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    The Bone Tree: A Novel
    The Bone Tree: A Novel
    The Bone Tree: A Novel
    Audiobook32 hours

    The Bone Tree: A Novel

    Written by Greg Iles

    Narrated by Robert Petkoff

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Don’t miss the latest Natchez Burning novel, SOUTHERN MAN

    From #1 New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles comes the second novel in his Natchez Burning trilogy—which also includes Natchez Burning and the upcoming Mississippi Blood—an epic trilogy of blood and race, family and justice, featuring Southern lawyer Penn Cage.

    Former prosecutor Penn Cage and his fiancée, reporter and publisher Caitlin Masters, have barely escaped with their lives after being attacked by wealthy businessman Brody Royal and his Double Eagles, a KKK sect with ties to some of Mississippi’s most powerful men. But the real danger has only begun as FBI Special Agent John Kaiser warns Penn that Brody wasn’t the true leader of the Double Eagles. The puppeteer who actually controls the terrorist group is a man far more fearsome: the chief of the state police’s Criminal Investigations Bureau, Forrest Knox.

    The only way Penn can save his father, Dr. Tom Cage—who is fleeing a murder charge as well as corrupt cops bent on killing him—is either to make a devil’s bargain with Knox or destroy him. While Penn desperately pursues both options, Caitlin uncovers the real story behind a series of unsolved civil rights murders that may hold the key to the Double Eagles’ downfall. The trail leads her deep into the past, into the black backwaters of the Mississippi River, to a secret killing ground used by slave owners and the Klan for over two hundred years . . . a place of terrifying evil known only as “the bone tree.”

    The Bone Tree is an explosive, action-packed thriller full of twisting intrigue and deadly secrets, a tale that explores the conflicts and casualties that result when the darkest truths of American history come to light. It puts us inside the skin of a noble man who has always fought for justice—now finally pushed beyond his limits.

    Just how far will Penn Cage, the hero we thought we knew, go to protect those he loves?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateApr 21, 2015
    ISBN9780062374059
    Author

    Greg Iles

    Greg Iles spent most of his youth in Natchez, Mississippi. His first novel, Spandau Phoenix, was the first of thirteen New York Times bestsellers and his new trilogy continues the story of Penn Cage, protagonist of The Quiet Game, Turning Angel, and #1 New York Times bestseller The Devil's Punchbowl. Iles' novels have been made into films and published in more than thirty-five countries.

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    Reviews for The Bone Tree

