit of a let down.
Benefit: You get to see early seeds of things that will eventually grow and mature in the author's later, greater novels. These are like recognizing waves that will eventually be surfable. You also recognize that not every novel has to be perfect to be enjoyable. I like Winslow as a writer and as a person.* I enjoy reading his early stuff because it gives me a better, more rounded, view of his later work. So despite the criticisms here and there, it still helps.
The Gentlemen's Hour is part two of the Winslow's Boone Daniel series (read The Dawn Patrol first). It follows the adventures of Boone Daniel, surfing P.I. and his band of surfing brothers (The Dawn Patrol), and yes sisters, as they deal with the friction of shifting loyalties, visions and ethics of life. It was Sprite, not gin, and went down easy. Some days, you just want a Sprite.
* I think he is generous with other writers and very approachable to his fans.
- Don Winslow, The Gentlemen's Hour
San Diego Surf Noir, Take Two.
I'm enough of a Don Winslow fan after The Power of the Dog and The Cartel to seek after al of Winslow books's. There is a cost and a benefit of going back to read earlier books of an author you admire.
Cost: The books, invariably, are a bit weaker. This is usually the case. Writers grow, develop, and yes they too eventually slump. But this one follows the typical arc of a writer's carrer. This isn't top-shelf Don Winslow. Some of the characters are almost silly. The stories are a bit too neat and symetrical. So, you end up being a bit disappointed when viewing an author backwards. Try reading Mardi after reading Moby-Dick. I dare you. It is still writen by Herman Melville, but it ends up being a bit of a let down.
Benefit: You get to see early seeds of things that will eventually grow and mature in the author's later, greater novels. These are like recognizing waves that will eventually be surfable. You also recognize that not every novel has to be perfect to be enjoyable. I like Winslow as a writer and as a person.* I enjoy reading his early stuff because it gives me a better, more rounded, view of his later work. So despite the criticisms here and there, it still helps.
The Gentlemen's Hour is part two of the Winslow's Boone Daniel series (read The Dawn Patrol first). It follows the adventures of Boone Daniel, surfing P.I. and his band of surfing brothers (The Dawn Patrol), and yes sisters, as they deal with the friction of shifting loyalties, visions and ethics of life. It was Sprite, not gin, and went down easy. Some days, you just want a Sprite.
* I think he is generous with other writers and very approachable to his fans.
June 13, 2016
Pretty much the only positive I have to report from this second Boone Daniels surfing PI novel is that it was an easy read. Beyond that it kinda sucked. It's a generic trope filled crime novel complete with two different cases becoming interlinked as the investigation gathers momentum, but the major crime as far as I'm concerned is that Boone Daniels is a moron, one of the dumbest private detectives I've ever read; he takes every clue at face value, tells just about everyone he meets every detail of his investigation and is constantly surprised when it turns out yet another clue was a deliberate red herring planted by the bad guy or whatever. Winslow is repetitive in his descriptions and character backstory too, ultimately making this a quick yet unenjoyable read.
July 3, 2018
Localismo aggressivo
Forse è riduttivo considerare L’ora dei gentiluomini semplicemente come il seguito di La pattuglia dell’alba, ma anche il fatto che il romanzo compaia nelle bibliografie di Winslow col sottotitolo di “Boone Daniels 2” (il protagonista), non aiuta a conferire un carattere autonomo e originale a questo thriller.
Winslow in effetti si sforza di aggiungere alle location di San Diego e dintorni ed alle tematiche connesse col surf che dominavano il precedente, qualche innovazione. Ad esempio il mondo delle palestre di Mma (acronimo di Arti Marziali Miste) fucina di sbruffoni ipermuscolati e di ragazzini che cercano di controbilanciare le proprie frustrazioni adolescenziali. Oppure un inedito tema “geologico” sull’instabilità dei terreni della California del Sud a picco sul mare e sul traffico delle perizie per decretare l’edificabilità delle sfarzose ville di La Jolla e dintorni, con il conseguente balletto di milioni di dollari.
A questi argomenti W dedica, interrompendo la suspense dell’intrigo, diverse pagine esplicative dimostrando un’approfondita conoscenza della storia del luogo in cui vive e una documentazione meticolosa sui risvolti più oscuri e pericolosi di una città come San Diego, il più affollato corridoio del traffico di sostanze illegali dall’epoca in cui Satana ha passato la mela a Eva.
Altro tema che desta interesse e riporta il racconto sulla pratica del surf, non tanto come sport ma come filosofia di vita (vedi La pattuglia dell’alba…), è quello del cosiddetto “Localismo aggressivo”, cioè il sorgere di gang che, non bastasse la posizione geografica che fa di questa zona e della dirimpettaia Tijuana uno dei luoghi più infestati dal narcotraffico, hanno come obiettivo la difesa, anche violenta, del proprio territorio nei confronti di incauti surfisti di passaggio, il ché ne fa delle vere e proprie squadracce dalle forti connotazioni razziste.
Ma pur con tutto questo materiale il problema principale del romanzo è che l’intreccio poliziesco è molto convenzionale e prevedibile; forse la (parziale) delusione scaturisce dal fatto che un thriller di ordinaria fattura e discretamente confezionato può essere concesso ad un esordiente, ma da Winslow che ha al suo attivo diversi ottimi romanzi ed almeno un capolavoro del genere (Il potere del cane) fatalmente si pretende qualcosa di più.
Forse è riduttivo considerare L’ora dei gentiluomini semplicemente come il seguito di La pattuglia dell’alba, ma anche il fatto che il romanzo compaia nelle bibliografie di Winslow col sottotitolo di “Boone Daniels 2” (il protagonista), non aiuta a conferire un carattere autonomo e originale a questo thriller.
Winslow in effetti si sforza di aggiungere alle location di San Diego e dintorni ed alle tematiche connesse col surf che dominavano il precedente, qualche innovazione. Ad esempio il mondo delle palestre di Mma (acronimo di Arti Marziali Miste) fucina di sbruffoni ipermuscolati e di ragazzini che cercano di controbilanciare le proprie frustrazioni adolescenziali. Oppure un inedito tema “geologico” sull’instabilità dei terreni della California del Sud a picco sul mare e sul traffico delle perizie per decretare l’edificabilità delle sfarzose ville di La Jolla e dintorni, con il conseguente balletto di milioni di dollari.
