Mississippi Blue 42

by Eli Cranor

Former quarterback turned Edgar-winning author Eli Cranor throws a glorious game winner in this series debut starring a rookie FBI agent who finds herself caught in the tangled web of a college football empire—and the bloody greed that fuels it.

“Former college quarterback Eli Cranor scores big with Mississippi Blue 42, a fun, provocative crime novel that takes aim at the heart of the American game.”—Michael Koryta, New York Times bestselling author of An Honest Man

Special Agent Rae Johnson grew up on football fields alongside her father, a national-championship-winning coach. Which is exactly why, fresh out of Quantico, she’s sent down to Compson, Mississippi, to investigate the illicit money flowing into a bustling football program in the heart of the Delta. But two days into the assignment things take a dire turn when the university’s star quarterback is flung from the roof of a college bar, lands on a bag of money, and dies.

Hoping to turn a routine fraud case into a career-defining bust, Rae ingratiates herself with the fans, coaches, players, and politicians who make up the university’s complex social hierarchy. With rumors of corruption rustling through the kudzu vines, Rae soon realizes there’s more to the game than what she’d learned as a child. And in order to win, she’ll have to put all her father’s lessons to the ultimate test.

In the vein of Carl Hiaasen and Sue Grafton, Mississippi Blue 42 takes a hard and often hilarious look at the big-money world of college athletics. In Cranor’s capable hands, football isn’t just a game—it’s a front-row seat to the great American show.

385 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2025

About the author

Eli Cranor played quarterback at every level: peewee to professional, and then coached high school football for five years. These days, he's traded in the pigskin for a laptop, writing from Arkansas where he lives with his wife and kids.

Eli's novel Don't Know Tough was awarded the Peter Lovesey First Crime Novel Contest and will be published by Soho Press in 2022. Over the course of his career, Eli's fiction has garnered multiple awards (2018-The Missouri Review; 2017-Greensboro Review). Along with fiction, Eli writes a nationally-syndicated sports column, and his craft column, "Shop Talk," appears monthly over at CrimeReads. Eli is currently at work on his next novel.

Reviews

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

College football, pay offs, and an FBI investigation are the name of the game in Mississippi Blue 42. Eli Cranor is a former professional football player and wrote what he knows with his latest book. He writes the plays, the ins, and the outs of football! He also writes about the money behind some plays and how far fans and others who affect recruiting and game outcomes by supplying players with bags full of money.

Special Agent Rae Johnson knows football. One might say it is in her blood. Her father is a "national-championship-winning college coach." When she is chosen to investigate the bags of money delivered to players in Compson, Mississippi by 'bagmen', she dives right in! She begins her investigation by interviewing various people ranging from player, gridiron girls, local politicians, and even the coaches themselves. I enjoyed the parts where she wondered about her own father in terms of what he might know and wondering if he was ever influenced by others in terms of outcomes of games.

I had high hopes for this book as I have loved the previous books which I have read by Eli Cranor. I missed the rawness and grittiness of his previous books. I had a hard time connecting with the characters in this book. I have a feeling that American Football fans might enjoy this book more than I did. I can't fault Eli Cranor's writing - it's top notch as always. Some of the football plays and lingo were lost on me. I did enjoy the connection that Rae had to the college football world. She knows the game inside and out which helped her gain the trust of those with whom she spoke. I did find myself wanting more of her background and wanted some scenes with her father.

Even though this book didn't completely win me over, I did enjoy the investigative work. I found this book to be thought provoking and found myself wondering how often pay offs and thrown games take place in sports.

While I didn't love this book as much as I have enjoyed his previous books, I still enjoyed this one. As with his previous books, this book does tackle some tough subjects such a competition, racism, power, poverty, and coercion. It has a good mystery, and the narrator of the audiobook did a fine job.

*A Witches words buddy read with Brenda and Dorie. Please read their reviews as well to get their thoughts on Mississippi Blue 42.

Thank you to RBmedia | Recorded Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖

[Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mood Confession Time:
This audiobook was chosen for me by the Witches Words reading group. We loved Eli Cranor’s earlier book, so when this one popped up on NetGalley, we cranked the volume and hit play faster than a Friday night kickoff.