    4/5

    289 ratings35 reviews

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    • 5/5
      The Bone Tree by Greg Iles is his fifth Penn Cage novel and the second in the trilogy. Due to The Bone Tree being the second installment of a trilogy, I highly recommend reading Natchez Burning prior to reading this extraordinary book. The Bone Tree begins where Natchez Burning (the 4th Penn Cage novel) left off, making this a difficult book to review without any spoilers. In Natchez Burning readers left Mayor Penn Cage, a former prosecutor and his fiancée, reporter Caitlin Masters, barely escaping the reach of Brody Royal, as well as the Double Eagles, a faction of the KKK with deep ties into some extremely wealthy an influential people in Mississippi. While in the first installment of the trilogy readers we given a lot of back story as well as seeing Dr. Tom Cage, Penn’s father, being brought up on murder charges and then fleeing the jurisdiction to tend to his own affairs, in the second part of the trilogy the danger is ramped up even higher as FBI Special Agent John Kaiser informs Penn that Brody never was the true leader of the Double Eagles, rather the man to be feared is the chief of the state police’s Criminal Investigations Bureau, Forrest Knox. The Bone Tree is even more atmospheric and suspenseful than Natchez Burning as Caitlin works to uncover the truth of the civil rights murders as well as uncovering the whole organization, meanwhile Penn works to protect his family as well as prove his father’s innocence. As with the first book in the trilogy, The Bone Tree is full of intertwining and complex stories filled with richly drawn characters in a deeply atmospheric setting and if that is not enough, Iles’ writing is outstanding and as one would expect, his story is not straight forward, but filled with plot twists, numerous secrets many going far into the past of American History in the deep south. My only complaint is that I could not put the book down and now must wait quite some time for the conclusion to the trilogy. While The Bone Tree offered up many answers, it also lead to many more questions and I anxiously await the final book in the trilogy. I highly recommend both Natchez Burning and The Bone Tree to every reader who enjoys intense and twisty plots, excellent back-stories, and action packed suspense.
    • 5/5
      WOW, What a story!! The title is odd but you will see why as you read the book. In fact if I didn't know it was fiction, I could believe there was a conspiracy of MASS portions! I was riveted as I couldn't stop reading
    • 4/5
      Sure. This a a really good stand alone thriller, the 5th in the Penn Cage series, and the second book of The Natchez Burning Trilogy. Much liked characters deal with intense personal and professional dilemmas, as well as significant moral ambiguity and questions of how people prioritize principles.. As if that's not enough, Greg Iles also manages to tackle some historical issues like the Civil Rights Movement, law enforcement corruption and, wait for it.....JFK's assassination picking up where Oliver Stone's conspiracy theories left off. Yep. Consequently, there are multiple ways to enjoy this thriller. I am duly impressed that Iles does all of that and still manages to turn out a really good, fast-paced read. Looking forward to reading the final installment of this trilogy.
    • 3/5
      ohhh. my word. These books are killing me! They read so slow. The dialogue is tedious. The decisions the characters make are plain stupid. They rehash the same issues over and over in their conversations and in their actions. I have one more book to go. Not sure I'll make it all the way through, because I get fed up with the characters and their lame excuses...but I'm going to give it the old reader try.
    • 4/5
      This is a follow-up to a book that I have not read. I was a little lost at the beginning because of references to past events so I think I would recommend reading Natchez Burning first and if you want to know what happens to the characters then read this one. It does all make sense by about page 200 but that may be too long for some.Penn Cage is the Mayor of Natchez, a former Assistant District Attorney in Texas and the son of a revered Natchez doctor, Tom Cage. At the start of this book Tom Cage and his friend Walt Garrity are on the run after Dr. Cage was charged with the murder of his former nurse. Penn and his fiancee, Caitlin Masters, had gone to the home of Brody Royal to confront him about his misdeeds and how they impact Dr. Cage. Royal tortured Penn and Caitlin but was stopped by two men who then died together with Royal. Caitlin is the publisher of the local paper and she is on the track of the story of her life which investigates racism in the area involving Royal, a local gang called the Double Eagles and the Knox family headed by Forrest Knox who is second in command of the Louisiana State Police. The FBI, in the person of Agent John Kaiser, are interested in the same people but not just because of racist murders from long ago. Kaiser also suspects that some of these people know a lot more about the assassination of JFK and he is itching to get to the truth about that event. I'm not even going to try to summarize the events of the 800 pages of this book. Suffice it to say that there is a lot of violence and graft and corruption in this corner of the world and no-one comes out unscathed.This is the second book of a trilogy. Would I read the third book? If it dropped into my hands I might but I don't think I'll go out and pursue it.
    • 3/5
      I finished Natchez Burning with sense of excitement over what was to come. Iles ended that book on a high note, with the kind of climax that leaves you breathless. I couldn't wait to see what Penn would find himself involved in once I started The Bone Tree. I admit that I've found a bit of a soft spot in my heart for Penn Cage and his little family. They have so much passion for doing the right thing, even when it's dangerous, that it's intoxicating.

      So, it was a little disappointing that I didn't love this book as much as the first. I didn't feel that same sense of urgency, where I had to read at a rapid pace to keep up with the action. Where I praised the first book for avoiding the dreaded info dump, The Bone Tree didn't seem to take that same road. While the premise here is fascinating, tying all the way back into the JFK assassination, the only way to keep that story line going is to throw down a ton of historical knowledge. There are dense portions of explanation into histories of past characters, and how they tie into the ones we are dealing with today. It does slow things down.