A questi argomenti W dedica, interrompendo la suspense dell’intrigo, diverse pagine esplicative dimostrando un’approfondita conoscenza della storia del luogo in cui vive e una documentazione meticolosa sui risvolti più oscuri e pericolosi di una città come San Diego, il più affollato corridoio del traffico di sostanze illegali dall’epoca in cui Satana ha passato la mela a Eva.
Altro tema che desta interesse e riporta il racconto sulla pratica del surf, non tanto come sport ma come filosofia di vita (vedi La pattuglia dell’alba…), è quello del cosiddetto “Localismo aggressivo”, cioè il sorgere di gang che, non bastasse la posizione geografica che fa di questa zona e della dirimpettaia Tijuana uno dei luoghi più infestati dal narcotraffico, hanno come obiettivo la difesa, anche violenta, del proprio territorio nei confronti di incauti surfisti di passaggio, il ché ne fa delle vere e proprie squadracce dalle forti connotazioni razziste.
Ma pur con tutto questo materiale il problema principale del romanzo è che l’intreccio poliziesco è molto convenzionale e prevedibile; forse la (parziale) delusione scaturisce dal fatto che un thriller di ordinaria fattura e discretamente confezionato può essere concesso ad un esordiente, ma da Winslow che ha al suo attivo diversi ottimi romanzi ed almeno un capolavoro del genere (Il potere del cane) fatalmente si pretende qualcosa di più.
December 14, 2023
Lightweight and quite corny at times, but enjoyable enough to keep the pages turning.
3 Surfable Stars
3 Surfable Stars
May 4, 2018
You know surfer dudes? Don't pretend you don't, because everyone knows surfer dudes: laid-back and easy going, probably good-looking and always up for adventure (of the next wave). That's Boone Daniels, whom we first met in The Dawn Patrol and whom I've started to genuinely miss. So here I went.
The Gentleman's Hour takes us back to San Diego's Pacific Beach, where surfer and private investigator Boone Daniels is case-less and not doing particularly well financially (as per usual), which leads him to taking on a hatred matrimonial case. But then someone gets killed in the surfing community and lawyer Petra and the painful truth that violence is seeping into his safe haven can no longer be ignored.
"Is this what has you so jacked up? That this murder confirmed something you've known for a long time but didn't want to admit - that surfing isn't the Utopia you always wanted it to be? Needed it to be?"
The characters though. This second book works as a stand-alone novel, but knowing all the characters already made me way more into it, especially when I realized that even close to a year after reading The Dawn Patrol I still remembered all of them: Winslow has just created an awesome and memorial bunch and a believable friendship group that makes you root for each and every one of them. They've all also grown quite a bit since the first one, feeling like real people with all their quirks and occasionally out-of-line behaviors.
For someone who isn't a hard-boiled surfer egg, it provides a lot of humor as well, especially when the characters start talking in something that can be identified as surfer language, for which Winslow will literally provide a (much needed) translation. It's hilarious. Speaking of which, it's the conversational tone that gives the world such a distinct voice, making this a wonderfully summery read. Can't wait to read more of Don Winslow's work!
The Gentleman's Hour takes us back to San Diego's Pacific Beach, where surfer and private investigator Boone Daniels is case-less and not doing particularly well financially (as per usual), which leads him to taking on a hatred matrimonial case. But then someone gets killed in the surfing community and lawyer Petra and the painful truth that violence is seeping into his safe haven can no longer be ignored.
"Is this what has you so jacked up? That this murder confirmed something you've known for a long time but didn't want to admit - that surfing isn't the Utopia you always wanted it to be? Needed it to be?"
The characters though. This second book works as a stand-alone novel, but knowing all the characters already made me way more into it, especially when I realized that even close to a year after reading The Dawn Patrol I still remembered all of them: Winslow has just created an awesome and memorial bunch and a believable friendship group that makes you root for each and every one of them. They've all also grown quite a bit since the first one, feeling like real people with all their quirks and occasionally out-of-line behaviors.
For someone who isn't a hard-boiled surfer egg, it provides a lot of humor as well, especially when the characters start talking in something that can be identified as surfer language, for which Winslow will literally provide a (much needed) translation. It's hilarious. Speaking of which, it's the conversational tone that gives the world such a distinct voice, making this a wonderfully summery read. Can't wait to read more of Don Winslow's work!
August 19, 2010
In the cover blurb for this book, Ian Rankin writes that Don Winslow is "so good you almost want to keep him to yourself." Far be it from me to argue with Ian Rankin, but I would modestly suggest that Winslow is so good you want to shout it from the rooftops.
"The Gentlemen's Hour" is the sequel to Winslow's The Dawn Patrol, featuring surfer/private eye, Boone Daniels, and again, the story is set against the backdrop of the San Diego surfing community. When a surfing idol is brutally and senselessly murdered, Boone alienates practically all of his surfing buddies when he goes to work on behalf of the attorney who is defending the spoiled-rich-kid-gangbanger-wanna-be who has confessed to the murder.
If that's not bad enough, another friend believes that his wife is cheating on him and asks Boone to investigate. Boone soon finds himself caught up in the tangled web of not one but two cases, and he seems to be alienating people right and left as he digs into the seamier side of the California Dream, exposing secrets that a lot of people would prefer be left buried. In the meantime, Boone is also trying to sort out the possibilities of a new romantic entanglement and so life at the moment is way more complicated than it should be for a laid-back surfer dude.
As is always the case with Winslow's books, this is an immensely entertaining ride. Fans will not be disappointed.
"The Gentlemen's Hour" is the sequel to Winslow's The Dawn Patrol, featuring surfer/private eye, Boone Daniels, and again, the story is set against the backdrop of the San Diego surfing community. When a surfing idol is brutally and senselessly murdered, Boone alienates practically all of his surfing buddies when he goes to work on behalf of the attorney who is defending the spoiled-rich-kid-gangbanger-wanna-be who has confessed to the murder.
If that's not bad enough, another friend believes that his wife is cheating on him and asks Boone to investigate. Boone soon finds himself caught up in the tangled web of not one but two cases, and he seems to be alienating people right and left as he digs into the seamier side of the California Dream, exposing secrets that a lot of people would prefer be left buried. In the meantime, Boone is also trying to sort out the possibilities of a new romantic entanglement and so life at the moment is way more complicated than it should be for a laid-back surfer dude.
