I’m a fan of Ace Atkins, and the beginning of this book made me expect to love it. The conflict of the recuperating Quinn Colson with the horrible interim sheriff looked like a juicy subplot, and the main investigation seemed promising.  Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into this one.  I spent more than half the book trying in vain to take an interest in all the gangstery goings-on, and the rest of it just sort of waiting for it all to end.  At no point did I feel so engaged in the story that I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen.  Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review a digital advance copy.

Atkins' popular series hero Quinn Colson is back, still recovering from his last outing, which left him severely injured and replaced in a political power grab by a corridor governor who's put an equally corrupt crony in the sheriff's office. But Quinn, his friend Boom and a handful of federal lawmen - and women - are quietly planning to take the reins of law enforcement in North Mississippi back from the interlopers , especially from the woman who stands astride every criminal enterprise in the county.. A fast paced mystery for fans of the genre .

I received a free advance copy of this from NetGalley for review.

A completely immoral man has taken charge of the government, and the wave of corruption and racism he unleashed is completely undermining the rule of law. Welcome to America. Oops. I meant – Welcome to Tibbehah County, Mississippi.

I can’t imagine how I mixed that up…

As Sheriff Quinn Colson is recovering after being shot, the new shithead governor is cutting deals with criminals and the filthy rich while blaming everything wrong with the world on immigrants and liberals. So Quinn is sidelined while the new local crime boss, Fannie Hathcock, expands her operation with the assistance of the crooked temporary sheriff appointed by the gov. If that’s not enough to worry about, Quinn also has a pregnant wife about to deliver a baby, the old friend he sent to prison for selling automatic weapons just got released, and he’s getting a touch too fond of the painkillers he’s been taking…

Ace Atkins has been working up to this point for several books, and while current events were certainly a big influence on it, he never loses the story threads and themes he’s developed over the course of the series. As always, while Quinn is the focus there’s a lot of time spent with other people so that Tibbehah County is a complete world in which every character has their own story. Whether it’s Quinn’s nephew struggling to help a young immigrant girl whose mother has been arrested and is about to be deported, or Fannie Hathcock ruthlessly running her small empire, it all feels like this is a bunch of real people whose lives get tangled up in various ways as they pursue their own agendas.

The structure of the series has been to tell a fairly self-contained story in each one while leaving some threads dangling to pick up in the next book, but this has more of a wrap-up feel to it with Atkins delivering some definite conclusions to several of the plots that have been on the boil for a while now. The payoffs are well done overall, and as usual, nothing in Tibbehah County goes exactly according to plan.

The only problem is one I’ve seen in other books based on the political events of the last few years. Essentially, I think crime writers tend to do stories about justice being done in some fashion, and they just couldn’t imagine how bad things would actually get when they were working on these books a year or two ago. (Life comes at you fast these days.) So in this current hellscape when it often feels like the entire justice system has broken down, and there’s no scandal that can’t be spun on Fox News, a book like this can end up feeling kind of naïve and simplistic.

As I’ve noted in other reviews with similar problems, I don’t blame the authors for this because think about what I’m really saying here. – The problem with a book in which a criminal governor takes over a state and fills it with corrupt officials is that it isn't cynical enough because reality has proven to be so much worse.

That’s pretty fucked up.

So again, I don’t really count it as a strike against the books or Atkins’ plotting. It’s just that it’s really tough for creators to come up with stories that could have imagined the depths we’d sink to so fast with little hope of the good guys winning.

Setting that aside, it’s always a pleasure to check in with Quinn and what’s going on in Tibbehah, and it was nice to get some satisfying conclusions to several of the on-going stories with the prospect of a doozy of a new one now hanging out there.

The book opens with sheriff Quinn shot and left for dead his friend comes to his aid and then his wife Molly who is a nurse will later help with his recovery. After his shooting though changes start to happen in the county. A new sheriff is appointed by the governor and most people feel corruption behind it. Then you have ICE raiding a chicken factory and taking away parents while leaving their children behind to fend for themselves. 
  Fanny who runs most if not all of the illegal activity around the area. Along with her bodyguard. Then an Indian hitman who is looking for information into who killed his son who worked for Fanny. Sex trafficking also comes into the story for a bit. Then who have the different people wanted to help Quinn get the county back to him? From a U.S. Marshall and an undercover agent inside Fannie's organization to a released convict that surprises everyone that he is actually working for the good guys this time. 
  I felt like the first half of the book was setting up all of the characters, putting everyone into their place. When I got past the halfway mark I could not put this book down until the end. From that point on it was full of action and fast-paced. Even the few moments that it did slowed it was moving the story along with Molly and Quinn but the dialogue kept you going and then right back into the throws of the action. The first time I read this author and I was not disappointed. A very good book.

