by Greg Iles
First published 2010
Penn Cage returns to his hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, where corruption runs deeper than the muddy waters of the Mississippi River. The former prosecutor turned novelist finds himself drawn into a web of political conspiracy when a close friend becomes the target of a sophisticated murder plot. Local power brokers will stop at nothing to protect their interests, and Penn discovers that those he trusted most may be his greatest enemies. As bodies pile up and evidence disappears, Penn must navigate treacherous alliances between corrupt officials, wealthy developers, and criminal organizations. His investigation threatens not only his own life but the safety of his family. The deeper Penn digs into Natchez's dark underbelly, the more he realizes that justice and survival may be mutually exclusive in a town where money talks and witnesses die.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, political-thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, investigation, political-conspiracy
Setting: Natchez, Mississippi, Mississippi River
Period: contemporary
Board book · France Loisirs
Content warnings: death, graphic-violence, murder