A former journalist who cut his teeth as a crime reporter in the newsroom of The Tampa Tribune, Ace Atkins published his first novel, Crossroad Blues, at 27 and became a full-time novelist at 30.

While at the Tribune, Ace earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination for a feature series based on his investigation into a forgotten murder of the 1950s. The story became the core of his critically acclaimed novel, White Shadow, which earned raves from noted authors and critics. The Associated Press said the story "succeeds both as a first-rate historical novel and as a superb crime story.'' Michael Connelly called the novel "a tour de force from one of the best crime writers working today.''

Atkins, lives on a historic farm outside Oxford, Mississippi with his family.