THE REVELATORS: A Quinn Colson Novel
Ace Atkins
Putnam Books
ISBN-13: 978-0525539490
Hardcover
Thriller 

It isn’t really all that difficult to believe that THE REVELATORS is the tenth installment by author Ace Atkins in the Quinn Colson series in as many years. Atkins has matched quality with quantity, maintaining a superlative standard while also keeping Robert B. Parker’s Spenser canon humming at the level maintained by its creator. THE REVELATORS keeps Atkins’ string on the series intact, meeting and, well, surpassing what has gone before with a story that is well nigh impossible to put down.

THE REVELATORS takes place a bit less than one year after the events of THE SHAMELESS, though it takes a step or two back to fill in the blanks of the events leading up to the conclusion of the latter and what happened afterward. Colson at the end of THE SHAMELESS wasn’t singing in the Choir Invisible but certainly heard the pitch pipe before the organ started playing. His question status was the result of an ambush carried out at the behest of Fannie Hathcock, the owner-operator of an established strip club in Tibbehah County not to mention other forms of vice and criminal activity. The book’s present finds Colson slowly recuperating from gunshot wounds and unfortunately dealing with a burgeoning addiction to pain medication which he is attempting, unsuccessfully, to conceal from his wife who is in the late stages of their pregnancy. All is not well in Tibbehah County. A new sheriff has been appointed by the governor in the wake of Colson’s incapacity, supposedly for the purpose of restoring law and order to the area. Given that the new sheriff and the governor have a similar moral compass --- both are so crooked that neither of them could lay down in a roundhouse --- Colson is despairing of the fact that things in Tibbehah are now worse than when he first returned to restore lawfulness to the area. An additional factor is that some residents of the county who are in a bad way find themselves in worse straits, thanks to the governor’s connections and greed.  Fortunately, Colson’s friends in law enforcement are returning to the area in order to assist in bringing Colson’s assailant and Fannie Hathcock to justice, as well as possibly righting some additional wrongs along the way. Colson gives such assistance as he can, but in THE REVELATORS he shares billing with a wide cast of characters, not the least being his adopted son, his sister, and an ex-convict who seems to be playing both ends against the middle for a purpose that is only gradually revealed. A number of folks who have been introduced in various installments in this addicting series are taken off of the radar, a couple of new ones (including a very new one) are introduced, and a couple of characters from the past return, including one who will undoubtedly spark a new plot or two going forward. 


The Colson series started strongly and has gotten better with each entry. Atkins infuses THE REVELATORS with some of his best writing to date --- no small feat, that --- as well as some grim humor which is the frosting on a narrative that never lets you guess quite where it is going. One suggestion is in order. Given that each volume has built upon what has gone before --- a practice which, considering the ending of THE REVELATORS, will continue for the foreseeable future --- it might be time for Atkins to provide a list of characters or a summary of what has gone before just to help longtime readers of a certain age get their legs underneath them, not to mention assisting folks who dipping their toes into Atkins’ Mississippi mud for the first time. Recommended. 

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
(c) Copyright 2020, The Book Report, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
© Copyright 2020, The Book Report, Inc. All rights reserved.

Quinn Colson is in the hospital, recovering from being shot four times. He was ambushed by unknown assailants. His recovery is slow and he is taking more pain pills than he really should. His wife, Maggie, is pregnant and they both worry about each other. Fannie Hathcock, the Dixie Mafia ruler of Tibbehah County MS, has plans to expand her empire and has built a luxurious retreat on the banks of the lake; she will entertain the men running Mississippi, including the newly-elected governor, who secretly runs a militia group who may be behind Quinn's shooting. The local chicken plant is raided and all the undocumented immigrants are rounded up and sent to Louisiana; their children are left behind, so Caddy Colson, Quinn's sister takes them in at her sanctuary, The River, that she built with her fiance, Jamy Dixon, who died in her arms. Meanwhile, Donnie Varner, a old friend of Quinn and Caddy has secured an early release from prison, by volunteering to go underground to help bring down both the Mexican cartel and the Watchmen in Tibbehah County. There are a lot of strings winding through this entertaining story, but Atkins brings them all to a very satisfactory ending. Recommended.

