Book Review

I decided to buy my first Ace Atkins novel lured by the promise of a 1980s setting and blurbs hailing him as the “poet laureate of Southern hustlers.” His prolific backlist suggested a certain mastery, and I was hoping for a strong protagonist in 14-year-old Peter, whose conviction that his mother is dating a KGB agent drives the plot.

But the book departs from the character-driven work Atkins is known for, veering into a Carl Hiaasen-style caper with a sprawling cast, though without Hiaasen’s signature comedic punch. I soon found myself lost in a dense tangle of spy plots, and my interest waned during the subplots involving a washed-up novelist and his best friend, a Black former football player turned drag performer. While a clear homage to the genre’s burned-out detectives, the characters lean too heavily into familiar molds, and for me, their dynamic felt one-note.

Still, Atkins is a master of plot. The final twist delivers a rollicking, high-energy conclusion that, despite the narrative meandering, lands with a satisfyingly fun, 1980s-era bang. It’s a ride worth taking, and one I’d gladly watch on the big screen.