Tattoos and Tans

by Jason P. Reed

Tattoos and Tans is a small town crime novel set deep in the heart of the Cajun Prairie.

JD Dugas moves back to his hometown of Eunice, Louisiana, to open the town’s first tattoo shop. But what seems like a perfect situation goes sideways from the get-go, and the arrival of JD's childhood friend Curtis, an intelligence analyst from DC with delusions of grandeur, doesn't help matters. Together, JD and Curtis use their wits, some less than legal tactics, and a little help from some old friends to take on their powerful and unscrupulous rivals.

With a cast of characters as strange and beautiful as the region where it’s set, and with just the right amount of Cajun spice, Tattoos and Tans is an entertaining introduction to an entirely new brand of contemporary, Louisiana fiction.

Genres: Fiction

235 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 8, 2021

About the author

Jason Reed came of age in Eunice, Louisiana, in the 1980s. His fondest memories are of listening to AC/DC in his older brother's car, building skateboard ramps under the carport, and playing baseball. The Outsiders was the first book he ever read. The first line of the novella still sticks with him, and to this day he will sometimes still encourage friends to "stay gold."

He studied English at what was then the University of Southwestern Louisiana in the mid 90s and worked as a technical writer in Houston after graduation, when it became apparent his masterpiece comic novel, which remains unfinished on a floppy disc somewhere, would not write itself. A short while later, he joined the Peace Corps and spent the turn of the century in Mongolia, having a really good time.

Returning to the U.S., Jason sidestepped a historically rigorous screening process and was commissioned into the Air Force, freaking out most of his old Peace Corps friends and confounding his new Air Force ones. Two decades later, he remains in the public sector, though he has long since traded in the uniform for a sport coat.

Eager to accelerate into the next stage in his life, Jason started New Bayou Books in 2020 and wrote his first two novels, both set in South-Louisiana, in about 18 months. Recognizing the shortage of contemporary Louisiana literature in the marketplace, Jason is planning to kick start a revolution in Louisiana literature. And he needs your help! Visit newbayoubooks.com, join the mailing list, read the books . . . tell a friend!

Reviews

[Elizabeth Giordano · Rating 2 out of 5]

thanks for the giveaway from goodreads

Thanks for the giveaway. It was an okay story. I liked the premise but felt like it fell flat at times and was a little one note. It didn’t feel like there was a lot of momentum or build up. I liked the episodes instead of chapters.

[Fran Burdsall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jason Reed knows how to write a character-driven thriller. This is not my usual genre, so I expected to get bogged down in the action. Instead, I found each character was absolutely vivid and engaging. This is book #1 in a series and I will definitely keep going. Eunice, Lousiana definitely has a rotten core of drugs and crime!

[MELISSA CORTEZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good story. I really enjoyed it.

[Lora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. Moved fairly fast and had a good characters. Would recommend.