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The Revelators by Ace Atkins is tenth crime novel in The Ranger series, featuring ex-Army Ranger QuinnColson and his journey as a Sheriff to clean up Tibbehah County, Mississippi, his home. I have enjoyed Mr. Atkins’ books for many years and this one is no exception

Sheriff Queen Colson is shot up and left for dead, but he’s not that easy to kill. Together with his wife, Maggie, and a stubborn personality Queen makes a slow, painful recovery and sets out to find who tried to kill him.

Together with good friends, and recurring characters in the series, Colson is fighting his physical handicap as well as the new queen of Mississippi crime, Fannie Hathcock.

I didn’t think that after 10 entries The Ranger series could get any better, but somehow Ace Atkins pulled it off. In The Revelators the readers get a fresh story, coupled together with beloved characters we grew to know.

The book starts off where the last novel, The Shameless, has ended. Sheriff Colson was shot and left to die. The book start dark and the darkness doesn’t stop until the end. Once again Mr. Atkins has managed to show us the dark side of rural life, where every glimmer of hope around the corner seems like salvation at last.

As with the other books, family dynamics and personal relationships are an integral part of the narrative, central to the story, if not the center of the story many times. Even though there are many recurring characters, with a history of relationships, the story-line is still easy and understandable to follow.

The story revolves around Mexicans getting deported from a chicken plant, in an inhuman way which separates them from their children. Some children were kidnapped by gangs, getting sold to into the sex trade. What that, and several other subplots have to do with Quinn’s assassination attempt you’ll have to read for yourself.

This novel had many themes and many story-lines which are weaved in a very cohesive narrative, frankly it seems like magic. Mr.  Atkins has, once again, hit it out of the park with The Ranger series, it was nice to spend time with familiar characters, as well as with several new ones

The many bad guys in Tibbehah County, Mississippi are in for a big surprise.  After his last stand, Quinn Colson was supposed to be dead.  But it's going to take more than that to stop this lawman from ridding his county of crime and corruption.

This is the 10th....and maybe last....book in this series.  It is a very good thrill as a standalone but reading the first books will give you a better perspective on all of the back stories that have brought us to this point.  Ace Atkins, who also writes the Robert B Parker's Spenser series, has developed Quinn into one of the best leading men in the east.  His books are guaranteed to keep you turning pages and holding your breath to see what comes next.

Quinn has many irons in the fire for the REVELATORS, both personal and confrontational.  He's determined to shake his county free of the many people who would see him dead and the town of Jericho ruled by crime.

If you're not a fan of Ace Atkins' Ranger series, you should be. Set in fictional Tibbehah County, Mississippi, the small and very corrupt town of Jericho houses a particularly nasty bunch of villains. Former Army Ranger Quinn Colson is the reluctant sheriff of Jericho since returning home a few years back. Over the past nine novels, Quinn has battled bank robbers, strip club owners, human trafficking, meth dealers and outlaw evangelists, to name a few. Now he's in the battle for his and Jericho's soul.
   Previously in the Ranger series (2019's “The Shameless”), a new governor was elected. Former senator Jimmy Vardaman rode in on a wave of Syndicate corruption and a group of red-capped crazies called the Watchmen.Vardaman hates Quinn for his interference and ordered a hit on the sheriff. Quinn barely survived. 
   It's six months later at the opening of “The Revelators.” Quinn has been slowly recuperating with the help of his new wife Maggie and lots of rehabilitation and pain pills. The interim sheriff, appointed by Vardaman, of course, is an egotistical jerk who treats his deputies (and Quinn) like dirt. 
   In Quinn's absence, crime has run unchecked in North Mississippi, headed by truckstop and strip club madame Fannie Hathcock. The nearby Choctaw reservation keeps the man who shot Quinn: a wild card with murder on his mind.
   But Quinn has a long range plan of revenge. He's slowly working towards taking the new governor down. Quinn's bringing some old friends along, including his best friend Boom, Federal agent Jon Holliday, U.S. Marshall Lillie Virgil and agent Nat Wilkins (who's working undercover for Fannie). Quinn's old pal, ex-con Donnie Varner, is back in town, with a secret agenda few know.
   Meanwhile, ICE raids a chicken plant, throwing the Hispanic community in chaos. A labor leader is murdered and Quinn's nephew gets kidnapped within a human trafficking ring.
   The suspense builds like a well-crafted chess match. It's the literal Battle of Jericho, hitting a fever pitch at a secret lake resort, where the whole state's future could blow wide open. 
   “The Revelators” is a slow burn, taking its time until all the players are in place. Then duck and cover, because the fireworks are deafening. 
   In these weird times, we need as many distractions as possible.  Ace Atkins is the perfect vehicle. Hitch a ride to Jericho and enjoy one of the best crime series out today.

