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Quinn Colson #10
The Revelators
In this gripping new crime novel from the New York Times -bestselling author, Quinn Colson returns to take down a criminal syndicate that has ravaged his community, threatened his family, and tried to have him killed.
Shot up and left for dead, Sheriff Quinn Colson has revenge on his mind. With the help of his new wife, Maggie; rehabilitation; and sheer force of will, he's walking again, eager to resume his work as a southern lawman and track down those responsible for his attempted murder. But someone is standing in his an interim sheriff, appointed by the newly elected Governor Vardaman, the man who Quinn knows ordered his murder. Vardaman sits at the top of the state's power structure--both legal and criminal--and little does he know, Quinn is still working to take him down.
Quinn will enlist the help of his most trusted friends, including federal agent Jon Holliday, U.S. Marshal Lillie Virgil, and Nat Wilikins, an undercover agent now working for crime queen Fannie Hathcock. Since Quinn's been gone, the criminal element in North Mississippi has flourished, with Hathcock enjoying unbridled freedom. Now as a bustling factory shuts down, a labor leader ends up dead, and Quinn's own nephew goes missing, everything looks to be unraveling. Even an old friend from Quinn's past, Donnie Varner, is out of jail and up to his own ways.
Quinn Colson and company have been planning for years, and now they're finally ready to bust apart a criminal empire running on a rigged system for far too long. This is the Battle of Jericho, the epic showdown that's been years in the making. Eventually, the war will end--for better or worse.
Shot up and left for dead, Sheriff Quinn Colson has revenge on his mind. With the help of his new wife, Maggie; rehabilitation; and sheer force of will, he's walking again, eager to resume his work as a southern lawman and track down those responsible for his attempted murder. But someone is standing in his an interim sheriff, appointed by the newly elected Governor Vardaman, the man who Quinn knows ordered his murder. Vardaman sits at the top of the state's power structure--both legal and criminal--and little does he know, Quinn is still working to take him down.
Quinn will enlist the help of his most trusted friends, including federal agent Jon Holliday, U.S. Marshal Lillie Virgil, and Nat Wilikins, an undercover agent now working for crime queen Fannie Hathcock. Since Quinn's been gone, the criminal element in North Mississippi has flourished, with Hathcock enjoying unbridled freedom. Now as a bustling factory shuts down, a labor leader ends up dead, and Quinn's own nephew goes missing, everything looks to be unraveling. Even an old friend from Quinn's past, Donnie Varner, is out of jail and up to his own ways.
Quinn Colson and company have been planning for years, and now they're finally ready to bust apart a criminal empire running on a rigged system for far too long. This is the Battle of Jericho, the epic showdown that's been years in the making. Eventually, the war will end--for better or worse.
496 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2020
638 people are currently reading
1116 people want to read
About the author
Ace Atkins
71 books1,558 followersAce Atkins is the author of twenty-eight books, including eleven Quinn Colson novels, the first two of which, The Ranger and The Lost Ones, were nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel (he has a third Edgar nomination for his short story "Last Fair Deal Gone Down"). He is the author of nine New York Times-bestselling novels in the continuation of Robert B. Parker's Spenser series. Before turning to fiction, he was a correspondent for the St. Petersburg Times and a crime reporter for the Tampa Tribune, and he played defensive end for Auburn University football.
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July 14, 2020
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 chessboard, 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 and Black King, Jimmy Vardaman has installed a version of martial law enforced by a crooked sheriff 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 the 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 feel the hopelessness. A story so southern you see, hear and smell the corruption, the crime, the helplessness 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, yet we want Colson to take him down; but not until Sam takes down Fanny. 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 Mississippi. 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 breathed 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. Too bad. I'll say it again, Atkins should stand with with greats.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The Revelators(A Quinn Colson Novel #10) is the story of how the assassination attempt has secretly brought the white knights onto the chessboard, 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 and Black King, Jimmy Vardaman has installed a version of martial law enforced by a crooked sheriff 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 the 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 feel the hopelessness. A story so southern you see, hear and smell the corruption, the crime, the helplessness 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, yet we want Colson to take him down; but not until Sam takes down Fanny. 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 Mississippi. 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 breathed 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. Too bad. I'll say it again, Atkins should stand with with greats.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 24, 2020
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.
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.
August 25, 2021
Tibbehah County in north Mississippi has long been a cesspool of violence and corruption of every variety, political, social and economic. For the last several years, Sheriff Quinn Colson, a former army ranger, has been working against very long odds in an effort to bring some semblance of order and decency to the county. He's had a few scattered victories here and there, but the forces of evil continue to press hard on the county and Colson has only so many fingers that he can stick into the dike in an effort to stop the flow.
At the end of the last book in the series, Colson was shot and left for dead in an attack generated by a number of his enemies, running all the way up to the state's corrupt governor. As The Revelators opens, Colson is in the midst of a long attempt to recover from his injuries, and things in Tibbehah County are perhaps even worse than ever before. Drug dealers, gun runners, sex traffickers, pimps, whores and self-serving villainous politicians have combined to take over the county which they run as their own personal cash machine.
The governor, who basically oversaw the attempt to assassinate Colson, has appointed an interim sheriff to administer the county and allegedly clean up the criminal activity that culminated in the attack on Colson. The new sheriff, in turn, has hired a number of racist, sexist thugs to serve as his deputies and to implement his and the governor's grand plans for the county. Meanwhile, Fannie Hathcock, who runs most of the criminal enterprises on the ground in the county, is having a field day expanding her operations while the governor attempts to burnish his reputation by persecuting migrant workers and others. Quinn Colson, of course, is not about to take this lying down and, working in concert with federal agents and others, he is attempting to bring down once and for all the criminal empire that has come to dominate his home county.
This is a complex novel with a lot of moving parts and interesting threads. Readers of the series will be glad to catch up with the other members of the cast, including the rest of Colson's extended and eccentric family, and a principal strength of the series continues to be the author's ability to create such a vivid setting for the action he describes.
Atkins has been building to this novel for the last few books in the series and it's nice to see some of the threads from prior books finally woven together in a very satisfying conclusion. This book feels like a breaking point in the series with several long-running issues finally resolved, paving the way for new adventures to follow. All in all, a very good entry in an outstanding series.
At the end of the last book in the series, Colson was shot and left for dead in an attack generated by a number of his enemies, running all the way up to the state's corrupt governor. As The Revelators opens, Colson is in the midst of a long attempt to recover from his injuries, and things in Tibbehah County are perhaps even worse than ever before. Drug dealers, gun runners, sex traffickers, pimps, whores and self-serving villainous politicians have combined to take over the county which they run as their own personal cash machine.
The governor, who basically oversaw the attempt to assassinate Colson, has appointed an interim sheriff to administer the county and allegedly clean up the criminal activity that culminated in the attack on Colson. The new sheriff, in turn, has hired a number of racist, sexist thugs to serve as his deputies and to implement his and the governor's grand plans for the county. Meanwhile, Fannie Hathcock, who runs most of the criminal enterprises on the ground in the county, is having a field day expanding her operations while the governor attempts to burnish his reputation by persecuting migrant workers and others. Quinn Colson, of course, is not about to take this lying down and, working in concert with federal agents and others, he is attempting to bring down once and for all the criminal empire that has come to dominate his home county.
This is a complex novel with a lot of moving parts and interesting threads. Readers of the series will be glad to catch up with the other members of the cast, including the rest of Colson's extended and eccentric family, and a principal strength of the series continues to be the author's ability to create such a vivid setting for the action he describes.