As is always the case with Winslow's books, this is an immensely entertaining ride. Fans will not be disappointed.
November 4, 2024
El libro me ha gustado mucho y me ha parecido tan bueno como el anterior. Como aquel, la prosa es simple y muy ágil, de fácil lectura y usa un lenguaje muy de la calle, y tiene un humor bastante cínico e irónico. El libro empieza con caso aparentemente muy simple, que no tarda en complicarse y acaba implicando hasta al cártel. Algo que no te imaginas cuando lo empiezas.
Grande Winslow como siempre.
Grande Winslow como siempre.
January 16, 2012
Winslow's book is the perfect balm for winter. The protagonist, Boone Daniels, is a laid-back surfer, who does just enough private investigation work to pay the bills. The book is worth reading for the surfbonics alone. For the uninitiated, Winslow will deliver snippets and sometimes even stretches of dialogue in surfbonics, and then, he'll provide the translation. This is a very entertaining read.
For those readers familiar with Steve Martini's excellent Paul Madriani series, Winslow's Boone Daniels provides an outstanding contrast. Madriani is a San Diego-based attorney who ends up doing a large share of investigative work. By contrast, Daniels exposes the reader to a different side of San Diego altogether. As a result, the reader of Winslow's fiction views San Diego from a more diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic perspective.
As a result, the reader is not only treated to the hilarious surfbonics but also to a richer sense of the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and broad socioeconomic strata that comprise contemporary San Diego. The book has also prompted me to go back to read Winslow's first Boone Daniels novel - The Dawn Patrol. Here's hoping that Winslow's Daniels character has as much fictional traction as Martini's Madriani character.
For those readers familiar with Steve Martini's excellent Paul Madriani series, Winslow's Boone Daniels provides an outstanding contrast. Madriani is a San Diego-based attorney who ends up doing a large share of investigative work. By contrast, Daniels exposes the reader to a different side of San Diego altogether. As a result, the reader of Winslow's fiction views San Diego from a more diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic perspective.
As a result, the reader is not only treated to the hilarious surfbonics but also to a richer sense of the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and broad socioeconomic strata that comprise contemporary San Diego. The book has also prompted me to go back to read Winslow's first Boone Daniels novel - The Dawn Patrol. Here's hoping that Winslow's Daniels character has as much fictional traction as Martini's Madriani character.
November 9, 2020
I bought The Gentleman's Hour secondhand on a whim, i have read only one book by Don Winslow before, the really fantastic The Power of The dog. Now this book is really something different, where Power of the Dog is a book about drug cartels maffia and DEA, this is a book about Boone Daniels a laidback surfer that also happens to be a private investigator, who mostly chills on the beach with his friends and does some small cases now and then. When a hate crime happens on one of the most beloved dudes among the surfers, Boone decided to take the case. Alot of people and all his friends hates his guts for this. The story is easy and pretty standard. But i really did enjoy the main character and its different vibe of the book. When i think detective or noir i think of moody rainy places or early Los Angeles, not sunny San Diego. Long things short i loved this easy read ! And already have another book planned by Winslow.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
December 26, 2011
There's always an intrinsic coolness in Don Winslow's novels, whether he's writing his series with PI Neal Carey, chronicling the battles between drug cartels, or following a group of surfing friends, as he does in his terrific book, The Gentlemen's Hour. It's a combination of his vividly drawn characters and their often quirky-yet-authentic dialogue, as well as his ability to make you feel you're watching the action unfold in front of you.
The Gentlemen's Hour is a follow-up to his 2009 novel, The Dawn Patrol, both of which follow a group of surfers on San Diego's Pacific Beach, which has been rocked by the violent murder of local legend Kelly Kuhio. The case seems open-and-shut: the killer, a wealthy member of a surfing gang, has confessed, and a number of witnesses say they saw him throw the fatal punch. Yet when PI Boone Daniels is asked to investigate the crime to determine whether the charge of first-degree murder should stick, in addition to alienating his long-time friends and the Pacific Beach community, he finds a lot of things to prove the incident wasn't as cut and dried as it appeared. And that's only one of his cases, as he also is asked by a friend to determine if his wife is having an affair. Couple that chaos with a great deal of self-discovery, and it's not all "hang loose" for Boone Daniels.
I love the way Don Winslow writes, and every character in Boone's group is much more complex than they appear initially. Winslow takes the surfer stereotype and turns it on its ear—sure, these characters are obsessed with finding the perfect wave (or any wave at all) and may fall into surfer speak, but they are much smarter and profound than you think. This is a great book, packed with action and character exposition, although at times it gets a little bogged down in background detail. Winslow did introduce a psychotic villain, who I feared was going to derail the entire book, but luckily he makes only a brief (yet annoying) appearance. All in all, I enjoyed this tremendously, as I have enjoyed nearly every one of Winslow's other books. I hope he's hard at work writing the next one!
The Gentlemen's Hour is a follow-up to his 2009 novel, The Dawn Patrol, both of which follow a group of surfers on San Diego's Pacific Beach, which has been rocked by the violent murder of local legend Kelly Kuhio. The case seems open-and-shut: the killer, a wealthy member of a surfing gang, has confessed, and a number of witnesses say they saw him throw the fatal punch. Yet when PI Boone Daniels is asked to investigate the crime to determine whether the charge of first-degree murder should stick, in addition to alienating his long-time friends and the Pacific Beach community, he finds a lot of things to prove the incident wasn't as cut and dried as it appeared. And that's only one of his cases, as he also is asked by a friend to determine if his wife is having an affair. Couple that chaos with a great deal of self-discovery, and it's not all "hang loose" for Boone Daniels.
I love the way Don Winslow writes, and every character in Boone's group is much more complex than they appear initially. Winslow takes the surfer stereotype and turns it on its ear—sure, these characters are obsessed with finding the perfect wave (or any wave at all) and may fall into surfer speak, but they are much smarter and profound than you think. This is a great book, packed with action and character exposition, although at times it gets a little bogged down in background detail. Winslow did introduce a psychotic villain, who I feared was going to derail the entire book, but luckily he makes only a brief (yet annoying) appearance. All in all, I enjoyed this tremendously, as I have enjoyed nearly every one of Winslow's other books. I hope he's hard at work writing the next one!