Every time I finish a Quinn Colson book, I think that Ace Atkins has hit his apogee and the books can’t get any better, and each time I am confounded by the fact that I think his most recent one has topped the previous one.  “The Revelators” is such a book.  I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I don’t see how Atkins can better it in his next one, but I am looking forward to it nevertheless.

The book starts with Quinn Colson being shot four times and nearly dying.  I don’t like spoilers, so I am not going to dwell on the plot, except to say that a lot happens.  Many characters from earlier books are present in this one, but if this were to be your first Colson book you would not have any trouble following along.  Everything and everyone is explained, but not in a repetitious or boring manner.

In previous reviews I have compared Tibbehah county and the northern Mississippi people Atkins writes about to Faulkner.  I completely stand by that.  Atkins’ clear eye and unflinching prose delineates people he knows well, and a political system it is obvious he abhors.  Yet, it is also clear that he loves his native state even when he is describing what is wrong with it.  Northern Mississippi is another character in these books, not just a back drop for the action.

“The Ranger” is the first of the Quinn Colson books, and if you want to read the series it is the best place to start.  “The Revelators” is the tenth book (I think), and from the title one can tell that a lot of things come to a climax.  For those reading the series, you will be impressed by this book.  I couldn’t put it down, and I daresay you will not be able to, either.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.  The opinions are my own.

Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on July 14, 2020

The Revelators is another eventful chapter in the life of Quinn Colson, the (currently suspended) sheriff of Tibbehah County, Mississippi. There is never a shortage of plot in a Colson novel. Ace Atkins doubles the characterization and triples the story that a typical thriller writer manufactures.

If you haven’t read a Colson novel before, this is probably not the place to start. Atkins does a good job of reminding readers of significant events in earlier novels, but keeping track of the plot and all the characters would be difficult without having a working knowledge of the last three or four books. Since this novel brings a continuing storyline to a close, a reader might want to start fresh with the next one — assuming there is a next one (the last chapter leaves open that possibility). Otherwise, a reader with some free time might want to read each of the ten Quinn Colson novels in order to catch up with one of the better series that thrillerworld has to offer.

When we last saw Quinn, he’d gotten himself shot by a fellow named Sam at the instruction of Fannie Hathcock, who has been responsible for a fair amount of killing in the last few novels. Fannie operates an establishment in Tibbehah County that the locals colorfully describe as a titty bar. Fannie also runs guns and engages in other illegal activities under the protection of a corrupt governor named Jimmy Vardaman. Although the governor removed Quinn from his office as sheriff pending an investigation on trumped up charges of misconduct, Fannie decided he was still a threat to her business and decided to remove him. That Fannie has removed several others (one, in this novel, by hammering his face into goo) has won her some enemies. She carries on because she enjoys the protection not only of the governor but of Brock Tanner, an arrogant self-promoter who has been appointed as sheriff pending the outcome of the investigation into Quinn.

Quinn is coping with pain from gunshot wounds and with a worrying need for the opioids that allow him to function in an unofficial law enforcement role. He has a baby on the way, but he’s assisting with a federal investigation of all the corrupt elements in Tibbehah County. He’s also trying to protect his sister, Caddy Colson, who is making enemies by helping undocumented immigrants. Caddy is unsure what to make of a long-time admirer, recently released from prison but apparently working for Fannie. But she is sure that her pre-teen son Jason is in serious trouble when he disappears with a young girl who, with some other girls from immigrant families, has been abducted.

The plot is even more complicated than the elements that I’ve sketched. The characters, as always, change and struggle with change as they respond to adverse circumstances. Following those changes is one of the pleasures of reading this series. Quinn gets emotional assists from series regulars Boom Kimbrough and Lillie Virgil as well as his wife Maggie. Lillie also helps out with her favorite shotgun.

