BFP to publish Daniel Judson's "Gin Palace" Trilogy!

Years ago, Bantam published the first two books in Daniel Judson's "Gin Palace" private eye trilogy, The Poisoned Prose and The Bone Orchard. Sadly, even after being nominated for one Barry Award, two Shamus Awards and winning one Shamus, the Declan "Mac" MacManus series was dropped before Dan could wrap things up. At long last, 2011 will see the long-awaited return of reluctant Hamptons P.I. MacManus as BFP reprints the first two, and publishes the never-before-seen third novel, The Gin Palace.

I've been a friend of Dan's for years, and I still remember reading that "first" (quotes explained in a minute) Mac book while I was laid up after oral sugery back in 2002 (which is neither here nor there, but considering my mindset, I was feeling mighty finicky). I thought The Bone Orchard was one of the best debut P.I. novels I'd read in a really long time.... even though I was slightly confused throughout. You see, the two books were published out of order, and when reading The Bone Orchard, you know pretty much all of the events of The Poisoned Rose, without really understanding what was going on.

Anyway, ever since I started Busted Flush, I've been talking with Dan about publishing them all, and now, at long last, the trilogy will be published as intended, with The Poisoned Rose out in the summer, and The Bone Orchard and The Gin Palace out in the fall, in time for Bouchercon 2011!

These gritty P.I. novels are perfect for fans of Reed Farrel Coleman, George Pelecanos, Sean Chercover, and Dennis Lehane.

"Judson's cinematic prose and realistic dialogue create lush, vivid scenes... [T]his taut thriller is far from predictable, and its dark and mysterious plot suits Judson's understated writing style." -- Publishers Weekly on The Poisoned Rose

"A vivid cast of characters and a frightening plot packed with dead bodies combine to make Judson's atmospheric debut thriller one of the year's more memorable reads." -- Publishers Weekly on The Bone Orchard