Atkins has been building to this novel for the last few books in the series and it's nice to see some of the threads from prior books finally woven together in a very satisfying conclusion. This book feels like a breaking point in the series with several long-running issues finally resolved, paving the way for new adventures to follow. All in all, a very good entry in an outstanding series.
June 21, 2020
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.
"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.
April 26, 2020
The Revelators by Ace Atkins is number ten in the Quinn Colson series and picks up exactly where the previous novel left off - with Sheriff Quinn Colson fighting for his life after being ambushed, shot and left for dead.
As the story continues, newly elected and corrupt Governor Vardaman has placed Colson on temporary leave and has inserted his own selected group of crony replacements to enforce the law as they see fit in Tibbehah County, Tennessee. At the same time, Colson and his department have been placed under a fabricated investigation for the corruption in Colson's jurisdiction.
With the replacements doing little of productive law enforcement while conducting acts of overt criminality, Fannie Hathcock has been continuing to grow her own criminal enterprise with free reins. Hathcock's power has taken an upward trajectory, with her criminal invasive tendrils reaching out through any crevice thought to be profitable for her, no matter how nasty. Through her successes, Hathcock becomes even more lethal in her pursuits, seemingly without end.
With corruption running rampant in the county and beyond, Colson and those close to him worry if law and order will return and if those responsible for the lawlessness will ever face justice.
In The Revelators, Atkins brings back previously introduced characters with continued development, while avoiding allowing the characters to grow tiresome and stale and in this tale, doors close and door open, allowing the promise of the return of the Quinn Colson character.
In the Quinn Colson series, Atkins has been one of the rare writers that have been creative enough to maintain a long series without losing steam or missing a beat.
The Revelators is highly recommended to readers that enjoy regional crime thrillers with characters that are believable and storylines that are not impossible to imagine.
This advanced reader copy was provided for the promise of a fair review.
December 7, 2020
Ordinarily, I'm a big fan of this series. Quinn Colson, former Ranger and cigar-smokin', whisky drinkin' good ol' boy cleaning up the baddies down in his little corner of Mississippi. What's not to love?
In the Revelators, however, I just wasn't feeling it. Colson has been sidelined due to having been shot, nearly to death, and the crooked Governor has replaced him (temporarily perhaps?) with a crony-- in short, a crooked politician places his worker bees in key positions in order to further the financial gains of criminal enterprises who, in turn, feather the politicians' pockets. Nothing too fictional about this at all, unfortunately.
Nevertheless, this story seemed to wander a bit. Atkins had two or three plots all running simultaneously, making commentary on immigration and the separation of families, along with other racial and social tropes. In addition, having Colson being basically removed from the equation for all but the closing chapters left me feeling frustrated. Part of the problem for me was my fond memories of earlier entries in this series; those stories felt more cohesive, more linear, with clear cut conflicts between white hats & black hats (black hearts?) being resolved by legal and physical means. Satisfying in a sort of an "old west" fashion. Despite this one ending up righting the ship, it just came too late for me.
The characters are familiar and there are the excellent passages that place you in the sweltering humidity of the deep South. The dialogue seemed a bit forced, especially when occurring between red-necked bad-boy wannabes and bigoted, stereotyped Southern cops. If you are sensitive to gender or racial insults and profanity, steer clear; Atkins sprinkled those pretty liberally into the mix. Fans of the series will certainly want to include this one, but if you're considering jumping in, I'd recommend beginning with the first few, in order preferably.
In the Revelators, however, I just wasn't feeling it. Colson has been sidelined due to having been shot, nearly to death, and the crooked Governor has replaced him (temporarily perhaps?) with a crony-- in short, a crooked politician places his worker bees in key positions in order to further the financial gains of criminal enterprises who, in turn, feather the politicians' pockets. Nothing too fictional about this at all, unfortunately.
Nevertheless, this story seemed to wander a bit. Atkins had two or three plots all running simultaneously, making commentary on immigration and the separation of families, along with other racial and social tropes. In addition, having Colson being basically removed from the equation for all but the closing chapters left me feeling frustrated. Part of the problem for me was my fond memories of earlier entries in this series; those stories felt more cohesive, more linear, with clear cut conflicts between white hats & black hats (black hearts?) being resolved by legal and physical means. Satisfying in a sort of an "old west" fashion. Despite this one ending up righting the ship, it just came too late for me.
The characters are familiar and there are the excellent passages that place you in the sweltering humidity of the deep South. The dialogue seemed a bit forced, especially when occurring between red-necked bad-boy wannabes and bigoted, stereotyped Southern cops. If you are sensitive to gender or racial insults and profanity, steer clear; Atkins sprinkled those pretty liberally into the mix. Fans of the series will certainly want to include this one, but if you're considering jumping in, I'd recommend beginning with the first few, in order preferably.
May 11, 2020
The Revelators by Ace Atkins-In Quinn Colson's tenth outing we find the stage set for redemption. Everything bad that's been happening in Tibbehah County, Mississippi, including Sheriff Quinn Colson being shot in the back four times near the end of the last book(The Shameless), has finally come to a head. The FBI, DEA, and several other agencies are discretely looking into the strange goings on. Meanwhile Fannie Hathcock is wheeling and dealing to beat the band. Everyone has something to loose, though they might just not realize it right away. Then the pieces start to fall in place and the payback becomes real.
This is an enjoyable edition in this series as despite the darkness surrounding this simple rural life, there is a glimmer of hope and restoration. All the main characters are back and filled with life. Quinn, sidelined by his injuries, takes a smaller roll in this tale, allowing some of the other players more time to develop. Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this ARC.
This is an enjoyable edition in this series as despite the darkness surrounding this simple rural life, there is a glimmer of hope and restoration. All the main characters are back and filled with life. Quinn, sidelined by his injuries, takes a smaller roll in this tale, allowing some of the other players more time to develop. Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this ARC.
October 4, 2021
At last, the conclusion to "Shameless". "Shameless infuriated me by not having a conclusion, leaving Colson shot up and half dead. "The Revelators" finishes that story in great fashion and would have made one hell of a great, but long, book if published together as one. I would give this 4 1/2 stars if I could. Colson, Boom, Lillie and several fed agencies finally get around to cleaning up Tibbehah county. Very well done, extremely exciting, this is one of Atkins best.
April 26, 2020
The Revelators by Ace Atkins is number ten in the Quinn Colson series and picks up exactly where the previous novel left off - with Sheriff Quinn Colson fighting for his life after being ambushed, shot and left for dead.
As the story continues, newly elected and corrupt Governor Vardaman has placed Colson on temporary leave and has inserted his own selected group of crony replacements to enforce the law as they see fit in Tibbehah County, Tennessee. At the same time, Colson and his department have been placed under a fabricated investigation for the corruption in Colson's jurisdiction.
With the replacements doing little of productive law enforcement while conducting acts of overt criminality, Fannie Hathcock has been continuing to grow her own criminal enterprise with free reins. Hathcock's power has taken an upward trajectory, with her criminal invasive tendrils reaching out through any crevice thought to be profitable for her, no matter how nasty. Through her successes, Hathcock becomes even more lethal in her pursuits, seemingly without end.
With corruption running rampant in the county and beyond, Colson and those close to him worry if law and order will return and if those responsible for the lawlessness will ever face justice.
In The Revelators, Atkins brings back previously introduced characters with continued development, while avoiding allowing the characters to grow tiresome and stale and in this tale, doors close and door open, allowing the promise of the return of the Quinn Colson character.
In the Quinn Colson series, Atkins has been one of the rare writers that have been creative enough to maintain a long series without losing steam or missing a beat.
The Revelators is highly recommended to readers that enjoy regional crime thrillers with characters that are believable and storylines that are not impossible to imagine.