      Now, on a happy note, there's definitely the same amount of attention to detail that there was in the first book. Newly introduced characters are rich, and have deep history surrounding them. Which comes in handy, especially the further that things delve into the past. Natchez, as well as its surrounding cities, gets the same kind of love that it did before. The setting here has its own kind of special magic, managing to set it apart from the rest of the world in a way. It's like a place set back in time, and it makes for an excellent jumping off point into Penn's newest adventure.

      The action here is just as fast paced as before, putting Penn and his family in the face of danger at every turn. I swear, I've never simultaneously wanted to cheer on and punch a character as often as I have during these books. There are some decisions made that, had I been able to, I would have smacked some of these characters for. The only downside to this particular book is that some of the action feels forced. Like it was put there simply to pick up the pace after a long dialogue or back story portion. The Bone Tree flowed, but just not as beautifully as its predecessor.

      So, it comes down to the fact that I think The Bone Tree suffers from "middle book syndrome". It's the mid point in this particular story arc, and there's a lot packed into it because of that. It just unfortunately doesn't read as smoothly as the first in the series. The good news is that there's enough here, and the ending is solid enough, that it doesn't keep me from wanting to move on with the series. I'm still really excited to see what happens next.
    • 4/5
      Very gripping; some great scenes, esp towards the end. I didn't expect it to seems as it did.
    • 4/5
      The Bone Tree by Greg Isles 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 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 Isles’ 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 Isles, 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
    • 5/5
      This is the second book of the Matchez Burning trilogy. Penn Cage is still trying to find out the truth about his father and his involvement with the Murder of his former nurse. As Penn gets closer to solving the case, his fiancé, Caitlin, uncovers the truth of unsolved civil rights murders which leads her to the notorious Bone Tree. This is a riveting and rewarding read.
    • 4/5
      A book club forces us to read the whole trilogy of Greg Iles, and yes, we will be reading the final installment in 2017. I probably enjoyed the second book more than the first book. Both books provide a reading marathon that lasts longer than most television marathons. Greg Iles explains too much, at times; but leaves you hanging in the last chapter. The bad guys still dominant the story, and never seem to waiver in their evil ways. The theories on the assassination of John F Kennedy provide food for the fodder. Iles presents strong characters that either inspire loathing or admiration. Penn Cage, the main character, does not hold either interest or abhorrence for me, but I like many of the minor characters. The setting and plot anchor and enhance the story, but about 200 pages of too much description.
    • 5/5
      The Bone Tree by Greg Iles is a very highly recommended riveting and epic Southern Gothic mystery/thriller. This is the second book in the trilogy that started with Natchez Burning and the fifth book featuring Penn Cage. Read Natchez Burning and then you will have to read The Bone Tree and Mississippi Blood, which is due to be released in March 2017. In Natchez Burning Penn Cage and his fiancée Caitlin Masters barely survived an attack by Brody Royal and the murderous KKK faction called the Double Eagles. Now, in The Bone Tree, Tom Cage is still on the run, hiding from the evil Forrest Knox, who is trying to take the reins of the state police’s Criminal Investigations Bureau, and his uncle, Snake Knox, the de facto leader of the Double Eagles. Penn, who just wants to find his father and get him to safety, is doing everything he can to shake up the Knox family.Caitlin, however, is still chasing what could be the biggest story of her career, solving murders that were committed decades before and still happen today. She wants to search for the bone tree. The bone tree is a huge old cypress tree that is hollow in the middle. It is growing way-back, hidden in the swamp, and rumors about it have been quietly shared for years. It is called the bone tree because there are layers of bones inside the hollow space. Some are animals, but many are human, put there purposefully to hide their murder.FBI Special Agent John Kaiser has evoked the Patriot Act to charge the Double Eagles as a domestic terrorist organization so he will have jurisdiction over them. He knows they are responsible for numerous civil rights hate crimes over the years. The question he really wants