Southern Man

The much-lauded new addition to Greg Iles' compelling library, Southern Man, thrusts readers back into the gripping world of Penn Cage, reshaping the thriller genre with a fresh, realistic outlook. As a continuation of the riveting Natchez Burning trilogy, and following the success of Cemetery Road, Iles delivers a complex narrative filled with suspense and emotional depth.

Fifteen years have passed since Penn Cage last faced the harrowing trials of the Natchez Burning incidents. Now reeling from the loss of nearly all his loved ones and the departure of old allies, Penn has retreated to a secluded former cotton plantation perched above the Mississippi River. This sanctuary, however, proves short-lived when a violent altercation at a Bienville rap concert leaves his daughter, Annie, severely injured from a near-fatal shooting.

As the community grapples with the shock of the concert incident, chaos escalates with an arsonist igniting antebellum plantation homes in both Natchez and Bienville. The situation delves into deeper turmoil when an unknown Black radical group claims responsibility for the fires, labelling them as acts of historic justice. Fear and mistrust spread, pushing the prosperous Southern town perilously close to a race war.

Penn Cage, coaxed out of his isolation by Bienville’s mayor, takes on the Herculean task of uncovering the truth behind the incendiary attacks to calm the unrest and bring stability back to the town. As the death tolls rise and the threat of a decisive racial clash looms, Penn begins to suspect that these attacks might not be what they appear. He theorizes that the fires could be false-flag operations intended to create the chaos needed for state and county leaders to dismantle the Black-run Bienville city government and seize control.

Penn, with an alliance of determined locals, dives deep into a treacherous investigation to expose those manipulating the unrest for their own gain. Together, they must navigate through layers of deceit and corruption to reveal the sinister plot threatening to tear their community apart.

In Southern Man, Greg Iles draws readers into an intense, timely narrative that mirrors the fragile state of contemporary society. With his characteristic talent for interweaving historical context and emotional storytelling, Iles challenges us to reflect on themes of justice, power, and community. This novel, like its predecessors, cements Greg Iles' standing as a master of suspense and a keen observer of human nature.