The Quiet Game

Nothing gets in the way of the story in The Quiet Game, a suspenseful page-turner that keeps the pace through over 400 pages. Penn Cage, a prosecutor from Houston and an author of legal thrillers, returns to his boyhood home in Natchez, Mississippi to help his daughter Annie recover from his wife's death. In an interview with an ambitious local journalist, he mentions the Del Payton case, a racial murder that has remained unsolved for thirty years. Suddenly Cage finds himself in the midst of a storm of racial tensions, crime and political intrigue in which all the major suspects are playing The Quiet Game, a game of waiting to see who breaks first.Greg Iles has done a wonderful job writing a book that is hard to put down. Not only is it well-plotted, but the characters are likable and the setting is well-established. The swamps of Natchez yield not only old grudges, but new insights about race relations as Cage works to bring the murderer to justice. Definitely a 5-star read.

It was one of the best books I have read in quite a long time. I don't see the comparison between Greg Iles and Grisham. He writes in a more intelligent manner, and does a far better job of developing his characters. What I especially liked about it was the fact that his character Penn Cage touched on emotional issues as well, and I felt like I was reading a mystery thriller, that was much more than a mystery thriller.The premise of the novel kept me going and I had a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed the historical references, and the plot development. I'm probably not helping anyone by not describing the plot, or characters, but I don't choose what I read based on plot alone. My main reason for reading the book was that I picked up the book and liked the way the story was being told and it didn't let me down one bit. My initial impression remained the same. I figure that other reviews will discuss the story content and plot.

A quote on the cover of "The Quiet Game" says, "Rivals Grisham's best - Will transfix the reader until the very last page." Sorry! Grisham can't write this well. I read three or four books a week and have for many years. This is one of the best books I have ever read; for plot, for character, for ambience, for entertaiment, for instruction; for every conceivable reason I can think of. I very much enjoyed the other books this author has written but he seems to improve with every subsequent book. I loved this book and I will hold onto it and reread it from time to time. Thank you, Greg Iles!

Greg Iles has possibly the greatest range of any current suspense novelist: WWII, Internet Sex, Secrets of the Deep South... Iles weaves into his books the historical texture of Caleb Carr, double the plot twists of Grisham, and thrice the build-up of Crichton. Speaking of those two, they should be reminded there are writers like Iles who put in the effort to allow a book to stand on its own merits without the carrot of a movie deal. Despite Iles' harsh characterization of my native Boston (perhaps he is as misinformed of New England as he believes I am of his home) I became entranced by his use of setting as character and his portrayal of imperfect heroes and revered heels. He uses enough misleading foreshadowing to annoy me into staying up late to try to come to a conclusion.I believe Black Cross was his best work, this his second, Mortal Fear third and Spandau Phoenix fourth. Funny that most people have read only Spandau Phoenix. I do have one complaint - please hurry up on your next book. Stephen King may be from dreaded New England, but for God's sake, at least he puts out a book every now and then! Maybe then more would learn there are great alternatives to the latest drivel from the big boys.

If you are an avid reader every once in a while you stumble onto a book that is impossible to put down. I am delighted that I found Mr. Iles and this terrific book. An absolutely wonderful read.