Book
The Devil's Punchbowl / Greg Iles.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781416524557
- Physical Description: 707 pages ; 19 cm.
- Edition: First Pocket Star Books paperback edition.
- Publisher: New York : Pocket Star Books, 2010.
- Copyright: ©2009
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| Subject: | Murder > Fiction. Gambling and crime > Fiction. Wilderness areas > Mississippi > Fiction. Natchez (Miss.) > Fiction. Mississippi > Race relations > Fiction. |
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Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Salmo Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmo Public Library | PBK FIC ILE (Text) | 35163000067525 | Paperback Fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2009 July #1
*Starred Review* Whenever Iles steps up to the literary plate, he seems to hit one out of the park. Penn Cage, the lawyer-turned-novelist who appeared in The Quiet Game (1999) and Turning Angel (2005), returns with a vengeanceâliterallyâin this explosive, shocking novel. Set, as usual, in Natchez, Mississippi, the tale finds Penn regretting his decision to run for mayor; now that he has been elected, he's not sure he's up to the challenges he set for himself. But when an old friend comes to Penn with a story of nastiness aboard a floating casino, and then the friend is murdered, Penn vows to bring the people responsible to justice. He has no idea who he is dealing with, however, and it soon becomes clear that he will have his hands full simply protecting himself and his family from a gang of ruthless men. Penn is certainly a strong protagonist, but readers will see a new, vulnerable side of him here: he is hesitant, unsure of his abilities, unsure whether he can cross the moral line necessary to keep his loved ones safe. With a capable supporting castâincluding helicopter pilot Danny McDavitt, who also plays a key role in the novel Third Degree (2007)âand a pair of supremely villainous villains, this top-flight thriller displays what Iles fans have known for quite a while now: he is an author who just keeps getting better. That's saying something for somebody who is already head and shoulders above most of his competitors. Copyright 2009 Booklist Reviews. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2009 June #2
A steamy, swampy tale of international nastiness by accomplished thriller writer Iles (True Evil, 2006, etc.). Penn Cage, steely protagonist of two previous novels (The Quiet Game, 1999; Turning Angel, 2005), is now mayor of Natchez, Miss., and, after something of a midlife crisis involving both widowhood and a career change, heading deep into middle age. Penn reconnects with a childhood friend who brings him dark word of bad things happening down in the Devil's Punchbowl, a hollow off the Mississippi River where bad guys have long disposed of their victims. The bad guys are no longer the river rats and Confederate deserters of old; now they come from all over the worldâthe toughest of them, it seems, from Irelandâto do a thriving trade in illegal things surrounding the already lucrative business of legalized gambling. Those things include drugs, underage prostitution, white slavery and dogfighting. The novel's perfectly rendered atmospherics and sometimes depressive sense of miasmal gloom ("I'd be dog bait, and that's a truly terrible way to die") frequently invoke Faulkner, though Iles' prose is more straightforward. The mayhem is altogether postmodern, a perfect vehicle for Billy Bob Thornton (as heavy or hero, your pick) and a shattering experience for everyone involved, not least Cage's sometime girlfriend, who finds herself deeper in the mire than anyone might have wanted, and his boyhood pal, for whom things do not turn out happily. Strong characters, male and female; utterly convincing villains in Brooks Brothers suits and private jets; and a believable premise. All these elements add up to a tale that ends, yes, on the promise of a sequel to come.Just right for beach reading at Gulfportâor Tunica, for that matter: a whodunit that aspires to literature, albeit of the Southern Gothic variety. Copyright Kirkus 2009 Kirkus/BPI Communications.All rights reserved. - Library Journal Reviews : LJ Reviews 2008 September #1
The Devil's Punchbowl is a seemingly bottomless pit near the Mississippi River at Natchez that's apparently loaded with snakes, murder victims, and maybe Jean Lafitte's treasure. The perfect setting for the return of Penn Cage (The Quiet Game). Big tour. Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information. - Library Journal Reviews : LJ Reviews 2009 July #1
Penn Cage (Quiet Game, Turning Angel), a former prosecuting attorney-turned-novelist, is now mayor of Natchez, MS, his hometown. But all is not well, for the promises he made as a candidate seem all but impossible to achieve as a working mayor. When one of his childhood friends is murdered a day after contacting him with information concerning dog fighting, prostitution, drugs, and money laundering presided over by the manager of a Natchez gambling casino, Cage takes on an investigation that makes him the target of organized crime, endangers the lives of his family and closest friends, and draws the wrath of the Justice Department and Homeland Security. VERDICT Iles's latest provides a thrill a minute, as Cage calls in long-owed favors to protect his family while employing every strategy in his command against a savvy, conscienceless killer. The author also manages to advance the love between Cage and Caitlin Masters, which, readers will remember, began in Turning Angel, and to present a striking panoramic view of his hometown. Highly recommended for thriller fans looking for a white-knuckled beach read.-Thomas L. Kilpatrick, formerly with Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale
[Page 84]. Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information. - Publishers Weekly Reviews : PW Reviews 2009 May #4
Bestseller Iles's stellar third suspense novel to feature Penn Cage (after Turning Angel) finds the former prosecutor and bestselling novelist serving as the mayor of Natchez, Miss., his hometown. Frustrated by his limited ability to change the system, Cage is plunged into a deadly duel of wits with some bad guys after a childhood friend, Tim Jessup, now a card dealer, alerts him to illegal dog fighting and sexual abuse connected with a floating casino. Before Jessup can deliver proof of his allegations, he's tortured and killed. Convinced Jessup managed to pass on the evidence to the mayor, Jessup's boss confronts and threatens Cage. Daniel Kelly, an old friend working for a private security organization, lends support, sneaking Cage's 11-year-old daughter out of town to safety. Iles brilliantly creates opportunities for his characters to demonstrate principle and courage, both on a large and small scale, making this much more than just an exciting read. (July)
[Page 33]. Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