May 7, 2025
Another really good book from Winslow. Continuing Boone's escapades and adventures with the Dawn Patrol, Winslow again marries a great story with both darker and lighter elements, combining this with great characters to make a book that I ripped through very quickly. If only he'd write a third in the trilogy!
August 27, 2025
Spectacular classic Winslow. I read this after I moved house in the summer near the sea. I loved this, a perfect summer crime read.
June 6, 2012
I'm not normally a go by the author-type-of-guy, but I'm totally a Don Winslow fan. I love his books, his high energy, straight to the point like a bullet that hits its mark, cool ass writing style. I also love that most of his books take place in and around southern California, I love the offbeat, yet feel very real characters he creates in his books—and this book didn't disappoint one tiny bit since it was typical Winslow at his best.
The Gentlemen's Hour is a fast paced, whodunit, but not an overly done whodunit. I almost forget you're reading a full-blown PI book, which is great for me because I'm not a huge fan of whodunits anyhow. I got wrapped up in the characters, the beach setting, the lingo of his writing and the crooked and loyal characters who are just so damn real to me more than I did the mystery aspect of this book. And Boone is now one of my favorite characters I've read in a book thus far. He's just so dysfunctional, yet so cool that he handles it ever so perfectly with a delicate balance that Winslow can write so well. This is the second book in the Dawn Patrol series and I hope to hell he continues on with these freaking addicting reads, characters and story lines! Winslow, stick to this and forget branching off and doing things like Satori. These are all you, Satori was forced and completely not you. You definitely made up with this one though!
The Gentlemen's Hour is a fast paced, whodunit, but not an overly done whodunit. I almost forget you're reading a full-blown PI book, which is great for me because I'm not a huge fan of whodunits anyhow. I got wrapped up in the characters, the beach setting, the lingo of his writing and the crooked and loyal characters who are just so damn real to me more than I did the mystery aspect of this book. And Boone is now one of my favorite characters I've read in a book thus far. He's just so dysfunctional, yet so cool that he handles it ever so perfectly with a delicate balance that Winslow can write so well. This is the second book in the Dawn Patrol series and I hope to hell he continues on with these freaking addicting reads, characters and story lines! Winslow, stick to this and forget branching off and doing things like Satori. These are all you, Satori was forced and completely not you. You definitely made up with this one though!
September 28, 2015
A worthy follow-up to the first book in the series The Dawn Patrol. Boone Daniels is a great character and though the plot was a bit creaky I found it quite entertaining. Listened to the audio version which was read by Holter Graham.
August 26, 2018
Don Winslow has, IMO, written some of the great crime novels in recent memory. 'The Cartel', 'Frankie Machine', 'Savages', and others in his recent output are violent, intricately plotted masterpieces. An earlier series starring the ex-cop, current surfer dude/PI Boone Daniels is likewise very good and begins to introduce some of the scarier aspects of the San Diego crime scene, like the Mexican cartel, to us. "The Gentlemen's Hour", the title referring to the '2nd shift' of surfers on the SD coast who are a little older and wiser than the young bucks, is the 2nd of the Daniels series and is quite a ride, albeit a little more laid back than his recent stuff.
The Gentlemen's Hour reveals a crack in the Dawn Patrol (the group of younger surfers who are up early to hit the waves before work). Daniels, a bit of a local legend, gets roped by his current 'squeeze', an attorney, into working for the defense of a young punk who had murdered a real worldwide surfing legend. This puts him at odds with about 100% of his fellow surfers. Adding to his problems are the fact that the investigation into the murder is being run by one of his Dawn Patrol buddies who's a key player on the SD police force and his 2nd PI job of snooping into the illicit affair of the wife of one of his Gentlemen's Hour acquaintances. Boone the slacker suddenly becomes Boone the busy guy with seemingly the entire world against him, except for his current girlfriend. As expected, things on his 2 jobs aren't what they seem (otherwise there wouldn't be a book in it, right?), but it's all sorted out at the end- which was my only real problem. The conclusion is a bit overdone but pretty cool in a cartoonish way.
It took me awhile to get used to Winslow's writing style and I now enjoy it very much. It's straightforward, uses a lot of jargon, doesn't necessarily follow normal sentence structure in all cases, and the dialogue is excellent. Character development seems to be a strength- you can see what makes Daniels tick and the other folks, particularly his surfing buddies, are also well done, although if you read The Dawn Patrol you'd have an even better sense of how they all fit together. The plot was excellent and fairly easy to follow, with a few surprises along the way that made it interesting. I've only been to San Diego (or San Dog, as they call it) a few times as a tourist and have always enjoyed it, but after reading several of Winslow's books I'll know next time to stay west of I-5, don't cut across another surfer's line, and not to make eye contact with guys sporting face tattoos.
The Gentlemen's Hour reveals a crack in the Dawn Patrol (the group of younger surfers who are up early to hit the waves before work). Daniels, a bit of a local legend, gets roped by his current 'squeeze', an attorney, into working for the defense of a young punk who had murdered a real worldwide surfing legend. This puts him at odds with about 100% of his fellow surfers. Adding to his problems are the fact that the investigation into the murder is being run by one of his Dawn Patrol buddies who's a key player on the SD police force and his 2nd PI job of snooping into the illicit affair of the wife of one of his Gentlemen's Hour acquaintances. Boone the slacker suddenly becomes Boone the busy guy with seemingly the entire world against him, except for his current girlfriend. As expected, things on his 2 jobs aren't what they seem (otherwise there wouldn't be a book in it, right?), but it's all sorted out at the end- which was my only real problem. The conclusion is a bit overdone but pretty cool in a cartoonish way.
It took me awhile to get used to Winslow's writing style and I now enjoy it very much. It's straightforward, uses a lot of jargon, doesn't necessarily follow normal sentence structure in all cases, and the dialogue is excellent. Character development seems to be a strength- you can see what makes Daniels tick and the other folks, particularly his surfing buddies, are also well done, although if you read The Dawn Patrol you'd have an even better sense of how they all fit together. The plot was excellent and fairly easy to follow, with a few surprises along the way that made it interesting. I've only been to San Diego (or San Dog, as they call it) a few times as a tourist and have always enjoyed it, but after reading several of Winslow's books I'll know next time to stay west of I-5, don't cut across another surfer's line, and not to make eye contact with guys sporting face tattoos.
November 22, 2020
Winslow es un contador de historias nato. Aunque se nota que es de los primeros libros, la trama te mantiene enganchado hasta el final .
