Sometimes the price of justice is a good man’s soul.The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Natchez Burning trilogy returns with an electrifying tale of friendship, betrayal, and shattering secrets that threaten to destroy a small Mississippi town.“An ambitious stand-alone thriller that is both an absorbing crime story and an in-depth exploration of grief, betrayal and corruption… Iles’s … and an in-depth exploration of grief, betrayal and corruption… Iles’s latest calls to mind the late, great Southern novelist Pat Conroy. Like Conroy, Iles writes with passion, intensity and absolute commitment.”
— Washington Post
When Marshall McEwan left his Mississippi hometown at eighteen, he vowed never to return. The trauma that drove him away spurred him to become one of the most successful journalists in Washington, DC. But as the ascendancy of a chaotic administration lifts him from print fame to television stardom, Marshall discovers that his father is terminally ill, and he must return home to face the unfinished business of his past.
On arrival, he finds Bienville, Mississippi very much changed. His family’s 150-year-old newspaper is failing; and Jet Talal, the love of his youth, has married into the family of Max Matheson, one of a dozen powerful patriarchs who rule the town through the exclusive Bienville Poker Club. To Marshall’s surprise, the Poker Club has taken a town on the brink of extinction and offered it salvation, in the form of a billion-dollar Chinese paper mill. But on the verge of the deal being consummated, two murders rock Bienville to its core, threatening far more than the city’s economic future.
An experienced journalist, Marshall has seen firsthand how the corrosive power of money and politics can sabotage investigations. Joining forces with his former lover—who through her husband has access to the secrets of the Poker Club—Marshall begins digging for the truth behind those murders. But he and Jet soon discover that the soil of Mississippi is a minefield where explosive secrets can destroy far more than injustice. The South is a land where everyone hides truths: of blood and children, of love and shame, of hate and murder—of damnation and redemption. The Poker Club’s secret reaches all the way to Washington, D.C., and could shake the foundations of the U.S. Senate. But by the time Marshall grasps the long-buried truth about his own history, he would give almost anything not to have to face it.
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I enjoyed this thriller for its memorable characters and vivid sense of place. If you dislike description, you might think it slows the narrative, but it strengthens the story by impressing it on the imagination, making the story seem more real.
The story was long, but mostly interesting. Didn’t like most of the characters, especially Jet. It was complicated and seemed to drag on a bit. Not what I am used to from Iles.
I really enjoyed Cemetery Road. Wonderfully developed characters, intriguing plot, lots of surprises and all the Southern flair you expect from this author. Highly recommend!
Greg iles is a
The Newspaper Man
A story of small town corruption, murder, forbidden love, and family secrets kept hidden too long. As you glide through the pages and devour the text you will follow the characters on midnight trysts, harrowing rides into the country and torture in a local jail. Journeys into the past will bring forth old feelings, and secrets that have been hidden way too long.
When newspaper reporter Marshal returns home from D.C. to his small hometown in Mississippi to help run the small town newspaper when his father falls ill he finds more than he bargained for. Upon investigating the death of his old friend he butts heads with the powerful “Poker Club”, a group of wealthy men that run the town on their terms.
Greg Iles writes yet another suspenseful tail that will keep you turning the pages. You won’t want to put it down from the beginning to the shocking ending which will have you holding your breath.
It’s worth giving Greg Iles a pass on his politics to read this finely crafted novel. After all, 50% of our population lies on either side of the line drawn in the sand. The fact that I’m a conservative shouldn’t require me to bash a liberal’s work.
“Cemetery Road” is a well plotted multi-generational tale of small town corruption extending back to the Civil War. Mr. Iles takes you on a fast-paced yet intricate ride through the politics and hidden agendas of Beinville, Mississippi, a small town that has somehow managed to hold its own while most other river towns have given up the ghost. The ironic title of this novel works well here, covering the bases of each plot thread as it unravels — from private family deceptions to those bringing collateral damage for everyone in the town.
