Author: Ace Atkins
“The Innocents” by Ace Atkins is a dark but captivating tell of a mysterious crime committed in the Deep South. Atkins’ storytelling of this puzzling crime not only brings life to the flawed and dynamic characters but to the plot of the story which was about trust being broken and sacrifices being made.
The overall story was interesting and Atkins’ writing held me completely captivated with this very dark and sad tale. This is my second Quinn Colson book and I’m beginning to like the main character, County Sheriff, Quinn Colson. The heart of the story is set in Mississippi and portrays the area with authentic ‘Southern’ characters and real Southern culture. Unfortunately, Atkins has been criticized in some reviews for using unfavorable stereotypes that have offended some folks in Mississippi. Nevertheless, his character development in this story was good enough to not detract from the plot nor does it belittle anyone in particular.
This is fiction and I read it as such. People are people and Atkins does a fine job of flushing out interesting characters in this story. Quinn Colson continues to be a great lawman in solving difficult crimes. An ex-Army Ranger, now County Sheriff, Colson is rugged, tough and smart. With his native Tibbehah County, Mississippi overrun with corruption, dying businesses, meth runners, and lots of criminal violence, he is constantly after the truth in resolving various criminal cases. His ‘tomboy’ deputy, Lillie Virgil, is a good partner and she too wants to help clean up their hometown from all the ugliness that has engulfed it.
The Innocents is well worth a read. A strong but dark crime thriller set in the ‘Deep South’ that is sure to please any crime thriller reader…
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