What Lit My Mood:
I’m a sucker for a storyline soaked in corruption, and when you add a small town built on a college football empire well my ears perked up. This one's all about blood, money, and the deep roots of power.
Newly-minted FBI agent Rae Johnson has football in her blood, her dad’s a legendary coach. She is there to investigate sketchy money moving in a football-obsessed Mississippi town. But when a player is flung off a roof with a gym bag full of cash, Rae digs deeper than the end zone.

Where My Mood Flickered:
Cranor’s quarterback roots show here and he knows the sport, and it sometimes overshadows the suspense. Rae's interviews with players, coaches, fans, and sleazy politicians were solid, but the grit I loved in his earlier work wasn’t there.

Audiobook Vibes:
The narrator does a great job and I enjoyed his voice. It’s one of those audiobooks that makes chores fly by but maybe wouldn’t have cast the same spell on the page.

Witchy Mood Meter Rating:
Moody Mismatch – I was intrigued, but the energy felt foggy and the spell never fully took hold.

Verdict:
Worth a stir in the cauldron if you're craving sports drama with secrets on the sidelines.

Not quite a touchdown, but the southern shadows and sharp heroine make it worth conjuring.

A Witches Words read with Debra and Dorie!

I achieved a copy of the audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world of college football is the subject of this book. The author is a former player so he obviously knows a lot about the game, but you don’t have to be a football fan to read this book. The focus is not on the game itself, but on the sleazy world of boosters, gamblers, coaches and politicians who manipulate the players to their own advantage. The investigation of corruption morphs into something else when a quarterback winds up dead. The blurb describes the book as “a heart-pounding noir thriller”. That is not at all accurate. I found the book entertaining, but it is not a noir thriller.

This book is the start of a series about new FBI Special Agent Rae Johnson. I think that may be a mistake, because I much preferred her middle aged partner Frank. Rae seemed a little naive about college football - supposedly her area of expertise since her father is a college coach. Maybe just read a couple of newspaper articles about how ugly, unfair and corrupt the system is. Her behavior as an agent also seemed out of kilter. A suspect claims that he’s not a bag man, he just helps out the players. So then it’s perfectly ok to sleep with him. And then on your very first case it’s fine to go rogue and violate a direct order from your boss. Neither of those actions helped out in the crime solving department.

In addition to Frank, I liked Moses, the newly promoted quarterback who wants to be a veterinarian. The bad guys included a cartoonish politician (unfortunately, his cartoonish behavior seemed pretty accurate), a Jesus freak coach, and a man pimping out his daughter for the cause. Dan John Miller dud a good job narrating the audiobook. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher.

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a football person - I read this because I love Eli Cranor’s writing. I’m still not a football person though, I’m not even going to pretend.

The story isn’t so much about football (I mean, it is) as much as the corruption in college football and all the turning wheels surrounding it. There were parts where he nearly lost me (football). There were a lot of POVs, I’d love to narrow those down to explore more of the characters individually - Moses, his grandma (lol) and Harry Christmas.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read but more polished and less gritty than some of his others. Will continue to read this author, with my favorite still being Ozark Dogs.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. OZARK DOGS was terrific, and BROILER was even better. Sadly this one just left me sort of flat. Too much philosophizing, not enough crime, with cartoonish villains and, ultimately, low stakes.

[John Schorg · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book wants to use the crime thriller genre to discuss the seamy world surrounding college football. It is very unsatisfying on both levels. The thriller isn't particularly interesting, and the football gets more unbelievable as it goes along.

[Rachel Hendricks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings on this one. On the positive side, it’s super well-researched and honestly the perfect read to get me excited for college football starting back up. The characters were hit or miss. Some just came off a little annoying and the main villain was extremely racist, which I hated, but I also get that the author was probably trying to reflect certain realities. Still, the book leaned a little too hard into painting Mississippians as nothing but ignorant, which isn’t fair to everyone there. The ending also felt a bit rushed, but overall, I did enjoy the read.

[Jayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just okay for me. I am not the target audience, so that is ok.
I am a sucker for anything sort of police procedural. So, new FBI agent on her first case? Check. Start of a new series? Double check. I like sports. Admittedly, football is not my favorite, but I thought I knew the game. This is where it went a bit wrong, lol. It went too far into football a few times early on.

