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aaronboyes19's review against another edition
5.0
This was by far the best Penn Cage novel. It's a cliché, but I could not put it down.
ckjaer88's review against another edition
4.0
A good thriller. Didn't know it was part of a series when I started it, but I didn't feel like a was missing anything not having read the previous books.
kimcheel's review against another edition
2.0
I had a hard time with this one. Some details left me feeling ill, and disturbed. And I really don't think he writes women characters well/realistic. He described a 30-year old woman as still being attractive, like once you're past 30, all physical attraction is gone. Eye-rolling. The thriller aspect seemed very convoluted as well. A miss for my first read of the year.
mrsfligs's review against another edition
3.0
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 Cage—A 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 Sands—The 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.
3 Settings where it took place or characters you met:
1. Setting: Natchez, Mississippi, modern times
2. Penn Cage—A 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 Sands—The 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.
sci_mom's review against another edition
3.0
While I love the Penn Cage character, this book was too long, too unbelievable, and took itself too seriously. Even with all of that, I still mostly enjoyed the story. Another issue with it was that I listened to it on CD and the narration is good, but some of it was in a lower register that made it difficult to hear in a car.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
3.0
3 STARS
"The poster boy of southern gothic thrillers' (Kirkus review) delivers a powerful and unforgettable reading experience with The Devil's Punchbowl, and he marks the return of Penn Cage, the popular protagonist of The Quiet Game and Turning Angel. The Devil's Punchbowl refers to a deep pit near the river in Natchez, Mississippi. Not only have outlaws dumped numerous murder victims there, but there is also a long-standing rumor that it is where Jean Lafitte buried his treasure. This is a dangerous place, a kudzu-strangled, snake- rat- and armadillo-infested hole so deep that the bottom can't be seen. Against this backdrop, Iles plunges the reader into a mix of murder, racial tension, double-crosses, illicit sex.and all of the ensuing violent consequences." (From Amazon)
Glad Penn is back but this one was just okay.
"The poster boy of southern gothic thrillers' (Kirkus review) delivers a powerful and unforgettable reading experience with The Devil's Punchbowl, and he marks the return of Penn Cage, the popular protagonist of The Quiet Game and Turning Angel. The Devil's Punchbowl refers to a deep pit near the river in Natchez, Mississippi. Not only have outlaws dumped numerous murder victims there, but there is also a long-standing rumor that it is where Jean Lafitte buried his treasure. This is a dangerous place, a kudzu-strangled, snake- rat- and armadillo-infested hole so deep that the bottom can't be seen. Against this backdrop, Iles plunges the reader into a mix of murder, racial tension, double-crosses, illicit sex.and all of the ensuing violent consequences." (From Amazon)
Glad Penn is back but this one was just okay.
leannaaker's review against another edition
5.0
Another great Greg Iles mystery, set in Natchez, Mississippi. Penn Cage is now mayor and catches wind of a dog fighting/money laundering ring. This book involves murder, sex, mystery, chases, and good old fashioned Southern bravado. Great stuff.
yrsbrn's review against another edition
3.0
The main storylines were gruesome and more topical based on when the book was released, but some key characters are written bizarrely, to an extent that can easily detach you from the riveting plot. I found the climax a little disappointing, based on the timing in which the story starts wrapping up. It felt a bit rushed at around the 550-page mark, even if we do get *some* satisfying closure by the end.