Buried secrets, dirty lies, and unbridled greed and ambition raise the stakes down South in the lauded crime series from New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins.Twenty years ago, Brandon Taylor was thought to be just another teen boy who ended his life too soon. That’s what almost everyone in Tibbehah County, Mississippi, said after his body and hunting rifle were found in the Big Woods. … found in the Big Woods. Now two New York-based reporters show up asking Sheriff Quinn Colson questions about the Taylor case. What happened to the evidence? Where are the missing files? Who really killed Brandon?
Quinn wants to help. After all, his wife Maggie was a close friend of Brandon Taylor. But Quinn was just a kid himself in 1997, and these days he’s got more on his plate than twenty-year-old suspicious death. He’s trying to shut down the criminal syndicate that’s had a stranglehold on Tibbehah for years, trafficking drugs, stolen goods, and young women through the MidSouth. Truck stop madam Fannie Hathcock runs most of that action, and has her eyes on taking over the whole show. And then there’s Senator Jimmy Vardaman, who’s cut out the old political establishment riding the Syndicate’s money and power–plus a hefty helping of racism and ignorance–straight to the governor’s office. If he manages to get elected, the Syndicate will be untouchable. Tibbehah will be lawless.
Quinn’s been fighting evil and corruption since he was a kid, at home or as a U.S. Army Ranger in Afghanistan and Iraq. This time, evil may win out.
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Ace Atkins consistently delivers a good story in each installment of the Quinn Colson series. The Shameless is no exception. In this book Quinn works to solve a twenty-year-old cold case of the death/suicide of a fifteen-year-old former classmate who just happened to be a former beau of his wife Maggie. She, along with his family, believes he was murdered and that there is a conspiracy keeping the truth from coming out.
As Quinn investigates this case, he is thwarted at every turn by corrupt politicians, known criminals, the local madam and even two New York podcast journalists who stick their noses in his business. This time around his wife, sister Cady and Lillie are all on board to assist in solving the case. I was totally captivated by this story from start to explosive finish and this is probably my favorite so far. I listened to this on audiobook via Audible, the first in the nine-book series. The multiple narrators made me feel like I had known their characters all along! Bravo for excellent performances. I gave it four and ½ stars rounded up to five!
Did not enjoy as much as some of his other works. Could not stay interested
Too much…
I thought the sheriff was very inept, and I don’t like the main character to not be aware of the threats, very disappointed in this one! The first story intrducing us to the sheriff was very good this one wad definitely shameless!
Boring!
Another great book in this series
Atkins never fails to pull you in. Plan on a late night!!
Not as good or interesting as previous books with the same cast of characters.
Spent way too much space reviewing what the characters had already done. Didn’t add much to the character development, got in the way of the plot line.
Entertaining, but not my cup of tea.
“Atkins is a true American writer — shaped by Robert B. Parker and flavored with Faulknerian spice — Atkins is hands-down the best going at drawing characters from the New American South. The Shameless is brilliant and his villains are flesh-and-blood rather than stereotypical bad guys. Every Quinn Colson is an event to look forward to. Don’t miss it, Campers.” — W.L. Ripley
OMG!!! The BEST book in the series!!! I can’t believe I have to wait a year to find out what happened to Quinn. This can’t be the end of Quinn – it just can’t be!!! It’ll be interesting to see what getting Donnie Varner out of jail for will do for the story and where it will go from there. Good grief!!! Whoever said small town southern life was boring!
Thanks to netgalley.com, Ace Atkins and Penguin Group Putnam for the advance ARC copy for my honest review.
“The Shameless” is one heck of an awesome read, had me at Lillie Virgie at the start of Chapter 1, it is my favorite read of 2019 and it’ll take a special book to top this one.
Quinn Colson’s back, the tougher than nails Sheriff of Tibbehah County, with an intertwining storylines ripped right out of the headlines, you got badass U.S. Marshall Lillie Virgie, then add the 20 year old reopened case of Brandon Taylor, the NYC Podcast team, the Dixie Mafia, Fannie Hathcock, Senator Jimmy Vardaman 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. Especially with the cliff hanger ending to “The Shameless”, since you know we’ll getting a extra helping of her badass self, U.S. Marshall Lillie Virgie or at least I hope we will.
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.