Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading wicked city. While sin, in all its familiar variations, had become endemic in phenix city, one homicide too many was about to change the. Apr 07, 2009 the underlying current of truth is what first drew me to ace atkins book, wicked city. Spenser heads to the city of angels to meet old friends and new enemies in a baffling missing person case that might shake tinseltown to its core. Wicked city by ace atkins meet your next favorite book. Atkins, the author of truecrime based novels white shadow.
Wicked city continues ace atkinss practice inaugurated in his last book, white shadow of crafting a novel by basing it upon real world events visualized through a fictional prism. Quinn colson, book 1 the ranger is a tough, violent thriller set in contemporary mississippi, with the feel of classic westerns like shane and high noon. Brilliance audio firm in 1955, look magazine called phenix city, alabama, the wickedest city in america, but even that may have been an understatement. Wicked city by ace atkins mystery series, book lists. Wicked city by ace atkins 2009, paperback for sale. Apr 01, 2008 the second of ace atkins books based on true crime events in the southern united states. In 1955 look magazine called it the wickedest city in america. Some of atkins attempts to inject periodspecific trappings into his setting are heavyhanded, but even during the storys melodramatic heights, he maintains a level.
Atkins worked as a crime reporter in the newsroom of the tampa tribune before he published his first novel, crossroad blues, in 1998. Citation formats are based on standards as of july 2010. I might just throw this book out the window into this phenix city night. In wicked city, his sixth novel, the troy native and former auburn football player goes back. It was a stew of organized crime and corruption, run by a machine that dealt with complaints forcefully and with dispatch. Phenix city is a real place, and in an introductory note, crime writer ace atkins explains that though hes made some changes, many of the large events in this novel are true. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outof. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published.
A new ace atkins spenser book was published in 2019 with the title the shameless in the quinn colson series. This meant that every single book club in the city was discussing lamar and reuben, hoyt shepherd and fannie belle. When ace was in my class, i was teaching a survey american literature course that didnt lend itself to revealing a students talents as a. Years later, as a thankyou to his former professor, atkins sent carcache a personalized copy of wicked city, his truecrime novel about the corruption and cleanup of phenix city in the 1950s. In the aftermath of an innocent mans murder by powerful mobsters in. Wicked city unabridged wicked city unabridged audiobook, by ace atkins. Like almost everything else about mississippi mystery writer ace atkins, even the name sounds made up. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Do entertainers, celebrities and speakers like ace atkins do paid appearances and speaking engagements. Atkins 2010 novel infamous is based on the 1933 charles urschel kidnapping and subsequent. Based on a true story but it read like a great mystery. In 1955, look magazine called phenix city, alabama, the wickedest city in america, but even that may have been an understatement.
Ace atkins books list of books by author ace atkins. Author ace atkins tackles gangster machine gun kelly in his new book infamous. Books ace atkins has been outstanding in writing crime novels since his first book in 1998. Atkinss richly detailed but scattered sixth novel draws on the history of a real town, phenix city, ala. In addition, he is the author of several new york times bestselling novels in the continuation of robert b.
Ace atkins in 1955, look magazine called phenix city, alabama, the wickedest city in america, but even that may have been an understatement. In 1955 phenix city, alabama is called the crookedest city in the country with illegal gambling, prostitution, political corruption, and alcohol but that is about to change when the newly elected states attorney general is murdered. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Last month, my sixth novel was tapped for a nice honor wicked city was. Parkers cheap shot the spenser series book 43 by ace atkins. Ace atkins is the new york times bestselling author of 15 novels, including the the forsaken and robert b. The ranger is optioned for film by directorproducer jeremiah chechik, for which the author is now polishing up the script. Ace atkins is the new york times bestselling author of the quinn colson novels, the first two of whichthe ranger and the lost oneswere nominated for the edgar award for best novel he also has a third edgar nomination for his short story, last fair deal gone down. It was a stew of organized crime and corruption, run by a machine. Click to read more about wicked city by ace atkins. Each novel contains bits of himself friends and colleagues he once knew, people he respected or admired, family members, and personal heroes.
The underlying current of truth is what first drew me to ace atkins book, wicked city. Ace atkins is an american author of crime fiction as well as a former journalist. You can find booking and speaking fee information, contacts for booking agent, publicist, agency, manager and biography information on ace atkins and other well know individuals for. He is the author of the nick travers series, the quinn colson series and has taken over on the late robert b. Phenix city is a real place, and in an introductory note, crime writer ace atkins explains that.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read wicked city. Born in alabama, atkins grew up moving constantly as the son of an nfl coach, graced the. When i started reading it i thought it was going to be a fairly ordinary and cliched small town american potboiler, but as time went on the characters assumed more depth and their interrelationships became. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures.
