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    Natchez Burning: A Novel
    Natchez Burning: A Novel
    Natchez Burning: A Novel
    Audiobook35 hours

    Natchez Burning: A Novel

    Written by Greg Iles

    Narrated by David LeDoux

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    About this audiobook

    From #1 New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles comes the first novel in his Natchez Burning trilogy—which also includes The Bone Tree and the upcoming Mississippi Blood—an epic trilogy that interweaves crimes, lies, and secrets past and present in a mesmerizing thriller featuring Southern lawyer and former prosecutor Penn Cage.

    Raised in the southern splendor of Natchez, Mississippi, Penn Cage learned all he knows of duty from his father, Dr. Tom Cage. But now the beloved family doctor has been accused of murdering the African American nurse with whom he worked in the dark days of the 1960s. Once a crusading prosecutor, Penn is determined to save his father, but Tom, stubbornly invoking doctor-patient privilege, refuses even to speak in his own defense.

    Penn's quest for the truth sends him deep into his father's past, where a sexually charged secret lies. More chilling, this long-buried sin is only one thread in a conspiracy of greed and murder involving the vicious Double Eagles, an offshoot of the KKK controlled by some of the most powerful men in the state. Aided by a dedicated reporter privy to Natchez's oldest secrets and by his fiancée, Caitlin Masters, Penn uncovers a trail of corruption and brutality that places his family squarely in the Double Eagles' crosshairs.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateApr 29, 2014
    ISBN9780062331854
    Author

    Greg Iles

    Greg Iles spent most of his youth in Natchez, Mississippi. His first novel, Spandau Phoenix, was the first of thirteen New York Times bestsellers and his new trilogy continues the story of Penn Cage, protagonist of The Quiet Game, Turning Angel, and #1 New York Times bestseller The Devil's Punchbowl. Iles' novels have been made into films and published in more than thirty-five countries.

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    Reviews for Natchez Burning

