Publishers Weekly
★ 04/29/2024
International intrigue and classic P.I. sleuthing combine in this deliciously complex thriller from bestseller Atkins (the Quinn Colson series). Addison McKellar has grown used to her husband Dean’s frequent work-related absences, but after several days pass without a word from him, she worries something bad has happened. Though Dean’s friends and associates at his Memphis construction firm assure Addison she’s overreacting, she follows her father’s advice and hires private investigator Porter Hayes. It doesn’t take long for the former cop and Vietnam vet to discover that Dean is not the man he claims to be, kick-starting a globe-trotting adventure involving a B-movie actress, Russian mobsters, and a suave French criminal, each of whom are after a mysterious cache of holy relics in transit from Turkey to Memphis. Atkins has loads of fun marrying his hardboiled sensibility to the gonzo espionage plot, and relies on his strengths as a storyteller to keep the whole thing from running off the rails. This should win Atkins oodles of new fans. Agent: Dan Conaway, Writers House. (June)
From the Publisher
"Don't Let the Devil Ride rumbles and rocks like the bottom beat in a Memphis blues tune played by a master. Ace Atkins has crafted an instant Southern noir classic that embodies the best aspects of the genre. Larger than life characters, wry humor, deep pathos and storytelling that embrace both the sacred and the profane." — S.A. Cosby, New York Times bestselling author of All the Sinners Bleed
“Anyone who has read Ace Atkins knows he’s diabolically talented, but his latest goes beyond crackling wit and whip-smart storytelling. Don't Let the Devil Ride combines meaty questions about the lies we build to protect ourselves—and what happens when those lies collapse—with a masterfully crafted plot and seductive Southern setting to create a novel that sings.” — Don Winslow, #1 Internationally bestselling author
“With his boisterous and beguiling new novel Don’t Let the Devil Ride, Ace Atkins confirms his status as the poet laureate of Southern hustlers and ne’er do wells. Full of wily humor and epic bad behavior, this is an ebullient, rollicking ride you don’t dare miss.” — Megan Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of Beware the Woman
"Ace Atkins's killing honesty sets a new standard for Southern crime fiction." — New York Times Book Review
"Ace Atkins is the Southern noir king. I’ve been reading him since his debut, and I am consistently wowed by the layers and depth of his characters, the crackling authenticity of his dialogue, and the elegance of his prose. Edgy, richly atmospheric, and often darkly funny, Don't Let the Devil Ride is the work of a master storyteller at the top of his game. A must-read!" — Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of The New Couple in 5B
"Don’t Let the Devil Ride is great work by Ace Atkins. It’s clever, intricate and moves with unstoppable momentum and twists to the very last page." — Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Desert Stars
"International intrigue and classic P.I. sleuthing combine in this deliciously complex thriller from bestseller Atkins.... Atkins has loads of fun marrying his hardboiled sensibility to the gonzo espionage plot, and relies on his strengths as a storyteller to keep the whole thing from running off the rails. This should win Atkins oodles of new fans." — Publisher's Weekly (starred review)
“Another outstanding, gripping, and atmospheric thriller that packs a mean punch. Ace Atkins delivers a rollercoaster of suspense, blending Southern charm with a global conspiracy in Don’t Let The Devil Ride, his biggest, most daring novel to date.” — Real Book Spy
"Adventure writing of a high order... Richly packed with colorful characters and expert writing." — Washington Post
“Exceptional. . . . Atkins is writing at the top of his game.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Action-packed and engrossing.... Atkins delivers stronger tales with each outing.” — Associated Press
"The Deep South's True Detective." — Men's Journal on Quinn Colson
"A satisfying mix of modern Southern gothic atmosphere and thrilling action, salted with crackling humor." — Tampa Bay Times on Quinn Colson
"Atkins allows Quinn to make mistakes and have foibles, making him an even more complex character." — The Associated Press on Quinn Colson
"The rough-and-tumble relationship between two tough-as-nails officers and the place they love provides plenty of action [and] well-developed characters." — Kirkus Reviews on Quinn Colson
Gripping... Atkins again portrays this pocket of the South with all its flaws, but he's too good a writer for anything to seem stereotyped. Grade: A." — The Cleveland Plain Dealer on Quinn Colson
"Masterful... it's clear that Atkins has long lived among the kind of folks populating his work." — The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal on Quinn Colson
"In the same class as James Lee Burke. Atkins is at the point where his writing is becoming the gold standard of genre and (yes) literary fiction. If you are unfamiliar with him, now is the point to jump on." — Bookreporter.com on Quinn Colson
"Masterpiece." — Garden & Gun
New York Times bestselling author S. A. Cosby
An instant Southern noir classic.”
Kirkus Reviews
2024-03-23
What begins as another of Atkins’ trademark regional crime tales blossoms into a story of international intrigue without ever abandoning its base.
Addison McKellar’s husband, Dean, has gone AWOL once before, returning home after five days with no explanation to speak of. So she doesn’t get seriously alarmed till he’s been gone a whole week. What tips the balance this time isn’t the extra two days, but her visit to the Cotton Exchange Building: The news that McKellar Construction hasn’t had an office there for at least two years sends Addison first to the Memphis police, who don’t believe that Dean is missing, and then to Porter Hayes, “the Black Sherlock Holmes,” who does. As the question of what Dean’s up to morphs into the question of who Dean really is, Atkins skillfully draws in more players who seem summoned from different worlds. Joanna Grayson, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in a movie half a century ago, is still working the connection to attract fans of the King. Her client Leslie Grimes is the billionaire owner of a chain of Christian gift shops. One-armed Jack Dumas is an arms dealer whose partner, Peter Collinson, has vanished with a bulging wallet. Omar, a sketchy Turkish dealer, has been killed in a shopping mall’s security warren. Then, shortly after he’s reported dead, Dean McKellar returns to his hearth and home, and things become much, much worse. He won’t answer Addison’s simplest questions; he casts doubt on everything she says; he goes out of his way to embarrass her in front of their friends; and he ends up turning their children, along with virtually everyone else in her life, against her.
Forget about the MacGuffin that knits these threads together and enjoy Atkins’ biggest, boldest thrill ride yet.
