‘The Broken Places’ by Ace Atkins

Published by Constable Crime,
18 September 2014.
ISBN: 9781472112149

You can't blame folks who view a murderer's religious transformation from Bad Guy to Good Guy with scepticism.  So when Jamey Dixon, newly released from prison under a governor's amnesty, comes back to set up his own church in Jericho, Mississippi, many of the locals are understandably cynical.  Especially Sheriff Quinn Colson.  Especially when

Colson's very own daughter is under Dixon's spell.

The family of the victim is out for revenge.  Two vicious prisoners, who knew Dixon inside, have broken murderously out of jail, and are making their way  to Jericho, to catch up with their former mate, and the money they believe he has stashed away – their money.  And there's a tornado heading straight for town. 

But believe it or not, Jamie seems to have undergone a genuine conversion. Is anything going to happen to make him go 'batshit craz', as someone puts it?  Or will his new-found persona stay calm and kind.

When the tornado hits, the town is left stranded, without communication to the wider world.  No-one can get in or out, because the roads are washed away.  Darkness both literal and metaphorical, is falling on Jericho.  How many bodies will it take before Colson can sort it out and clean it up?  You'll have to read this great thriller to find out.

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Reviewer: Susan Moody

Ace Atkins is an experienced crime writer with several stand alones, a series about Nick Travers and his Quinn Coulson series which he continues to write. He has already published the Spenser Lullaby and is writing more Spensers. In an interview in 2013 he explained that he couldn't write the Coulson and Spenser books at the same time - he writes the two series separately allowing half a year for each!

Susan Moody was born and brought up in Oxford.  She has published over 30 crime and suspense novels, including the Penny Wanawake series and the Cassandra Swann bridge series.  She is a past Chairman of the British Crime Writers' Association, a member of the Detection Club, a past Writer-in-Residence at the University of Tasmania and a past President of the International Association of Crime Writers.  She divides her time between south-west France and south-east Kent.   Nominated for the CWA short story award.  Nominated for the RNA's award.