Synopses & Reviews
What would you do if you only had twenty four hours to save the life of a friend?
Searching for lost souls and solving problems was never Nick Travers's intention when he started doing favors for his buddies. A former football player who sometimes teaches blues history at Tulane, Nick would rather just watch the Louisiana rain and listen to old Muddy Waters records.
But when music mogul Teddy Paris, a former teammate from the New Orleans Saints, visits Nick and asks him to help find $700,000 taken from a rap prodigy, Nick can't turn down his friend. The missing money will pay a bounty on Paris's head that was set by a crosstown rival, a street-hard thug named Cash.
Nick soon finds himself lost in the world of Gucci-lined Bentleys and endless bottles of Cristal champagne. He sets out with fifteen-year-old rap star, ALIAS, seeking a team of grifters that conned the kid. But uncertainty, the constant threat of violence, and a phantom grave robber haunt their search. When a killer hits too close, Nick takes ALIAS with him to the Mississippi Delta, where he comes under the protection and guidance of Nick's mentor, blues legend JoJo Jackson, and his wife, Loretta.
Soon Nick, JoJo, and another old-school Delta tough guy do battle in the Dirty South rap world where money, sex, and murder threaten to take down Paris's empire and destroy ALIAS. As cultures clash, the story winds its way through the infamous Calliope housing projects, the newly built mansions of New Orleans's lake-front, and ultimately to the brackish muck of the Bayou Savage.
Dirty South is a thrilling tale of friendship, betrayal, revenge, and trust from a fresh and hip new voice. Take a ride to the other side of New Orleans, away from the neon gloss of Bourbon Street, to see what the dirty south is all about.
Review:
"[G]iven the ramshackle structure of the story, the wise move is to follow the flashy characters....[Nick is] at home on this turf, a hip guide who knows exactly where to walk without stepping on anybody's toes." Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review
Review:
"The mystery Atkins sets up here is good, solidly constructed as his mysteries always are. But what works its way under your skin is Atkins' peculiar combination of realism and eeriness....As a writer, Atkins knows how to walk fine lines with perfect balance; his books are compassionate, hard and richly atmospheric in a way that never overshadows narrative. As much as anyone else writing, he escapes the sentimentality that bedevils hard-boiled fiction." Charles Taylor, Salon.com
Review:
"As usual, Atkins's sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, always colorful characters are better than his overstuffed plot." Kirkus Reviews
Review:
"[R]ichly atmospheric yet action-starved....Fans of the Delta blues will appreciate Atkins's inarguably deep musical knowledge...yet those looking for a good yarn may find themselves hopelessly tangled by the end." Publishers Weekly
Review:
"Atkins has demonstrated that writing a mystery is a lot like playing the blues: innovation and virtuosity are less important than the ability to find a comfortable groove." Keir Graff, Booklist
Review:
"Atkins...add[s] eerie overtones to an otherwise straightforward plot. Atkins devotees will welcome additional insight into Nick Travers, while action fans will applaud the novel's breathtaking climax." Library Journal
About the Author
Ace Atkins, an Alabama native, earned nominations for the Pulitzer Prize and the Livingston Award for his work covering crime at the Tampa Tribune. He now teaches at the University of Mississippi and lives on a century-old farm outside Oxford with a half-dozen faithful mutts, including Elvis and Polk Salad Annie. And yes, Ace is his real name.