The Bone Tree audiobook

The Bone Tree by Greg Iles is a 2015 William Morrow Publication. For two years, this book has languished in my TBR pile. I have started reading it on three different occasions, and abandoned it all three times, for many reasons- the main one being that these books are usually pretty dense, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. It is just not the type of book you can read on autopilot, and since the book is so long, I decided to wait until I could give it the attention it deserves. However, now that the latest book in the saga has been released, I finally found myself feeling up to the challenge of tackling this one. This book can not be read as a stand alone. So, for those who have not read the previous installments, it is definitely worth your while to do so. For those who have been following along, brace yourselves!! As one might expect, the book starts off being centered around the death of Viola, Tom Gage’s one time nurse and possibly his mistress, many years ago. Tom has been accused of her murder and is on the run. Meanwhile, Caitlyn is in search of the ‘Bone Tree’, and nothing will get in her way, despite the risks. Penn is searching for his father, trying to keep his mother and daughter safe, and looking to make sense of the newly revealed information concerning the JFK assassination and his father’s role in it. This is a very busy book, well thought out and plotted, with some very interesting and very detailed JFK conspiracy theories that one might even buy into if this wasn’t a work of fiction. There are a few shock and awe moments, but while I normally understand Iles’ writing style, there were several chunks of the novel that turned out to be repetitive and mostly unnecessary and upset the flow and pacing, which really tempted me a time or two, to skip ahead because the story seemed stuck or had stalled. In the end, the story took on an unexpected tone and veered off onto a different path than where we started out. The JFK theories are very prominent, and while Viola's murder is weaved around that, and many burning questions were answered, it wasn't the main attraction, and there are still questions left unexplored which I am sure the next book will answer. There are some developments that took me totally by surprise, and I am really, really curious how Penn and his father are going to worm their way of the jam they find themselves in by the book’s end. Overall, this book is quintessential Greg Iles, with a thick southern atmosphere, lots of historical speculation, high drama and action, and packed with emotional turmoil, leaving you holding your breath with a hand over your heart. There is a lot more I would like to say, but will wait to read the last installment before expounding further on some the surprising developments that took place in this novel. Overall, this installment was not as tightly constructed as the previous chapters, but this is still an exceptional addition to the saga!! 4 stars

A stellar follow up to Natchez Burning. One of the best middle installments of a trilogy I have ever come across. The heart of these books is family - not just one family - several. And the deceit and lies they tell and the lengths they will go to love and protect their own. The Cage family (one that has been prominent in several books written by the masterful Greg Iles), is revered by most in Natchez - even when their choices are not understood; while the Knox family incites fear in women and men alike. Good does not just battle evil in the Bone Tree. It is not a place that most can find. And is not a place you want to visit. For most do not escape. Hard choices are made daily and evil wins out... most of the time. But champions like Dr. Tom Cage, Penn Cage and Caitlin Masters take up the cause to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, like Viola Turner and Henry Sexton. Dr. Tom Cage, having suffered more than most will stop at nothing to protect what he holds dear. Caitlin Masters works tirelessly to try and discover the mysteries of the Bone Tree. She finds it and discovers the true evil that lurks there.And Penn Cage - he learns a hard lesson that justice and right and wrong aren't always clear cut. He will be tested at every turn. And he will be left questioning everything. The themes in this book are riveting and heartbreaking: the roots of racism/modern-day racism in the south; and a conspiracy theory regarding the death of JFK (and the deaths of RFK and MLK). It is these themes interwoven with the beloved characters of Tom and Penn Cage that make this book impossible to put down. There were parts of this novel that had me in hysterics sobbing. I was divorced but living in the house with my ex-husband when I read it. At one point, I was reading it and was sitting at our kitchen table and found myself reading a part that stunned me. I cried hysterically and could not stop. I read one page over and over and was un-consolable. I could not continue on in the book. My ex happened to be in the room. We were on good terms at the time.. and he came over and even tried to comfort me.. it was not possible. This book is gut wrenching, suspenseful novel and will turn your insides out. It will have you smiling one minute and crying and/or yelling the next. It is Greg Iles at his absolute best and one of the best novels I've read this year. I recommend this to anyone who loves a good suspense novel and wants to read about characters who stay with you forever. Review revised on 4/7/17

It takes immeasurable talent to follow up a massive page turner (the first of a planned trilogy) with another massive page turner that picks up immediately where the first left off and doesn't let you go until eight hundred pages later. It's exhausting to read, so I can't begin to imagine what went into writing it. -And I mean exhausting in the best possible way.Greg Iles could have just made this book, this trilogy, about the deep seeded evil racism in the Southern town of Natchez Mississippi. How earnest lawyer turned author turned Mayor, Penn Cage, tries to get to the bottom of the accusation leveled at his father for allegedly murdering his former nurse, an African American woman whose history with Cage's dad is another layer on the onion to be peeled.But Iles has a much bigger endgame at play that toys with American history in a convincing and unsettling way. Let's just say I had to crack Wikipedia a few times to see if some of the players he was referring were real. (They were.)Lies doesn't flinch in the face of sometimes agonizing racial violence, and honestly some of it's terribly disturbing to read, but it's never feels overly gratuitous. By the end there are such massive plot movements in this book, it's hard to believe that there's one more to come. That said, I'll be waiting with anticipation to see how he wraps it all up.