So, in addition to being a bit over my head because I only know basics, the whole crime/conspiracy didn't draw me in.

Moses is the best thing in the book. I like Frank, too.

Dan John Miller narrates the audiobook.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Karla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of slow. Not the great mystery everyone made it out to be.

[Ray Palen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Successful authors never experience writer’s block as long as they follow the old mantra to ‘write what you know.’ This is indeed the case with award-winning writer Eli Cranor and his latest work, MISSISSIPPI BLUE 42.

Cranor is a former college and professional quarterback and still lends his aid and arm as needed to Arkansas Tech’s football team, where he serves as Writer In Residence. This novel is set during the 2013-14 season, which was a significantly different time in college football than what we have today. He asks readers to close their eyes and return to the ‘glory days’ of college football, prior to the College Football Playoff, the transfer portal, or the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness). What happens when a multimillion-dollar coach has to lead a team of unpaid players? That is the question at the heart of this insightful tale.

Having grown up in New York City, it is difficult to understand the way College Football is adored in the South with almost religious zeal. That is indeed the case with UCM, located in Compson, Mississippi, where the faith and support in the university football team seems to fuel the entire area. Special Agent Rae Johnson along with her partner Frank Ranchino have been sent to Compson to observe the workings of the UCM football program from a white-collar perspective. Little did they know at the onset of the case what a nest of hornets they were going to stir up.
Rae was already well versed in the college football game having been the daughter of a national championship winning coach. Her assignment with the White-Collar Crime division coming out of Quantico was to investigate possible NCAA fraud. It would just be the tip of the iceberg as things would turn murderous and deadly quickly. The quarterback for UCM, a team in discussion for the national championship match-up, was Matt Talley. We have the opportunity to walk in his shoes during the end of a big win against a rival team that was highlighted by the fact that one of his heroes, Brett Favre, was standing on the sideline with the opposing squad. After winning the game on a trick play, Favre shook hands with Talley and said: ‘reminds me of my favorite play: Mississippi Blue 42’.

This was ominous as the trick would be on Talley who took a deadly dive off the top of a tavern called the Buffalo Nickel, falling to his death and landing upon a bag filled with money. Witnessing this were Rae and Frank who had been tailing Talley, and they could not believe that the starting quarterback of perhaps the nations best college football program was now dead. What will follow with their investigation is a whirlwind of individuals from corrupt coaches, dirty politicians, bagmen who saw that players were paid to perform well or throw games as needed, as well as a myriad of other nefarious vultures that fed off of the success this college football business provided.

Rae knows that something downright evil was at hand, especially when she noted that the new quarterback for UCM lived in the area known as the Crossroads, the same place where musician Robert Johnson allegedly made his deal with the devil. MISSISSIPPI BLUE 42 is a dream for fans of college football with a love and intricate knowledge of that game. It is a far departure from Cranor’s previous work, like BROILER, which was pure classic crime-noir. However, it was nice to take a ride with an author who has the inside scoop on this subject and was able to bring it to life for us with this fictional work.

Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Successful authors never experience writer’s block as long as they follow the old mantra to “write what you know.” That certainly applies to Eli Cranor and his latest work, MISSISSIPPI BLUE 42, which is the start of an entertaining new series.

Cranor is a former college and professional quarterback who still lends his aid and arm as needed to Arkansas Tech’s football team, where he serves as Writer in Residence. This novel is set during the 2013-14 season, which was a significantly different time in college football than what we have today. He asks readers to close their eyes and return to the “glory days” of the sport, prior to the playoff system, the transfer portal, or the NIL (Name, Image and Likeness). What happens when a multimillion-dollar coach has to lead a team of unpaid players? That is the question at the heart of this insightful tale.

Having grown up in New York City, it is difficult to understand the way college football is adored in the South with almost religious zeal. That is indeed the case with UCM, which is located in Compson, Mississippi, where the faith and support in the university’s football team seem to fuel the entire area. Special Agent Rae Johnson and her partner, Frank Ranchino, have been sent to Compson to observe the workings of the UCM football program from a white-collar perspective. Little do they know the hornets’ nest they are going to stir up.