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      My first book that I read on this author and its really good and then I thought that a lot was left open in the story and then I realized that there is a second book which made me very happy
    • 5/5
      Greg Iles is a masterful storyteller and he skills shine brightly in his latest book, due to be released in April 2014, Natchez Burning. Technically Natchez Burning is the fourth book in the Penn Cage series, however Natchez Burning easily stands on its own and well it should as it is marked as the beginning of an exceedingly promising trilogy. Many of the racial crimes committed in the book are inspired from actual cases, which makes the reading of this masterpiece all the more disturbing and real. Iles will take the reader deep into racial tensions as Penn Cage, now the Mayor of Natchez, attempts to save his father, alternating between past and present, learning far more than he ever bargained for. Natchez Burning must unfold for the reader as Iles’ has intended it, rather I will speak of my experience. Natchez Burning did not take me long to read, once I become engrossed in a book of such substance as this one, it as though we become one. There are wonderful characters and others I wish I never became acquainted with, at times intense violence, which is only natural for the time period, yet still not easy to read, and through it all, the beauty of Iles’ prose, which has an almost lyrical quality to it, making the reader want to read the ever ubiquitous, one more chapter. I cannot praise Natchez Burning enough. It has been five years and this book was indeed worth the wait. I am already eagerly anticipating the second book in the trilogy.
    • 4/5
      Although NATCHEEZ BURNING is fiction, much of it is based on actual cases involving racial crimes in Louisiana and Mississippi during the 1960s. Add the typical Greg Iles style with thrills and suspense, and this book is a winner.Penn Cage, a lawyer and mayor of Natchez, Mississippi, must save his father after he is accused of murder not once but twice. Natchez and close-by areas are full of corrupt characters, including city and state officials and even senior citizens. Penn is sometimes at odds with his fiance, Caitlin, an ambitious newspaper reporter and publisher who wants to write the story of these people and expose their crimes dating back to the 1960s to the present. Of course, Penn and Caitlin become personally involved and subject to (too much) violence.Penn and several of the other characters in this book are continued from three previous books. But NATCHEZ BURNING is also the first in a trilogy. And the end does leave questions unanswered to be continued, I assume, in the second book.This thriller is good but not unputdownable. It deserves high ratings because of its basis on real cases.
    • 3/5
      adult fiction; mystery/suspense thriller with lawyers/politicians and dirty cops. Kinda like Grisham, but with way more pages, and with extra sadistic Klanners thrown in. Apparently earlier installments in the Penn Cage series are not so long, though.
    • 3/5
      This is the first novel by Greg Iles I have read. It may also be the last. It's a monster paperback, at 867 pages, but at first this didn't bother me a bit. I was caught up in the multiple story lines, past and present, as Iles took us back to the 1960s and several unsolved murders or disappearances of black men in Natchez, then forward to the early 21st century where the consequences of those crimes are still being felt. It was gripping for well over 600 pages, even if I did get a bit tired of the main character and his fiance having the same misunderstanding over and over. Iles certainly knows how to build suspense. The trouble is, he doesn't know when to stop. Too many people putting themselves and others in jeopardy by being stupid, reckless or misguided. Too many near-rescues gone wrong making things worse. Too much repetition of theories and speculations. And way too much sadistic behavior on the part of the bad guys. Maybe if Iles's editors had chopped some of this excess cabbage, he wouldn't have had to chew it twice. To top it all off, we never really get the answers to a couple big questions that seemed to be the point, and there are loose threads all over the place. I know this is part one of a trilogy, but the ending isn't a cliffhanger, exactly. It feels like the author just decided not to bother to clear up those few pesky problems. I may have to live with the not knowing because I don't much want to be treated this way again.
    • 3/5
      These books just get more lengthy and the plots get more convoluted. And the conversations occur in great detail. Time goes slowly in the book, what I feel should be a week is only a day or two. I like the characters, but I would prefer to only read Penn Cage's thoughts and have him tell the story without all the sidetracks to let the readers know what the nefarious plots the evil characters are up to.
    • 3/5
      Too long and too complicated by about 200 pages; otherwise ok; captivating story!
    • 5/5
      Wow. I picked this book to read now because of the racial unrest currently storming through my country and couldn't have picked a better book to address the issue. Set in Natchez, Mississippi, the book revolves around one reporter's heroic efforts to uncover a chain of murders that took place in his youth. Spanning a forty-one-year period from 1964 to 2005, the author explores the horrific crimes of the Ku Klux Klan, and a spin-off group called the Double Eagles, that scorched the south in the 1960s. Penn Cage is the Mayor of Natchez in 2005, when his father, Tom, a beloved physician of the community, is suddenly accused of murdering a black woman who was once his nurse thirty years prior. As Penn and his girlfriend, Caitlin, try to help his father by uncovering the real killer, they discover Tom has many secrets, and some of them are worth killing for. The characters in this book range from idealistically heroic to severely flawed, cruel, and inhuman. Although this is a work of fiction, Greg Iles uses many authentic historical events to illustrate the real-life tensions and racial injustice that was rampant during this time of American history. No doubt, a lot of these racial prejudices and discrimination practices still exist, which has lead us to the current Black-Lives-Matter demonstrations now taking place all across America. This story was a real page-turner. Once I picked it up, I only put it down to eat, and sleep...because it is almost 800 pages.
    • 3/5
      I listened to the audiobook of this - all 35 hours. The story was sublime but the telling was seriously flawed. It felt, often, as if the author thought I was stupid. Melodrama isn't a strong enough word to describe a lot of the telling. I get that this is a poignant moment but Iles seemed to think I needed to be whacked on the head with it. Over and over again. I think he needs to find an editor - a good one.
    • 5/5
      This is my second Greg Iles book. THe first was Cemetery Road which got my attention enough to bring me to this book. It is always challenging to decide where to deep into the books written by a successful author. Reviews and guidelines are helpful - in the end for me it is a leap of faith or the excitement of hoped for discovery. This book does not disappoint. While it is labled the 4th Penn Cage book it certainly doesn’t stand on the prior stories. Most likely the life changing events of Greg’s auto accident added a lot to the book. His comments about the need to suffer to really understand pain surely reflect his personal experiences. It is a long book. At first I was concerned that would detract from its qualities as a thriller - but instead it allowed tremendous character development bringing the reader into many minds - some more sympathetic than others but all human at many levels.The book comes to a conclusion, but not really. One of the central questions is left with an uncertain answer and the surviving characters still face unresolved challenges. Because the author took years to write the trilogy I will pause before reading the next installment. If you enjoy good thrillers, find stories about the American south interesting, and don’t mind investing time into a long book give this a try. While it has many characters, they are distinct enough so as to be easy to keep sorted out.
    • 3/5
      Mayor Penn Cage is forced to delve into his father's past to keep him from being jailed for murder. The plot and action were over the top - Penn is truly an activist mayor!- fast moving.
    • 4/5
      As you might have noticed, this is actually the fourth book in a series. Natchez Burning is, however, the beginning of a brand new story arc that readers can start at. I came into this story knowing nothing about Penn Cage and his family. What I left with? Well, I can absolutely attest to the fact that Greg Iles has mastered the art of the tie in. With no information dumps, and virtually no flashbacks, I quickly came up to speed with Penn, his family, and Natchez as a whole. It felt like home after only a few chapters, and the story that was spun for me has me extremely eager to see what comes next.