answered is are these men, and those they worked with in the 1960's somehow involved in the assassination of JFK?Iles continues to impress me with his incredibly details and skillful writing, intricate and complex plot twists, and well-developed characters. All of this is combined with nail-biting suspense. Really, everything I said in my review of Natchez Burning still applies to The Bone Tree:"This is a tale of illegal activities, racism, greed, murder, corruption, and brutality, as well as the different legacies a family may be passing on to the next generation. Penn must decide if he will choose his father or truth. Penn is a crusader at heart, one who wants to right wrongs, but what if the wrongs involve his father, or result in his father's death?"Incredible, rich, vivid, descriptive writing highlight this fast-paced, engrossing thriller. You need to realize that there are some very vivid descriptions of violent acts in Natchez Burning, but they are also crucial to the plot. Iles does an remarkable job allowing the facts and secrets to slowly emerge as characters uncover the monumental truth of the past and the present, piece by piece, and realize how far-reaching the gross injustices reach. The character development is phenomenal. Iles has created characters that are memorable, complex, flawed, and totally believable."I will admit that The Bone Tree seemed to read a bit slower than Natchez Burning, but I totally accept this as a symptom of it being the second book in a trilogy - it's the middle of the story. But if this page-turner is the middle, then what on earth is going to happen in Mississippi Blood? I may need to take a few days off when it is released just to read it asap.Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins and TLC for review purposes.
    • 4/5
      I absolutely love Greg Iles. i think he is a great author, using words and images to fluidly create a beautiful story. This novel, however, was a little painful. It's still well-written, but it's too much. There's a lot of running around and not much gets accomplished. I felt the story was less-organic and more manipulated. Whoever helps Mr. Iles with the Southern literature references should be commended, and Mr. Iles knowledge of the South just by living there is spot on. I think the novel (in fact, the trilogy) could have been culled more to a more management and tight story. I'll still read book three, but I wish the story had been "tighter."
    • 5/5
      Former prosecutor Penn Cage and his fiancée, reporter and publisher Caitlin Masters, have barely escaped with their lives after being attacked by wealthy businessman Brody Royal and his Double Eagles, a KKK sect with ties to some of Mississippi’s most powerful men. But the real danger has only begun as FBI Special Agent John Kaiser warns Penn that Brody wasn’t the true leader of the Double Eagles. The puppeteer who actually controls the terrorist group is a man far more fearsome: the chief of the state police’s Criminal Investigations Bureau, Forrest Knox.
    • 4/5
      A rip-roaring ride, full of as many twists and turns as it is violence. Not quite the equal of "Natchez Burning," the first book in a three-part series, but still a heck of a read. Iles and his main character, Penn Cage, have become personal favorites.
    • 5/5
      This book is a continuation of the Penn Cage series. I was introduced to this series, and to the author, with his last book Natchez Burning, the fourth in the series.In The Bone Tree, former attorney and current mayor of Natchez Penn Cage continues his battle for justice, and struggles to keep his family safe while going head-to-head with the Double Eagles, an off-shoot of the KKK. Penn and his fiance Caitlin know things about the Double Eagles-- crimes they have committed over the decades, including rape, kidnapping, torture and murder-- and the Double Eagles will go to any extreme to prevent them from bringing their deeds to light.I became a fan of the author with his last book, and nothing has changed this time around. His writing is so effortless, his characters well developed. His transitions between characters flows easily. There is action and drama to keep you reading.My final word: After Natchez Burning, and now The Bone Tree, I'll read anything by Greg Iles! He holds my interest every moment-- and that isn't an easy thing to do! He is one of the few authors who can make me eager to read an 800 page novel! If you like crime dramas, historical fiction centered around the civil rights era, and books about the deep south, dive into this one with both feet. Greg Iles knows how to weave a great yarn!
    • 5/5