As the daughter of a national-championship-winning coach, Rae already is well-versed in the college football game. Her assignment with the white-collar crime division coming out of Quantico is to investigate possible NCAA fraud. It will be just the tip of the iceberg as things turn murderous and deadly quickly. The quarterback for UCM is Matt Talley, and we have the opportunity to walk in his shoes during the end of a huge victory against a rival team. It turns out that one of his heroes, Brett Favre, is standing on the sidelines with the opposing squad. After winning the game on a trick play, Favre shakes hands with Matt and says it “reminds me of my favorite play: Mississippi Blue 42.”

This is ominous as the trick would be on Matt, who takes a dive off the top of a college bar, falling to his death and landing on a bag filled with money. Witnessing this horrific incident are Rae and Frank, who had been tailing Matt, and they can’t believe that the starting quarterback of perhaps the nation’s best college football program is dead. What will follow with their investigation is a whirlwind of individuals --- corrupt coaches, dirty politicians, and bagmen who make sure that players are paid to perform well or throw games as needed, as well as a myriad of other nefarious vultures who feed off the success that the college football business provides.

MISSISSIPPI BLUE 42 is a dream for college football fans. It is a far departure from Cranor’s previous work, like BROILER, which is pure classic crime noir. However, it was nice to take a ride with an author who has the inside scoop on this subject and is able to bring it to life for us in this fascinating work of fiction.

Reviewed by Ray Palen

[Alex Carbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eli Cranor has done it again. With "Mississippi Blue 42," he delivers a knockout punch that establishes him as the natural heir to the crown worn by crime fiction legends like Ace Atkins and James Ellroy. This isn't just a sequel to greatness, it's an evolution of it.

Where "Don't Know Tough" introduced us to Billy Lowe's raw, desperate hunger for survival in a world that chews up the vulnerable and spits them out, "Mississippi Blue 42" presents us with Moses McLoad, a character who embodies that same primal desperation but channels it through the corrupt machinery of college football. Both characters are survivors carved from the same Arkansas clay, but where Billy fought his demons in the shadows, Moses operates in the blazing lights of the stadium, making his moral compromises on a much grander stage.

Cranor's genius lies in his ability to create characters who aren't just products of their environment—they ARE the environment. Moses McLoad carries the same DNA as Billy Lowe: that bone-deep understanding that the system is rigged, but the willingness to play the game anyway because it's the only game in town. Both are trapped by circumstances beyond their control, yet both possess an almost feral intelligence that makes them dangerous and sympathetic in equal measure.

The author's background as a former quarterback infuses every page with authentic detail, but it's his Edgar Award-winning prose that elevates this from sports fiction to literary crime at its finest. Like Ellroy, Cranor understands that corruption isn't just individual, it's institutional. Like Atkins, he knows that the South's sins run deeper than surface prejudices.

"Mississippi Blue 42" proves that Cranor isn't just building a career, he's building a universe. One where broken people make broken choices in a broken system, and somehow, through his masterful storytelling, we find truth in the wreckage.

[Julie Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in England I might not have totally understood what was going on or the terminology but I still enjoyed the book. There was a lot of character names and nicknames like gridiron girls and bagman, which at first I struggled to keep straight or understand but it didn't take long to get my head around everything and I was soon catch up in all the action. The story moved at a fast pace as Rae struggled to work her first case. The author created a cast of believable characters and then wrote a story that had you invested in what happened to them. Rae was a good main character but my favourite character was the young football player caught up in all the drama.

Special Agent Rae Johnson is assigned her first case as an FBI agent, based on her knowledge of growing up with a successful football coach. She is tasked with tracking down money being funded through the game. The case takes a deadly turn when the star quarterback takes a drive off the roof. Can Rae find a way to investigate the death and the money? She needs an informant or a way to get close to the man running the show before somebody else gets hurt.
I liked the narrator. He has a pleasant voice that was easy to listen too.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Cherié Burgett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the early read of this story about a rookie FBI agent being thrown into the college football scene for an investigation on dirty money after growing up the daughter of a beloved coach. It was an enjoyable read, despite me having little interest in football.

I was drawn by this being the first in a series about FBI Special Agent Rae Johnson. The death of the quarterback came early on in the book, and it seemed pretty unrealistic that very little was done to memorialize him. When a beloved student athlete dies, especially in a small town, there would be a lot more fanfare. The smooth transition to the next QB was a bit off putting here, but I am glad it was Moses.

