Natchez Burning: A Novel (Penn Cage Book 4)

The cover of my paperback edition of Natchez Burning features a Stephen King quote, "I defy you to start it and find a way to put it down." With apologies to both Mr King and author Greg Iles, after struggling through 233 pages of this 788-page behemoth of a suspense novel, I found a way to put it down: by just putting it down. And it wasn't at all a difficult task. The discussion guide at the back of the book claims one (unnamed) critic has compared Iles' writing to William Failkner's. Said critic understandably declined to be identified as the culprit responsible for this preposterous and outrageous claim. I'm definitely in the minority of readers of this book, but I found it a bloated and boring "thriller." To make an already too long critique short: too many characters, too many dates; an unnecessarily over wrought plot line; flat, uninspired prose that failed to engage or excite. Several of the promo quotes on the novel's cover and inside pages boast of the book's epic proportions. OK. It is long.

I LOVE this series. Captivating-Fast paced- Great Characters- HARD TO PUT DOWN. Let me say to start that the first book “The Quiet Game” was all of the above but I held my judgement because the first book moved so fast, reminded me of the “Indiana Jones” movie… with some scenarios. I did enjoy the first book immensely but withheld total judgement…until NOW. The following books settled into the high rating I now give. It has enough historical background to recapture some of the earlier times that are brought up, each book different but non-the less a hard core Interest hold. I am HOOKED!DON’T START WITH NATCHEZ BURNING... it is Book 4. I have attached a picture showing the order in which to read.I have just now completed the 4th book “Natchez Burning” and cannot wait to download “The Bone Tree”. I just hope he finishes the last book in this series “Unwritten Law” which at the time I researched in which order to read had not yet been released.I think I have found a new name to add to my favorite author list. Greg Iles I am a fan.

He certainly knows how to drag out a book. The story could've been told in one book. By the third book I was yelling at the pages. I would not recommend these books to anyone. Yes I read all three because I like to finish what I start. I kept thinking it's got to get better. Get to the point. He never did.

I just finished reading Greg Iles’ “Natchez Burning” for the second time, and I thought I’d add my voice to the other 4,500-plus people who have reviewed this superb crime novel on Amazon.com.“Natchez Burning” is the first in a trilogy of novels about a series of fictional unsolved civil rights-era murders in Natchez, Mississippi and its surrounding areas. It is also the fourth in a series of novels featuring protagonist Penn Cage, a former Houston, Texas prosecutor, a published novelist, and currently the mayor of Natchez, Mississippi. Cage suddenly finds himself confronted with the fact that his father, Dr. Tom Cage – the town’s most respected and beloved physician – is about to be arrested for murdering Viola Turner, an African American nurse who worked for him forty years earlier, and with whom he briefly carried on a torrid love affair.Penn Cage believes his father didn’t do it, but his father refuses to answer any questions about what happened to Viola. Nothing seems clear about the case. It somehow appears to be linked to a series of unsolved, forty-year-old racial killings by members of an ultra-violent offshoot of the Ku Klux Klan. Penn Cage can be sure of only one thing: the local district attorney, a bitter personal and political enemy of his, is determined to send Dr. Tom Cage to prison for the rest of his life, as an act of revenge against his son...I have read several of Greg Iles’ novels, and I have enjoyed each one tremendously. I am especially impressed with the books in his Penn Cage series. Iles populates his novels with fascinating characters, engrossing and suspenseful plots and sub-plots, and plenty of twists, turns and surprises. Iles writes with a wonderful flair. His prose is smooth, literate, and easy to read, and it keeps getting better with each book.“Natchez Burning” is easily the best of the Penn Cage novels I’ve read… so far. It took me only four days to devour its 789 pages. This is crime fiction at its best. Most highly recommended.

I thought this book was book 1 of 3 in the series, but it turned out to be book 4 of 6. No matter. It was fairly easy to pick up the story line. Clearly the author knows his region; the references from the 1960s to the Kennedy assassination and New Orleans crime boss Carlos Marcello were spot on. The reason I gave the book only 3 stars is its graphic depiction of violence. There were times when I just had to skip over pages because I couldn't read the gruesome descriptions of torture and murder. I know he writes from real-life murders, but it was just more than I could deal with. He is a New York Times best selling author, so there must be a lot of readers out there who can stomach the violence. I will say it's a page turner, and I kept reading through to the end to find out what would happen next. If this is your cup of tea, read it. If not, be advised that it gets rough. Complaint: my Kindle edition had at the end a preview of the opening pages of books 5 and 6, and there is a major spoiler at the start of book 6 that made me decide not to read book 5.

