With a paralyzing twist that will leave you speechless, Iles has created a completely original and unforgettable tale.
[A] page-turner [with] Iles’...intense scenes and dramatic emotions.
Another shocking Iles ending.
A thrilling, complicated path… [A] web of lies and intrigue… Give yourself some time [and] let yourself be absorbed.
A fast-paced book, a thrill ride of an epic.
It is impossible to turn away. It’s like binge-watching your favorite TV drama, and you don’t dare take your eyes off the screen for fear of missing out on another revelation. Cemetery Road is full of them.
Prepare to be surprised. Iles has always been an exceptional storyteller, and he has invested these volumes with an energy and sense of personal urgency that rarely, if ever, falter.
Denver Post on Mississippi Blood
In this dramatic conclusion to a stunning piece of work, Iles works suspense until the last second, making us question whether we’d be able to keep fighting if all the precious things in our lives were taken away.
Southern Living on Misissippi Blood
The Natchez trilogy is a sprawling plunge into some of the worst crimes of the civil-rights era.
Knoxville News-Sentinel on Mississippi Blood
Natchez Burning is possibly his best yet . . . This epic story is electrifying from beginning to end, un-put-downable, a gripping read.
Natchez Burning is extraordinarily entertaining and fiendishly suspenseful. I defy you to start it and find a way to put it down; as long as it is, I wished it were longer.... This is an amazing work of popular fiction.
Absolutely compelling.… A beautifully constructed story [and] some extremely fine writing.
Booklist (starred review) on The Bone Tree
It matches, or even outdoes, the first story in excitement and drama... Greg Iles has long been one of my favorite writers and he is certainly at his best with this series.
Huffington Post on The Bone Tree
Almost nobody works in crime fiction at this level-or this many levels-of psychological, social, and civic sharpness, and with this clarity as well as richness of style. And maintains fiendish levels of suspense.
Sullivan County Democrat on Mississippi Blood
Operatic in its reach, this is still essentially a tough crime procedural, with courtroom drama that is far more blistering than the John Grisham variety.
Financial Times on Mississippi Blood
Extraordinary. . . . ‘Great Expectations’ transplanted to an American South laced with comparably gothic overtones. . . . The Bone Tree establishes Iles as this generation’s William Faulkner.
A fabulous story. . . . Love, betrayal, murder, sadness, racism, adultery, hatred and revenge, with a bit of history thrown in. . . . The conclusion to a phenomenal trilogy.
Biloxi Sun Herald on Mississippi Blood
An ambitious stand-alone thriller that is both an absorbing crime story and an in-depth exploration of grief, betrayal and corruption… Iles’s latest calls to mind the late, great Southern novelist Pat Conroy. Like Conroy, Iles writes with passion, intensity and absolute commitment.” — Washington Post
“[A] page-turner [with] Iles’...intense scenes and dramatic emotions.” — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“Iles… has made Mississippi his own in the same way that James Lee Burke has claimed Cajun country and Michael Connelly has remapped contemporary Los Angeles… They will be talking about this one for a quite awhile.” — Booklist (starred review)
“It is impossible to turn away. It’s like binge-watching your favorite TV drama, and you don’t dare take your eyes off the screen for fear of missing out on another revelation. Cemetery Road is full of them.” — Bookreporter.com
“A sweeping tale of family dysfunction [and] sexually charged secrets.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“With a paralyzing twist that will leave you speechless, Iles has created a completely original and unforgettable tale.” — Iron Mountain Daily News
“Another shocking Iles ending.” — Clarion-Ledger
“A fast-paced book, a thrill ride of an epic.” — Valdosta Daily Times
“A thrilling, complicated path… [A] web of lies and intrigue… Give yourself some time [and] let yourself be absorbed.” — Quad City Times (Iowa)
“[Iles is] one of my go-to storytellers, someone whose books are excellent consistently and without exception… [A] spectacular story… Iles’s pace and tone are uniquely his own, and he opens to readers a world of insight wrapped in excellent crime fiction stories that enriches our lives immeasurably.” — Crime Spree Magazine
“Natchez Burning is extraordinarily entertaining and fiendishly suspenseful. I defy you to start it and find a way to put it down; as long as it is, I wished it were longer.... This is an amazing work of popular fiction.” — Stephen King
“Natchez Burning is possibly his best yet . . . This epic story is electrifying from beginning to end, un-put-downable, a gripping read.” — Delta Magazine
“The first in a trilogy whose themes of race relations, Southern tradition, and the corrupting nature of power are expertly woven throughout a powerful story . . . Natchez Burning is perhaps the best thriller to come along in years. Memorable, intricate, and expertly crafted.” — Memphis Commercial Appeal
“The thriller of the year, of the decade even, is Natchez Burning... The first of a projected trilogy, Natchez Burning is Penn Cage’s fourth outing. But you don’t need to read its predecessors to be wholly consumed by this wonderful book. Buy, read, and marvel.” — The Times (London)
