Unabridged Audiobook
My second time around with Ace Atkins and one which I enjoyed a bit more than the previous encounter, The Fallen. It's another series book with Quinn Colson, but - and I don't know if it's typical for the series or not - I felt Colson didn't feature that much to be honest. When he did it was usually to discuss his forthcoming wedding nuptials, and the catering arrangements, guest list and entertainment. The novel mainly focuses on rival criminal elements and their competing enterprises, mainly the growing and/or sale of drugs, shipping illegals and other stolen items and for one entity running a brothel as well, and for another a legitimate sideline racing cars. This rivalry saw us spend a lot of time in the company of some petrol heads and their maverick, ex-con uncle; a brothel madam; a biker gang; a bit of time with a black undertaker with a fleet of drug carrying hearses; some Dixie Mafia heavies and a one-armed mate of Quinn's who unwisely has got caught up with a dodgy trucking company and is now informing for another law enforcement agency. There's a fair bit of conflict, scheming, posturing, peacocking, tough talking, trash talking, violence, death, dismemberment, hold-ups, and confrontation with shifting alliances, double dealing and one-upmanship. As I like spending more time in the company of criminals (I find them more interesting) than law-abiding types, I had a great time. Quinn Colson does get involved to a degree and has interactions with some of the above, but was mainly on the periphery. There is some backstory relating to his uncle, his predecessor as sheriff, who had history with Heath Pritchard, the ex-con. Pritchard, foul-mouthed and positively Neanderthal in attitudes and outlook was probably the most entertaining character in the book. Overall enjoyable and a solid 4 from 5. I'll pick up others in the series if I cross paths with them, but I'm not minded to seek them all out. Read - (listened to) October, 2021 Published - 2018 Page count - 386 (10 hrs 13 mins) Source - Audiobooks purchase Format - Audible
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