Reading a Quinn Colson novel is like putting on an old pair of comfortable shoes. A lot of old friends are back, a few new people, and in this one, a bit more excitement perhaps.

As usual, we have a lot of dumb rednecks, including one just out of prison that is the worst, even to his family. He even picked fights with the biker gang and the drug connections. But most of the bad guys weren't 100% bad, and some may have turned out OK in a different town with a different family. But they were all pretty interesting if not totally sane.

The only reason I didn't read this sooner is because it's the last one so far in the series, and I didn't want wait too long for the next one, which I'm looking forward to. Maybe I should start over. ( )

3.5 stars.

In The Sinners, the eighth installment in Ace Atkins' Quinn Colson series, a feud between two gangs who traffic drugs spawns murder and violence.

Just as Sheriff Quinn Colson is poised to make a big change in his personal life, Heath Pritchard (who was arrested by Quinn's predecessor and uncle, Hamp Beckett) is released from prison. Heath is ready to resume the pot operation that landed him in jail and he shows up unannounced on the family farm where his nephews Tyler and Cody currently live. Tyler and Cody are dirt-track racers who have continued the family tradition of growing and selling pot and they are about to find themselves in a mess of trouble with brothel owner, Fannie Hathcock and the Dixie Mafia's goons.

Just as Quinn is attempting to sort out what happened to Fannie's right hand man, Ordeem Davis, Colson's best friend Boom Kimbrough discovers the trucking firm he is working for is involved in drug and human trafficking. With an all out war about to explode in Tibbehah County, Quinn requests help from the DEA who sends agent Nat Wilkins and the USMarshalls which reunites him with his former co-worker Lillie Virgil. Will Colson find justice for Ordeem Davis? Will Boom find the evidence he needs to take down the syndicate that is trafficking drugs and women?

This latest addition to Quinn Colson series has plenty of action, but Quinn and his crime fighting cohorts are firmly in the background as the rival factions wrestle for control. Cody and Tyler are more interested in their upcoming races while newly released Heath spews racist rhetoric as he tries to convince his nephews the business rightly belongs to him. Fannie manipulates events behind the scenes to rid herself of the two lowlifes who are now her "partners". Boom wants nothing more than give up his trucking job, but Nat convinces him it is in everyone's best interest for him to go undercover to find the evidence the DEA needs to take down the organization.

The Sinners is an action-packed novel that is interesting but slow-paced. With the focus on the warring factions, the good guys do not have much on-page time until the novel's conclusion. Fans will enjoy this latest outing and readers will be eager for the next release in the series since the novel's ending heavily foreshadows what Quinn will most likely face in book nine of Ace Atkins' Quinn Colson series. ( )

I picked this book by Ace Atkins because he completed the novels of Robert Parker. Totally different. Lots of language and situations. A bit too much for me. While I have no problem otherwise, this series is over the top. ( )

As with his last Quinn Colson novel, "The Fallen", the bad guys are the most interesting characters. It finally struck me that this is the way Atkins keeps his main protagonist from getting boring. You don't get tired of the main character, but you have to see what happens to those who come up on Colson. Atkins also leaves the reader that hint of what is going to happen in the next novel at the end of this book. Recommenced to those who like a good story and good writing all in one novel. ( )

I've long been saying that somewhere out there is a great Ace Atkin's novel. Sinners ain't it but we are getting closer. He has created a world populated with interesting characters that we want to know more about. Unfortunately too often the dialog is so wooden that the reader has to go back and re-read to make sure they read it right. Or re-read the last couple paragraphs to try and figure out the context.

Atkins has a propensity to play to the profane. I get it, these are backwoods criminals but too often he utilizes prurient idioms that are at best out of date. They come off as playing to the cheap seats.

The plot of this one is fairly passable, but with each entry plot becomes less meaningful as the tales serve as a reason to revisit old friends. I'm sure I'll read the next one and remain confident that eventually I'll be able to proclaim, he did it! This is a great Ace Atkin's book. Just not today. ( )