April 21, 2020
The Gentleman’s Hour by Don Winslow is yet another example of this author’s extraordinary talent. Set in Ocean Beach, CA, among the surf community, this book features Boone, a surfing legend and ex- police officer. Boone lives a simple life that mostly involves surfing, fish tacos, and the occasional romance.
In many ways, some elements of this book remind me of Winslow’s The Winter of Frankie Machine, inasmuch as there is a strong camaraderie among surfers and the central character that make you want to kick off your shoes, feel the sand between your toes, and sit back with them to share a beer and a story.
Oh yes, the story. Like many of other Winslow‘s books, reading this creates a dialogue within your brain that goes something like this:
“I’m really tired, I should just go to bed now.“
“Not yet, just one more chapter…“
And so it goes until you realize that you’re way past your bedtime and loving it.
The plot moves along at a nice pace, with Boone getting deeper and deeper into an investigation that he is reluctant to perform, and at the ostensible cost of many of his best friendships. Along the way he cultivates a romance, examines his life, and manages to both receive and deliver some substantial ass–kickings.
Several of Winslow‘s novels have a very dark and violent tone. This, however, is of a lighter nature. Lest you get too comfortable, be warned, there are some pretty gruesome scenes along the way. In the end things will work out, and as a reader I found the ending pretty satisfying. This is a sequel to The Dawn Patrol, which I would’ve liked to have read first. Nevertheless, I’ve had no regrets reading any of Winslow‘s efforts, whether in order or out. Any fan of this author would do well to read this book, and if you’ve never had the pleasure, it’s a pretty decent place to jump in. Just remember to bring your surfboard.
In many ways, some elements of this book remind me of Winslow’s The Winter of Frankie Machine, inasmuch as there is a strong camaraderie among surfers and the central character that make you want to kick off your shoes, feel the sand between your toes, and sit back with them to share a beer and a story.
Oh yes, the story. Like many of other Winslow‘s books, reading this creates a dialogue within your brain that goes something like this:
“I’m really tired, I should just go to bed now.“
“Not yet, just one more chapter…“
And so it goes until you realize that you’re way past your bedtime and loving it.
The plot moves along at a nice pace, with Boone getting deeper and deeper into an investigation that he is reluctant to perform, and at the ostensible cost of many of his best friendships. Along the way he cultivates a romance, examines his life, and manages to both receive and deliver some substantial ass–kickings.
Several of Winslow‘s novels have a very dark and violent tone. This, however, is of a lighter nature. Lest you get too comfortable, be warned, there are some pretty gruesome scenes along the way. In the end things will work out, and as a reader I found the ending pretty satisfying. This is a sequel to The Dawn Patrol, which I would’ve liked to have read first. Nevertheless, I’ve had no regrets reading any of Winslow‘s efforts, whether in order or out. Any fan of this author would do well to read this book, and if you’ve never had the pleasure, it’s a pretty decent place to jump in. Just remember to bring your surfboard.
October 13, 2014
Lumping together Dawn Patrol and Gentlemen's Hour; Initially I was a little put off reading Dawn Patrol. Hey, I live in San Diego, I'm not a surfer but an ocean swimmer and have the love of the beach thang going, I consider flip flops and board shorts proper church attire..So why am I still so uncool? Then I just chilled and took pleasure in all the surfspeak, recognizing all the local spots (I even got a history lesson or two out of it) and enjoyed it for what it was. I liked Gentleman's Hour better, up until the last quarter of the book, where there were too many implausible twists and turns for my taste, bruddahs. I am especially fond of all the characters' nicknames, Not Sunny as the waitress replacing the irreplaceable Sunny Day, probably my favorite. Would love to see a sequel, or her own spinoff series, featuring the world shredding surf goddess Sunny.
Winslow's writing reminds me a little of what I've read of Carl Hiaasen. A good thing. And I see I share a Halloween birthday with Winslow, so there's that.
Winslow's writing reminds me a little of what I've read of Carl Hiaasen. A good thing. And I see I share a Halloween birthday with Winslow, so there's that.
June 18, 2013
The second Boone Daniels book (sequel to "The Dawn Patrol") possesses a lot of the strengths seen in that book and in "Savages": tight plotting, great SoCal/surfer dialog, and terrific local color. Daniels, surfer bum and private investigator, hangs out with a bunch of other surfers (one a cop, one a lifeguard, one a computer geek who works in a surf shop, etc.). He gets involved, against his will, in two cases that test his friends' loyalties to him, at the same time that they move him closer to a meaningful love interest. When the two cases begin to overlap, the number of people who are unhappy with him growa to include drug lords, gangs, the cops, his friends, and both prosecutors and defense counsel.
September 29, 2015
If you're a Don Winslow fan (like me) and you enjoy the adventures of Boone and Johnny B, then you'll have a great time with this one. Anything is better on a flour tortilla from the Tortilla Factory in Santa Rosa. Cheers, y'all
November 20, 2021
L’heure des gentlemen de Don Winslow, présentation
La Patrouille de l’aube est réunie. Mais il n’y a aucune vague. Ils discutent mais manque Sunny Day qui est en tournée.
L’heure des gentlemen est une vieille institution du surf. Ce sont les anciens. Ils ne se mélangent pas aux jeunes.
Dan Nichols avoue à Boone qu’il pense que sa femme le trompe. Il demande à Boone de la surveiller.
Avis L’heure des gentlemen de Don Winslow
La suite de La Patrouille de l’aube où l’on retrouve les personnages du précédent roman dont Boone Daniels.
C’est l’été. La Patrouille de l’aube ne peut pas surfer sur cette mer d’huile. Sunny est partie car elle participe à des compétitions professionnelles et elle a des sponsors. Mais cela ne l’empêche pas de donner des nouvelles à Boone, qui a pu s’acheter un autre van, puisque l’autre a brûlé. La relation de Boone et Petra est pratiquement au point mort. Ils sont attirés l’un par l’autre mais ils ne se déclarent pas ou des évènements font que ce qu’ils commencent ne peut aboutir.
Boone est considéré comme le clochard du surf par ceux qui le croisent. Mais Boone cache une grande sensibilité, le sens du travail bien fait.