Background elements, always crucial to the series, focus on Mississippi’s enduring corruption and the unrepentant racism of its significant population of Confederate flag waving residents. The drive to deport undocumented immigrants who have been working productively and peacefully in a job that most Americans would shun — replaced, at the governor’s instigation, by private prison labor — adds additional social relevance to a series that always has a timely take on Mississippi’s stubborn refusal to join the present. The 32 children the deportees leave behind become Caddy’s latest cause.

Atkins’ great gift is to showcase the decency that can be found in every corner of society, even when indecency seems overwhelming. Good people who care about others, not just themselves, come in all colors and nationalities. Atkins always tells good stories about good people. He does it again in The Revelators.

RECOMMENDED

This packs a punch!  Quinn Colson has been "temporarily" removed from his position of Sheriff as a result of an assassination attempt and, equally importantly, a corrupt governor and others who have goals which aren't immediately obvious.  His sister Caddy runs an organization which helps the undocumented workers at the local chicken processing plant.  Fannie Hathcock (what a name!) runs a criminal organization involving sex and drugs- and she's perhaps the most venal villain I've read in a long time.  Quinn and his friend Boom run up against Fannie, who they believe ordered the hit on him.  The chicken plant is raided by ICE, children are left behind, and Caddy's 12 year old son (who is in love with young Ana) is swept up into a trafficking scheme. Then there's Donnie, their old friend who is newly out of prison and back in the game.  What a stew of people and crime and all the threads will come together in a vivid, page turning way.  These characters are amazing, there's tension, there's surprises, the atmospherics of North Mississippi  are incredibly well done, and the story- well the story will keep you reading past when you planned to put it down.  I'd only read one in this series, making this more or less a standalone for me but I thoroughly enjoyed it without any problems.  Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.  A really great read.

Last year’s Quinn Colson’s book The Shameless ended with the black queen, Fanny Hathcock, attempting to take the white king, Sheriff Quinn Colson, off the board permanently. Her tools this time, everyone’s favorite black pawns, The Watchmen. Big mistake as Colson, a former Army Ranger survived.
The Revelators(A Quinn Colson Novel #10) is the story of how the assassination attempt has secretly brought the white knights onto the board, along with other pieces. Old friends, new friends, federal friends, jailbird friends, all will to do anything to take down the pus filled boil that Tibbehah county has become.
Located in the north Mississippi (MS) hill country, the new venal governor, Vardaman has installed a version of martial law and this can not stand.
Colson is secretly reassured during his long recovery that pieces are being set in place on the board. Colson’s recovery is long and painful. Molly, his wife, aids him and rallies him during the darkest moments, offering incentives that result in a baby girl soon to be born. Colson’s brutal recovery also results in a growing fondness for pain pills and liquor.
The Revelators begins in an oh-so-familiar, ripped from the headlines manner. ICE has raided a chicken processing plant, taking the parents to north Louisiana and leaving young children behind. Those children fall to the care of Caddy Colson, Quinn’s sister, who runs a church dedicated to the care of those most in need of help. This starts a series of events leading up to the end of stories and characters from previous books.
The Revelators is a classic, old -as -time story of good VS evil. It is a classic story of redemption, forgiveness, and most of all, revenge. Stories so southern, you hear Elvis, smell the chicken and catfish, and see the sweat and the hopelessness. A story so southern you see, hear and smell the corruption, the crime, the hopelessness of so many. But then Ace Atkins grants us a chance to read of the family, friendship, love and faith in Jesus, abiding love in all its forms, rich history and culture of the same area.
All of the Feds and some of the locals know that if Fanny Hathcock falls, so will all of the others, including the Governor, the good ol’ money men in Jackson and the corrupt leadership of the Choctaw Reservation. Fanny has her hand in every crime taking place in northern MS. The worst, her involvement in sex trafficking.
In Atkins’s world, there is no one so totally evil that some sympathy can’t be found. Fanny is beyond the pale, yet her rough beginnings and how she has been used by men all her life until she decides to beat them at their own games garners some understanding. The Choctaw assassin, Sam, who gunned down Colson, he doesn’t care about much except finding out who killed his beautiful son, and where his son is buried. We root for him in the quest, at least a little bit. This is part of Atkins’s genius, because those two are the very last we want to waste sympathy on.
Villains in past books sometimes come to Jesus, and realize their own sins, deciding to fight with Colson. Or should I say Colson and his stalwart friends. Atkins does not make Colson a superhero taking on the bad guys on his own. Instead he bands together with Federal agents, friends, and some unexpected allies. The third battle of Jericho is heating up.
I really can’t think of anything I don’t like about this book, about the entire series. Well maybe, I think Colson might have overcome his burgeoning pill problem a bit too easily.
I don’t think Atkins exaggerates about the corruption in MS. From my many years working and living there, I can remember many Sheriffs being arrested, judges and their wives being murdered for their criminal activities, prosecutors being arrested….well you get the picture. But then again, that was a long time ago.
Mississippi, especially north Mississippi may be one the most culturally fertile grounds in the country. Ace Atkins may not be a native but he has inhaled enough air, eaten enough catfish and drank enough bourbon and branch to stand with the greats. Except he writes mysteries, thrillers and non-fiction about long ago crimes, genre writers never get the respect they deserve.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Another installment of Atkins' Quinn Colson and Tibbehah County series where, since The Sinners, the series took the best turn it took in a few years. After a few episodic publications of the beloved Ranger Sheriff, Atkins seem to have broken the mold and each new Colson novel has their own heart and soul.

