I'm glad I put off reading this book for as long as I did; that means I won't have to wait as long for the next book in the series, since this one just ended right in the middle. If he doesn't come out with the next one in the series soon, I'm going to sic Lillie Virgil on him. In fact, I think I'll push for a new law that when an author ends a book in the middle, there must be the rest of the story all completed and ready to publish in case something happens to the author.

OK, aside from being put out about the lack of an ending, this was a really good story. There were a lot of parallels to the Trump escapades, with the same people cheering for both Trump and the candidate for Mississippi governor in this one. We see signs at campaign rallies like "JOURNALIST, ROPE, TREE. SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED" and "PRO-LIFE, PRO-GUN, AND PRO-GOD". Well, that's Mississippi.

Basically, the story is about my favorite two bad guys, religious extremists and political extremists, all wrapped up into one.

( )

Two New York reporters are in Tibbehah Country, Mississippi investigating a cold case. Twenty years ago a young man, Brandon Taylor, killed himself in the Big Woods. At least that is the official explanation. What really happened is hard to know, since there were no witnesses and all the official documents are missing. Now they are asking around, trying to find out the truth. Sheriff Quinn Colson is one that is asking questions, both because of his role as a sheriff and because of his connection to Brandon, or rather his wife. Maggie was friends with Brandon and even dated him. But the truth is hard to find out, especially if there are those that try to discredit Quinn by pointing a finger at him...

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION! ( )

Great writing, but not my cup of tea. ( )

What more can I say? Ace Atkins writes the Quinn Colson books in his own voice and is able to write the Robert B Parker Spenser books in Parker's voice, both excellent. I gave The Shameless an extra 1/2 star for the character who was obsessed with Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke. ( )

4.5 stars.

The Shameless by Ace Atkins is an action-packed mystery set in a small Mississippi town. Although this latest release is the ninth installment in the Quinn Colson series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend the previous novels as well.

Tibbehah County Sheriff Quinn Colson has been busy ferreting out crime and corruption in his small part of Mississippi for close to a decade. A few slippery criminals disguised as upstanding citizens remain elusively out of reach despite Colson's best efforts. With U.S. Marshall (and former Deputy Sheriff) Lillie Virgil's arrest of Wes Taggart, Quinn hopes he will finally have the information he needs to arrest some of the worst criminals who have cleverly evaded arrest. With Wes ready to co-operate in order to reduce his sentence, will Colson finally bring down Senator Jimmy Vardaman (who is campaigning for Governor) and ultra-religious Supervisor Skinner?

Just as Quinn is in the midst of his present day investigation, the twenty-year old suicide of Brandon Taylor is now the focus of a podcast. The Taylor family has always believed Brandon was murdered but the case was quickly closed by Quinn's uncle Hamp Beckett who was the sheriff at the time of the investigation. At the request of Brandon's sister Shaina, Thin Air reporter Tashi Coleman and her producer Jessica Torres are in town trying to uncover the truth about Brandon's death. The pair begin to believe that Sheriff Beckett did not investigate the case as thoroughly as he should have. When Hamp's former deputy points the finger in Quinn's direction, Tashi and Jessica begin digging into the Sheriff's background. Will they find any evidence to support their burgeoning theory that Beckett covered up his nephew's involvement in Brandon's death?

Meanwhile, the Syndicate continues its behind the scenes machinations in Tibbehah County. Strip club owner Fannie Hathcock fights to keep her establishment open in the face of Vardaman's "Make Mississippi Great Again" campaign. It is an unfair match because much plotting and scheming is going on in order to ensure Vardaman wins the Governor election. As the truth begins to emerge about what happened to Brandon, past and present collide as Quinn uncovers stunning details surrounding the teenager's death.

The Shameless is a spellbinding mystery that features a topical plot and intriguing investigations. Quinn remains dedicated to ridding Tibbehah County of its insidious corruption. The regular cast of characters continue to grow and evolve as they feature prominently in the various storylines. Quinn's investigations move along at fairly fast pace until the various pieces fall into place. Ace Atkins brings this outstanding novel to a satisfying conclusion that will leave readers breathlessly anticipating the next installment in the fantastic Quinn Colson series. ( )