Boone tente de faire son travail de détective privé. Il lui faut de l’argent car il est toujours dans le rouge. Mais l’argent n’est pas ce qui le fait avancer, le motive. Suite au décès d’une figure emblématique de la côte, il est embauché par l’équipe de la défense pour tenter de trouver des preuves que le principal accusé ne prenne pas perpétuité. Boone fait très bien son travail en enquêtant. Au fur et à mesure, il va se rendre compte que ce jeune homme, issu d’une famille qui a de l’argent, mais qui n’a aucun volonté, n’est peut-être pas celui qu’il prétend être. Malgré les pressions, il n’aura qu’une seule phrase et n’avouera rien. Est-ce qu’il se rappelle de quelque chose ? Avec sa bande d’amis, ils ont formé un gang pour récupérer un bout de plage dédiée au surf. Exit ceux qui ne sont pas de la région. Exit les gens de couleurs. Ce gang cherche à se faire une place, à frapper. Mais ils ne sont pas tous bien formés au combat.
La Patrouille de l’aube se sent délaissée, trahie par Boone, suite à cette enquête. Quand les jeunes sont désœuvrés, qu’ils ont de l’argent mais n’ont aucun avenir, qu’ils ne s’intéressent à rien, qu’ils n’ont aucun don et que la famille ne leur procure aucun amour.
Boone Daniels doit également faire face à une histoire d’adultère quand Dan Nichols lui demande d’enquêter sur sa femme. Dan fait partie de L’heure des gentlemen. Ils sont plus vieux que La Patrouille de l’aube et également plus riches. Etre détective privé pour ce genre de travail ne plait pas trop à Boone mais il le fera quand même. Mais un meurtre interviendra.
J’ai trouvé ce roman un peu long à se mettre en place. Est-ce que j’ai parce que j’ai lu les 100 premières pages un peu en dilettante, un peu chaque jour. Possible, mais dès que je m’y suis plongée, j’ai pratiquement tout lu d’un seul coup. Pour ces 100 premières pages, je ne savais pas trop où Don Winslow voulait m’emmener. Il expliquait la terre, ses failles, ses mouvements… J’ai donc compris le pourquoi du comment puisque c’est un sujet du roman avec cet expert, notamment judiciaire, qui doit rendre des rapports, très attendus notamment auprès des assurances pour les indemnisations lorsque des maisons s’effondrent. C’est également cette course à la construction en Californie, construire au plus près de la mer, construire toujours plus, construire des résidences de rêve, sans tenir compte des sols. Et c’est aussi, l’être humain qui ressemble aussi à la terre, à ses failles. L’être humain évolue, il peut prendre des décisions pas toujours acceptées des autres, notamment ses amis de toujours. Ces derniers pensent qu’ils sont trahis. Mais ils peuvent être toujours là et malgré tout évoluer dans le bon sens.
Quand on se plonge dans un livre de Don Winslow, on est sûr de passer un bon moment et d’apprendre beaucoup de choses. Outre la terre, il explique les arts martiaux et les différents arts martiaux et combats qui évoluent avec le temps, avec les personnes qui pratiquent, avec ce qui devient à la mode… Pour finir avec les sujets de ce livre, la suprématie blanche, le néonazisme sont très présents aux Etats-Unis et donc une prise de position de l’auteur sur ce sujet.
La Patrouille de l’aube est réunie. Mais il n’y a aucune vague. Ils discutent mais manque Sunny Day qui est en tournée.
L’heure des gentlemen est une vieille institution du surf. Ce sont les anciens. Ils ne se mélangent pas aux jeunes.
Dan Nichols avoue à Boone qu’il pense que sa femme le trompe. Il demande à Boone de la surveiller.
Avis L’heure des gentlemen de Don Winslow
La suite de La Patrouille de l’aube où l’on retrouve les personnages du précédent roman dont Boone Daniels.
C’est l’été. La Patrouille de l’aube ne peut pas surfer sur cette mer d’huile. Sunny est partie car elle participe à des compétitions professionnelles et elle a des sponsors. Mais cela ne l’empêche pas de donner des nouvelles à Boone, qui a pu s’acheter un autre van, puisque l’autre a brûlé. La relation de Boone et Petra est pratiquement au point mort. Ils sont attirés l’un par l’autre mais ils ne se déclarent pas ou des évènements font que ce qu’ils commencent ne peut aboutir.
Boone est considéré comme le clochard du surf par ceux qui le croisent. Mais Boone cache une grande sensibilité, le sens du travail bien fait.
Boone tente de faire son travail de détective privé. Il lui faut de l’argent car il est toujours dans le rouge. Mais l’argent n’est pas ce qui le fait avancer, le motive. Suite au décès d’une figure emblématique de la côte, il est embauché par l’équipe de la défense pour tenter de trouver des preuves que le principal accusé ne prenne pas perpétuité. Boone fait très bien son travail en enquêtant. Au fur et à mesure, il va se rendre compte que ce jeune homme, issu d’une famille qui a de l’argent, mais qui n’a aucun volonté, n’est peut-être pas celui qu’il prétend être. Malgré les pressions, il n’aura qu’une seule phrase et n’avouera rien. Est-ce qu’il se rappelle de quelque chose ? Avec sa bande d’amis, ils ont formé un gang pour récupérer un bout de plage dédiée au surf. Exit ceux qui ne sont pas de la région. Exit les gens de couleurs. Ce gang cherche à se faire une place, à frapper. Mais ils ne sont pas tous bien formés au combat.
La Patrouille de l’aube se sent délaissée, trahie par Boone, suite à cette enquête. Quand les jeunes sont désœuvrés, qu’ils ont de l’argent mais n’ont aucun avenir, qu’ils ne s’intéressent à rien, qu’ils n’ont aucun don et que la famille ne leur procure aucun amour.
Boone Daniels doit également faire face à une histoire d’adultère quand Dan Nichols lui demande d’enquêter sur sa femme. Dan fait partie de L’heure des gentlemen. Ils sont plus vieux que La Patrouille de l’aube et également plus riches. Etre détective privé pour ce genre de travail ne plait pas trop à Boone mais il le fera quand même. Mais un meurtre interviendra.