Action packed modern western in a crooked, crooked Mississippi, its Atkins at his best. I wouldn't go a summer without my Tibbehah fix.

Ace Atkins is a must read for me. The story takes place in Mississippi, but a good chunk always has Memphis in it as well. It's like reading a book that takes place in my back yard. Ace Atkins has become one of my favorite Southern writers, along with Greg Iles and John Hart. His writing is always amazing and stories are captivating. The Revelators is no exception and is a treat for anyone who is family with his Quinn Colson novels.

Thanks to netgalley.com, Ace Atkins and Penguin Group Putnam for the advance ARC copy for my honest review. 

"The Revelators" picks up where "The Shameless" ended but Atkins pulls it off the unthinkable, of putting the lead character in harm's way and masterfully pulls it off. When Sheriff Quinn Colson gets set-up, getting bushwhacked, he created a believable, plausible storyline that sucks you in, with his childhood friend Boom coming to his rescue, your right there and your wishing you had either a Sig Sauer or Ruger 22 in hand to help him. 

Plus the cherry on top of "The Revelators", is the extra helping of US Marshall Lillie Virgie you get with this one. Makes you which, he'd create her own series, be win-win for the reader with the yearly Colson, Spencer books and you'd also get a Virgie one. 

Quinn Colson's back, the tougher than nails Sheriff of Tibbehah County, recovering from being shot multiple times, builds chemistry with his pregnant wife Maggie while recovering, has an intertwining storylines ripped right out of the headlines, you got badass U.S. Marshall Lillie Virgie, loyal deputy Reggie, his best friend Boom, his mom, sister Caddy, then mix in the Dixie Mafia, Fannie Hathcock, Gov. Jimmy Vardaman, the Choctaw tribe and the Watchman Society. 

How can you not like the Quinn Colson character? He's blue collar, digs old Country and Western music, not the candy ass shit they play these days, he's tough as nails, an ex-Ranger who makes Reacher look like a wimp, protecting troubled Tibbehah County as it's Sheriff, family oriented, thinks of nothing to help friends and Atkins just makes him larger than life with his words. 

Ace Atkins just never disappoints, he's the ultimate master of character development, just breathes life into them good or bad, they play a vital role in the storylines and aren't just needless distractions to the overall story. 

With each new Quinn Colson novel, he keeps raising the bar with each offering, with new elements added to the mix and leaves you eagerly waiting for the next Quinn's adventure. You got your finger's crossed that badass US Marshall Lillie Virgie will find her way into the storyline. 

Atkins should be in every reader's book case, he's that good of an author and just feel he deserves more recognition than he gets. 

Author Bob Mayer refers to the big known publishing house authors as Airport Authors. Well Ace Atkins would be my favorite airport author, he can out write James Patterson and has a legend smilin' down on him.

Reviews posted on goodreads.com, bookbub.com and alone release will be posted to amazon.com & b&n.com

Quinn is recovering from being shot and almost dying. He has also lost his job, been replaced by a temporary Sheriff.  Quinn is trying to track down the people responsible for him being shot.  The temporary Sheriff has been brought in to take care of corruption in the area, but he is part of the problem.  This book was part of a series which might have contributed to me having trouble keeping track of characters. I haven’t read the previous books. I would give this book 3 1/2* rounded up to 4.  Thank you ones galley for an advanced readers copy.