The most redeeming part of this story was Moses. What a great person. The portrayal of this character was probably my favorite part of the book. Frank was fun, too, and I hope to see him in future books.

The cliffhanger (will she/won't she) at the end about her dad gave me mixed feelings about agent Johnson. If she is that easily compromised, it doesn't seem like much of a promising start to a career.

I do recommend this story, especially for fans of football and crime/law enforcement books.

[Anna Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a very engaging read - very fast paced and exciting. At the end of every chapter I was eager to start the next one to continue the story. The author has a pretty simple and straight forward writing style, which helps the story to move along at a quick clip as well. The only reason I'm knocking the story down from 5 stars to 4 is because I felt that the crime and investigation aspects of the story are just a tiny bit lacking. Cranor is clearly extremely familiar with college football and the culture surrounding it, but I think he may be less experienced with creating a fully flushed out true crime storyline. However, I wouldn't consider myself an expert in this area, either, so I invite my fellow readers to judge the story for themselves. I would still call this a worthwhile read, especially for football fans!

[Chris Collier · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a sports fan, a football fan, and an Eli Cranor fan, I was anxiously anticipating this book. It did not disappoint! Displaying his knowledge of football, its structure, and the personalities that exist in the forms of coaches, players, and boosters, it is expertly written. Complete with multiple story lines involving various characters, it was a delight to read. Being from the south, it was even more fun to have the settings take place in and around locales and stadiums I have been to personally. It takes an in-depth look at the state of college football a few short years ago, a precurser to the NIL world we are faced with today and all it entails. I will not reveal more, but suffice to say, I loved the book and highly recommend it! I cannot wait for the next installment to see how the story continues to unfold!

[Kris the retired librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must a talented athlete make a deal with the devil to make his dream come true?

Long before the landscape of college sports changed with the advent of the NIL and transfer portal, there were bagmen. Shady figures who made sure superstar college athletes got money- bags full of money. In Mississippi Blue 42, Rae Johnson, a hard charging rookie FBI agent, is assigned to investigate illicit money flowing through a small college town with a team looking to repeat as national champion. Rae’s investigation isn’t as easy as she thought it was going to be-especially when the star quarterback dies next to a bag full of money. Was it an accident or murder?

Cranor delivers a fast paced story filled with over the top characters. The head coach is an empty-headed chameleon who’s more interested in bible verses and his next gig. The local sheriff is a bully who’ll cover up any crimes necessary. The bagman will go to any extent to help the team- even pimping out his own daughter. And the man who keeping the wheels greased and machine running is a shadowy politician.

Beyond the farcical characters and the craziness of college football is Carnor’s examination of poverty, racism, and chasing dreams. Cranor’s a master storyteller who knows how to entertain and make the reader look at uncomfortable truths. He definitely delivers a game winner with this book.

Mississippi Blue 42 is out August 5. Thank you SoHo Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Courtney Pityer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an @goodreads giveaway book I won a couple weeks back and I finally got the opportunity to take the time and read. Now I will admit I am a historical fiction gal all the way but sometimes it's good to switch ut up a bit with a good contemporary story. Sure enough this novel was a very enjoyable one and kept me entertained! The plot and the characters were absolutely enjoyable!
We are introduced to female FBI agent Rae who despite being a girl knows the ins and outs to the game of football. Her firat assignment is to investigate some money laundering in a highly successful football town. From the moment she arrives there seems to be chaos at every corner. Will she be able to get to the bottom of things and put an end to it once and for all?

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new FBI agent and her ready-to-retire partner are immersed in the world of college football attempting to prove players are being paid to play…and possibly throw the game. When the star QB turns up dead Agent Rae Johnson starts investigating the possible murder, even if it’s not technically in her jurisdiction.

A realistic and somewhat disheartening look at DI sports and the pressures those athletes must face. I liked the agents a lot (though Frank can be a little old-school). Good mystery with interesting turns. Looking forward to the next in the series. The audio narrator did a good job of keeping the voices different enough that you can tell who is speaking.

Trigger warning: racism, forced sexual encounter

I received an ARC of this audiobook from #NetGalley.