      This is the 2nd part of a trilogy, with the first book being Natchez Burning. I tried reading The Bone Tree when I hadn't read Natchez Burning and realized I was missing too much detail and background so I read Natchez first then moved on to The Bone Tree. I've read and enjoyed several of Greg Iles books in the past and with the first two books (more than 1600 pages) of this trilogy, he has outdone himself. This is an epic saga with a huge, diverse cast of characters and action on almost every page. Don't let the length of these books scare you away - the pages fly by. I am now eagerly awaiting the third book. Highly recommend.
    • 1/5
      I just could not get into this book and that was so disappointing because I have thoroughly enjoyed all of his other books. I attempted to read it a couple of times and still no luck. The action just wasn't there for me. I would not say don't give it a try-especially if you have read Natchez Burning (which I really enjoyed) as this is a sequel to it.
    • 5/5
      If you had read the previous books, you know what to expect. If you had not - please stop now, go read them first (especially "Natchez Burning") and then come back and read this one. "The Bone Tree" is the continuation of "Natchez Burning", starting exactly where the first book finished. Deep in the South, masterly done and executed. If you expected the murder mystery that was at the backbone of the previous book to be resolved, you will be disappointed - this is left for the last book in the trilogy. But a lot happens in this book (and with so many of the main characters older than 70, you will be surprised just how action filled the book actually is). If previous books just hinted at the connection to the Kennedy assassination, this one goes full throttle and play the "what if". The scary part is that the what if sounds like something that might have been (nope, I am not buying all the crazy theories out there). By the end of the book we loose good people, we loose bad ones, Penn gets himself in more messes than you would expect and the stage for the final is set. It is Iles at his best. Highly recommended (after you read the previous books).
    • 4/5
      The Bone Tree is a huge undertaking with over 800 pages of a story that deals with digging up the past of civil rights in the South. Although, the story is fictional, there are factual incidents and historical figures used to further the story (such as JFK and Lee Harvey Oswald) . This is the second novel in a trilogy of stories involving Penn Cage and his life in the Mississippi town of Natchez. The plot is complicated and there are a lot of twists and such. Not having read the first novel, the beginning of this one was slow but as I continued it began to move and make sense. The charters are colorful and interesting. This is both suspenseful and emotional, but long…
    • 5/5
      The Bone Tree By: Greg Iles Pages. 816Publisher: William Morrow & CompanyCopy Courtesy of Librarything Early ReaderReviewed by: tkNo one is spared the touch of evil that men can do!From the brilliant mind of Greg Iles comes a captivating continuation of the “Natchez Burning”. He will take you deeper in the Mississippi and Louisiana back woods and swamps with more murder and mayhem. Immediate love of any and all characters within will leave you either in tears of frustration, or anger beyond a humans ability to control. The plot thickens…the twists and turns will keep the pages flying. The reaching of the entwining families into the innocent and much more guilty are the same for some members. While others must stand aside to save their own lives , and protect their loved ones.Having received this book as an ARC…once I seen the cover and read the reviews I just had to stop and acquire a copy of “Natchez Burning”. I wanted to start from the beginning. This can be read as a stand alone novel, but you would be leaving yourself short of this amazing story. If you are looking for a trilling ride…take yourself inside this world of the deep south in 1964. You will be wanting so much more that you hope the story never ends.
    • 4/5
      Attention! The Bone Tree is the second book of a trilogy within a series* and should not be read if you haven’t first read Natchez Burning, the previous book in the Penn Cage series by Greg Iles. The Bone Tree begins immediately where Natchez Burning leaves off, with the flames from the last chapter of that book still burning and the sound of approaching sirens heard in the distance.Review: 3 ½ starsReaders who have read Natchez Burning will know that Penn and his fiancée, Caitlin Masters, have teamed up with Henry Sexton, a crusading journalist for a weekly newspaper, to take on the Golden Eagles, a KKK splinter group responsible for a long string of murders dating back to the 1960s. In the process, they ran afoul of Forrest Knox, a corrupt Louisiana State Patrol colonel who is poised to take command of all state police forces. Working together with well-funded investors and a black-ops SWAT team that he commands, Knox has taken advantage of the chaos Katrina wrought to rebuild the city as they want it. Their plan is “to raze the Lower Ninth Ward and demolish the housing