This timely premise involves a Chinese company finding a home for their new billion dollar factory in Bienville. The large investment in this small town will bring prosperity to a lot of the local population as well as improving highway access that will also expand the local community. But the biggest beneficiaries of all will be members of the Bienville Poker Club, a group of corrupt businessmen who ancestors have controlled Bienville since The Reconstruction(1865-1877).
However there is a dangerous complication, something that would cause all of their investments to collapse on them. The site of the new factory has been partially excavated by an amateur archeologist who believes that the site was the home of a native culture occupying it 4,000 years ago. Pursuing protection for this historical site will cause all of the Poker Club’s complicated manipulations to go up in smoke — and the local population to lose all of the benefits and amenities they are counting on.
As always, Greg Iles delivers a well researched and fast moving novel with stark narrative and intricate personal relationships. Not all is what it seems to be but suffice it to say that not every player trusts even his/her closest associates/relatives. It appears to be “all for one and one for all”, until suddenly it doesn’t. More complicated then his previous works, the issues here range from interpersonal relationships to international issues. Well worth your time!
Mr. Iles writes about my home state (MS) in a way that evokes quite a lot of memories of things I know and things I ‘heard’ about growing up in the South. This book is no exception. His ‘new’ character, Marshall McEwan, has a lot to shed from his past and a lot to figure out about his future.
I did NOT like the character JET. She reminded me of some girls from my high school days that were not so nice. 🙂 But I can’t fault her for McEwan’s actions of being drawn back to the relationship like a moth to a flame. I rooted for them, I hated them, and then I wanted them to be DONE. 🙂 That’s all the ‘spoiler’ I will give.
Please continue to write McEwan’s return to his small town and how he will make it a better place. Thank you Mr. Iles for bringing me ‘home’.
This boo is part of a great series. Came across Mr Iles books by accident and I’m glad I did. I’ve passed his books on to friends and family.
Having read 4 of Greg’s books, “The Footprints of God” was the only one that lacked a family-driven theme. Brilliant at building momentum, adding plot twists when least expected, his storytelling is masterful. Opening with the murder of Buck Ferris, an old friend, the reader is immersed into the world of Marshall McEwan, a Pulitzer prize winning writer and journalist. Greg inserts the Poker Club as primary suspect, a group of high rolling, political manipulators about to cash in on a deal cut with the Chinese. Corruption abounds with innumerable parallels drawn to the Trump administration; Max Matheson is father of Marshall’s best friend, Paul, and like Trump leads the Poker Club like a mafia don. Evil to a fault, he manipulates not only his son and family, but all those around him. Fast paced, twists and turns abound, the story is one worth reading for those that like page turners, and even for those who don’t. Highly recommended.
I really like Greg Iles style of writing.
The story kept me turning pages to see what happens next. Like most of the authors books the characters are well developed and the story is well written. As the story progresses the main male character came off to me as being immature and naive for someone of his age and experience. Just my opinion! Yes I would highly recommend this book!
Wow! Greg Iles does hold the reader’s attention! His subject matter is very intense and fast paced. If I read at night, I’m reading until 3 am; I can’t put his stories down!!
I’m a huge fan of the Penn Cage books, so I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of Marshall McEwan, but I loved him in this book! He’s a such a complex character you can’t help but cheer for, even though he’s done some rotten things. Another great page-turner from Greg Iles!
It’s been about 10 years since I first stumbled upon a Greg Iles adventure and I’ve enjoyed every one. The latest moves at such a fast pace that you have to periodically take a moment and catch your breath. More twists and turns that I expected, which is definitely a bonus. Well done.
excellent read. well written and pacy
For my money, Greg Iles, along with James Lee Burke, capture the clash between new and old South like no other writer. Evocative and informative, his characters must make peace with living at the intersection of idealism and pragmatism
Always a page turner although not a quick read. Well developed story like all of his other books.