This advanced reader copy was provided for the promise of a fair review.
As the story continues, newly elected and corrupt Governor Vardaman has placed Colson on temporary leave and has inserted his own selected group of crony replacements to enforce the law as they see fit in Tibbehah County, Tennessee. At the same time, Colson and his department have been placed under a fabricated investigation for the corruption in Colson's jurisdiction.
With the replacements doing little of productive law enforcement while conducting acts of overt criminality, Fannie Hathcock has been continuing to grow her own criminal enterprise with free reins. Hathcock's power has taken an upward trajectory, with her criminal invasive tendrils reaching out through any crevice thought to be profitable for her, no matter how nasty. Through her successes, Hathcock becomes even more lethal in her pursuits, seemingly without end.
With corruption running rampant in the county and beyond, Colson and those close to him worry if law and order will return and if those responsible for the lawlessness will ever face justice.
In The Revelators, Atkins brings back previously introduced characters with continued development, while avoiding allowing the characters to grow tiresome and stale and in this tale, doors close and door open, allowing the promise of the return of the Quinn Colson character.
In the Quinn Colson series, Atkins has been one of the rare writers that have been creative enough to maintain a long series without losing steam or missing a beat.
The Revelators is highly recommended to readers that enjoy regional crime thrillers with characters that are believable and storylines that are not impossible to imagine.
This advanced reader copy was provided for the promise of a fair review.
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August 15, 2020This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S THE REVELATORS ABOUT?
How is it already book ten?
The Revelators starts with Boom Kimbrough trying to keep his friend alive. Quinn Colson has been responding to a call about a domestic dispute and had been ambushed by The Watchmen—the far-right vigilante militia beating him and then someone shooting him. When a book starts off with your series' protagonist clinging to life, you know it's going to be a grim time and it is.
A year passes and Quinn's rehab has gone pretty well. The governor has appointed someone to fill in as Sherriff, and that man is everything that Quinn isn't, he make's Quinn's crooked uncle look like a fine lawman. He's not entirely physically ready, but he can't wait anymore—Quinn's got to step up and do his job before it's too late and criminal elements have completely taken over. Quinn, Boom, Lillie Virgil, and the Jon Holliday (plus who knows how many undercover agents he has—he won't tell anyone) prepare for a significant move that'll put most, if not all, of the major elements in prison.
Meanwhile, the new Sherriff and ICE raid a local chicken processing plant (to the surprise of almost everyone in the county), arresting everyone, not allowing anyone to provide their immigration papers (of those who have them), merely sending them off somewhere to await deportation. Lillie and her church have their hands full with the children left behind by this move. If anything, this action galvanizes Quinn to step up his work.
Fannie Hathcock is making moves of her own, securing her position not only in Tibbehah County but the entire state (and beyond). And...well, I don't have the space to keep going. There are so many moving pieces in this book I'm not even going to attempt to summarize.
There's at least an allusion to the previous books, and many characters/crimes/events from them directly impact what happens here. The Revelators is the culmination of ten novels' worth of events and nothing's going to be the same after it. It's clear from the get-go that Atkins has something major in mind and the atmosphere of the whole book reflects that. At various points in the novel, I have notes like "please don't do anything to X and Y." And at times it feels like this could be the series finale, and I spent a little time wondering how there'll be any way for it to continue.*
* I've heard/read enough interviews of Atkins at this point to know he's not keeping the next novel a secret, so I don't feel bad about saying that.
IS THIS FICTION?
From the ICE raid on a chicken processing plant—and the way that parents are kept from their children afterward, to the police corruption and abuse of power, to the militant (and well-armed) right-wing group pushing their way around, and a few other spoilery actions—these "ripped from the headlines" storylines made me wonder time and time again how little fictionalization/sensationalism Atkins was pouring int this. I'm so relieved that it is fiction but at far too many points, it doesn't feel all that fictional and you get a little sick wondering just how much of this could really be happening in Mississippi (or your own state).
LIGHTS IN THE DARKNESS
In the middle of all this corruption, crime, inhumanity, and impending doom, there are moments of hope, joy, and family. Quinn's nephew, Jason, falls for a girl (who falls right back). Quinn and Maggie are expecting. Maggie's son Brandon grows closer to his new family—there's one very sweet scene between Brandon and Quinn. Caddy seems to have found another chance at love.
And an old foe realizes how far down the wrong road they've gone and seeks to make it up to Quinn. I had to read a couple of scenes twice to make sure I understood what was going on.
Not only does that kind of thing keep Quinn and his allies going—it's a reason to keep fighting, even if things are worse in the ten years since he came home. But, it also makes it easier to read. If it was all crime, corruption, racism, impending doom, and the rest, sure, it'd be worth reading, but these brief reminders that even Tibbehah County isn't as bad as it could possibly be make it so much easier to keep reading.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE REVELATORS?
That is a hard—and honest—take. But what Quinn leaves unspoken is that it really doesn't matter how long this kind have been around, people like he and Boom have been around resisting, fighting back the darkness, and trying to make it easier for light to shine. That's why readers have kept coming back to this series for ten years. And they'll keep coming back as long as that fight's being waged.
Atkins has outdone himself this time—there are so many moving parts, so many interweaving plotlines, so much that he has to reveal slowly (or not let us see) so that he can let it all loose at the right time.
While reading it, I kept muttering about how good it all was, how fantastically Atkins was pulling off this very ambitious novel—and he made it look easy while keeping the reader white-knuckling the cover.
Book 11 in this series is going to look pretty different than the ten that came before, but it'll be Quinn facing off with the same type of people—and as long as we get books of this caliber (or near it), that'll be more than good enough.
---
"Place kinda looks like when you came home ten years back?"
"Nope," Quinn said, placing the small bottle back in the glove box. "It's a lot worse."
WHAT'S THE REVELATORS ABOUT?
How is it already book ten?
The Revelators starts with Boom Kimbrough trying to keep his friend alive. Quinn Colson has been responding to a call about a domestic dispute and had been ambushed by The Watchmen—the far-right vigilante militia beating him and then someone shooting him. When a book starts off with your series' protagonist clinging to life, you know it's going to be a grim time and it is.
A year passes and Quinn's rehab has gone pretty well. The governor has appointed someone to fill in as Sherriff, and that man is everything that Quinn isn't, he make's Quinn's crooked uncle look like a fine lawman. He's not entirely physically ready, but he can't wait anymore—Quinn's got to step up and do his job before it's too late and criminal elements have completely taken over. Quinn, Boom, Lillie Virgil, and the Jon Holliday (plus who knows how many undercover agents he has—he won't tell anyone) prepare for a significant move that'll put most, if not all, of the major elements in prison.
Meanwhile, the new Sherriff and ICE raid a local chicken processing plant (to the surprise of almost everyone in the county), arresting everyone, not allowing anyone to provide their immigration papers (of those who have them), merely sending them off somewhere to await deportation. Lillie and her church have their hands full with the children left behind by this move. If anything, this action galvanizes Quinn to step up his work.
Fannie Hathcock is making moves of her own, securing her position not only in Tibbehah County but the entire state (and beyond). And...well, I don't have the space to keep going. There are so many moving pieces in this book I'm not even going to attempt to summarize.
There's at least an allusion to the previous books, and many characters/crimes/events from them directly impact what happens here. The Revelators is the culmination of ten novels' worth of events and nothing's going to be the same after it. It's clear from the get-go that Atkins has something major in mind and the atmosphere of the whole book reflects that. At various points in the novel, I have notes like "please don't do anything to X and Y." And at times it feels like this could be the series finale, and I spent a little time wondering how there'll be any way for it to continue.*
* I've heard/read enough interviews of Atkins at this point to know he's not keeping the next novel a secret, so I don't feel bad about saying that.
