Violet Dawn, by Brandilyn Collins, is a roller coaster ride of worry, creepiness, surprise, and sweet vindication. Her prose is taut, yet beautiful. You’ll find yourself cheering for Paige Williams while loving the town’s likeable (and un-likeable) characters. Collins expertly draws the fictional Kanner Lake in a beckoning way—the way a good author tempts us to new books, much like Jan Karon wooed readers with life in Mitford.