The Gentleman’s Hour was published by Simon & Schuster in 2009, the sequel to The Dawn Patrol. The “Gentleman’s Hour” is the period in the late morning when the waves flatten and only experienced, patient surfers remain — a metaphor for the novel’s theme of maturity, patience, and the willingness to wait for what matters.
Boone is hired to defend Corey Blasingame, a young man from a wealthy La Jolla family accused of killing Kelly Kuhio, a local surfer, in a beating on the Pacific Beach pier. The case divides Boone’s world: the Dawn Patrol knew Kuhio and wants the killer punished; Boone’s professional obligation is to defend the accused. The conflict between personal loyalty and professional duty — between the surfer’s code and the legal code — drives the narrative.
Winslow uses the case to explore the class dynamics of San Diego’s surf culture: the distinction between beach kids who grew up on the waves and wealthy transplants who buy their way in, the territoriality that turns breaks into fiefdoms, and the violence that simmers beneath the surf culture’s public image of peace and harmony.
Collecting The Gentleman’s Hour
First edition (Simon & Schuster, New York, 2009): Cloth binding, dust jacket.
Market values:
- First edition, fine/fine: $10–$25
- Very good/very good: $5–$12