Always an Ace in My Book

I have been a follower of Ace Atkins’ fiction from White Shadow forward, and including his 10 Spenser novels. So I was pleased to read this news item from In Reference to Murder:

Author Ace Atkins will receive the 2026 Harper Lee Award, organizers of the Monroeville Literary Festival have announced. The elite club of previous winners includes E.O. Wilson, Winston Groom, Rick Bragg, and Fannie Flagg. According to festival organizers, the award “recognizes the lifetime achievement of a writer either born in Alabama or strongly connected to the state.” A former Auburn Tiger and sports and crime reporter, Atkins published his first crime novel, Crossroad Blues, in 1998. He’s since published several novels in the Nick Travers and Sheriff Quinn Colson series, as well as standalone titles and a series of ‘Spenser’ novels, continuing the franchise launched by the late Robert B. Parker. The festival and award presentation will take place Feb. 26-28, 2026.

Atkins’ next novel, “a rollicking comedic thriller” titled Everybody Wants to Rule the World, is due out from William Morrow in December.