      I admit that Natchez Burning had me a little wary at the beginning. This book is a tome. At 816 pages in paperback, it's definitely not a light read. Somehow though, Iles manages to use up every bit of that page count without a second of down time. Every sentence is perfectly placed. Each moment, each event, expertly situated to make this book read at a breakneck pace throughout the entire story. Suffice it to say, I was highly impressed. I was worried that this book would be a chore. Afraid that I might have to read through pages of police procedures and information dumps. That wasn't so, I'm happy to report. While this definitely took me time to finish, it was worth every page.

      Penn Cage is one of those characters that you can't help but root for. His heart is huge, his motives pure, and he's willing to throw himself into any kind of terrible situation that comes his way if it means protecting his family and his town. It's tough not to fall for him. I figured out very quickly that Iles knew this, because he threw Penn into the fire and dragged him through hell and back. I found myself gripping the pages, white knuckled, as Penn and those he cared about were put into yet another terrifying encounter. This book has it all. Murders, drug deals, mafia bosses, and the types of "bad guys" who make your skin crawl because they're so wholly evil. Which, in truth, is true of every personality that Iles pens into this book. Each character is treated lovingly, and fully developed. Which means the reader is allowed to love, and to hate, as the case calls for. These are real people, and it makes the story all the more compulsively readable.

      If I had one small gripe it would be that, ironically, the ending felt a little rushed. I know that it seems ridiculous coming from a person who as worried about reading 800 pages originally. Truth be told though, the climax was built up so well that I couldn't wait to see what happened. Which is probably why the ending felt a little quick, and the cliffhanger at the end left me breathless. Luckily, I know that there are more books in this series. So I'll have my hands on the next one very soon. This series is well worth your time! Don't be afraid to start with Natchez Burning.
    • 4/5
      Very suspenseful, lots of action!! I liked this one a great deal.
    • 3/5
      Part of the problem is that this is just not the kind of book I like to read. That said, Greg Iles has done a great job putting this together. I give him high marks for the issues he's tackling and for his ability to spin a yarn. This is the fourth Penn Cage book and I've not read any of the others. There is some decent characterization done especially with regards to how Cage feels about his father and his fiance. I was intrigued by those too-brief moments. The thriller plot seemed to get in the way of truly developing those aspects. This is also the first book in a trilogy so maybe there's more to come on those fronts in later books.

      Ultimately, I find myself not interested in what happens to these people and the villains they are facing. It was a struggle to make it through the second half of this LONG book. My lack of investment and concern held me back. Normally, I would just quit a book I felt this way about but I was hoping the last third would surprise me and lead me into the next two books. That didn't happen. The ending was more interesting than another book of this type might have pulled off but it wasn't enough for me. It reminded me of the end of so many thrillers where the bad guys talk incessantly.