J’ai trouvé ce roman un peu long à se mettre en place. Est-ce que j’ai parce que j’ai lu les 100 premières pages un peu en dilettante, un peu chaque jour. Possible, mais dès que je m’y suis plongée, j’ai pratiquement tout lu d’un seul coup. Pour ces 100 premières pages, je ne savais pas trop où Don Winslow voulait m’emmener. Il expliquait la terre, ses failles, ses mouvements… J’ai donc compris le pourquoi du comment puisque c’est un sujet du roman avec cet expert, notamment judiciaire, qui doit rendre des rapports, très attendus notamment auprès des assurances pour les indemnisations lorsque des maisons s’effondrent. C’est également cette course à la construction en Californie, construire au plus près de la mer, construire toujours plus, construire des résidences de rêve, sans tenir compte des sols. Et c’est aussi, l’être humain qui ressemble aussi à la terre, à ses failles. L’être humain évolue, il peut prendre des décisions pas toujours acceptées des autres, notamment ses amis de toujours. Ces derniers pensent qu’ils sont trahis. Mais ils peuvent être toujours là et malgré tout évoluer dans le bon sens.
Quand on se plonge dans un livre de Don Winslow, on est sûr de passer un bon moment et d’apprendre beaucoup de choses. Outre la terre, il explique les arts martiaux et les différents arts martiaux et combats qui évoluent avec le temps, avec les personnes qui pratiquent, avec ce qui devient à la mode… Pour finir avec les sujets de ce livre, la suprématie blanche, le néonazisme sont très présents aux Etats-Unis et donc une prise de position de l’auteur sur ce sujet.
May 10, 2020
I have enjoyed most of the books that I've read by Don Winslow, so it was a bit of a shock how aggro (it's a surfer word, you'll get it if you read the book) I got while reading the first book in this series. As a result, I almost didn't read this one but that would have been a mistake on my part.
Coming out of the first book in the Boone Daniels series, I liked the characters, I liked most of the plot, it was the pointless chapters that had nothing to do with the book and served more as a travel brochure for San Diego that bothered me. They weren't part of the story--they were strictly filler in Book 1.
Winslow only goes off an a couple tangents in this book and it makes all the difference in the world. Instead of filler, this book is filled with fast-paced action, excellent dialogue and a plot that is cohesive--which readers of Winslow would expect from him.
When I put this one down I immediately looked for a book 3 in the series and was disappointed to see there wasn't one (though I've been told some of his characters show up in his new short story collection).
This isn't the intense kind of thriller that Power of the Dog or The Force are but I actually think Winslow is better in books that have a bit of heart and humor, like The Winter of Frankie Machine. This is a fast-paced, character-driven, fun story that puts it's protagonist on an island and tests him as he tries to remain true to himself even when doing so alienates him from the support system he learns he's been very dependent upon his whole life.
There is a bit of a stubbed toe near the end of this one. One one hand, I saw it coming (I don't think Winslow was trying to hide it), but on the other hand, the WAY it happened seemed a bit too coincidental. Boone--the protagonist--gets into a bit of a hopeless situation. We know his shadow ally is out there somewhere and if you read the first book in this series, you know he's a character with a strange kind of honor code. His actions aren't surprising, but the way it all unfolds has a deus ex machina kind of effect when it could have been really tight if Winslow hadn't been so insistent on making a surprise of it.
That's a small complaint though. This is a fun book and an easy recommendation. It's a 3.5 star book rounded up to 4 for me.
Coming out of the first book in the Boone Daniels series, I liked the characters, I liked most of the plot, it was the pointless chapters that had nothing to do with the book and served more as a travel brochure for San Diego that bothered me. They weren't part of the story--they were strictly filler in Book 1.
Winslow only goes off an a couple tangents in this book and it makes all the difference in the world. Instead of filler, this book is filled with fast-paced action, excellent dialogue and a plot that is cohesive--which readers of Winslow would expect from him.
When I put this one down I immediately looked for a book 3 in the series and was disappointed to see there wasn't one (though I've been told some of his characters show up in his new short story collection).
This isn't the intense kind of thriller that Power of the Dog or The Force are but I actually think Winslow is better in books that have a bit of heart and humor, like The Winter of Frankie Machine. This is a fast-paced, character-driven, fun story that puts it's protagonist on an island and tests him as he tries to remain true to himself even when doing so alienates him from the support system he learns he's been very dependent upon his whole life.
There is a bit of a stubbed toe near the end of this one. One one hand, I saw it coming (I don't think Winslow was trying to hide it), but on the other hand, the WAY it happened seemed a bit too coincidental. Boone--the protagonist--gets into a bit of a hopeless situation. We know his shadow ally is out there somewhere and if you read the first book in this series, you know he's a character with a strange kind of honor code. His actions aren't surprising, but the way it all unfolds has a deus ex machina kind of effect when it could have been really tight if Winslow hadn't been so insistent on making a surprise of it.
That's a small complaint though. This is a fun book and an easy recommendation. It's a 3.5 star book rounded up to 4 for me.
May 28, 2022
This was a 3.5 rounded up to a four because don winslow is one of my favorite authors.
The sequel to the dawn patrol, a surfer noir involving a diverse group of people who always surf in the morning and are essentially a super sentai team, sees Boone Daniel’s, the easygoing but troubled surf bum/pi from the first novel take on a case that makes him address some uncomfortable truths about the surf community. A local surf legend is killed by a gang of roped up thugs, and Boone has been hired to sus out the truth…. By his defense attorney who also happens to be his sort of love interest Petra. He’s also investigating the wife of a surfer from the Gentlemens Hour, an older group of surfers who go in the waves after the dawn patrol.
Like a lot of good detective fiction, layer upon layer upon layer of darkness is peeled back in a complex plot about real estate in California and gang violence. Winslow totally immersed the reader in this morally ambiguous tale about the difference between the right thing and the truth.
Not everything works though. Like the last book, Boone and petras relationship is the worst and most melodramatic part of this story, filled with corny dialogue and cheap attempts at stirring up sexual tension between the two. A lot of time is dedicated to this, and by the end it feels slightly hammy in a way the rest of the book doesn’t.
It’s still a good read though, as is the case with most of what Winslow does. Oddly enough it leaves things wide open for another sequel that, as far as I can tell, is never going to happen. Daniel’s did appear in one of the novellas in Broken though, so I’m sure it would be interesting to go back and reread that now that I have more context for his character.
The sequel to the dawn patrol, a surfer noir involving a diverse group of people who always surf in the morning and are essentially a super sentai team, sees Boone Daniel’s, the easygoing but troubled surf bum/pi from the first novel take on a case that makes him address some uncomfortable truths about the surf community. A local surf legend is killed by a gang of roped up thugs, and Boone has been hired to sus out the truth…. By his defense attorney who also happens to be his sort of love interest Petra. He’s also investigating the wife of a surfer from the Gentlemens Hour, an older group of surfers who go in the waves after the dawn patrol.
