Synopses & Reviews
A Quinn Colson Novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Broken Places
Thirty-six years ago, a nameless black man wandered into Jericho, Mississippi, with nothing but the clothes on his back and a pair of paratrooper boots. Less than two days later, he was accused of rape and murder, hunted down by a frenzied posse, and lynched.
Now evidence of his innocence has surfaced, and county sheriff Quinn Colson sets out to identify the strangers remains and charge those responsible for the lynching. But as he starts to uncover old lies and secrets of corruption, he runs up against fierce opposition from those with the most to loseand theyre not afraid to play dirty.
Soon Colson will find himself implicated in terrible crimes, and the accusations just might stick. As the two investigations come to a head, it is anybodys guess who will prevailor who will come out of it alive.
READERS GUIDE INSIDE
Review
Praise for The Broken Places
“The Broken Places again shows what a powerful storyteller Atkins is. His affinity for solid plotting shines and his characters are so believable that you expect to run into them at the local diner.” —Sun-Sentinel (South Florida)
“Ace Atkins killing honesty sets a new standard for Southern crime novels.” —The New York Times Book Review
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 . . . [he] 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
“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
Praise for The Broken Places
“Ace Atkins killing honesty sets a new standard for Southern crime novels.”—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review
“Ace Atkins Quinn Colson novels have been exceptional from the start . . . whether readers are new to the series or fans from the start, The Broken Places will touch them the way all great novels do, profoundly.”—Shelf Awareness
“The action is stark and gripping, the Southern locale suitably atmospheric and the bevy of characters convincing.”—The Houston Chronicle
“Atkins continues to combine sturdy character studies with an action-packed tale about the contemporary issues of war veterans and small-town corruption . . . The Broken Places again shows what a powerful storyteller Atkins is.”—Tulsa World
“[Atkins] scores again . . . Readers new to Atkins will see why Robert B. Parker's estate chose him to continue Parker's celebrated Spenser series.”—USA Today
“Atkins just gets better and better . . . I will throw down against anyone who disagrees with the statement that Atkins is one of our best American authors. Period . . . No matter what literary genre you might favor, The Broken Places is a book you should read and will not forget.”—bookreporter.com
“Atkins voice is graceful and tense . . . Atkins habit-forming series [shares] a tremendous sense of (rural) place and powerfully nuanced characterization with those of James Lee Burke, Craig Johnson, and C. J. Box.”—Booklist
“A high-tension thriller with a hero to rival Jack Reacher.”—Kirkus
“Supercool. ‘Manly writing akin to Elmore Leonards Detroit Westerns.”—Library Journal
“Amid the full-throttle plot, Atkins never loses sight of his characters sensitivities.”—Publishers Weekly
Review
Praise for Ace Atkins and The Forsaken “Ace Atkinss killing honesty sets a new standard for Southern crime novels.”—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review
“Quinn has a quick wit, a strong code of honor, and radiates sex appeal, but more importantly he knows the difference between law and order.”—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Lean prose, solid pacing, and a compelling lead distinguish bestseller Atkinss gritty fourth Quinn Colson novel.”—Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Ace Atkins, a former Pulitzer Prizenominated journalist, has written fourteen previous novels, including The Broken Places, The Lost Ones, and The Ranger in his Edgar Awardnominated Quinn Colson series. In 2011, he was selected by the Robert B. Parker estate to continue the iconic Spenser series, which he has done with the bestsellers Robert B. Parkers Lullaby, Robert B. Parkers Wonderland, and Robert B. Parkers Cheap Shot. His previous works include the historical crime novels White Shadow, Wicked City, Devils Garden, and Infamous, and the Nick Travers series.