Natchez Burning: A Novel (Penn Cage, 4)

Penn Cage is the mayor of Natchez, although he was previously a novelist and a practicing attorney. He is an honest and ethical man, and devoted to his family. He has taken on the role of mayor in the hopes of saving his hometown from corruption.

Penn’s father Dr. Tom Cage has been the town's well respected doctor for decades. He’s seen it all. And now he is being charged with the murder of his old nurse Viola. Tom and Viola worked together in the ‘60s, during the heat of the civil rights movement. Now she’s been found dead, and there is video footage of her death, leaving Dr. Cage charged with her murder.

Henry Sexton owns the local paper and has spent decades investigating the local branch of the Double Eagles, an off-shoot of the KKK. He's been driven to uncover the truth when no one else seemed to care, attempting to connect the Double Eagles to countless murders from the '60s, and leading back to one of the country's wealthiest men Brody Royal. Henry has often felt alone in his battle for justice, and his attempts to bring closure and validation to the surviving family members of murder victims.

I was very excited for the opportunity to read this book, as the subject matter is right up my alley. However I was unaware that this is #4 in the Penn Cage novels by Greg Iles. It's always a little disappointing to enter a series partway through, with the constant allusions to previous novels. There are characters that are reintroduced and mentions of past events. But this book stands on its own just fine. There was no need for me to have read previous editions in order to follow this one.

Penn is a very likable and believable character, as is his father Tom. Penn is engaged to Caitlin, who is a driven Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. Sometimes her fierce competition to be the best and break the next story can bring her at odds with Penn, as she resents when he holds back information that she could use.

I found this story to be absorbing, if at times a little uncomfortable. The subject matter is often unsettling, but necessary. These types of stories are our history, particularly here in the south, and we mustn't forget our history, lest we repeat our mistakes. The KKK and other similar organizations are the most cowardly of all "activists". They perpetrate their actions cloaked in darkness and hoods and anonymity. They have a history of committing heinous crimes and cruelty, driven by a twisted belief that they are somehow superior.

For the most part, I loved this story. The first half felt like an A+ book that had me totally captivated as we unearthed all the mysteries that abound in Natchez and the civil rights era. The second half got a little overdone at times. I wasn't a fan of Penn's friend Kirk Boisseau, an ex-military friend and diver who felt a bit like a caricature. He at times was a little over-the-top, like some crazy surfer dude with ADD, and Kirk's relationship with his own girlfriend felt contrived and pointless.

But overall I have become a huge fan of Greg Iles, and the character of Penn Cage!

My final word: I loved this book so much I have already bought the first one in the series (The Quiet Game) in order to start from the beginning with Penn Cage.

This book shows the yellow underbelly of the cowards that fill the ranks of white supremacist groups, as well as the heroism of those who fight them, and who struggle to uncover the truth. The author has a wonderful quote from Aristotle that was very appropriate for this story:

“At his best, man is the noblest of all animals;
separated from law and justice he is the worst.”

This book spotlights both kinds of men, and does so expertly. Natchez will be burning in my heart and mind for a long time coming!

Took a while to finish, but that was not the fault of the writing. The only complaint I have is the portrayal of the women. The first half of the book leaves them out almost entirely and then the second half makes an attempt to fix that by adding a few minor ladies and a formulaic heroine. Can't wait to read #2 to see if this treatment is any better.

This first in a trilogy about civil rights atrocities from the 60s come to modern day was long - 800 pp - but it kept my interest. The crimes and atrocities were horrifying. Their perpetrators seemed inhuman, and at the end if this installment there are still many questions left unanswered. Who killed Viola? Can Forrest be stopped? Will Snake kill Sonny?
I may have to read the next one.