Like a lot of good detective fiction, layer upon layer upon layer of darkness is peeled back in a complex plot about real estate in California and gang violence. Winslow totally immersed the reader in this morally ambiguous tale about the difference between the right thing and the truth.
Not everything works though. Like the last book, Boone and petras relationship is the worst and most melodramatic part of this story, filled with corny dialogue and cheap attempts at stirring up sexual tension between the two. A lot of time is dedicated to this, and by the end it feels slightly hammy in a way the rest of the book doesn’t.
It’s still a good read though, as is the case with most of what Winslow does. Oddly enough it leaves things wide open for another sequel that, as far as I can tell, is never going to happen. Daniel’s did appear in one of the novellas in Broken though, so I’m sure it would be interesting to go back and reread that now that I have more context for his character.
December 18, 2019
Od Winslowa považuju za skvělou drogovou trilogii a policejní noir Force. Dvoudílná série s Boone Danielsem je taková solidní detektivní klasika, bez nějakých ostrých hran. Pozvolná, jako je samotný život surfera, flákače a občasného detektiva Boona Danielse. Tak pomalu plyne, až se přiřítí finále jako velká vlna a nechá za sebou trosky.
Tady autor přichází s celkem zajímavým pojetím. Hlavní hrdina vyšetřuje dva celkem běžné případy. V jednom sleduje nevěrnou ženu jednoho svého známého a v druhém hledá, pro svou přítelkyni právničku, nějaké kladné body pro chlápka, který ve rvačce zabil uctívaného surfera. Ten druhý případ mu dává zabrat hlavně psychologicky, protože se od něj pomalu začínají odvracet jeho kámoši. Některé věci se prostě nedělají.
A do toho jsou občas prostřihy do světa drogových dealerů, kteří si mezi sebou vyřizují účty. A vy víte, že tyhle věci se nějak propojí, jen nevíte jak a skrz koho. A tahle nejistota právě vnáší do příběhu trochu napětí.
Není to vyloženě zlý, ale ve srovnání s tím, co jsem četl předtím, je tahle série až moc klasická. S totálně kladným hrdinou a celkem střídmým detektivním příběhem s minimem nějaké akce či napětí. Naštěstí funguje finále, kdy autor šlápne na plyn. A provázání témat je nakonec docela uspokojivé. Přesto jsem v knize nenašel moc věcí, kvůli kterým bych se k ní chtěl vracet nebo si ji nechávat. V první svazku jsou alespoň zajímavé věci ze surferské historie... tady už je toho méně, ale taky se něco najde. Hlavě z historie San Diega a bojových sportů. Taky dobrý.
Tady autor přichází s celkem zajímavým pojetím. Hlavní hrdina vyšetřuje dva celkem běžné případy. V jednom sleduje nevěrnou ženu jednoho svého známého a v druhém hledá, pro svou přítelkyni právničku, nějaké kladné body pro chlápka, který ve rvačce zabil uctívaného surfera. Ten druhý případ mu dává zabrat hlavně psychologicky, protože se od něj pomalu začínají odvracet jeho kámoši. Některé věci se prostě nedělají.
A do toho jsou občas prostřihy do světa drogových dealerů, kteří si mezi sebou vyřizují účty. A vy víte, že tyhle věci se nějak propojí, jen nevíte jak a skrz koho. A tahle nejistota právě vnáší do příběhu trochu napětí.
Není to vyloženě zlý, ale ve srovnání s tím, co jsem četl předtím, je tahle série až moc klasická. S totálně kladným hrdinou a celkem střídmým detektivním příběhem s minimem nějaké akce či napětí. Naštěstí funguje finále, kdy autor šlápne na plyn. A provázání témat je nakonec docela uspokojivé. Přesto jsem v knize nenašel moc věcí, kvůli kterým bych se k ní chtěl vracet nebo si ji nechávat. V první svazku jsou alespoň zajímavé věci ze surferské historie... tady už je toho méně, ale taky se něco najde. Hlavě z historie San Diega a bojových sportů. Taky dobrý.
January 22, 2020
Another rock solid Winslow thriller. Starts off a little slow, but then starts to build up the story nicely.
At times, it feels like the closest Winslow has come to noir, particularly in the middle to end stretch when things threaten to become complex. And the whole way throughout there are all the classic hallmarks of a Winslow’s book. So you get a fair chunk of legalese; insurance/criminal chats; pre-court chat; cartels and fish tacos (The man loves fish tacos).
At times, it feels like the closest Winslow has come to noir, particularly in the middle to end stretch when things threaten to become complex. And the whole way throughout there are all the classic hallmarks of a Winslow’s book. So you get a fair chunk of legalese; insurance/criminal chats; pre-court chat; cartels and fish tacos (The man loves fish tacos).
October 13, 2021
Maybe I’m reading too many Don Winslow books lately? Maybe it’s because summer is over?
I am not sure where this one fell off for me, but I started getting bored with the plot towards the end. Not a bad book, but not as good as the first or Winslow’s other novels. This one didn’t catch me like his novels usually do. Thankfully the chapters are short.
I am not sure where this one fell off for me, but I started getting bored with the plot towards the end. Not a bad book, but not as good as the first or Winslow’s other novels. This one didn’t catch me like his novels usually do. Thankfully the chapters are short.
August 13, 2022
Winslow just delivers another great one. Beneath the San Diego surf bum setting lay a classic, old school detective novel. Boone Daniels is a 21st Century Philip Marlowe. Comfortable around criminals and hoods as he is billionaires and the elites, despite having strong dislike for both parties.
This book has it all: lowlifes, criminals, killers, elites, murders, conspiracy, and all the municipal corruption you can swing a surfboard at.
This book has it all: lowlifes, criminals, killers, elites, murders, conspiracy, and all the municipal corruption you can swing a surfboard at.
January 9, 2022
Winslow is one of my favourite authors and so it goes without saying I loved this book. It was a prefect holiday read as Winslow employed his short, sharp and punchy chapters which allowed for both quick and long reading sessions.
Excellent follow up from The Dawn Patrol.
Excellent follow up from The Dawn Patrol.
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