Good read, kind of abrupt ending, I thought. Maybe there will be a another one coming?

No time for a review right now - maybe later. ( )

4.5 stars.

In Ace Atkins' seventh installment in the Quinn Colson series, The Fallen, Tibbehah County, Mississippi is once again a hotbed of illegal activity which runs the gamut of bank robberies, missing teenage girls and an underlying corruption that Sheriff Quinn Colson just cannot seem to stay ahead of.

When bank robbers Rick Wilcox, Jonas Cord and their buddy Opie make an ill-fated decision to rob Jericho First National Bank, they are certain they will get away with their crime. However, instead of a clueless small town police force, their crime falls under the jurisdiction of Sheriff Quinn Colson and assistant Sheriff Lillie Virgil who have proven time and again they are a formidable crime fighting duo. Colson correctly deduces the men are former military and with few clues to go on, he turns to federal agent Jon Holliday who does not have any more information about the crew than Quinn and Lillie.

Interspersed with the investigation into the bank robbery are a couple of story arcs set in the local community. Quinn's sister Caddy is worried about two missing teenagers that she has been trying to locate under the Sheriff's radar. Strip bar owner Fannie Hathcock is running up against good ole boy Skinner whose Southern Christian values are greatly offended by her establishment. The search for the missing girls leads straight to Fannie's strip joint and ultimately, the latest round of corruption that is attempting to gain a toehold in Tibbehah County.

In between the investigation of the bank robbery and fighting petty crimes in the county, Quinn reunites with childhood friend Maggie Powers who has recently moved to town with her nine year old son Brandon. As they reminisce about their innocent exploits, a simmering passion threatens to explode into full blown passion but since Maggie is in the midst of a messy divorce, they attempt to keep their relationship platonic.

When Quinn begins putting the pieces of the various puzzles together, Lillie's concerns about his objectivity lead her to make a surprising decision about her future. When the multiple plotlines finally converge into a violent showdown, she concedes Quinn's suspicions are, indeed correct, and her expertise is instrumental in bringing the siege to an end. In the aftermath, will Lillie change her mind about the events she set into motion during a moment of frustration?

The Fallen is another well-plotted mystery with a storyline that is an accurate reflection of the pervasive political mindset of the deep South today. Ace Atkins lightens the mood with some laugh out loud funny one-liners as Quinn and Lillie take aim at the corruption and crime that threaten to destroy Tibbehah County. Although this latest release is the seventh installment in the Quinn Colson series, it can easily be read as a standalone. However, I have to warn readers that the novel's tantalizing conclusion will leave them impatiently awaiting the next book in this fantastic series. ( )

Another excellent entry in the Quinn Colson series. This is a bright-eyed look at the darkness in the Southern countryside, with characters both honorable and dis, and epic outcomes. ( )

Great writing. I found the bad guys to be much more interesting than the hero of the book, Quinn Colsun. I look forward to the next story in the series. ( )

These Ace Atkins books are always such a conundrum for me. I love the characters. Atkins has created a vivid world filled with compelling denizens. The plots are nothing phenomenal but not horrible either. At times the dialog is rich and evokes people's natural speech patterns, though it has a propensity to meander over into the wooden, reflecting the way we think people talk instead of the way they actually talk. So what's the problem you might ask.
It's the continuum of the plot. Events transpire with no real evidence of connection. Either they are rewritten ignoring previous events or there are things that transpire to advance the plot with no obvious connection to past events.
Half way through the book protagonist Quinn Colson figures out who one of the bad guys is and than proceeds to do virtually nothings with the information. The discovery seems to be merely a vehicle to sow discord between he and his deputy Lillie Virgil and move her on out of the series.
This go around involves serial bank robbers from Memphis who are robbing banks throughout the South while wearing Donald Trump masks. For some unexplained reason they decide to rob a bank in Quinn's town where one of the bandits estranged wife has just relocated with their young son. No chance of being recognized there. There is a also a side plot involving Quinn's sister and two underage prostitutes that never really goes anywhere.
Deep inside somewhere is a really good book. I've maintained that in past reviews of Atkins books and I maintain that still. I think the secret is in the editor. Atkins really needs an editor that will force him to tighten up the plot lines and also strengthen his dialog. I guess that's why I keep reading his books. Always thinking, this will be the one. Unfortunately The Fallen isn't. ( )