“Iles carries it off with style, intelligence and passion...The Bone Tree ’ is filled with menace, betrayal, [and] unexpected plot twists. . . [and] is a very American epic-in-progress that leaves us waiting, none too patiently, for whatever revelations are still to come.” — Washington Post
“Absolutely compelling.… A beautifully constructed story [and] some extremely fine writing.” — Booklist (starred review) on The Bone Tree
“Richly plotted…[and] the action-packed narrative moves swiftly to a surprising and moving conclusion.” — Publishers Weekly on The Bone Tree
“It matches, or even outdoes, the first story in excitement and drama... Greg Iles has long been one of my favorite writers and he is certainly at his best with this series.” — Huffington Post on The Bone Tree
“Extraordinary. . . . ‘Great Expectations’ transplanted to an American South laced with comparably gothic overtones. . . . The Bone Tree establishes Iles as this generation’s William Faulkner.” — Providence Journal
“Best-selling author Iles superbly blends past and present in his swift and riveting story line.” — Library Journal (starred review) on The Bone Tree
“The second installment of his hard-boiled Natchez trilogy finds Iles’ hero Penn Cage on even swampier, and surely deadlier, ground than before.” — Kirkus Reviews on The Bone Tree
“Prepare to be surprised. Iles has always been an exceptional storyteller, and he has invested these volumes with an energy and sense of personal urgency that rarely, if ever, falter.” — Denver Post on Mississippi Blood
“A superb entertainment that is a work of power, distinction and high seriousness... also (a) prime example of what the thrillerand other forms of so-called ‘genre’ fictioncan accomplish when pushed beyond traditional limits.” — Washington Post on Mississippi Blood
“[The books] are page-turning entertainments with an edge of history and a deep understanding of race relations in the American South. . . . Mississippi Blood is packed with compelling characters. . . . Harrowing and spellbinding.” — Pittsburg Post-Gazette
“This trilogy is destined to become a classic of literary crime fiction.” — Booklist (starred review)
“[The] terrific conclusion to his Natchez Burning trilogy is a sweeping story that remains intimate… Relentless pacing keeps the story churning… The trial scenes are among the most exciting ever written in the genre.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Mississippi Blood
“There is a graphic beauty to Iles’ writing. He uses measured words to express voluminous stories. . . . He is a masterful storyteller!” — Huffington Post on Mississippi Blood
“From his opening line, Iles draws you back into Penn Cage’s deep South in this phenomenal trilogy’s final novel (after Natchez Burning; The Bone Tree ). [A] heart-racing, enthralling thriller.” — Library Journal (starred review) on Mississippi Blood
“Iles draws his characters so well, and brings off scenes so deftly.” — Houston Chronicle on Mississippi Blood
“A fabulous story. . . . Love, betrayal, murder, sadness, racism, adultery, hatred and revenge, with a bit of history thrown in. . . . The conclusion to a phenomenal trilogy.” — Biloxi Sun Herald on Mississippi Blood
“In this dramatic conclusion to a stunning piece of work, Iles works suspense until the last second, making us question whether we’d be able to keep fighting if all the precious things in our lives were taken away.” — Southern Living on Misissippi Blood
“The Natchez trilogy is a sprawling plunge into some of the worst crimes of the civil-rights era.” — Knoxville News-Sentinel on Mississippi Blood
“This magnificent saga concludes in breathtaking fashion. . . . Tender and gripping.” — RT Book Reviews on Mississippi Blood
“Almost nobody works in crime fiction at this level-or this many levels-of psychological, social, and civic sharpness, and with this clarity as well as richness of style. And maintains fiendish levels of suspense.” — Sullivan County Democrat on Mississippi Blood
“Operatic in its reach, this is still essentially a tough crime procedural, with courtroom drama that is far more blistering than the John Grisham variety.” — Financial Times on Mississippi Blood
Simply put, this is Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County for the “Breaking Bad” generation: life’s rich pageant, delivered unharnessed and uncensored by a writer at the peak of his powers who is mad as hell, and just as heartbroken.
BookPage on Natchez Burning
Natchez Burning excels as a contemporary thriller.... Utterly—and chillingly—believable. Epic.
This beautifully written novel represents some of the author’s finest work...we eagerly await volume two.
Booklist (starred review) on Natchez Burning
Obliterates the artificial distinction between genre and literary fiction with passion, grace and considerable style. This is Greg Iles at his formidable best. It’s good to have him back.
Washington Post on Natchez Burning
Flat-out terrific.... It brings to mind Thomas Wolfe and William Faulkner, even while its cagey plot and restless energy keeps you flying through the pages. Greg Iles is back and truly better than ever.
Scott Turow on Natchez Burning
Every single page of Natchez Burning is a cliffhanger that will keep you devouring just one more chapter before you put it down to eat, work, or go to bed.... This ambitious, unique novel is the perfect marriage of a history lesson and a thriller.
Terrific . . . Often seen as a John Grisham imitator, Iles clearly outperforms the master of the Deep South thriller in this angry yet engrossing novel. Compared to Grisham’s recent, thematically similar Sycamore Row , Natchez Burning is far richer in characterization and less reliant on stagey revelations.