While sin, in all its familiar variations, had become endemic in phenix city, one. The ace atkins quinn colson series is in development for a major television series. Sometimes, the first book is based on the murder of robert johnson in 1938, and dark end. Born in alabama, atkins grew up moving constantly as. Ace atkins, mississippi writer of white shadow, wicked city. This extraordinary story is based on the history of the real town of phenix, alabama, which according to look magazine in 1955 was the most corrupt city in america. According to atkins, his book, wicked city 2008, is his most personal book to date. Biography of ace atkins and speakers bureau with booking information for famous speakers like ace atkins.
Wicked city moves between lamars firstperson narration and a thirdperson perspective that follows the various undercurrents of phenix nightlife, from a corrupt d. Devils garden, wicked city, and white shadow are personal books for atkins, all set in his former homes. Parker estate to continue the highly popular spenser novels. Ace atkins is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. His next novel, wicked city, was based on the true story of the wickedest city in america phoenix city, alabama. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or. It concerns phenix city, alabama, in the early 1950s, a small town where. Ace atkins generally travels from and can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Several years ago, i ran with the columbus running club, from columbus, ga.
Author ace atkins tackles gangster machine gun kelly in. This book was based on a real life story, which i didnt know until after i had read it. Atkins draws from the worlds of pulp and faulkner in wicked city, using characters from the towns true history. Peopled by an extraordinary cast of characters, both real and fictional, wicked city is a novel of uncommon intensity, rich with atmosphere, filled with sensuality. Atkins, who begins his novel a year earlier, based it on a real case that transformed the town. It concerns phenix city, alabama, in the early 1950s, a small town where corruption, graft and vice had taken root to the. It is set in a viceridden alabama town twenty miles from where he attended high school and college. Alabama, his familys home and where he was born and went to college. Phenix city, alabama, is a place where a blind eye has historically been turned to vice of every sort. Wicked puts phenix city on murder map a profile of ace and wicked city in the birmingham news. Peopled by an extraordinary cast of characters, both real and fictional, wicked city is a novel of uncommon intensity, rich with atmosphere, filled with sensuality and surprise. Last month, my sixth novel was tapped for a nice honor wicked city was chosen for a community wide read by the huntsville, alabama public library system. As an author, atkins also relates with some of his characters such as jon burrows. Drawing from the worlds of pulp and faulkner, atkins introduces characters from the towns true history to tell a story of the best and worst of morality, and the ambiguity in between.
It is a very good book about a dark part of alabama history. The ranger is optioned for film by directorproducer jeremiah chechik, for which the author is. While sin, in all its familiar variations, had become endemic in phenix city, one homicide too many was about to change the status quo. The first of those books hits bookstores in 2012 along with atkins sequel to the.
Ace atkins born june 28, 1970 is an american journalist and author. Frequently, on our longer runs, we crossed the chattahoochee river and found ourselves instantly not only in another time zone, but what felt like a different world. Its set in a viceridden alabama town and features many historical figures. In 1955, look magazine called phenix city, alabama, the wickedest city in america. The estimated speaking fee range to book ace atkins for your event is available upon request. Frequently, on our longer runs, we crossed the chattahoochee river and found ourselves instantly not only in another time zone, but what felt like a. Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. The bludgeoning death of retired kingpin charlie wall shocks the city and sends cops and reporters and associates scrambling to discover the.
Before publishing his first novel, atkins worked as a crime reporter for the tampa tribune, where he was nominated for a pulitzer prize. Crime writer ace atkins writes his version of the phenix city story in. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Give this one to stephen hunter fans who like fastmoving plots and decisive good guys facing down evil. Buy a cheap copy of wicked city book by ace atkins. The second of ace atkins books based on true crime events in the southern united states. Wicked city and the nick travers series, launches a new crime series set in the deep south. Dick hill lays on the southern accents with a giant barbecue brush as exboxer and newly appointed sheriff lamar murphy sets out to clean up the town. Some of his books are based on true life stories such as his first book which was based on the murder of robert johnson in 1938. Quinn colson, an army ranger and the veteran of numerous missions in afghanistan and iraq, rides into town. Crime writer ace atkins writes his version of the phenix city. In wicked city, his sixth novel, the troy native and former auburn football player goes back to phenix city for a gritty crime noir that. His most personal book is wicked city which he wrote in 2008.
604 1491 874 1489 90 1176 613 648 157 515 1277 1067 388 596 1114 995 748 1276 397 1537 91 1096 1228 1347 1305 226 846 950 1204 896 1494 201 1497 1509 379 1460 1342 61 19 1435 515 660 1486 1222