THE FORSAKEN by ACE ATKINS (Corsair, 2014, 370pp) ∗∗∗½
Blurb: Thirty-six years ago, a nameless black man wandered into Jericho, Mississippi, with nothing but the clothes on his back and a pair of paratrooper boots. Less than two days later, he was accused of rape and murder, hunted down by a self-appointed posse, and lynched. Now evidence has surfaced of his innocence, and county sheriff Quinn Colson sets out not only to identify the stranger’s remains, but to charge those responsible for the lynching. As he starts to uncover old lies and dirty secrets, though, he runs up against fierce opposition from those with the most to lose – and they can play dirty themselves. Soon Colson will find himself accused of terrible crimes, and the worst part is, the accusations just might stick. As the two investigations come to a head, it is anybody’s guess who will prevail – or even come out of it alive.
The Forsaken is Atkins’ fourth Quinn Colson book and is possibly the strongest in a series that just keeps getting better. The “old case” plot enables the author to examine Quinn Colson’s relationship with his father, who is involved in the case. In this book Atkins has gotten under the skin of his lead character more than any in the series since the debut The Ranger. The subject matter concerning the rape of a young teenager and the racist attitudes that prevailed in the 1970s is scrutinised through a 21st century lens, but Colson finds that old prejudices die hard. The emphasis on modern-day themes of corruption, greed and power provide an interesting contrast showing the human condition dictates there will always be moral battles to fight.
The book is well paced and the dialogue is witty and tough. There is less action here than in the earlier books, but this gives the characters room to breathe with Atkins allowing time for each major protagonist. The finale is a slight disappointment in that it does not fully resolve all the issues presented, but with more books to follow Atkins is asking readers to invest in his world and it is certainly one worth revisiting.