If you like to read visceral violence you’ll like.The characters are weakly written ... especially ‘Penn’ he’s really a stupid, stubborn, self-serving and arrogant.There are so many plots and subplots ... that are not answered ... strong characters who figure predominantly at the beginning are left hanging and never spoken of again. The main issue of the book is not resolved ... what the heck!The story was about the father you never find out his story or what happens to him ... what the heck!800+ pages with most characters left hanging and issues not resolved

Like the other books featuring Penn Cage, i found this a fascinating tale. This book is the first in a trilogy. Not that there is any clue in the book that this is the case, nor in the next book (Bone Tree). Only in the final book do you find out this is what it was. Maybe the tale developed as it went along and just kept growing?This is a long book at over 800 pages. Not that it feels overly long when you are reading it, just a great tale that keeps on giving. some commentators have said it's too long but i really did not find that. think of it this way: if a normal book, of around 300 pages, is a film, then this book is a 4 part mini TV series. once you realise that it is not going to be snappily wrapped up in a few moments then it makes more sense.This tale is set in the present day, influenced by events from the mid 1960s. I really liked the historical detail, this being a period that (as a Brit) i had scant knowledge about.It is nicely paced, lots of characters with a complicated story to tell. whilst i am in no position to comment on the historical context, it feels authentic and convincing.I enjoyed this, i hope you might too

I bought this book years ago and only just got round to reading it.This is a storywhich leans on the American civil rights movement. It is certainly well written, well researched and all of the white characters well drawn, with nuance and heroic or evil in certain situation. It is a very exciting story.However, all the African American characters either end up dead, or have no background of sorts. Oh yes there is an inter racial and musical background.As a Brit who has read a lot about the civil rights this is disappointingThere was many, many brave African American men, women and children who fought for civil rights and lived.They told their story in documentaries like the Freedom Riders and Eyes on the Prize.The book series goes on and I shall not be reading any more, but can Greg make sure when writing about African Americans they actually liveTwo stars for the writingOne star for the story structureTony Laforce,London

Greg Iles has been bubbling under for years with his Penn Cage series of gothic thrillers but "Natchez Burning" has transported him into the big leagues.The first of a trilogy dealing with Cage's father, a much loved local doctor accused of murdering his long services nurse.It is not as Simone as that as this is tied up with racism, black emancipation and the history of the Klu Klux Klan.This is the first of a trilogy that moves backwards and forwards over a near 40 year period and mixes fact and fiction.I won't add spoilers but this book is spellbinding and introduces a series of larger than life characters, both good and evil as the tension is racked up to breaking point.This is an incredible read that does demand some hard work on the part of the reader to remember exactly who is who but it is well worthwhile.Once you have finished this brilliant book you can then rejoice in the fact that there are two more books in the trilogy for you to devour - and believe me, you will want to do so.

This is the first Greg Iles book I've read and it won't be the last. I love thrillers of all kinds, but this one set in the real town of Natchez in Mississippi had the extra zing for me by being about the American Deep South and all the racial tensions and hatreds that have simmered and boiled over there since the days of slavery. The fact that this novel, whilst fiction, is based on reality makes it even more special. It is a tour de force in bringing to life the realities of racism, corruption, greed, megalomania and the mind-boggling evil that men can do, as well as the good that some men do to expose the evil of others, often at great cost to themselves. It also raises the moral dilemma of how far will an intrinsically good man go to save his father even as he begins to doubt the father he has always thought he knew. At 865 pages it is a long book but there was not a single page too many - indeed, I was shocked it ended so abruptly as I wanted to keep going and reach the final conclusion. I actually read Natchez Burning in two days, finishing around 10.30pm last night. I was on Amazon by 6.30 this morning writing this review and buying the next instalment!

This book was compelling, the plot was fast moving, the familiar characters were back. I found it hard to put this down. I can't help feeling, however that Penn, Tom, Caitlin and even Shad all acted out of character compared to the previous books. Tom had apparently known the killers for many years but blithely went on the run without caring about the peril his wife and granddaughter were in and without even talking to his adult son who is an experienced prosecutor. Penn is an experienced prosecutor, but he put his fiancée and family at risk over and over again in this book and was prepared to destroy evidence of terrible crimes to protect his father without even knowing what his father had or had not done. He confronted mass murderers then calmly went off without realising that they would try to silence him. If Penn and Caitlin had died in the end it would have been due to their collective naiveté and stupidity.Worse than that though, is the fact that the book didn't finish, it just stopped. I had to go into a bookshop to check that my kindle hadn't malfunctioned. I don't know whether the author ran out of time or ideas but this ending is unworthy of someone of his talent and is unfair to his readers.