Library Journal
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Spanning from 1960s civil rights violence to post-Katrina hurricane recovery in Louisiana and Mississippi, Iles's (The Devil's Punchbowl) latest looks at events that affected the family of Penn Cage, now mayor of Natchez. This long, involved tale of historic and contemporary racism, greed, revenge, and corruption is excellently read by David Ledoux. Including Klan killings; conspiracy theories regarding the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy; and police corruption shielding a methamphetamine empire, this has it all. Iles fans will be enthralled by the plot twists and incredibly stupid decisions the main characters make that keep them in jeopardy throughout. Almost nothing is resolved at the end: Penn, his entire family, and his fiancee are in limbo, either hiding or having escaped, while the forces of evil close in. VERDICT As patrons will be looking for this in multiple formats, it is recommended for adult collections. ["An absorbing and electrifying tale that thriller fans will be sure to devour," read the starred review of the Morrow hc, LJ 2/15/14.] Cliff Glaviano, formerly with Bowling Green State Univ. Libs., OH (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly
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Theater and film actor Ledoux is given a full vocal workout in this ambitious novel set in the apparently still (as of 2005) Ku Klux Klan-infested state of Mississippi. The book spans several decades of Klan villainy, from torture and murder in the 1960s to more recent homicides prompted by the return of a witness. Ledoux delivers Isles's rich, eventful story in properly dramatic style, underlining its many suspenseful moments while capturing the book's atmospheric trappings and the voices of its large cast-from homicidal racists to African-Americans, fearful and proud-with effective accents that are subtle rather than stereotypical. But the author's major achievement is his handling of the chapters narrated in present tense by Penn, the humane and honorable mayor. Ledoux captures Penn's increasing desperation as his efforts to save his father, his relationship, and his city fail, adding a touch of mental anguish as the mayor struggles to decide if his search for justice is worth it. A Morrow hardcover. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.