Wow, this was quite a novel. This is the first book I have read by Greg Iles, but I am anxious to read more of his stories. Iles weaves a tale of deceit and distrust in the deep South along the Mississippi River. His tale follows Marshall McEwen, a journalist, as he seeks to say farewell to his father who is dying. He and his father have had a tortured relationship, ever since Marshall’s brother, Adam, died when he was young. Fast forward to 2018, when Marshall leaves a promising career in DC to return to Mississippi to run the newspaper his father can no longer manage. Marshall comes into contact with The Poker Club, a group of good ole boys who run the town of Bienville, with shady dealings. Once Marshall’s surrogate father, Buck Ferris, is found dead, Marshall is pulled more deeply into the evil of the club. He also is betraying his best friend, Paul, by having an affair with Paul’s wife, Jet. So much more lies beneath the surface of this group, leading to an explosive confrontation.
Iles writes with a knowledge of the south, its biases, and its in-bred thoughts. I liked his political commentary as well. Very enjoyable and complex story.
#CemeteryRoad #GregIles
Damaged Characters and Melodrama Dominate this “Thriller”
Perhaps as much as a quarter of Greg Iles’ 600-page Cemetery Road is consumed by the backstories of three main characters: Marshall McEwan, Jet Turner, and Paul Matheson. They suffer through emotional tragedies ranging from abandonment by a father – true to some degree for all three – to post traumatic stress disorder. Those pages also detail the relationships among them and a tangled web it is, ranging from first loves to friendships forged in war. Via these histories, the characters become quite nuanced, especially Marshall. But developed and likeable aren’t the same and none achieve that status. Marshall is perhaps the closest and yet, he lets Jet marry Paul because the time isn’t right for him. But then, he starts an affair with her when he returns to his hometown. There are only so many bad decisions in adulthood that can be blamed on a traumatic upbringing and Marshall crosses that line for me.
Marshall is also the character who makes less than complimentary remarks about the Trump administration. What else would you expect from a liberal news reporter? While I thought it was a good way for Iles to develop Marshall’s character, many readers have objected, complaining that these are Iles’ political views. I don’t know if that is true or not, but if you find a fictional character speaking against a US president distasteful, be forewarned.
In general terms, the plot is Marshall seeking justice for a murdered man pitted against an amorphous group of wealthy, ruthless businessmen, the Poker Club. Paul is heir apparent to his father’s (Max’s) seat in the club, while Jet has access through her marriage to Paul. And in general terms, the plot drags, even though there is action. The opening scene, for example, is a murder and later, there is an interrogation that is quite tense. But these few pages almost disappear in a lengthy book that is dominated by scheming to get the upper hand, then counter-scheming when that plan is blocked, then counter-counter-scheming …. You get the idea. There is a wealth of speculation about what might happen if someone did something, but very little action to see what occurs. And the basis for all this speculation? It’s often half-truths or complete lies that are later exposed. Dominance in these largely theoretical clashes isn’t just fleeting; it’s often an illusion. And by the end, the shifts in loyalties and reversals of power come so fast, it’s difficult to find or follow the reasons and harder yet, to care about them.
Overall, Cemetery Road relies heavily on damaged characters and emotional turmoil to supply tension and keep the pages turning. If that’s your cup of tea, then this book could be your Darjeeling. If not, then find a more traditional thriller.
Ominous, pacey, and tragic!
Cemetery Road is a gritty, engrossing novel about life in Bienville, Mississippi, a small town struggling with socioeconomic depression, corruption, murder, scheming politicians, and powerful, rich, white businessmen with no scruples.
The prose is descriptive and tight. The characters are tormented, scarred, and complex. And the plot is a rollercoaster ride of twists, turns, deception, allegiances, revelations, greed, power, violence, infidelity, integrity, heartbreak, and grief.
Overall, I would have to say that Cemetery Road is a dark, meticulous, deliciously suspenseful thriller that’s classic Iles with its journalistic backdrop, long-buried secrets, southern mentality, and complicated familial dynamics.