IS THIS FICTION?
From the ICE raid on a chicken processing plant—and the way that parents are kept from their children afterward, to the police corruption and abuse of power, to the militant (and well-armed) right-wing group pushing their way around, and a few other spoilery actions—these "ripped from the headlines" storylines made me wonder time and time again how little fictionalization/sensationalism Atkins was pouring int this. I'm so relieved that it is fiction but at far too many points, it doesn't feel all that fictional and you get a little sick wondering just how much of this could really be happening in Mississippi (or your own state).
LIGHTS IN THE DARKNESS
In the middle of all this corruption, crime, inhumanity, and impending doom, there are moments of hope, joy, and family. Quinn's nephew, Jason, falls for a girl (who falls right back). Quinn and Maggie are expecting. Maggie's son Brandon grows closer to his new family—there's one very sweet scene between Brandon and Quinn. Caddy seems to have found another chance at love.
And an old foe realizes how far down the wrong road they've gone and seeks to make it up to Quinn. I had to read a couple of scenes twice to make sure I understood what was going on.
Not only does that kind of thing keep Quinn and his allies going—it's a reason to keep fighting, even if things are worse in the ten years since he came home. But, it also makes it easier to read. If it was all crime, corruption, racism, impending doom, and the rest, sure, it'd be worth reading, but these brief reminders that even Tibbehah County isn't as bad as it could possibly be make it so much easier to keep reading.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE REVELATORS?
"Johnny Stagg, J. K. Vardaman, the Watchman—all of them come from the same place," Quinn said. "Me and you been fighting them over since we came home."
"Been here long before me and you were born," Boom said. "And they gonna be around long after we die."
"That's a hard take," Quinn said.
"Do I lie?"
That is a hard—and honest—take. But what Quinn leaves unspoken is that it really doesn't matter how long this kind have been around, people like he and Boom have been around resisting, fighting back the darkness, and trying to make it easier for light to shine. That's why readers have kept coming back to this series for ten years. And they'll keep coming back as long as that fight's being waged.
Atkins has outdone himself this time—there are so many moving parts, so many interweaving plotlines, so much that he has to reveal slowly (or not let us see) so that he can let it all loose at the right time.
While reading it, I kept muttering about how good it all was, how fantastically Atkins was pulling off this very ambitious novel—and he made it look easy while keeping the reader white-knuckling the cover.
Book 11 in this series is going to look pretty different than the ten that came before, but it'll be Quinn facing off with the same type of people—and as long as we get books of this caliber (or near it), that'll be more than good enough.
August 3, 2020
4.5 stars. Let it be known right up front that the Quinn Colson novels are one of my favorite series.
Ten months ago, Sheriff Quinn Colson was ambushed, shot 4 times, and nearly died. After several surgeries and months of rehab, he is still slowly recovering. An interim sheriff has been appointed - - he's a stupid crook. Fannie has expanded her empire of working girls. Evil and corruption are alive and well in Tibbehah County, Mississippi. It's going to be up to Quinn and his friends to restore law and order.
I love the secondary characters in this series - U.S. Marshall Lillie Virgil, Quinn's best friend Boom, Federal agent Jon Holliday, Quinn's sister Caddy and newcomer Nat.
I don't advise starting out the series with this book. You would have a hard time keeping up with all the corrupt players. Readers have to stay on their toes as the storytelling changes within chapters.
As I finished this book, I was thinking that many storylines will have to change for the next book, which I'm already eagerly awaiting.
Ten months ago, Sheriff Quinn Colson was ambushed, shot 4 times, and nearly died. After several surgeries and months of rehab, he is still slowly recovering. An interim sheriff has been appointed - - he's a stupid crook. Fannie has expanded her empire of working girls. Evil and corruption are alive and well in Tibbehah County, Mississippi. It's going to be up to Quinn and his friends to restore law and order.
I love the secondary characters in this series - U.S. Marshall Lillie Virgil, Quinn's best friend Boom, Federal agent Jon Holliday, Quinn's sister Caddy and newcomer Nat.
I don't advise starting out the series with this book. You would have a hard time keeping up with all the corrupt players. Readers have to stay on their toes as the storytelling changes within chapters.
As I finished this book, I was thinking that many storylines will have to change for the next book, which I'm already eagerly awaiting.
September 20, 2020
I really like this series. I have been hooked since the first page of The Ranger. This is a dark series in a corrupt county and it's sometimes hard to see that it is set in modern times and not the early 1900s. I really love the way Atkins can describe the characters and the setting. He is a master at this southern noir stuff. If you have missed this series you better start with it at once it's one of the best out there.
July 26, 2020
It isn’t really all that difficult to believe that THE REVELATORS is the 10th installment in Ace Atkins’ 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. This latest entry keeps Atkins’ string on the series intact, meeting and surpassing what has gone before with a story that is almost impossible to put down.
At the end of THE SHAMELESS, Colson wasn’t singing in the choir invisible but certainly heard the pitch pipe before the organ started playing. His questionable 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 dealing with a burgeoning addiction to pain medication that he is attempting (unsuccessfully) to conceal from his wife, who is in the late stages of her pregnancy.
A new sheriff has been appointed by the governor in the wake of Colson’s incapacity, supposedly to bring law and order back to the area. Given that he and the governor have a similar moral compass --- both are so crooked that neither of them could lay down in a roundhouse --- Colson despairs that things in Tibbehah County are now worse than when he first came back to restore lawfulness to the area. An additional factor is that some residents who are in a bad way find themselves in dire straits, thanks to the governor’s connections and greed.
Fortunately, Colson’s friends in law enforcement are returning to bring his assailant and Hathcock to justice, as well as possibly right some additional wrongs along the way. Colson assists when he can, but in THE REVELATORS he shares billing with a wide cast of characters --- including 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 of this addicting series are taken off the radar, a couple of new ones are introduced, and we are gifted with a blast or two from the past.
The series started strongly and has gotten better with each entry. Atkins infuses THE REVELATORS with some of his best writing to date (which is no small feat), as well as a healthy dose of grim humor, which is the frosting on a narrative that never lets you guess quite where it is going.
I do have one suggestion. It might be time for Atkins to provide a list of characters or a summary of what has occurred previously just to help longtime readers of a certain age get their legs underneath them, as well as assist those who are dipping their toes into Atkins’ Mississippi mud for the first time.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
At the end of THE SHAMELESS, Colson wasn’t singing in the choir invisible but certainly heard the pitch pipe before the organ started playing. His questionable 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 dealing with a burgeoning addiction to pain medication that he is attempting (unsuccessfully) to conceal from his wife, who is in the late stages of her pregnancy.
A new sheriff has been appointed by the governor in the wake of Colson’s incapacity, supposedly to bring law and order back to the area. Given that he and the governor have a similar moral compass --- both are so crooked that neither of them could lay down in a roundhouse --- Colson despairs that things in Tibbehah County are now worse than when he first came back to restore lawfulness to the area. An additional factor is that some residents who are in a bad way find themselves in dire straits, thanks to the governor’s connections and greed.
Fortunately, Colson’s friends in law enforcement are returning to bring his assailant and Hathcock to justice, as well as possibly right some additional wrongs along the way. Colson assists when he can, but in THE REVELATORS he shares billing with a wide cast of characters --- including 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 of this addicting series are taken off the radar, a couple of new ones are introduced, and we are gifted with a blast or two from the past.
The series started strongly and has gotten better with each entry. Atkins infuses THE REVELATORS with some of his best writing to date (which is no small feat), as well as a healthy dose of grim humor, which is the frosting on a narrative that never lets you guess quite where it is going.