Imagine William Faulkner and Stieg Larsson had a love child. Natchez Burning combines the pace of Larsson’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo with a Faulkneresque, bone-deep knowledge of Mississippi in all its beauty and racial torment.
A whopping tale, filled with enough cliff-hanging crises for an old summer-long movie-serial. Yet there are still enough unresolved matters at the end of Natchez Burning for two already-promised sequels.
If you only read one thriller this year, make it Greg Iles’ Natchez Burning . A barnburner of a book . . . a sure-to-be bestseller [that] is southern suspense at its finest.
This beautifully written novel represents some of the author’s finest work...we eagerly await volume two.
Booklist on Natchez Burning
It is rare when a book as impactful and daring as Natchez Burning appears . . . Its intriguing plot demands to be read from beginning to end . . . It is compelling reading that awes [and] entertains at the same time.
Huffington Post on Natchez Burning
★ 01/21/2019
Marshall McEwan, the star of this compulsively readable thriller from bestseller Iles (Mississippi Blood ), returns to his hometown of Bienville, Miss., for two good reasons: his father’s getting old and rickety, and the woman he loves still lives there. McEwan, who spent years as a top-flight investigative journalist in Washington, D.C., takes the helm of his family’s failing 150-year-old newspaper, The Watchman , and is soon immersed in the biggest news in town: the impending arrival of a Chinese-financed paper mill that will supposedly get Bienville back on its feet. Meanwhile, rumors of corruption, back-dealing, and murder swirl around the project and won’t go away. Lurking in the background is the Poker Club, a cabal of businessmen who have run the town from behind the scenes since the Civil War. And the slinky Jet Matheson, the love of McEwan’s youth, keeps putting off divorcing her husband, Poker Club heir-in-waiting Paul Matheson, though she’s perfectly willing to see McEwan on the side. Iles once again delivers a sweeping tale of family dysfunction, sexually charged secrets, and the power of wealth, with an overlay of violence and Southern sensibility. Despite the novel’s length, it all goes by in a flash. Author tour. Agents: Dan Conaway and Simon Lipskar, Writers House. (Mar.)
[Iles is] one of my go-to storytellers, someone whose books are excellent consistently and without exception… [A] spectacular story… Iles’s pace and tone are uniquely his own, and he opens to readers a world of insight wrapped in excellent crime fiction stories that enriches our lives immeasurably.
Iles… has made Mississippi his own in the same way that James Lee Burke has claimed Cajun country and Michael Connelly has remapped contemporary Los Angeles… They will be talking about this one for a quite awhile.
Booklist (starred review)
Iles draws his characters so well, and brings off scenes so deftly.
Houston Chronicle on Mississippi Blood
The thriller of the year, of the decade even, is Natchez Burning... The first of a projected trilogy, Natchez Burning is Penn Cage’s fourth outing. But you don’t need to read its predecessors to be wholly consumed by this wonderful book. Buy, read, and marvel.
A superb entertainment that is a work of power, distinction and high seriousness... also (a) prime example of what the thrillerand other forms of so-called ‘genre’ fictioncan accomplish when pushed beyond traditional limits.
Washington Post on Mississippi Blood
This magnificent saga concludes in breathtaking fashion. . . . Tender and gripping.
RT Book Reviews on Mississippi Blood
The first in a trilogy whose themes of race relations, Southern tradition, and the corrupting nature of power are expertly woven throughout a powerful story . . . Natchez Burning is perhaps the best thriller to come along in years. Memorable, intricate, and expertly crafted.
Memphis Commercial Appeal
[The books] are page-turning entertainments with an edge of history and a deep understanding of race relations in the American South. . . . Mississippi Blood is packed with compelling characters. . . . Harrowing and spellbinding.
There is a graphic beauty to Iles’ writing. He uses measured words to express voluminous stories. . . . He is a masterful storyteller!
Huffington Post on Mississippi Blood
An ambitious stand-alone thriller that is both an absorbing crime story and an in-depth exploration of grief, betrayal and corruption… Iles’s latest calls to mind the late, great Southern novelist Pat Conroy. Like Conroy, Iles writes with passion, intensity and absolute commitment.
Absolutely compelling.… A beautifully constructed story [and] some extremely fine writing.
Booklist on The Bone Tree
Almost nobody works in crime fiction at this level-or this many levels-of psychological, social, and civic sharpness, and with this clarity as well as richness of style. And maintains fiendish levels of suspense.
Sullivan County Democrat on-Mississippi Blood
Those who listen to this marvelous audiobook discover quickly that Bienville is not a sleepy Mississippi town. Rather, Scott Brick’s masterful narration highlights every nuance of Greg Iles’s captivating novel about Marshall McEwan, a Bienville native who left the town and became an award-winning journalist. When McEwan returns to care for his ailing father, he renews relationships with former lovers and others while also uncovering dark secrets about the Poker Club and others who control every aspect of the town. Brick’s ability to imbue the story’s characters with credible Southern accents is particularly effective. But it’s his perfect timing, coupled with the cadence of his delivery, that transforms this audiobook into a must-listen. D.J.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine