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grafe_'s review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
dianed's review against another edition
5.0
After the last book I was devastated - I really hated the way it ended. Book 3 picks up right where book 2 ends. Tom Cage's trial takes up the majority of this book and believe me you couldn't have seen a more nail-biting trial on any TV show.
Greg Iles knows how to ratchet up the suspense and danger and I began to wonder who really did kill Viola Turner. I thought I knew and then another suspect popped up.
I won't provide any spoiler here but suffice it to say that this book (as the others did) left me in tears at the end. But in the end I was satisfied with how it turned out.
Greg Iles knows how to ratchet up the suspense and danger and I began to wonder who really did kill Viola Turner. I thought I knew and then another suspect popped up.
I won't provide any spoiler here but suffice it to say that this book (as the others did) left me in tears at the end. But in the end I was satisfied with how it turned out.
hdbblog's review against another edition
5.0
Friends, I am winded from the epic sprint that Greg Iles sent me on with this book. I tell you, I was already eagerly awaiting this final installment in Penn Cage's family saga. What I wasn't prepared for though, was how much Iles was going to throw at me all at once. This book is a rapid fire rush to the finish the line. It sweeps you off your feet, and all you can do is hang on for dear life as everything that you've been waiting for unfolds in this maniacally beautiful fashion. This book right here, more than anything else, has proven to me what an expert writer Greg Iles is, and I happily bow down to that expertise.
First off, let me say that I was originally a bit put off by courtroom melodrama that started in Mississippi Blood. Admittedly, I wasn't sure I actually wanted to read a whole murder case laid out on the page. I worried that it would slow things down. That is, of course, until I realized that even these portions of the book were utterly riveting. Watching Shad Johnson and Quentin Avery go at it soon became something that I looked forward to. Iles wrote two brilliant lawyers who, despite any flaws they might have otherwise had, were masters of the judiciary art. I felt like a part of the jury, as surprise witnesses were thrown into the mix and tantalizing details were unearthed. I felt like a part of Penn's family, as I watched them struggle to keep themselves together while dealing with what everyone around them was terming the "case of the century". In other words, I was completely engrossed. I've never run through a 700+ page book more quickly in my whole life. If I could have lived without sleeping for the three days I read this, I would have. I needed to know what happened next.
More than that though, was the fact that Iles didn't let go of a bit of the character development that he'd been nursing throughout this whole series. Despite the trial, and all the violence surrounding it, he didn't stop at all in his quest to make the reader actually care about these characters. I admit, I teared up more than a few times during this book. I hadn't realized how much I actually empathized with Penn and his family until everything was ramping up to a conclusion. It amazed me how quickly I fell in step with even the new characters who were put in place, and how much I wanted them to succeed. It's no secret that I was a little angry after the last book, where Iles took something away from Penn that I really thought was unfair and unnecessary. Reading this installment though, I understood. I saw the reason. It didn't mend the hole in my heart, but I saw Penn in a new a light. A man who has been through hell and back, but still has a heart as big as anything. It's tough not to love a man like that, even when his decisions seem insane.
Look, the point of this rambling review is to fairly confess that I started out this book with a bit of doubt as to whether or not I was going to fully enjoy it. I expected over the top courtroom melodrama, and worried that the climax might not be what I expected it to be. I'm happy to report that I was wrong. I was so very wrong. This book is amazing. Mississippi Blood is not only the ending that Penn Cage deserved, but the type of ending that any author should be damn proud of. My heart is still pounding from what happened, even after the epilogue tried to assuage my fears. This is mastery, plain and simple, and Greg Iles quite rightly has my heart.
Am I sad that there won't be anymore Penn Cage? Yes. Will I happily read anything else that Greg Iles puts out into the world? Absolutely. If you haven't started this series yet, please do. This is a genre that I all but never read, and so you can trust me when I say that this is worth your time. 2,100 pages later, and I'm not even the least bit sorry that I put in the time.
First off, let me say that I was originally a bit put off by courtroom melodrama that started in Mississippi Blood. Admittedly, I wasn't sure I actually wanted to read a whole murder case laid out on the page. I worried that it would slow things down. That is, of course, until I realized that even these portions of the book were utterly riveting. Watching Shad Johnson and Quentin Avery go at it soon became something that I looked forward to. Iles wrote two brilliant lawyers who, despite any flaws they might have otherwise had, were masters of the judiciary art. I felt like a part of the jury, as surprise witnesses were thrown into the mix and tantalizing details were unearthed. I felt like a part of Penn's family, as I watched them struggle to keep themselves together while dealing with what everyone around them was terming the "case of the century". In other words, I was completely engrossed. I've never run through a 700+ page book more quickly in my whole life. If I could have lived without sleeping for the three days I read this, I would have. I needed to know what happened next.
More than that though, was the fact that Iles didn't let go of a bit of the character development that he'd been nursing throughout this whole series. Despite the trial, and all the violence surrounding it, he didn't stop at all in his quest to make the reader actually care about these characters. I admit, I teared up more than a few times during this book. I hadn't realized how much I actually empathized with Penn and his family until everything was ramping up to a conclusion. It amazed me how quickly I fell in step with even the new characters who were put in place, and how much I wanted them to succeed. It's no secret that I was a little angry after the last book, where Iles took something away from Penn that I really thought was unfair and unnecessary. Reading this installment though, I understood. I saw the reason. It didn't mend the hole in my heart, but I saw Penn in a new a light. A man who has been through hell and back, but still has a heart as big as anything. It's tough not to love a man like that, even when his decisions seem insane.
Look, the point of this rambling review is to fairly confess that I started out this book with a bit of doubt as to whether or not I was going to fully enjoy it. I expected over the top courtroom melodrama, and worried that the climax might not be what I expected it to be. I'm happy to report that I was wrong. I was so very wrong. This book is amazing. Mississippi Blood is not only the ending that Penn Cage deserved, but the type of ending that any author should be damn proud of. My heart is still pounding from what happened, even after the epilogue tried to assuage my fears. This is mastery, plain and simple, and Greg Iles quite rightly has my heart.
Am I sad that there won't be anymore Penn Cage? Yes. Will I happily read anything else that Greg Iles puts out into the world? Absolutely. If you haven't started this series yet, please do. This is a genre that I all but never read, and so you can trust me when I say that this is worth your time. 2,100 pages later, and I'm not even the least bit sorry that I put in the time.
johnlambrechts's review against another edition
5.0
Greg iles is now one of my top authors. Such awesome writing that never gets boring.
Mississippi Blood was a good finale that tied up all the loose ends of the story with style.
As the first two books were more of good guys on the run. This book is good guys standing strong in the court room.
I wish a little more of the story had more evil character chapters but we did get a lot of that in the first two books. And plus they are almost all DEAD anyways.
Mississippi Blood was a good finale that tied up all the loose ends of the story with style.
As the first two books were more of good guys on the run. This book is good guys standing strong in the court room.
I wish a little more of the story had more evil character chapters but we did get a lot of that in the first two books. And plus they are almost all DEAD anyways.
jansbookcorner's review against another edition
4.0
I read the first book of this trilogy many years ago and never read the second one. There were some events that I was a little lost about due to the time lag and skipping a book. However none of that left me too confused. I really liked once the story got into the courtroom. The story evolved and even though it's a relatively long book, it didn't feel that way. A backlisted book that holds up despite it's age.
Thanks to Harper Collins and Goodreads for this gifted copy. I enjoyed spending some time in Natchez again.
Thanks to Harper Collins and Goodreads for this gifted copy. I enjoyed spending some time in Natchez again.
klacourt's review against another edition
3.75
Good ending to the story and much faster than the second book. I still don't like Dr Cage.
stanleysenitt's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
abbeyhar103's review against another edition
3.0
I️ couldn’t put any of the three of these books down. and halfway through this one after thinking “these seem a little implausible” I️ did a little googling and discovered they are based on fairly specific truth. However, a lot of the modern day stuff that takes place is fiction.
Three stars because I️ believe Iles needed a good editor. He is definitely of the “tell don’t show” variety and it could get get wearing. In all three books I️ was amazed at how many times a character’s face would pale or redden in response to something going on - does that even happen all that much? Or how many times a person’s eyes would convey a list of complex emotions. It got sort of silly.
But that being said, he tells a damn good story.
Three stars because I️ believe Iles needed a good editor. He is definitely of the “tell don’t show” variety and it could get get wearing. In all three books I️ was amazed at how many times a character’s face would pale or redden in response to something going on - does that even happen all that much? Or how many times a person’s eyes would convey a list of complex emotions. It got sort of silly.
But that being said, he tells a damn good story.