Gin Lane: A Novel of Southampton

by James Brady

No one chronicles the hilariously haughty world of the Hamptons better than Parade columnist and bestselling author James Brady. Now, in his second novel of the Hamptons, Brady invites you to take a stroll along Gin Lane , where name-dropping, celebrity spotting, and attempted murder heat up the glistening sands of New York's hottest summer haunt.

Everyone from the Southampton's moneyed WASPs to the local church elders has their noses out of joint over the arrival of offensively irreverent morning DJ "Cowboy" Dils-- and his buffoonish entourage of radio sidekicks-- to the perfectly manicured and utterly intolerant Gin Lane. Loud, lewd, and out to ruffle more than a few feathers, Cowboy doesn't expect a block party in his honor, but he certainly doesn't anticipate several attempts on his life. When Parade reporter Beecher Stowe and his lovely partner Alix Dunraven step in to write the hottest story of the summer, their efforts are somewhat sidetracked by a prominent local wedding, a possible visit from the President, and the egregious antics of Cowboy & Co. Now Beecher and Alix are determined to get to the bottom of this sizable sand dune, leaving no shell unturned and no fishy motive unchecked.

Genres: Fiction

314 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

James Winston Brady was an American celebrity columnist who created the Page Six gossip column in the New York Post and authored the In Step With column in Parade for nearly 25 years until his death. He also authored numerous books about his time serving in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War.

Brady was born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. His career in journalism started working as a copy boy for the Daily News, where he worked while attending Manhattan College. He graduated in 1950. He left the paper to serve in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War.During the war, he was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines first leading a rifle platoon and later acting as an executive officer of a rifle company at one point serving under John Chafee. The majority of his service took place in the North Korean Taebaek Mountains during the fall and bitterly cold winter of 1951 and 1952. Brady was awarded the Bronze Star with the Combat V (recognizing an award resulting from combat heroism) in November 2001 for his actions on May 31, 1952 in a firefight with Chinese forces near Panmunjom.

Brady died at age 80 on January 26, 2009 at his home in Manhattan.

James Brady is the father of Susan Konig.

Reviews

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Hamptons tale moves west a bit to Southhampton, where an Imus-like radio DJ, "Cowboy in the morning" moves in. The locals, of course, are upset and someone is trying to kill Cowboy. This book is chock full of name dropping and the annoying Lady Alex is present in all of her dullness. I liked Further Lane better, but if you're lying on the beach looking for an easy read, this will do.

The best part of this book (and Brady's Hamptons books in general) is how it paints the picture of the Hamptons, which is such a beautiful spot. How I long for the summer!