Top 30 Books of 2015 "Best Modern Southern Trilogy." Southern storyteller, Greg Iles continues the powerful and compelling saga of Penn Cage, delivering THE BONE TREE, a hard-boiled explosive multi-layered follow up after sensational Natchez Burning which landed on my TOP 30 BOOKS OF 2014 Again, Greg does not disappoint his fans, with this complex and emotional conspiracy of greed, power, politics, civil rights, and racial injustice--spanning across history and generations. Let me start by saying, the length of the novel is not intimidating (more to enjoy) as Greg is the “best of the best” of modern literary thriller writers; however, will say I typically listen to Greg’s books via audio, as it captures the full essence, emotion, and suspense-- David Ledoux was outstanding in NB and hoping Robert Petkoff can live up as narrator for TBT. I just finished the audiobook, and even though good, I like Ledoux much better than Petkoff, so hoping Iles goes back to his original narrator for his next book. Since I am not a patient person, was thrilled to attain an ARC, and decided to dive in with the book, and listened again later—yes, that good as devoured it in a few days. With the prologue summary, Greg quickly gets readers up to speed as a refresher since last year with Natchez Burning. This was helpful since it has been a while; however, would recommend to readers to read Natchez Burning first to grasp a good understanding of this mesmerizing riveting thriller.Penn’s physician father, Tom is a fugitive suspected of murder and combined with the unsolved civil rights case from the sixties, Double Eagles, and the KKK--- may be linked to assassinations. In Penn’s quest for answers, he is sent into the dark past of conspiracy, greed, and murder involving some powerful, evil, and wealthy men. As he follows this bloody trail from decades past, these guys do not want any stones uncovered--will do anything to keep their dark secrets in the past.Penn, a former prosecutor, now Mayor of Natchez, MS, and his pregnant fiancée, reporter Caitlin Masters, are in the middle of danger with a flamethrower sadist. There are old grudges, hatred, and revenge, and lives are at stake. Caitlin, publisher of the Natchez Examiner is busy trying to track down the bad guys and danger is lurking around every corner. Penn’s dad, Dr. Cage, of course, has been the target for years regarding some long ago grudge and then there is his former African American nurse, and mistress Viola’s death and her son which may or not be Cage’s son, or could be the rapist’s son. Henry Sexton a fearless journalist has clues which they need to crack. From the Deep South we have the KKK, the Double Eagles, Forest Knox, and Brody Royal – these are some evil bad ass guys, with some dirty dark secrets; and criminal behavior or murder does not phase this group of southern terrorists. Special Agent FBI John Kaiser is the on the case in Natchez, Mississippi and he works his magic in many ways. Caitlin gets closer to learning about the illegal activity surrounding the bone tree and what it represents, putting her in immediate danger. As the plot thickens you will be engrossed in the KKK, RFK, MLK, and JFK connection of racial violence and hatred. As a southern native, and a baby boomer, growing up in the sixties --seems like only yesterday when the teacher came in to inform us of JFK’s assignation. The evil and racial tension, which lurks inside these pages are spellbinding. Greg grabs you with intensity, fear, and emotion surrounding the events which threaten Penn, his daughter, his family, his fiancé, and those he holds dear to his heart. Cage and his supporters are hoping to find the key to old mysteries from nearly 40 years at the legendary “bone tree” deep in the swamps, a giant cypress, where Double Eagles took their victims—black men, women and even children, to be tortured and killed. From the local police, the politicians, and the corrupt calculating feds—Dr. Cage accused of murder and now Penn, Caitlin, and a fearless investigative reporter; survival is on the line. Will Penn be pushed to the brink to save his own life and his family? Can they be stopped, or will they die— trying? Will Walt Garrity and John Kaiser be able to save him, and his family?THE BONE TREE is a multi-layered, richly plotted electrifying account of racial injustice and corruption, making you think twice about the cruelty of the South, clouding the lines between reality and fiction. American History has never been so scandalous! No one does tells it better than Greg Iles- cannot wait for his next book. Southern Fiction at its FINEST! Looking forward to Mississippi Blood, Coming 2017 as we continue this powerful trilogy. A special thank you to HarperCollins, William Morrow, and LibraryThing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. JDC Must Read Books Congrats! Amazon Books ‘Natchez Burning’ Drama From Tobey Maguire, David Hudgins & Sony TV.

Woot!

