The Lost Ones (Quinn Colson, #2)

Atkins' has left me cold with his Nick Travers series and I'm still trying to figure out how positively I feel about his take on Spenser (pretty sure it's very), but there's no doubt that this series about Quinn Colson just plain rocks.

This time, Colson's been elected to sheriff, but he's still learning the ropes, still more soldier than cop. He and his childhood friends (now mostly employed by Colson) have a lot to deal with: a recent Afghan war vet running drugs, a Mexican drug cartel, a child-abusing/selling family, not to mention a few more federal agents than Colson's comfortable with. Plus a bunch of personal stuff (current and past), and the corrupt local government that Colson started wrangling with last time out.

Tense, fast-paced, morally murky...Atkins has really nailed this. Can't wait for the next one.