Jennifer P. (jenners) reviewed on 3/25/2010 + 121 more book reviews

2 Words that describe the book: Suspenseful thriller

3 Settings where it took place or characters you met:

1. Setting: Natchez, Mississippi, modern times
2. Penn CageA former DA and now mayor of his hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, Penn returns for another thriller, accompanied by Caitlin Masters (his beautiful newspaper reporter ex-girlfriend) and other characters we've met in previous Penn Cage books. (This book can stand-alone but does reference previous books at times.)
3. Jonathan SandsThe local head of a riverboat gambling operation (which has brought corruption to Natchez since its arrival), Sands is a ruthless and chameleon-like bad guy who seems to have his fingers in quite a few pies, including dogfighting and prostitution. Plus he seems to have "friends in high places" who seem willing to protect him despite his corrupt and violent behavior.

4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:

1. I liked how Iles keeps the story moving. This particular book was 577 pages (!), but it moves along at a good clip, and the plot is always branching off into some new area.
2. I liked revisiting the characters and locations that Iles have written about in previous books. This is the third Penn Cage book he's written, and he even incorporates a character (Danny McDavitt) from one of his previous Natchez-based books that didn't feature Penn Cage.
3. Greg Iles is one of my "go to" thriller writers, along with Nelson DeMille. Although he used to mix it up a bit more at the start of his writing career, lately he's focused on Natchez and Penn Cage. I think I've read every book he's written, and he is one of the few fiction writers that Mr. Jenners will read regularly. He comes out with a book every few years, and we always pick them up.
4. I liked knowing that there will be another Penn Cage book on the horizon based on the ending of this book, which ends with a bit of a cliffhanger for Cage's personal life.

5 Stars or less for your rating?

I'm giving the book 3.5 stars. Like I said, Iles writes a decent thriller, and if you're in the market for a well-done, not too gruesome story with an author who has a decent backlog of books, Iles is the writer for you. This isn't great literature by any means, but it is a great candy bar book to occupy the time when you're between "heavier" books.

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