I do have one suggestion. It might be time for Atkins to provide a list of characters or a summary of what has occurred previously just to help longtime readers of a certain age get their legs underneath them, as well as assist those who are dipping their toes into Atkins’ Mississippi mud for the first time.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
July 17, 2020
Man there was a lot going on in this one and a lot of it was a hot mess. By the time we got to the end of the book it seems like things have really changed in Tibbehah County, they for sure have for Quinn and his family.
I find myself really happy with where Caddy is heading now. I feel like she deserves a chance and I think getting away from things will help her out. Jason was great in this one, shows that the lessons Quinn has been teaching him have stuck. Loved how he helped someone who needed it and the talk that he had with Brandon at the end.
I was very happy that a lot of the bad guys were exposed and caught, for some of them it was a long time coming. I sort of hated to see the return of a character right at the end, worry that more trouble will be heading to Tibbehah County again.
I find myself really happy with where Caddy is heading now. I feel like she deserves a chance and I think getting away from things will help her out. Jason was great in this one, shows that the lessons Quinn has been teaching him have stuck. Loved how he helped someone who needed it and the talk that he had with Brandon at the end.
I was very happy that a lot of the bad guys were exposed and caught, for some of them it was a long time coming. I sort of hated to see the return of a character right at the end, worry that more trouble will be heading to Tibbehah County again.
July 5, 2021
Little brown charoot smokin’ tough-as-nails Miss Fanny with her framing hammer makes the scene in this Southern-fried crook fest. Throw in some Bible thumpin’ gun runnin’ phony “make Mississippi great again” white Conferderates, a stupid, green Governor-for-hire and you got a new Quinn Colson tale! Gooder than the last one. Hah!
August 24, 2020
Great writing, lots of action, and Atkins’ signature wit, make this a don’t-miss in his Quinn Colson series — just optioned for HBO!
May 14, 2021
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review
.
THE REVELATORS by Ace Atkins is the 10th novel in the “Quinn Colson” series and is the next chapter in the life of Quinn, a ex-Army Ranger who returns to his home town in Mississippi and takes over as Sheriff of Tibbehah County in the wake of the death of his uncle Hamp, who was somewhat of a legend in his time, and here in this novel as in previous ones Quinn has to go toe-to-toe with the criminal elements in his community.
Fannie Hathcock has been one of the main characters of the last few books of the series and operates the topless bar known previously as “The Booby Trap” which was owned by Quinn’s nemesis Johnny Stagg, who has been in prison as a result of Quinn’s efforts to eliminate his criminal enterprise, but only to be replaced by Fannie and Quinn has also faced up against the corrupt Governor Vardaman, who is backed by a man Quinn despises who leads a group of zealots that back Vardamon as somewhat of a savior to clean up the image of the county.. yet Quinn and others close to him aren’t buying it which sets up for a showdown to take place that may include Fannie and her associates in the Dixie Mafia.
Can Quinn once again restore law and order in his community while staying alive after having been nearly killed before, and can he keep his family and friends safe while doing so?
I admit to being a big fan of this series by Ace Adkins, and Quinn is a solid character who is easy to get behind and pull for in his efforts to restore law and order in his community that has always been kind of a love/hate relationship between him and his home town, but his determination and perseverance always prevails in the end before and hopefully will continue here as well.
Highly recommended.
5 stars.
.
THE REVELATORS by Ace Atkins is the 10th novel in the “Quinn Colson” series and is the next chapter in the life of Quinn, a ex-Army Ranger who returns to his home town in Mississippi and takes over as Sheriff of Tibbehah County in the wake of the death of his uncle Hamp, who was somewhat of a legend in his time, and here in this novel as in previous ones Quinn has to go toe-to-toe with the criminal elements in his community.
Fannie Hathcock has been one of the main characters of the last few books of the series and operates the topless bar known previously as “The Booby Trap” which was owned by Quinn’s nemesis Johnny Stagg, who has been in prison as a result of Quinn’s efforts to eliminate his criminal enterprise, but only to be replaced by Fannie and Quinn has also faced up against the corrupt Governor Vardaman, who is backed by a man Quinn despises who leads a group of zealots that back Vardamon as somewhat of a savior to clean up the image of the county.. yet Quinn and others close to him aren’t buying it which sets up for a showdown to take place that may include Fannie and her associates in the Dixie Mafia.
Can Quinn once again restore law and order in his community while staying alive after having been nearly killed before, and can he keep his family and friends safe while doing so?
I admit to being a big fan of this series by Ace Adkins, and Quinn is a solid character who is easy to get behind and pull for in his efforts to restore law and order in his community that has always been kind of a love/hate relationship between him and his home town, but his determination and perseverance always prevails in the end before and hopefully will continue here as well.
Highly recommended.
5 stars.
November 19, 2020
“ The Revelators” is the latest novel in Ace Atkins’ excellent series of Quinn Colson novels.
The book begins where the previous novel ended in a cliffhanger, with Colson, shot three times in the back, lying in a creek, nearly dead. Needless to say, he is rescued by his friend , Boom , and taken to the hospital for surgery. The next chapter begins sometime later, with Quinn nearly recovered, but still stunned with pain , but getting things back together. His home county, where he was an honest sheriff in the midst of deep and pervasive high- level corruption, is the cess pit of Mississippi.
Those familiar with the series will find all the old villains: Fannie Hethcock the entrepreneur of a Highway nudie bar/ bordello; Clarence Creedmore, a South Shall Rise Again racist and dealer in stolen merchandise; and Governor Vardeman pulling strings from the state capital. Fanny is one of the most fascinating and despicable female villains I’ve ever encountered, and she is at the center of all the action in the book in a rural Mississippi county that makes Chicago or Baltimore seem quaint.
Mr Atkins has this all in hand with a story that moves along like swamp gator- lying still in the swirling waters as the storm builds and then moving in an explosion of blood, greed and violence.
They’re some new elements to the ongoing tale of Tibbehah county corruption. Added to the usual noxious stew at Fannie’s tawdry roadhouse where watered booze is served along with the chicken wings and teen-aged lap dancers, Fannie now runs a small video empire of live sex online, human trafficking and gun running.
Readers of the series will be caught up and held by the author’s skill at building his story and adding to what we knew about the characters and goings on in Tibbehah county. They won’t be disappointed in “The Revelators.” I enjoyed it thoroughly and by the ending, I am sure that there is more to come.
Caution: a lot of coarse, sexual language and behavior, but no explicit sex acts. Plenty of violence. Racism. Rampant political corruption with politicians and elected elites getting rich on shady deals and bribes- but that is hardly unheard of , is it?
The book begins where the previous novel ended in a cliffhanger, with Colson, shot three times in the back, lying in a creek, nearly dead. Needless to say, he is rescued by his friend , Boom , and taken to the hospital for surgery. The next chapter begins sometime later, with Quinn nearly recovered, but still stunned with pain , but getting things back together. His home county, where he was an honest sheriff in the midst of deep and pervasive high- level corruption, is the cess pit of Mississippi.
Those familiar with the series will find all the old villains: Fannie Hethcock the entrepreneur of a Highway nudie bar/ bordello; Clarence Creedmore, a South Shall Rise Again racist and dealer in stolen merchandise; and Governor Vardeman pulling strings from the state capital. Fanny is one of the most fascinating and despicable female villains I’ve ever encountered, and she is at the center of all the action in the book in a rural Mississippi county that makes Chicago or Baltimore seem quaint.
Mr Atkins has this all in hand with a story that moves along like swamp gator- lying still in the swirling waters as the storm builds and then moving in an explosion of blood, greed and violence.