      If I tackle the second in this trilogy this year, I'd be surprised. But, you never know what might happen on a vacation or plane trip.
    • 2/5
      Tried to enjoy this book ... Willing to have a new inheritor to the Southern legal thriller so long dominated by Grisham; Iles does provide incredibly accurate details for the realm of American jurisprudence & Southern atmosphere / characters ... But the reoccurring reviewing of racial & sociopathic grisly murders, the over abundance of points of view - too loose? - and the unnecessary repetition of one male character after another who considered all women as means to an end ( at best) and objects of subjugation in general ...why so many ? By page 280 or so I'd lost patience ... And I love a good Southern Gothic or robust legal thriller/ mystery. Author even seemed to be revealing his own methods/ authorial practices in unnecessary passages & internal dialogue from the predominant protagonist - very clumsy .
    • 2/5
      A hard one to review. Certainly exiting and fun. Characters are not fully formed in many cases and many events stretch belief. Once again, we have all the heroes white with victims black (and in a couple cases villains who are black). Not sure if I care enough to read the next volume.
    • 5/5
      I can't believe that I waited this long to read this! Even though it was LONG it kept my interest and was hard to put down. I am immediately starting The Bone Tree!
    • 4/5
      Parts are difficult to read, but unfortunately I think a true picture of the horrible atrocities that have been done to blacks in America over the years. The storyline is complicated and enthralling.
    • 4/5
      Iles interweaves crimes, lies, and secret pasts to present a mesmerizing thriller featuring Southern lawyer and former prosecutor, Penn Cage. Penn's beloved and revered father, Tom Cage, has been accused of murdering Tom's former nurse, Viola Turner. The quest for truth heads Penn into the past of the Double Eagles, a vicious KKK crew headed by one of Mississippi's wealthiest and most powerful man in the state.
    • 5/5
      Natchez Burning by Greg Iles is a very highly recommended thriller that had me mesmerized and totally invested in finding out what was going to happen next for the whole 800 pages. I can hardly wait to start the next book in the trilogy, The Bone Tree, and am anxiously awaiting the third installment, Mississippi Blood, due to be released in March 2017. This is an excellent book on all points: great writing, check; intricate plot twists, check; complexity, check; well-developed characters, check; suspense, check, check, check. Forget my stuck-overnight-at-the-airport book rating. You'd miss them calling your next flight. In fact, just save yourself the trouble and postpone your trip to finish Natchez Burning and jump right into The Bone Tree. Greg Iles just made another fan."If a man is forced to choose between the truth and his father, only a fool chooses the truth." Penn Cage agreed with this writer's sentiments for years, but now he realizes that, as his distant relative, Robert Penn Warren wrote: "There is always something." Penn's father, Dr. Tom Cage, is a beloved family doctor in Natchez so it is unthinkable that he could be accused of murdering Viola Turner, the African American nurse who worked for him in the 1960's, let alone arrested for this. Viola was dying and returned to Natchez to spend her last days there. Tom wants to prove his father is innocent, but Tom won't assist his son in this endeavor, invoking doctor-patient privilege.There is a whole lot more going on and hidden, including an off-shoot cell of the local KKK that call themselves The Double Eagles. These men have been terrorizing and killing people for years. Somehow Dr. Tom and Viola are connected to them and the death of several men in the 1960's. We know what happened from the opening chapters in part 1 of the story. Part 2 jumps ahead to 2005. More is explained as the book continues through several different characters, including Penn, Dr. Tom, Penn's fiancée Caitlin Masters, reporter Henry Sexton, and several of the bad guys.This is a tale of illegal activities, racism, greed, murder, corruption, and brutality, as well as the different legacies a family may be passing on to the next generation. Penn must decide if he will choose his father or truth. Penn is a crusader at heart, one who wants to right wrongs, but what if the wrongs involve his father, or result in his father's death?Incredible, rich, vivid, descriptive writing highlight this fast-paced, engrossing thriller. You need to realize that there are some very vivid descriptions of violent acts in Natchez Burning, but they are also crucial to the plot. Iles does an remarkable job allowing the facts and secrets to slowly emerge as characters uncover the monumental truth of the past and the present, piece by piece, and realize how far-reaching the gross injustices reach. The character development is phenomenal. Iles has created characters that are memorable, complex, flawed, and totally believable.Natchez Burning is amazing. I am, quite simple, stunned at this incredible novel. This is surely in the running for my list of top ten novels of the year.Although this is the fourth novel featuring Penn, it is a stand-alone novel for the new series of three Penn Cage novels. While I need to get the previous three, you can start the series of three with Natchez Burning. And, currently (during the writing of this review) the digital edition is 1.99!Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from HarperCollins and TLC for review purposes.
    • 4/5
      Good book, fun reading, plot knitted together in typical Iles style. Quick and disappointing ending with someone of course kidnapped - again. And no final resolution to who killed Viola Turner, whether Lincoln is Tom's son, nor Tom's murder charge, actually no questions answered at ALL. I don't care if it's first in a trilogy - give us more satisfaction at least.
    • 2/5

      I understand that I am not a literary critic. I understand that my opinions can differ from others, even those with a similar tastes, background and education. What I do not understand is how so many reviewers came to completely different conclusions about the book than I did.

      This book was not terribly well written, or well edited. Perhaps if they had edited out the repetitive dialog and hacked the number of pages down to 300 or 400 the book would have been significantly improved. It certainly would have helped speed up the glacier slow plot to its completely juvenile and unbelievable conclusion.

      This book was not thrilling, or even exciting. The characters were, in many cases, stereo-typical. Halfway through the novel (A very, very long novel) even the main characters seemed boorish and annoying. How many times must Penn, the main protagonist, explain that he would do anything to save his father? In this novel, the answer is over, and over, and over . . .

