Synopses & Reviews
"One of the best crime writers at work today."Michael Connelly The electrifying new novel in New York Timesbestselling author Ace Atkinss acclaimed series about the real Deep South.
He is only in his early thirties, but now Quinn Colson is joblessvoted out of office as sheriff of Tibbehah County, Mississippi, thanks to the machinations of county kingpin Johnny Stagg. He has offers, in bigger and better places, but before he goes, hes got one more job to dobring down Staggs criminal operations for good.
At least thats the plan. But in the middle of the long, hot summer, a trio of criminals stage a bold, wall-smashing break-in at the home of a local lumber mill owner, making off with a million dollars in cash from his safe, which is curious, because the mill owner is wealthybut not that wealthy. None of this has anything to do with Colson, but during the investigation, two men are killed, one of them the new sheriff. His friend, acting sheriff Lillie Virgil, and a dangerous former flame, Anna Lee Stevens, both ask him to step in, and reluctantly he does, only to discover that that safe contained more than just moneyit held secrets.
Secrets that could either save Colsonor destroy him once and for all.
Review
“Atkins’ sense of place is superb, his story stark and suspenseful. Quinn Colson has a quick wit, a strong sense of honor, and radiates sex appeal, but more importantly he knows the difference between law and order.” –
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Review
“Atkins seems to have hit his stride with this splendid sequel to the Edgar Award-nominated
The Ranger.” –
Library JournalReview
"Edgar-finalist Atkins showcases his versatility in his exciting, thoughtful second thriller starring ex-Ranger–turned–lawman Quinn Colson . . . a contemporary laconic lead battling evil that could come straight out of a Gary Cooper western." --
Publishers WeeklyReview
“One of the best crime writers at work today.”—Michael Connelly
“A series that should push him to the top of the bestseller list.”—John Sandford“Keep an eye on Ace Atkins, he can write rings around most of the names in the crime field.”—Elmore Leonard
“[His] estimable range may bring to mind Lee Child’s hardfisted, softhearted Jack Reacher, which is entirely a good thing.”—Kirkus Reviews
Review
Praise for The Forsaken
“Articulate characters [and] a densely layered stack of stories. Atkins finds his natural-born storytellers everywhere. Its all music to these ears.”—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review
“Atkins excels in solid pacing, effective dialogue and compelling characters . . . Atkins shapes Quinn not as a superman, but as a flawed man who wants to do the right thing for his hometown . . . The excellent Quinn Colson novels, as illustrated in "The Forsaken," are the true showcase for Atkins' storytelling skills.”—Associated Press
“A darkly exciting thrill ride.”—Tampa Bay Times
“Dont miss this book or series. Its one of the best.”—Bookreporter.com
“Quinn is facing a seemingly impossible string of complications in this fourth series installment, but somehow all these layers of catastrophe make sense together, a testament to Atkins ability to capture small-town life. The dive into Jerichos dark past makes for great reading as Atkins rolls through a handful of perspectives, propelling the storys threads toward an adrenaline-laced, Wild West-style conclusion.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Atkins is at the top of his game in Quinns fourth appearance, filled with nonstop action and moral ambiguities. The sheriffs many flaws only enhance his human appeal.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Lean prose, solid pacing, and a compelling lead distinguish bestseller Atkinss gritty fourth Quinn Colson novel . . . That Quinn resembles the late Robert B. Parkers Spenser—both are uncomplicated, principled men unafraid to use violence to protect themselves and others.”—Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Fresh from ten years as a U.S. Army Ranger, Quinn Colson finds his hands full as the newly elected sheriff of Tibbehah County, Mississippi. An old buddy running a local gun shop may be in over his head when stolen army rifles start showing up in the hands of a Mexican drug gang.
At the same time, an abused-child case leads Quinn and his tough-as-nails deputy, Lillie Virgil, deep into the heart of a bootleg baby racket and a trail of darkness and death. And when the two cases collide, Quinn and his allies are forced to realize that, though they may be home from the war, they are now in the fight of their lives.
Synopsis
Fans of Justified and James Lee Burke will love Mississippi lawman Quinn Colson in this Edgar(R) Award Nominee for Best Novel from the author of The Ranger... When Army Ranger Quinn Colson, the new sheriff of Tibbehah County, is called out to investigate a child abuse case, what he finds is a horrifying scene of neglect, thirteen empty cribs, and a shoe box full of money. Janet and Ramon Torres seem to have skipped townbut Colsons sure theyll come back for the cash. Meanwhile, Colsons sister has returnedclean and sober for good, she says. His friend Boom has been drinking himself into oblivion and picking fights at the local bar. And his old flame is pregnant. But Colson cant focus on his personal problems. He and Deputy Lillie Virgil are convinced that Janet and Ramon have a taste for guns, drugs, and human trafficking. Soon Colson and Virgil find a link between the fugitive couple and a drug cartel that controls most of the Texas border, taking their investigation far beyond the rough hills of northeast Mississippi
About the Author
Ace Atkins, a former journalist, has written ten previous novels. Most recently, Atkins published The Ranger, the Edgar-nominated first novel in the Quinn Colson series, and was selected by the Robert B. Parker Estate to continue the highly popular Spenser series with Robert B. Parker’s Lullaby.
Atkins began his writing career in 1998, at age twenty-eight, when the first of four Nick Travers novels was published. In 2001, he earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination for his investigation into a 1950s murder. That murder inspired his 2006 novel White Shadow, which was followed by three further history-based crime novels—Wicked City, Devil’s Garden, and Infamous. Atkins lives in Oxford, Mississippi.