They’re some new elements to the ongoing tale of Tibbehah county corruption. Added to the usual noxious stew at Fannie’s tawdry roadhouse where watered booze is served along with the chicken wings and teen-aged lap dancers, Fannie now runs a small video empire of live sex online, human trafficking and gun running.
Readers of the series will be caught up and held by the author’s skill at building his story and adding to what we knew about the characters and goings on in Tibbehah county. They won’t be disappointed in “The Revelators.” I enjoyed it thoroughly and by the ending, I am sure that there is more to come.
Caution: a lot of coarse, sexual language and behavior, but no explicit sex acts. Plenty of violence. Racism. Rampant political corruption with politicians and elected elites getting rich on shady deals and bribes- but that is hardly unheard of , is it?
April 20, 2020
The Revelators by Ace Atkins offers another winner featuring his main character, Quinn Colson. This time around Colson is recovering from injuries sustained in the previous novel. Not only is he getting his health back together, but he is also looking forward to becoming a father again, and further hopes that he is reinstated in his job.
As with any Colson books the family dynamics and history, come into play and it and they do here as well. As always I find it a delight to revisit the characters i his novels. This book has, as the main story, the deportation of Mexicans from the area. This is done in a quick, rather inhumane way, and tears families apart. Because of this event, some young children left without their parents go in search for them, but are led astray by modern day sex slavers
If that is not enough, the book has even more plot lines, again typical of a Quinn Colson novel, and adeptly handled by author, Atkins. Though I did not read the previous work, the writer carefully told this story which helped me get up to date with everything that I needed.
What was nice about this book is that it provided a lot of conclusions to the various stories in this series. Having said that, you might not want to make this the first Quinn Colson novel you read. Still, this is a worthy book in the series, and as the others do, I immediately want more!
As with any Colson books the family dynamics and history, come into play and it and they do here as well. As always I find it a delight to revisit the characters i his novels. This book has, as the main story, the deportation of Mexicans from the area. This is done in a quick, rather inhumane way, and tears families apart. Because of this event, some young children left without their parents go in search for them, but are led astray by modern day sex slavers
If that is not enough, the book has even more plot lines, again typical of a Quinn Colson novel, and adeptly handled by author, Atkins. Though I did not read the previous work, the writer carefully told this story which helped me get up to date with everything that I needed.
What was nice about this book is that it provided a lot of conclusions to the various stories in this series. Having said that, you might not want to make this the first Quinn Colson novel you read. Still, this is a worthy book in the series, and as the others do, I immediately want more!
July 19, 2021
This book made me laugh, cry, and keep on reading. The issues of immigration were front and center, and it did a good job of showing the heartaches of immigrants from south of the border, and some of the politics of those causing many of the heartaches. There were some really good people, and really bad ones. And then, as usual, many who were both, or just caught in the middle.
Our favorite villain, Fannie Hathcock, really showed her true colors in this book. In earlier books, she seemed to be somewhat of a victim of her upbringing, and mistreatment by evil men, and I would sometimes be happy when she won - kind of like JR in the TV show Dallas if you watched that. He was the bad guy we loved to hate. But she became more and more evil, it seems, and in this book she really became hateful. But aside from her powerful friends, she had some powerful enemies, including my favorite, Lillie Virgil, a US Marshall who loves to tangle with the bad guys. I was really happy to see her in this one. And Quinn's sister, Caddie Colson, proved to be a formidable player in this story too.
Near the end of this book, it seemed like it was going to be the last episode of a great series. But then, right at the very end something happened to give hope to us fans, so I suspect there will be more coming. I sure hope so.
Our favorite villain, Fannie Hathcock, really showed her true colors in this book. In earlier books, she seemed to be somewhat of a victim of her upbringing, and mistreatment by evil men, and I would sometimes be happy when she won - kind of like JR in the TV show Dallas if you watched that. He was the bad guy we loved to hate. But she became more and more evil, it seems, and in this book she really became hateful. But aside from her powerful friends, she had some powerful enemies, including my favorite, Lillie Virgil, a US Marshall who loves to tangle with the bad guys. I was really happy to see her in this one. And Quinn's sister, Caddie Colson, proved to be a formidable player in this story too.
Near the end of this book, it seemed like it was going to be the last episode of a great series. But then, right at the very end something happened to give hope to us fans, so I suspect there will be more coming. I sure hope so.
February 2, 2024
Another hit from Ace. I have now read books 6-10 in this Quinn Colson series and loved every one of them. (By chance started in the middle of the 11 books.) It’s highly addictive. You get to know these characters and follow their every move. Each book leads into the next so there is no way to stop, till end of book 11.
(For me, after I finish The Heathens book 11, I get to start back at #1 The Ranger and read books 1-5.)
A small county in Mississippi where criminals need to be stopped. Quinn Colson the Sheriff and his deputies, and some US Marshalls, and old friends, must stop them! We also follow Caddy the sister of Quinn and their mother Jean, and sometimes his old rascal dad who used to be a stuntman in Burt Reynolds movies. (If he is to be believed). And Boom the one armed military Ranger buddy who is always there to help.
Can’t recommend this series enough.
(For me, after I finish The Heathens book 11, I get to start back at #1 The Ranger and read books 1-5.)
A small county in Mississippi where criminals need to be stopped. Quinn Colson the Sheriff and his deputies, and some US Marshalls, and old friends, must stop them! We also follow Caddy the sister of Quinn and their mother Jean, and sometimes his old rascal dad who used to be a stuntman in Burt Reynolds movies. (If he is to be believed). And Boom the one armed military Ranger buddy who is always there to help.
Can’t recommend this series enough.
November 18, 2020
Every time I read a book by Ace Atkins, I say never again because he is so foul mouthed, but I keep going back. He does tell a good story, and his characters are flawed but rounded. He writes about the underbelly of northern Mississippi, something like Faulkner's county, and his use of names from William Faulkner's novels fascinates me.
January 16, 2022
I found the authors constant fat/body shaming grating to say the least. Not every person who is overweight is worthless, villanous, slovenly or should be referred to as "two ton". Apparently the only way to describe characters in his books are by appearance only. Thin people are generally virtuous and attractive. Overweight folks are non productive members of society,who ruin the scenery. Atkins books are a hard no for me.
August 2, 2020
Another terrific outing for Quinn Colson but in this one he doesn't take center stage. A lot of the action comes from secondary characters which is a nice change. There are a lot of plots that the author juggles but he manages to tie them into a nice package without seeming to rush to a finish.
May 9, 2020
Although this is the 10th installment to the Quinn C0lson series, this is my maiden voyage. This gem can certainly be enjoyed as a standalone as Atkins seamlessly provides necessary backstory. Obviously many of the characters are recurring , nonetheless they are easily woven into the present narrative. The story begins with Quinn fighting for his life after being ambushed and sustaining multiple gun shot wounds. The newly elected and crooked Governor Vardaman has placed Quinn on administrative leave while installing hand picked officials and an "interim" sheriff to "enforce" the law in Tibbehah County. Enforce is merely a euphemism for letting the crime syndicate run rough shod over northern Mississippi .... and notably in the town of Jericho. The epicenter of the local crime wave is commandeered by the red-haired bombshell, Fannie Hathcock .... owner of the local strip club, Vienna's Place, and the high class brothel on the lake for Southern gentlemen of means, and mastermind for most of the local vice .... prostitution, drugs, internet porn, and procuring stolen goods. Fannie has her finger in everything and appears destined to continue to expand her enterprises. The local Choctow Indian Chief Robbie refers to her as a poisonous flower .. a sorceress ... " you can no more trust that woman than a hissing snake." Without Quinn in charge crime runs rampant. However, behind the scenes Quinn and his confederates ... federal agent Jon Holliday, U.S. Marshal Lillie Virgil and his lifelong friend Boom Kimbrough, and undercover agent, Nat Wilkins ... have formed a task force with the goal of taking down the criminal empire strangulating Mississippi. Adding salt to the wound, the Dixie Mafia has decided to round up the undocumented Mexican workers from the local chicken slaughtering company, separating them from their children and replacing them with prison workers.
