Another one from Greg Iles. This is more of his usual fare. Set in Natchez, MS (Iles's home turf), this follows lawyer Penn Cage, as he returns home after the death of his young wife, seeking some comfort for his distraught daughter. Life in Natchez isn't all sleepy and peaceful, though, and Penn must soon discover a way to extricate his father from a blackmail situation. On top of that, he soon finds himself drawn into a decades-old murder case that may or may not have civil rights ties. The famous white lawyer returning home to take up the case of a dead black man draws a lot of attention in Natchez, and not all of it is friendly. Soon, his life and his daughter's life are in danger and trying to get people to talk about what happened is like juicing an apple with your bare hands. As Penn digs deeper, he finds ties to a very powerful man in Natchez--one he'd like nothing more than to destroy.
Penn Cage is a recurring character for Iles, and this volume is a satisfying read. Some plot points scream "male author" (e.g. Penn's new, very young love interest, just months after his wife's death), but the book is quite good and not as disturbing as some of Iles's books.
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