Ace Atkins is such a consistent writer. He always delivers and The Revelators is certainly no different. The characters are so well known and well loved by now, that sitting down to read one of the titles in this series is like sitting down for Sunday supper. Even if you’re new to the series, there’s a welcome sign on the door, come on in.

It looks as though the Quinn Colson series is ending in "The Revelators." When we last left our intrepid hero, he had been shot and was barely hanging on. Now it's summer again (it's always summer in Mississippi in this series) and Quinn is recovering and his wife, Maggie, is expecting a baby. But the man who replaced Quinn as sheriff during his injury and recovery is corrupt, bought by you-know-who, Fannie Hathcock, the owner of Vienna's Place and all things dirty in Tibbeleh County. But there is no rest for the wicked, and no rest for former Rangers either, as Quinn and his friends seem to be headed to a final showdown with Fannie and her cronies  as human trafficking, gun running, corrupt officials and murder all come to light.

This has been an addictive series with plenty of colorful characters, Southern fried charm and plenty of action and crime to go around. While everyone seems to get their fitting end (including my favorite character) I can't help but wish this would continue on.

This book packs a wallop. I’d never read any of the Quinn Colson novels before now, but that didn’t matter: I was rooting for him from page one. Quinn Colson has just been shot. From some writers, this might’ve felt melodramatic. Here, a strong narrative voice captured my emotions. By the end of page two, I was invested in Quinn’s survival and in seeing justice served. But is it?

Well . . . Let’s say that the path to justice is a long, winding uphill road, and nothing is ever truly final. Nor is it ever perfect.

MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES, ENGAGING CHARACTERS

Atkins uses multiple perspectives to build up his story. It’s particularly effective as we get close to the climax of the novel. We see the different agendas and varying levels of knowledge leading to conflicting goals. Or are they really conflicting? The suspense builds steadily throughout the novel. As I neared the end of the story, I was reading in an almost breathless state, eager to find out what happens next.

There are a lot of story threads to follow. Fanny and her organized crime ring. Donnie Varner’s return from jail. Caddy’s determined fight against the deportation of immigrants and equally determined fight for their children. Jason’s determination to protect his first love, Ana Gabriel. And not the least of all, Quinn’s fight to regain his status as sheriff. Lots of story threads here. But Atkins makes it work without much confusion, even for a first time reader like me.

Part of this lies in his characters. He gives us well-developed, complex characters who are as emotionally engaging as they are interesting. Even Fanny Hathcock, depraved and warped, tugged at my emotions–even when she was killing someone. Especially when she was killing someone.

It’s not always easy to tell the good and bad guys apart from each other. (Or as Quinn’s mama might put it, the righteous from the unrighteous.) Atkins played with my expectations, making me question what my assumptions based on appearances. And while I know appearances can be deceptive, somehow I was still deceived. Or maybe that’s a mark of how powerful Atkins’ writing is.

NARRATIVE VOICE

And oh my stars, the narrative voice. It sucked me into its vortex on page one and swirled me around and around, deeper and deeper into its grip, and didn’t spit me out until the final page. The story has perfect pacing. Every time some problem seemed resolved, then a new one hit the characters in the face.

As someone born and raised in the “Bible belt,” I’m sensitive to how “Yankees”–that’s Southern-talk for anyone not from the South–portray us. Most of the time, they resort to cliches about trailer parks and fried okra and a superficial understanding of our area, especially the complicated, horrific racial history that still affects us. Not so here. Atkins has nailed the voice of Southern fiction. It feels genuinely Southern, all our quirks and complexities and contradictions captured on the page, the beautiful and nasty and bewildering tangled together.

ONE FAVORITE THING . . .

Oh, it’s hard to pick only one! But I’ll go with Sancho. He’s Ana Gabriel’s little brother (Ana Gabriel is Quinn’s nephew Jason’s first love/crush/girlfriend.) and he is a hoot. He made me snort with laughter at several points.

In short, this is a wonderful novel. I recommend it to any fan of crime fiction.

5 stars. 
Thanks to Putnam Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review will appear on my blog on July 10, 2020.