Off the East End

When the body of a gorgeous young woman is found washed up against the rocks by an early morning surfer, and then promptly disappears after a photo of her goes viral, former New York journalist Paul Sandis stumbles into a career-making story. The double mystery —her death and subsequent disappearance—grips the town and its minority Latino community and turns out to involve Paul in ways he never imagined.

OFF THE EAST END immerses readers in the “real” Hamptons with its close portrayal of the area’s long time locals, real estate rich, city transplants, and new immigrants, and exposes the darker side of this elite playground with cutting humor and suspense. Investigating the scene where the body was found, Paul meets the sensual and strong-willed Merika, a Shinnecock whose family has lived among the rich white locals in the nearby reservation for generations. Paul, who left a journalism career in the city for his (now ex)-wife and son, finds himself embroiled in a mystery that unravels parts of the Hamptons most don’t get to see: the racial tensions between the white inhabitants led by a Trump-like local attorney, the Natives and the emerging Latino population; and the underground drug scene in which Paul’s own son may or may not be implicated.

With its main action taking place over five event-filled days in June, the novel explores the promise of escape and reinvention that is characteristic of the Hamptons. Yet through Paul’s search for love and truth and his community’s struggle to make sense of the tragedy, OFF THE EAST END also tells a uniquely American story about our perceptions and prejudices of beauty, tribal ties, and the desperate need to be found.

The debut novel from David Kozatch, OFF THE EAST END, will appeal to readers who enjoy the social satire and character-driven stories of Tom Perrotta (“The Leftovers”), Nick Hornby (“A Long Way Down”), and Jonathan Tropper (“This is Where I Leave You”), and the complex murder mysteries of Tana French (“In the Woods”), Joseph O’Neill (“Netherland”), and Mark Mills (“Amagansett”).