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vkemp's review
4.0
Quinn Colson is in the hospital, recovering from being shot four times. He was ambushed by unknown assailants. His recovery is slow and he is taking more pain pills than he really should. His wife, Maggie, is pregnant and they both worry about each other. Fannie Hathcock, the Dixie Mafia ruler of Tibbehah County MS, has plans to expand her empire and has built a luxurious retreat on the banks of the lake; she will entertain the men running Mississippi, including the newly-elected governor, who secretly runs a militia group who may be behind Quinn's shooting. The local chicken plant is raided and all the undocumented immigrants are rounded up and sent to Louisiana; their children are left behind, so Caddy Colson, Quinn's sister takes them in at her sanctuary, The River, that she built with her fiance, Jamy Dixon, who died in her arms. Meanwhile, Donnie Varner, a old friend of Quinn and Caddy has secured an early release from prison, by volunteering to go underground to help bring down both the Mexican cartel and the Watchmen in Tibbehah County. There are a lot of strings winding through this entertaining story, but Atkins brings them all to a very satisfactory ending. Recommended.
donnek's review
5.0
Without getting into the nitty, gritty details, just when I thought that Atkins was wrapping up the Quinn Colson series, in walks the next antagonist for the series continued survival. Enough said and I can't believe I have to wait another year to find out the new direction of this incredible series.
brettt's review
2.0
When Quinn Colson returned to his hometown of Jericho, Mississippi, in 2011, his desire to learn more about why his uncle, the Tibbehah County sheriff, took his own life led him to uncover dark and ugly deeds beneath the surface of the small town. Over the next several books, as Quinn took on, lost and regained the role of sheriff himself he started peeling back the layers of the fetid onion of corruption that went from Tibbehah County all the way to the top of the state and its movers, shakers and fixers. In recent Colson novels, Ace Atkins hs ramped up the confrontation level as Quinn became more and more of a problem to those folks and their attempts to deal with him kept failing.
The ninth Colson book, The Shameless, ended with Quinn clinging to his life following an ambush. As The Revelators opens, we find time, effort and support from his friends and family have Quinn ready to take advantage of the mistake his opponents made: Leaving him alive. But he finds that political maneuverings will be tougher to handle than he thought. The power brokers installed an acting sheriff in his stead and taken the reins of authority in Tibbehah County in a firm grip. Though federal agents close in on both the corrupt behind-the-scenes players and their more overt agents and operations, Quinn's resources will be small. The popular law-and-order moves of his replacement and his handlers make that the people of Tibbehah County less happy with Quinn's more nuanced approach as well.
The Revelators earns credit for not following the pattern of earlier books and creating some final resolution in the long-building feud between Quinn and the corruption of Mississippi politics. Whether this arc was a part of Atkins' plan all along or something that developed a few books into the series, it's dominated the most recent half of the Colson novels and not always to their benefit. More than one story of Quinn uncovering the nefariosity of the supposedly respectable folk of Jericho, and the protection the powerful offered to the clearly disrespectable folk wound up with a tag that promised more of the same. Atkins increasingly suffocating use of his local color trappings have made what started as a tight series into a set of repeated wearying marches through the same grimy morass. Yes, The Revelators ends with a tag that suggests some of the old sleaze will slide into the newly created vacuum, but with the Big Bad of state corruption and its connection to organized crime gone the series has a chance to recover some of its momentum.
As for The Revelators itself, the plot hangs on a main villain who's a thinly disguised Donald Trump with some Boss Hogg seasoning. Quinn's replacement taps into what Atkins presents as barely-veiled racism on the part of everyone in the county except for Quinn and his friends and family, indicting everyone for the villain's misdeeds. In earlier novels Atkins used that reality to give tone to his work but for whatever reason by the time we get to The Revelators it's just the constantly clanging gong dominating any other note.
Atkins has created several series over his career, as well as producing fictionalized treatments of some real-life crimes and events. Following the death of Robert B. Parker, he began writing novels with that author's mainstay literate tough-guy Boston private eye Spenser. The Revelators completes a Colson arc and could be a good stopping place for this particular series. Especially if Atkins maintains the interest in repetitive political commentary and stereotyped characters that have dominated the last four or so entries.
Also available here.
The ninth Colson book, The Shameless, ended with Quinn clinging to his life following an ambush. As The Revelators opens, we find time, effort and support from his friends and family have Quinn ready to take advantage of the mistake his opponents made: Leaving him alive. But he finds that political maneuverings will be tougher to handle than he thought. The power brokers installed an acting sheriff in his stead and taken the reins of authority in Tibbehah County in a firm grip. Though federal agents close in on both the corrupt behind-the-scenes players and their more overt agents and operations, Quinn's resources will be small. The popular law-and-order moves of his replacement and his handlers make that the people of Tibbehah County less happy with Quinn's more nuanced approach as well.
The Revelators earns credit for not following the pattern of earlier books and creating some final resolution in the long-building feud between Quinn and the corruption of Mississippi politics. Whether this arc was a part of Atkins' plan all along or something that developed a few books into the series, it's dominated the most recent half of the Colson novels and not always to their benefit. More than one story of Quinn uncovering the nefariosity of the supposedly respectable folk of Jericho, and the protection the powerful offered to the clearly disrespectable folk wound up with a tag that promised more of the same. Atkins increasingly suffocating use of his local color trappings have made what started as a tight series into a set of repeated wearying marches through the same grimy morass. Yes, The Revelators ends with a tag that suggests some of the old sleaze will slide into the newly created vacuum, but with the Big Bad of state corruption and its connection to organized crime gone the series has a chance to recover some of its momentum.
As for The Revelators itself, the plot hangs on a main villain who's a thinly disguised Donald Trump with some Boss Hogg seasoning. Quinn's replacement taps into what Atkins presents as barely-veiled racism on the part of everyone in the county except for Quinn and his friends and family, indicting everyone for the villain's misdeeds. In earlier novels Atkins used that reality to give tone to his work but for whatever reason by the time we get to The Revelators it's just the constantly clanging gong dominating any other note.
Atkins has created several series over his career, as well as producing fictionalized treatments of some real-life crimes and events. Following the death of Robert B. Parker, he began writing novels with that author's mainstay literate tough-guy Boston private eye Spenser. The Revelators completes a Colson arc and could be a good stopping place for this particular series. Especially if Atkins maintains the interest in repetitive political commentary and stereotyped characters that have dominated the last four or so entries.
Also available here.
eleellis's review
4.0
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.
theirresponsiblereader's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“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).
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.
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.
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