Take a photo of a barcode or cover
caseysummer's reviews
554 reviews
The Death Factory by Greg Iles
2.0
The Death Factory, the 3.5 installment in the Penn Cage series, and honestly, it didn’t do much for me. It’s a novella that feels like a footnote—technically part of the series, but ultimately unnecessary. The writing style stayed consistent with the main books, which I appreciated, but there just wasn’t much substance here. It didn’t deepen my understanding of the characters in any meaningful way or add tension or insight that couldn’t have been folded into one of the main novels.
I can see how it was meant to set up a plot point for the next book, particularly around the topic of euthanasia. But even that felt like it could’ve been easily included elsewhere without needing an entirely separate work to introduce it. As a standalone reading experience, it just didn’t hold up.
I gave this one 2 stars. It wasn’t awful, just kind of pointless—and in a series as dense and emotionally complex as this one, that felt like a disappointment.
Natchez Burning by Greg Iles
3.5
Natchez Burning is the fourth book in the Penn Cage series, and I’m still turning over a lot of thoughts. At 791 pages, it was a beast of a book—honestly, too long for my taste—but the story itself was propulsive and gripping enough to keep me going.
The novel dives deep into the legacy of racial violence from the 1960s and how that legacy continues to shape lives today. I thought Greg Iles handled those themes with care and nuance, particularly in showing how even characters we’ve come to know as “good” can be complicit in systems of injustice. It was uncomfortable, but in a necessary and realistic way. It challenged the idea that morality is black and white—especially in the South, especially over time.
One of the most compelling aspects of this installment was its exploration of how we start to see our parents differently as we grow older. That theme really landed for me. The book did a great job of portraying that shift from idealizing our parents to seeing them as flawed human beings—people who, like us, are doing their best but sometimes fall short. That reckoning felt authentic and really grounded the more dramatic plotlines in something deeply human.
I did find myself frustrated with Penn Cage and his girlfriend in this book. Their decisions felt selfish and, in some cases, actively obstructed justice. That’s a big shift from previous books, where they felt more like moral compasses. But I also recognize that those kinds of decisions—messy, gray-area choices—make characters feel more real. They're no longer just heroes; they're people. Still, it added to my overall frustration and fed into my lower rating.
I’m giving Natchez Burning a 3.5 out of 5. The rating is mostly due to the length—it just dragged for me—and the frustration I felt toward the characters. But I’m still invested in this world and these people, even if they’re driving me a little crazy. The book ends without tying up all the plot threads, so I’ll definitely keep reading to see where it all goes.
The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles
3.75
The Devil’s Punchbowl is the third book in the Penn Cage series. At its core, it’s a story about deep-seated corruption in a Southern town, and like the other books in the series, it was a solid page-turner. I gave it a 3.75 overall—an enjoyable read, even if not quite on par with the first two.
The plot was filled with dark twists and plenty of conspiracy, which, while sometimes a little over-the-top, kept things engaging. Some of the help Penn receives felt a bit unrealistic, but I was willing to suspend disbelief for the sake of the story.
One thing worth noting—this book includes graphic violence, including dog fighting, which was disturbing but also clearly meant to underscore the depths of the criminal world Penn was confronting. It wasn’t easy to read, but I understood its purpose in the narrative.
Like many of Iles’s books, this one could have been tighter. There were moments where the digressions pulled me out of the story and made it feel longer than it needed to be. Still, the mix of suspense, returning characters, and Southern gothic atmosphere made for a compelling read.
Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
Didn’t love the main characters voice in the first chapter
Here Be Dragons: Treading the Deep Waters of Motherhood, Mean Girls, and Generational Trauma by Melanie Shankle
5.0
For all of us who have had difficult relationships with parents or are raising daughters this is an inspiring read.