The Death Factory: A Penn Cage Novella

It is several years since Greg Iles published his last book because he has been recovering from a near fatal auto accident. It is a credit to Greg that not only has he started writing again but his writing doesn't seem to have been affected by that trauma. Most of us who were followers of Greg Iles will have dimmed memories of his last books featuring Penn Cage, and this novella is a great way to revisit a character that we previously knew so well. In a clever and useful novella Iles manages to revisit the life and adventures of Penn Cage and introduce us to his next book.In a discussion with his uncle while they are waiting for news of the recovery of Cage's father Tom from a heart attack, Iles paints a vivid picture of Natchez and outlines some of Penn's former life from his time in the District Attorney's office in Houston to more recently as Mayor of Natchez when he smashed an international crime ring using a riverboat gambling casino based in Natchez for their nefarious activities (featured in his last book  The Devil's Punchbowl: A Novel ).The novella also introduces a scenario of possible assisted death that is central to his next book "Natchez Burning" as Penn recounts the painful death of his wife Sarah and how Penn's father, Tom Cage, a respected doctor, helped her cope with a painful death by cancer with carefully administered medications.This was a good novella - 4.5 stars. Now I am well primed to move on and read  Natchez Burning (Penn Cage) .

This a Penn Cage novella. Penn has been summoned to father’s side after he suffers a heart attack. While there Penn is drawn back to a time when he was working as a prosecutor in Houston, also known as the death factory. He is asked by a lab technician to look into problems with forensic evidence being used to convict defendants. It was a good story but I would recommend reading some of the other novels first. It was interesting to go back and read about Penn’s earlier experiences. Enjoy

I have been a fan on Greg's since I first cracked the binding on my copy of Spandau Phoenix so many years ago, but the story that really got my attention was that of a former prosecutor by the name of Penn Cage. From the moment I delved into The Quiet Game, I was obsessed with the picture that Iles was able to paint of these characters and of Natchez, Mississippi. Penn Cage remains one of my favorite protagonists in literary history, and his father Tom is right behind. When The Devils Punchbowl left us all hanging in suspense all those years ago, I was devastated at the idea that I would have to wait so long for the conclusion. I didn't realize how long it would turn out to be, and it has been an excruciating wait.That being said, Iles is back in full force with this new release. The Death Factory welcomes back Penn, Caitlin, Annie, Tom, Peggy, and all the majesty of Natchez in the way that only this author could. What is even more exceptional, though, is the introduction to a few new characters in these short pages, one of which is Sarah Cage - who, granted, is not a new addition to the story but in this case is given a life of her own. Fans of this series will be overwhelmed with emotions as we get to really feel what Penn's experience was with Sarah - in her life as well as in her death.This was a long time coming, and as a reader I am overjoyed at the results. I can't wait to pick up my copy of Natchez Burning next month, but in the meantime The Death Factory certainly was a welcome reprieve from the wait. In terms of satisfaction, reconnecting with these characters and this story felt like nothing short of coming home.

I don't think anyone could be a real crime fiction lover and not be aware of Greg Iles. Until now, that's all I was-- aware-- and since Iles tends to write quite weighty tomes, I decided to read this novella to see if I wanted to read more.What I found was a well-told tale with lyrical descriptive passages and a main character I quickly grew to like. The storytelling flowed well, and the plot certainly kept my attention, especially with its emotional elements concerning Penn's father and wife. All my reactions were positive but for some strange reason, Penn didn't set my world on fire. As much as I liked him, I have no real burning desire to read more (although I may very well do so). This is a reaction I very seldom have so I'll have to ponder it a bit more. I may yet become a Penn Cage fan. Only time will tell.

This is a Novella, which falls as the 3.5 of the Penn Cage series. The novella takes place just a few minutes after Tome 3, The Devil’s Punchbowl. Penn’s father, Tom, suffers a heart attack. Tom urgently requests to speak with Penn, having something to tell him. When Penn gets to his father’s hospital bed, Tom denies completely having to reveal something. Tom’s younger brother, Jack, arrives from California and the novella is basically a long conversation between Penn and Jack. Penn reminisces on his past experience as a DA in Houston, where the most criminals were sent to death row. An interesting Novella, Greg Iles wrote this short story in his magical ways of keeping us in suspense all the way through Penn’s storytelling. We discover more from Penn’s past. As I had read the Mississippi trilogy (Novels 4,5,6) before this novella and the previous novels of the series, I was able to guess Tom’s secret that he kept for later! Excellent read!

J’adore lire et maintenant Greg Îles, j’ai reçu les livres en temps prévu et dans un bonne état, merci

This novella as always with Greg is a great read but more than that it fills in lots of information about where Penn Cage is coming from.I can't wait for more to come now that Greg is penning more riveting reads.

Als Fan der Penn Cage Reihe habe ich mir dieses Zwischengeplänkel gegönnt.... Da ich spät in die Serie eingestiegen bin, gibt es für mich keine zeitlichen Verzögerungen, also vermute ich, dass diese Novelle vielleicht eine längere Pause zwischen "Devil's Punchbowl" und "Natchez Burning" überbrücken sollte?... damals in der Zeit der Enstehung?Ansonsten ist es geschrieben, wie alle Bücher - also super zu lesen - ein bißchen mehr Hintergrund über die Vergangenheit und Tom Cage's Herzinfarkt.... Verpaßt man was, wenn man es nicht liest und direkt von DP zu NB springt? - Nein, das wesentliche wird wiederholt.

This was a terrific read, I really enjoyed this book as there were no boring bits, it was great from the first page.