Ace Atkins weaves a multi-layered twisted gritty and dark narrative punctuated with his lyrical and authentic prose that rivals that of James Lee Burke ... and which is infused with charm and local color. His pace escalates to a harrowing and exhilarating denouement. Atkins graft makes it a necessity to further explore his oeuvre. Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for supplying an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. ( at readersremains.com )
Ace Atkins weaves a multi-layered twisted gritty and dark narrative punctuated with his lyrical and authentic prose that rivals that of James Lee Burke ... and which is infused with charm and local color. His pace escalates to a harrowing and exhilarating denouement. Atkins graft makes it a necessity to further explore his oeuvre. Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for supplying an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. ( at readersremains.com )
May 9, 2020
Although this is the 10th installment to the Quinn C0lson series, this is my maiden voyage. This gem can certainly be enjoyed as a standalone as Atkins seamlessly provides necessary backstory. Obviously many of the characters are recurring , nonetheless they are easily woven into the present narrative. The story begins with Quinn fighting for his life after being ambushed and sustaining multiple gun shot wounds. The newly elected and crooked Governor Vardaman has placed Quinn on administrative leave while installing hand picked officials and an "interim" sheriff to "enforce" the law in Tibbehah County. Enforce is merely a euphemism for letting the crime syndicate run rough shod over northern Mississippi .... and notably in the town of Jericho. The epicenter of the local crime wave is commandeered by the red-haired bombshell, Fannie Hathcock .... owner of the local strip club, Vienna's Place, and the high class brothel on the lake for Southern gentlemen of means, and mastermind for most of the local vice .... prostitution, drugs, internet porn, and procuring stolen goods. Fannie has her finger in everything and appears destined to continue to expand her enterprises. The local Choctow Indian Chief Robbie refers to her as a poisonous flower .. a sorceress ... " you can no more trust that woman than a hissing snake." Without Quinn in charge crime runs rampant. However, behind the scenes Quinn and his confederates ... federal agent Jon Holliday, U.S. Marshal Lillie Virgil and his lifelong friend Boom Kimbrough, and undercover agent, Nat Wilkins ... have formed a task force with the goal of taking down the criminal empire strangulating Mississippi. Adding salt to the wound, the Dixie Mafia has decided to round up the undocumented Mexican workers from the local chicken slaughtering company, separating them from their children and replacing them with prison workers.
Ace Atkins weaves a multi-layered twisted gritty and dark narrative punctuated with his lyrical and authentic prose that rivals that of James Lee Burke ... and which is infused with charm and local color. His pace escalates to a harrowing and exhilarating denouement. Atkins graft makes it a necessity to further explore his oeuvre. Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for supplying an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. ( at readersremains.com )
Ace Atkins weaves a multi-layered twisted gritty and dark narrative punctuated with his lyrical and authentic prose that rivals that of James Lee Burke ... and which is infused with charm and local color. His pace escalates to a harrowing and exhilarating denouement. Atkins graft makes it a necessity to further explore his oeuvre. Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for supplying an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. ( at readersremains.com )
August 12, 2020
Atkins has penned another strong chapter in his saga of ignorance, violence and greed in the American South. His characterization of Mississippi as a crime-riddled pustule will insult some readers. But there is no arguing with his creativity or storytelling abilities. Although you can enjoy “The Revelators” as a stand-alone novel, the book is far richer if you have read earlier books in the Quinn Colson series.
July 22, 2020
I wanted to take a day with my thoughts about this book before committing to them. I think I'm left really wanting to have loved it but falling short of that by more than a bit.
Look: It's good. If you've read this far in the series, you should definitely read it. If you read the previous book in the series, you almost have to read it because it's essentially one story. I want to be clear that the book wasn't bad--it just didn't meet my, admittedly high, expectations.
Here's the good stuff: Every time Lillie Virgel gets a piece of dialogue is a gem. Atkins doesn't miss with this character. Every single time she's part of a scene, it's a good one. Every time she opens her mouth, she says something that had me laughing, smiling or shaking my head. She is the absolute best part of this book.
I also admire Atkins for taking on current events. With both this one and with The Shameless, he creates a corrupt politician who parallels certain current leaders in the US. He creates a paramilitary group of hateful people who think they are patriots and he handles it all in a fair way. More importantly, he shows that the people of the South are not all from that mold. He shows two sides of that particular coin. He makes his own opinions known and bravely so. Kudos on that.
The not so good:
The pace of this book (and honestly the one before it) was tough for me. I did a re-read of The Shameless before starting this one and I struggled with it the second time around. This one was the same. The first 3/4 of the book was pretty slow going.
I'm not sure Quinn Colson is even the main character of this book. I think that's one of the things that troubled me. This book is hyped as the final showdown in Tibbehah between the forces of good and evil, but most of the work is being done "off screen" by Quinn's friend Jon Holliday. QC isn't even in on a lot of the plan--Holliday just keeps telling him to be patient. Colson's role is relegated to doing recon work but what he's doing has no purpose. The feds have everything covered.
Colson's purpose in this book is to recover from being shot, overcome painkiller addiction, to prepare for his wife to have a baby and to be patient. There's a tangent in the story and he and Lillie go on a 10-page adventure that essentially involves Lillie finding someone and Quinn just being present for the takedown.
There are some very satisfying moments that happen in the conclusion but I wouldn't term any of it exciting. Again, QC is kind of superfluous to it all. Even the happily ever after chapter is kind of corny. It involves a love interest that just seemed too convenient and quick for me--especially considering the decision they make. And the set up for the next book was...well...it was there. I'd have preferred something different but I'm not going to spoil it for anyone by saying more than what I have.
I wanted more. These last 2 books in this series have left me wanting more and I'm not particularly thrilled about the direction the tease to the next book is going to take us. I'm at 3 stars on this one in that it's exactly average for me. It doesn't come close to some of the other books in this series. It actually feels a little stale. It's a great series that feels like it's in a slump to me.
Look: It's good. If you've read this far in the series, you should definitely read it. If you read the previous book in the series, you almost have to read it because it's essentially one story. I want to be clear that the book wasn't bad--it just didn't meet my, admittedly high, expectations.
Here's the good stuff: Every time Lillie Virgel gets a piece of dialogue is a gem. Atkins doesn't miss with this character. Every single time she's part of a scene, it's a good one. Every time she opens her mouth, she says something that had me laughing, smiling or shaking my head. She is the absolute best part of this book.
I also admire Atkins for taking on current events. With both this one and with The Shameless, he creates a corrupt politician who parallels certain current leaders in the US. He creates a paramilitary group of hateful people who think they are patriots and he handles it all in a fair way. More importantly, he shows that the people of the South are not all from that mold. He shows two sides of that particular coin. He makes his own opinions known and bravely so. Kudos on that.
The not so good:
The pace of this book (and honestly the one before it) was tough for me. I did a re-read of The Shameless before starting this one and I struggled with it the second time around. This one was the same. The first 3/4 of the book was pretty slow going.
I'm not sure Quinn Colson is even the main character of this book. I think that's one of the things that troubled me. This book is hyped as the final showdown in Tibbehah between the forces of good and evil, but most of the work is being done "off screen" by Quinn's friend Jon Holliday. QC isn't even in on a lot of the plan--Holliday just keeps telling him to be patient. Colson's role is relegated to doing recon work but what he's doing has no purpose. The feds have everything covered.
