Library Journal Reviews
Years ago, teenager Brandon Taylor ambled into the Tibbehah County, MS, woodlands and was never seen again. Now bones presumed to be Brandon's have been discovered, and though fingers are being pointed at Sheriff Quinn Colson's uncle, the corrupt former sheriff, Quinn's wife suspects a conspiracy related to letters she's been receiving from the state penitentiary. From a New York Times best-selling author with escalating sales.
Copyright 2019 Library Journal.
Library Journal Reviews
Once again, ranger-turned-sheriff Quinn Colson and a small group of deputies and law enforcement friends battle corruption and crime in northeast Mississippi. A crooked politician, backed by the Syndicate, is running for governor. The mob and their candidate face a challenge from a truck stop madam who has plans to make the state a place for drug trafficking and prostitution. A 20-year-old crime brings everything crashing down when a podcaster comes to town to investigate the old case of a teenager who supposedly committed suicide. Quinn tries to find the old records of the tragedy handled by his uncle, the late former sheriff, but politicians and criminals unite to stop him. Quinn's attempts to fight corruption in Tibbehah could lead to his death. VERDICT The author follows The Sinners with a troubling, violent, plot-driven drama focusing on far-right politics supported by corruption and murder. The result is an intense, open-ended novel that should carry a "To be continued" message. It's no surprise Atkins has continued Robert B. Parker's "Spenser" series. Fans of those books, or of Lee Child's "Jack Reacher" titles, will relish this series featuring another lone hero battling evil. [See Prepub Alert, 1/23/19.] —Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
Copyright 2019 Library Journal.
Publishers Weekly Reviews
In bestseller Atkins's gritty ninth Quinn Colson novel (after 2018's The Sinners), Colson, the sheriff of Tibbehah County, Miss., is alarmed by the growing popularity of Jimmy Vardaman, a gubernatorial candidate who dismisses accusations of racism as "fake news." Vardaman has appeared on the fringes of Colson's corruption investigations, but the sheriff has been unable to get sufficient evidence to bring charges. Colson hopes that will change after he gets custody of Wes Taggart, a lowlife who attempted to kill one of Colson's friends, who he believes is connected with Vardaman. Meanwhile, Tashi Coleman, the host of a true crime podcast, has arrived in Tibbehah County to look into a 20-year-old mystery—the death of 15-year-old Brandon Taylor. Taylor went missing in the woods, only to be found a week later, dead of a gunshot wound. Tashi has doubts about the rigor of the investigation led by the sheriff at the time, Quinn's uncle, Hamp Beckett. The suspense rises as the two cases converge. Atkins makes the thrilling plot accessible for first-timers, while further deepening both main and secondary characters. Series fans will be eager to see what's next in store for Quinn. Author tour. Agent: Esther Newberg, ICM. (July)
Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly.