Don't Let the Devil Ride - by Ace Atkins

Book Synopsis

"An instant Southern noir classic" -S.A. Cosby

S.A. Cosby meets Don Winslow in the breakout thriller from New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins. A Memphis woman hires a PI to find her missing husband, only to discover that he is involved in a dangerous web of international intrigue--and she and her children are now at risk.

Hell is empty...and Addison McKellar's husband is missing.

Addison McKellar isn't clueless--she knows she and her husband Dean don't have the perfect marriage--but she's still shocked when he completely vanishes from her life. At first Addison is annoyed, but as days stretch into a week and she's repeatedly stonewalled by Dean's friends and associates, her frustration turns into genuine alarm. When even the police seem dismissive of her concerns, Addison turns to her father's old friend, legendary Memphis PI Porter Hayes.

Porter and Addison begin to dig deeper into Dean's affairs and quickly discover that he was never the hardworking business owner and family man he pretended to be. As they piece together the connections between a hook-handed mercenary, one of Elvis's former leading ladies, and a man posing as an FBI agent, it becomes clear that Dean was deeply enmeshed in a high-stakes web of international intrigue, and Porter and Addison aren't the only ones looking for him.

Dean angered some very dangerous people before he disappeared--people who have already killed to get what they want--and they won't hesitate to come after his family to even the score.

Don't Let the Devil Ride is a thrilling adventure about what can happen when you pull back the curtain on your life. Ace Atkins, long known for gritty Southern noir with a witty edge, has crafted an ambitious, globe-hopping story that comes home to Memphis in explosive fashion.

Review Quotes

"With his boisterous and beguiling new novel Don't Let the Devil Ride, Ace Atkins confirms his status as the poet laureate of Southern hustlers and ne'er do wells. Full of wily humor and epic bad behavior, this is an ebullient, rollicking ride you don't dare miss." -- Megan Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of Beware the Woman

"Don't Let the Devil Ride rumbles and rocks like the bottom beat in a Memphis blues tune played by a master. Ace Atkins has crafted an instant Southern noir classic that embodies the best aspects of the genre. Larger than life characters, wry humor, deep pathos and storytelling that embrace both the sacred and the profane."
-- S.A. Cosby, New York Times bestselling author of All the Sinners Bleed

"Anyone who has read Ace Atkins knows he's diabolically talented, but his latest goes beyond crackling wit and whip-smart storytelling. Don't Let the Devil Ride combines meaty questions about the lies we build to protect ourselves--and what happens when those lies collapse--with a masterfully crafted plot and seductive Southern setting to create a novel that sings." -- Don Winslow, #1 Internationally bestselling author

"Don't Let the Devil Ride is great work by Ace Atkins. It's clever, intricate and moves with unstoppable momentum and twists to the very last page." -- Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Desert Stars

"(Atkins) is into something different with Don't Let the Devil Ride. It reminds me most -- and this is high praise -- of Elmore Leonard's books, with its colorful cast of characters, sharp observations, bursts of violence and whipcrack banter." -- Colette Bancroft, The Associated Press

"Ace Atkins's killing honesty sets a new standard for Southern crime fiction." -- New York Times Book Review on Quinn Colson

"Ace Atkins is the Southern noir king. I've been reading him since his debut, and I am consistently wowed by the layers and depth of his characters, the crackling authenticity of his dialogue, and the elegance of his prose. Edgy, richly atmospheric, and often darkly funny, Don't Let the Devil Ride is the work of a master storyteller at the top of his game. A must-read!" -- Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of The New Couple in 5B

"International intrigue and classic P.I. sleuthing combine in this deliciously complex thriller from bestseller Atkins.... Atkins has loads of fun marrying his hardboiled sensibility to the gonzo espionage plot, and relies on his strengths as a storyteller to keep the whole thing from running off the rails. This should win Atkins oodles of new fans." -- Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

"Another outstanding, gripping, and atmospheric thriller that packs a mean punch. Ace Atkins delivers a rollercoaster of suspense, blending Southern charm with a global conspiracy in Don't Let The Devil Ride, his biggest, most daring novel to date." -- Real Book Spy

"Adventure writing of a high order... Richly packed with colorful characters and expert writing." -- Washington Post on Quinn Colson