Colson's purpose in this book is to recover from being shot, overcome painkiller addiction, to prepare for his wife to have a baby and to be patient. There's a tangent in the story and he and Lillie go on a 10-page adventure that essentially involves Lillie finding someone and Quinn just being present for the takedown.
There are some very satisfying moments that happen in the conclusion but I wouldn't term any of it exciting. Again, QC is kind of superfluous to it all. Even the happily ever after chapter is kind of corny. It involves a love interest that just seemed too convenient and quick for me--especially considering the decision they make. And the set up for the next book was...well...it was there. I'd have preferred something different but I'm not going to spoil it for anyone by saying more than what I have.
I wanted more. These last 2 books in this series have left me wanting more and I'm not particularly thrilled about the direction the tease to the next book is going to take us. I'm at 3 stars on this one in that it's exactly average for me. It doesn't come close to some of the other books in this series. It actually feels a little stale. It's a great series that feels like it's in a slump to me.
August 3, 2020
Ace Atkins has a lot going on in THE REVELATORS. This Quinn Colson book begins at the end of the previous entry in the series, SHAMELESS, as Colson bleeds out after an ambush that resulted in four shots to his back. Then quickly, Atkins fast forwards ten months, with Quinn still slowly recovering from his injuries. But that is just the bare surface of what is boiling up in Tibbehah County.
As Colson rehabilitates in relative isolation the Cruella de Vil of Mississippi, Miss Fannie Hathcock, is embedding, expanding, and diversifying her criminal empire amidst competing efforts by older versions of organized crime based on the Gulf Coast and Native American casino owners. Governor Vardaman (a name awash in Mississippi's corrupt and racist past) is solidifying his claims to power whilst trying to leave behind some of the more distasteful supporters who brought him to power. There are gun-running plots and sex trafficking enterprises afoot in northern Mississippi. Anti-immigrant efforts mesh nicely with current politics and white separatists. Federal authorities are trying to break through the miasma of corruption while the interim Tibbehah County sheriff's force put in place by the aforementioned Vardaman simultaneously tries to permanently unseat Colson and implement the criminal enterprises that brought and keep the governor in power. Oh, and Colson and Maggie are expecting the arrival of a baby girl, due sooner than later, Caddy is still unlucky in love, Jean still loves Elvis, and the boys are growing up.
It is easier to understand the context and significance of the many plot threads in THE REVELATORS if you have followed the Quinn Colson series from the beginning. Atkins is skillful enough, however, that a standalone read is possible. There is just more depth and nuance if you've followed along from day one so that is what I would recommend.
The loose threads are eliminated in energetically paced concluding events which mirror the culture of small towns and most rural communities. Everything and everyone seems to be interconnected. THE REVELATORS comes full circle on a number of subplots that have lasted over several books in the series. In that sense, this book provides a satisfying conclusion. It the final pages it also sets the stage for the future of the series in the surprise re-appearance of an old antagonist.
You can love these books
and still never want to live
in Mississippi.
As Colson rehabilitates in relative isolation the Cruella de Vil of Mississippi, Miss Fannie Hathcock, is embedding, expanding, and diversifying her criminal empire amidst competing efforts by older versions of organized crime based on the Gulf Coast and Native American casino owners. Governor Vardaman (a name awash in Mississippi's corrupt and racist past) is solidifying his claims to power whilst trying to leave behind some of the more distasteful supporters who brought him to power. There are gun-running plots and sex trafficking enterprises afoot in northern Mississippi. Anti-immigrant efforts mesh nicely with current politics and white separatists. Federal authorities are trying to break through the miasma of corruption while the interim Tibbehah County sheriff's force put in place by the aforementioned Vardaman simultaneously tries to permanently unseat Colson and implement the criminal enterprises that brought and keep the governor in power. Oh, and Colson and Maggie are expecting the arrival of a baby girl, due sooner than later, Caddy is still unlucky in love, Jean still loves Elvis, and the boys are growing up.
It is easier to understand the context and significance of the many plot threads in THE REVELATORS if you have followed the Quinn Colson series from the beginning. Atkins is skillful enough, however, that a standalone read is possible. There is just more depth and nuance if you've followed along from day one so that is what I would recommend.
The loose threads are eliminated in energetically paced concluding events which mirror the culture of small towns and most rural communities. Everything and everyone seems to be interconnected. THE REVELATORS comes full circle on a number of subplots that have lasted over several books in the series. In that sense, this book provides a satisfying conclusion. It the final pages it also sets the stage for the future of the series in the surprise re-appearance of an old antagonist.
You can love these books
and still never want to live
in Mississippi.
August 8, 2020
#10 in the Quinn Colson series. This 2020 series entry from author Ace Atkins wraps up a number of story arcs. In #9 The Shameless (2019), Colson was ambushed, shot in the back and left for dead. His best friend Boom Kimbrough found him and kept him from bleeding out. After long rehab, Colson is eager to go back to work and exact some revenge. However crooked governor Vardaman has assigned a crooked interim sheriff who is both incompetent and crooked. Tibbehah County has gone crooked with no restraints with Governor Vardaman and without Sheriff Colson. Quinn sets the stage for a big comeback and a bigger takedown.
Shot up and left for dead, Sheriff Quinn Colson has revenge on his mind. After almost a year, with the help of his new wife Maggie, rehabilitation, and sheer force of will, he's walking again, eager to resume his work as a southern lawman and track down those responsible for his attempted murder. But someone is standing in his way: an interim sheriff, appointed by the newly elected Governor Vardaman, the man who Quinn knows ordered his murder. Vardaman sits at the top of the state's power structure--both legal and criminal--and Quinn is still working to take him down. Quinn will enlist the help of his most trusted friends, including Boom Kimbrough, federal agent Jon Holliday, U.S. Marshal Lillie Virgil, and Nat Wilkins, an undercover agent now working for crime queen Fannie Hathcock. Since Quinn's been gone, the criminal element in north Mississippi has flourished, with Hathcock enjoying unbridled freedom. Now as a bustling factory shuts down, a labor leader ends up dead, and Quinn's own nephew goes missing, everything looks to be unraveling. Even an old friend from Quinn's past, Donnie Varner, is out of jail and up to his old ways. Quinn Colson and company have been planning for years, and now they're finally ready to bust apart a criminal empire running on a rigged system for far too long.
Shot up and left for dead, Sheriff Quinn Colson has revenge on his mind. After almost a year, with the help of his new wife Maggie, rehabilitation, and sheer force of will, he's walking again, eager to resume his work as a southern lawman and track down those responsible for his attempted murder. But someone is standing in his way: an interim sheriff, appointed by the newly elected Governor Vardaman, the man who Quinn knows ordered his murder. Vardaman sits at the top of the state's power structure--both legal and criminal--and Quinn is still working to take him down. Quinn will enlist the help of his most trusted friends, including Boom Kimbrough, federal agent Jon Holliday, U.S. Marshal Lillie Virgil, and Nat Wilkins, an undercover agent now working for crime queen Fannie Hathcock. Since Quinn's been gone, the criminal element in north Mississippi has flourished, with Hathcock enjoying unbridled freedom. Now as a bustling factory shuts down, a labor leader ends up dead, and Quinn's own nephew goes missing, everything looks to be unraveling. Even an old friend from Quinn's past, Donnie Varner, is out of jail and up to his old ways. Quinn Colson and company have been planning for years, and now they're finally ready to bust apart a criminal empire running on a rigged system for far too long.
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