      I can only think of one reason why this book is so highly rated, and that is that the reviewers are being politically correct. This novel speaks of turbulent times and violent acts that marred a portion of American history. These acts, to most clear and sensible thinking people today, were shameful and cowardly. But, subject matter does not necessarily dictate that a book will be well written, or exciting as demonstrated in Natchez Burning.
    • 3/5
      I was eager to read this because of all of the great reviews, but found it way too long. The storyline was good, but half-way through I couldn't wait for it to end.
    • 4/5
      This is Greg Iles' magnum opus and seems like the end of the Penn Cage series, it tells the story of an investigation into the actions of an ultra offshoot of the KKK and weaves it into the story of Cage and his family. I enjoyed it enormously and recommend it to serious thriller readers.
    • 5/5
      Murder, mayhem, the Klan. All are neatly wrapped in this page-turner by Greg Iles. I couldn't put it down. The Old South in all its gory glory.
    • 4/5
      Obviously well-researched novel that covers history, civil rights, dirty politics and family secrets. Brutal, heart-breaking, intense, and emotional with the Southern Gothic themes of redemption and regret well-played. The first half of the book takes time because so much information is packed into the narrative: a large, complex network of characters, fictionalized historical events several of which are monstrous acts that are gut-wrenching to imagine, and the unique politics and character of Natchez, Mississippi. Many of the images are violent and graphic. The mysteries are perplexing and compelling. Conspiracy theories and political intrigue weave throughout the story. A heavy, but rewarding read rich in character. While it took me a few days to read the first half due to the amount of information to digest, I devoured the second half, the denouement, in one very late night. Once everything hit the fan, the pace of the novel ratcheted up to an adrenaline-fueled ride. It was all I could do not to pick up The Bone Tree and keep going right away. Despite a few contrivances that seemed a bit too convenient, I thought this was an excellent book. Fans of Southern Gothic, political thrillers, and civil rights era historical fiction, should definitely read this book.
    • 4/5
      Civil rights history, assassination plots, family secrets, and the long lasting consequences of choices we make.....if that isn't enough to pique your interest, I give up. This Penn Cage novel is all that I have come to expect from Greg Iles' writing. He is able to write a story encompassing history and horror, complex relationships and engaging characters, and just a gripping, thought provoking plot. I felt some sections were o rely drawn out, yet not enough to diminish my engagement in the story.
    • 5/5
      Natchez Burning By: Greg IlesHarper Collins Pages. 882Reviewed By: tkSecrets, Violence, Revenge and Murder!The civil rights movement in Mississippi and Louisiana isn’t all that was happening 1964. Three murders is only the beginning. Add the threat and unpredictability of the KKK, or the mix of a few men that have grown up in the area with an axe to grind…Meet characters with names like “Snake” and “Pooky” or “Melba” and “Viola”. Although they sound funny and old fashioned…these characters are brought to live in vivid color. Their lives, families, and tragic outcomes are delivered in a prose that will immediately take into another time and place. You will become an observer, a witness, a fly on the wall. The emotions will fly while you (the reader) stand by helpless. Hold on to your hats people. There is no mistaking the ride… in the deepest part of the human heart and soul.Greg Iles is a superb, and outstanding story teller of our time. You will be at an incredible loss if you were to miss one the best books written 2015. In fact this is a life changing narration that you will visit over and over. An absolute must have piece that is sure to become a classic in major and minor libraries everywhere. Look for “The Burning Tree Book 2 for more….you wont be able to get enough!!!Recommended beyond our rating measures…5/5 +
    • 3/5
      The only other really lengthy novel I've read about the South is "Gone With The Wind" (1058 pages +/-). GWTW was excellent story-telling, an epic story that you didn't want to end. "Natchez Burning" (NB) is no GWTW; it's OK, but frankly my dear, it's too damn long. And it's the fourth Penn Cage (what a name for a hero - does this guy have jail time in his future or what?) novel, but first in a trilogy. Got that? That's what we old-time marketers call "product positioning". So expect two more with some of the same or similar bad guys and themes, and maybe there'll be a Penn Cage #7, maybe not. If you are looking for something with more twists than a Coney Island roller coaster, you'll love this book. But my reaction ultimately was "Enough. C'mon already". I can only think that someone has even bigger plans for this series, like maybe a multi-season, cable TV series, ala "True Blood", but more violent. So what's it all about in 25 words or more?......Murders by a spin-off of the KKK, committed more than 40 years ago, still haunt two generations, including the mayor, his parents and fiance, a rogue reporter, an illegitimate son, a wealthy banker, a high ranking state police officer, and countless others, many of whom wind up dead. And by "murders" both past and present I mean lynching, flaying, torching, crucifixion, and stabbing. And there are references to rape, but I can't recall any sex/love scenes. Does it have a long, drawn out climax ? Does it wrap everything up in one, neat little package? Ha! - you guess....Will I read another Cage book? No.
    • 5/5
      A very powerful and emotional historical fictional novel about the segregation of the white and black families in the south during the early 60's. The events that occur between these families during these times start unraveling their lives some forty years later, this hatred caused a lot of bloodshed.