tdblaylock's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
A really quick read, but still heavy. This novella bridges The Devil's Punchbowl and Natchez Burning by giving some background into Penn's final days with his wife, Sarah. It gives some incite to why he decided to leave Houston once and for all and move back to his hometown of Natchez. Of course it also a crime that needs solving. The way it was told is very creative. Instead of telling the story as it unfolds, Penn reveals the details in flashbacks as he retells the tale to his uncle Jack. The crime is interesting and shows Penn's turning point from hard-core prosecutor to "man of the people." This novella is somber and Iles delivers the tone extremely well. He doesn't let solving a crime overshadow the turmoil and grief of Sarah's death.
aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mdunford78's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent short story! This author pulls you in before you know it.
cde10's review against another edition
3.0
This is a novella that fits in the middle of the 6 book Penn Cage series. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what purpose it serves. It gives you a little more background into all the reason Penn Cage moved back to Natchez, but to me, didn’t feel like it was worth it’s own novella.
kdenisen's review against another edition
4.0
Can't wait to read Natchez Burning...I'm ready to devour it!
cultured_pear's review against another edition
4.0
Great book, nice light bit of reading which touches on some heavy themes, really enjoyed it!
auntieg0412's review against another edition
3.0
I don't like giving any Iles creation just 3 stars, but I couldn't go 4 on this one. Maybe because it's a novella or because I read it out of order. At any rate, the whole Penn Cage series is simply wonderful...just be sure you start at the beginning and go through in the proper order!
lschoeb's review against another edition
3.0
This is a short story novella to fill in some gaps I assume for Greg Isles next book, Natchez burning. A quick read although I haven't figured out the point of it yet. I assume when I start Natchez I'll understand the point of this short novella. If you like Greg Isles, you'll enjoy this quick story.
drewvan's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting but very short, more like a conversation than a book. I wonder if the author just needed to fill in some blanks between his much larger and more fulfilling novels.
nicolepeck's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fairly fast read. It seems to be a bridge between the two Penn Cage trilogies but doesn't specifically resolve the cliffhanger from the last book of the first trilogy (The Devil's Punchbowl). Instead, though it covers that time frame after Penn finds out about his father being in the hospital, Penn spends his time on a break from the hospital with his Uncle Jack recounting the details of a past case at the time when his wife died. I enjoyed this novella. Included are also previews of each of the 3 books in the second Penn Cage trilogy, which I didn't read, as I'm planning to continue reading this series right away. Overall, a short but well-done novella with more about Penn's past but nothing that adds to or detracts from the rest of this series.