Review of DIRTY SOUTH by Ace Atkins (see his website)

William Morrow, March 2004

Nick Travers can't say no to a friend and when ex-football buddy Teddy Paris tells Nick that he's going to be killed if he can't come up with seven hundred thousand he got conned out of, Nick agrees to help--even though it means missing the birthday celebration his girlfriend had planned for him. Nick's friend has moved from football to rap, representing a young star who got suckered into stealing his own money leaving both himself and Teddy in trouble.

Nick agrees to look around and finds himself plunged into the world of gangster rap music in New Orleans. Being white is a bit of a problem for Nick, but he's persistent and he owes Teddy a lot. What he finds, however, is a web of corruption that cuts through the music business. His friends in the police tell him to run from the job--Teddy's brother is the lead suspect in the disappearance and likely murder of another rap star. But Nick thinks he can trust his heart and his friends.

Author Ace Atkins (see more BooksForABuck.com reviews of novels by Atkins) brings the deep south to life in this powerful story. The blues, the life of New Orleans, the tastes of the region, and the hard beat of rap combine into something strong and moving. Nick Travers is an intriguing character--a white in a black world, a fan of the blues who recognizes that the blues are dying, and a man who is sometimes too quick to trust.

Atkins' strong writing combines exciting action with evocative description, creating a strong visceral impact. DIRTY SOUTH packs a wallop.

Four Stars

Reviewed 1/01/03

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