Wow! Long but very intense! Cliffhanger at the end, so on to the next (last?) in the series!

Not quite as gripping as the first one. It dragged, but there was still some great writing and surprises.

If you can get back the unbelivable premise that an alcoholic good old Southern boy could somehow manage to kill both kennedy and assassinate Martin Luther King AND pin the crimes on 3 other people, this would be a 5 star rating. The thrill a page a minute and intriguing dialogue saved this novel.

What a great story. Would have given more than 5 stars if possible. Greg Isles is a masterful writer of suspense and mystery. Penn Cage is the Mayor of Natchez, Mississipi. He's caught up in a fight for his life as well as his father's. He and his fiancée barely make it out alive from s burning mansion just before a multimillionaire is about to kill them. Before they think they're fate is sealed, the millionaire tells them a story. About how a local group named the Double Eagles were the centerpiece for the assassination of JFK, RFK, and MLK. As Penn begins to try and find his father who is missing and possibly dead, Penn is on a mission to find the truth about his father and a woman he is suspected of killing. If that's not bad enough, Penn's father is also suspected of killing a police officer. An FBI agent is hell bent on finding the truth and the connection between the Double Eagles, the assassinations of three key figures in history, and Penn's father who may hold the answers to everything.

Picking up where Natchez Burning ended, Greg Iles tackles one of the great mysteries for the baby boomer generation: who really killed JFK and why? The novel starts pretty slowly, and lacks the non-stop tension and violence of its predecessor. However, the racial issues are handled expertly, and there is double-dealing and triple dealing as the book progresses. The battles between local sheriffs, the Louisiana State Police, and the FBI are top notch. The Knox family, led by LSP's Forrest and Double Eagle's Snake, continues to play a central role in terrorizing everyone, especially Natchez mayor Penn Cage, his family and allies. Greg Iles continues to develop his compelling characters and the book is at its best when dealing with current manhunts, and power struggles, both current and historic. Dr. Tom Cage's eulogy for a dead reporter is outstanding. I wish there was a publication date for the last book in this trilogy.

The story of the Penn family,and the Knoxes as well as the other folks around town continues. Several plot lines carry the story: the hunt for the JFK shooter, the killers of several people during the civil rights era, the hunt for the Bone Tree, high level corruption, and small town politics. The activity and character interactions keep the reader turning the pages. I'll eventually get to the third book in the trilogy as well as to the preceding Penn novels.

So we are getting VERY close now to the finale of the Natchez Burning Trilogy (actually containing books 4, 5 and 6 of the Penn Cage series) I have been devouring these as they come out although I've only just realised that I never reviewed this anywhere when I read it last year I simply read it. Sometimes that has to be what its about! Onto The Bone Tree then and I’m not going to say much about it because I’m sure some people are yet to start this and I don’t want to give TOO much away. Suffice to say it is a direct continuation of the explosive events in Natchez Burning, following Penn as he tries to save his Father from a murder charge, keep all those he loves alive and still dig deep into the Clan and unspeakable deeds.Greg Iles is such a brilliant and insightful writer, who with this trilogy is really digging into a readers emotional responses, especially when examining the Father/Son relationship – Penn has always looked to his Dad for moral guidance and to find that his life is not entirely an open book is hard for him. Even harder when he is surrounded by truly evil men – the historical aspects of this. blending fact and fiction, are genuinely heart stopping, examining a time in history that still resonates.I really can’t speak highly enough of this series, not just the first two books in an ongoing story, but the ones that came before. If you havent yet taken a look at them then I can’t say anything other than highly recommended that you do. Bring on book 3. That is one reading weekend I simply cannot WAIT for.

"The past isn't dead. It isn't even past." William FaulknerAt the heart of Greg Iles Bone Tree lies a mythic old-growth cypress tree, deep in the swamps of Mississippi. Those who believe in its existence are mostly African Americans who have heard stories of atrocities perpetrated there in the 1960s by the vicious KKK offshoot called the Double Eagles. However, Henry Sexton, a local journalist has been quietly researching the Bone Tree and the Double Eagles, and it's as if he's disturbed a nest of killer bees. Suspicious deaths, including that of Sexton himself, bring in the FBI and, in spite of the danger, ambitious newspaper publisher Caitlyn Masters takes over where Sexton left off, hoping to publish the story of the century. However, the surviving members of the Double Eagles, intend to prevent her from doing so. This book, and its prequel Natchez Burning, are based on the work done by Stanley Nelson, a journalist who recently broke the story of the Silver Dollar Group and their involvement in a real series of unsolved murders from the Civil Rights era in Louisiana. Iles tells this complicated yet compelling story so well, that I ripped through the book just to find out what was going to happen next. Although never disappointed, I will have to wait patiently for the sequel to The Bone Tree, to learn the end of the story that he began telling with Natchez Burning. Highly recommended.