Ace Collins

Ace Collins is a best-selling American author, well-known for his Lije Evans series and In the President’s Service. He is a Christy Award Winner who describes himself as a natural storyteller. Collins has authored over eighty books, which have been published by twenty-five different publishers, and his work has sold more than 2.5 million copies. His diverse catalog includes children's books, biographies, novels, and books related to culture, faith, and history.

Collins, who takes pride in his Arkansas heritage, has been a featured speaker at the National Archives Distinguished Lecture Series. He has also hosted a television special, been featured on various network morning TV shows, and does college basketball play-by-play. In addition to his writing and speaking engagements, Collins is married to Kathy Collins, the Chair of the Education Department at Ouachita Baptist University, and they have two grown sons together. He currently resides in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

Collins has released numerous books across different genres, including mysteries, comedies, historical fiction, and nonfiction. Some of his popular novels include Hollywood Lost, The Fruitcake Murders, The Color of Justice, and Man’s Best Hero. In addition to his novels, he has also published several nonfiction books, such as The Cathedrals, Lassie A Dog’s Life, Turn Your Radio On, and The Stories Behind The Best-Loved Songs of Christmas. His work has been adapted into two network television specials and a CBS movie. Collins' books have been translated into various languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, German, and Indonesian.

In addition to his writing, Collins has penned more than 2000 magazine features and has appeared on numerous radio and television shows. He is also a play-by-play voice for Ouachita Tiger basketball. Collins enjoys various hobbies, including restoring classic cars and Wurlitzer jukeboxes, and running. He is married to Dr. Kathy Collins, and they live in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, with their two sons.
Lije Evans Mysteries Books
# Title Year
1 Farraday Road 2008
2 Swope's Ridge 2009
3 Jefferson Burke and the Secret of the Lost Scroll 2011
In the President's Service Books
# Title Year
1 A Date with Death 2013
2 The Dark Pool 2013
3 Blood Brother 2014
4 Fatal Addiction 2014
5 The Devil's Eyes 2014
6 The Dead Can Talk 2015
7 Bottled Madness 2015
8 Shadows in the Moonlight 2015
9 Evilution 2016
10 Uneasy Alliance 2016
11 The 13th Floor 2016
12 The White Rose 2016
13 The Cat's Eye 2017
14 The Red Suit Case 2017
15 Set for Danger 2018
16 The Trojan Horse 2020
17 The Wolf Pack 2020
18 Black or White 2021
19 Time Walker 2024
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 Darkness Before Dawn 1995
2 Reich of Passage 2011
3 The Christmas Star 2012
4 The Yellow Packard 2012
5 The Cutting Edge 2013
6 The Color of Justice 2014
7 Hollywood Lost 2015
8 The Fruitcake Murders 2015
9 Touchdown Tommy 2016
10 The Last Imprint 2022
Short Story Collections
# Title Year
1 Service Tails 2016
2 In the Line of Fire 2018
Non-Fiction Books
# Title Year
1 The Mandrell Family Album 1983
2 Runaway Thanksgiving 1993
3 The Cathedrals: The Story of America's Best-Loved Gospel Quartet 1998
4 Geared-Up Faith for Classic Car Buffs 2022
Stories Behind Books
# Title Year
1 Songs Sung Red, White, and Blue: The Stories Behind America's Best-Loved Patriotic Songs 1975
2 Stories Behind Country Music's All-Time Greatest 100 Songs 1996
3 Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas 2001
4 Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas 2003
5 Stories Behind the Hymns That Inspire America 2003
6 Stories Behind Great Traditions Abbey Press 2004
7 More Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas 2006
8 Stories Behind the Traditions and Songs of Easter 2007
9 Stories Behind Women of Extraordinary Faith 2008
10 Stories Behind Men of Faith 2008
11 Stories Behind the Greatest Hits of Christmas 2010
12 Stories Behind the Songs and Hymns about Heaven 2019
Children's Holiday Adventure Books (with Louise Mandrell)
# Title Year
1 Best Man for the Job 1993
2 A Mission for Jenny 1993
3 The All American Hero 1993
4 Eye of an Eagle 1993
5 Twin Disasters 1993
6 Kimis American Dream 1993
7 Candys Frog Prince 1993
8 The Learning Fields 1993
9 End of the Rainbow 1993
10 The Morning Song 1993
11 Eddie Finds a Hero 1997
12 All in a Day's Work 1997