projects elsewhere, then put up new developments for their kind of people.” At this point in the story I have to wonder whether Iles is making this up or if he is describing what he believes actually happened after Katrina. He clearly believes it possible as he described his neighboring state with Faulknerian style. “A wise man once said that any territory colonized by the French eventually settled into a state of lassitude and corruption. As regards to Louisiana…the state decayed as steadily as an old whore working the darkest den in Marseilles.”I have long enjoyed Greg Iles books and especially like his Penn cage series. I like the main characters, especially Penn and his father, Dr. Tom Cage. Both represent the quintessential southern gentleman, fighting for truth and justice with a dogged determination that would make Atticus Finch proud. The villains are unreservedly evil and the dangers the heroes face are thrilling and all too realistic. I was especially thrilled to learn that Henry Sexton’s character is based on reporter Stanley Nelson, the actual editor of the Concordia Sentinel, a 5,000-circulation newspaper in Ferriday, Louisiana, whose brave crusade to bring justice to the victims of the civil rights abuses of the past cracked the Silver Dollar Group, the inspiration for the Double Eagles. What I like most about Iles’ books is his knowledge of and appreciation for Southern Literary culture. For every one of his book that I’ve bought over the years, there is another book that I bought that I learned about in his books. I first encountered my favorite biography, ‘Huey Long’ by T. Harry Williams, on the shelved of Tom Cage’s library. Other books by William Faulkner, Robert Penn Warren, William Alexander Percy and Ernest J. Gaines have made their way from Tom Cage’s library to my own.On the down-side, my biggest complaint of Iles’ books is the sheer size of them. The first two books of the trilogy already total over 1,600 pages so it’s safe to say it will be close to 2,500 pages by the time it is finished. If the plot was tighter, I wouldn’t mind but that isn’t always the case. Countless chapters are spent covering the same ground over and over again, with page after page describing tedious hand-wringing about what will happen if they do this or that. In addition, some characters (Penn’s father Tom Cage in particular) act in manners that defy all reason and in fact cause much unnecessary suffering and death. There are few things in books or movies that infuriate me more than when supposedly smart people do incredibly stupid things for no other reason than to make the author’s life easier. I have to admit that I have doubts about the direness of their situation and often find myself thinking “Wait a minute! Why don’t they just fill in the blank)” , then shaking my head and go back to reading. The bottom line is that, despite their length and often plodding pace, Greg Iles books are fun to read. I’m sure that when the third book comes out I will read, or at least listen to it. Even so, I really hope that Greg Iles will pick up the pace a bit with his finale.*The Bone Tree is the fifth book in the Greg Iles’ series featuring the trials and tribulations of Penn Cage, district attorney turned novelist turned Mayor of Natchez, Mississippi. The entire story is best read in order, starting with The Quiet Game and continuing with Turning Angels and The Devil’s Punchbowl. Natchez Burning, The Bone Tree and an upcoming sixth book, Unwritten Laws make up the Double Eagle Trilogy that, as mentioned previously really need to be read in order.**Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review book was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.
    • 4/5
      I did not realize when I picked up this book that it was book two in a series. I have not read Natchez Burning, book one. Having not reading book one, I did suffer a little reading book two. It jumped right into the story a little while after the first book. This was not such the problem for me as I was able to quickly piece together a good idea of what transpired in the first book and who the major key players were from both the good and bad sides. In fact, I had no issues that I got all the way to page 276 before I took a break. This is something as this book is a whopping tome at 816 pages long! My issue was that I could not gain an instant connection with the characters. It took me a while to get this connection. However once I did, I was all in. This is not just a book but a whole production. Mr. Iles knows how to spin a good story. Although if you do not like graphic gore or crude language than take this as your warning.
    • 5/5
      The Bone Tree by author Greg Iles is the second in a trilogy and picks up where the first book, Natchez Burning ended. Penn Cage’s father, Dr Tom Cage is still on the run for the suspected murder of Viola Turner and now that of a state trooper. Penn and his fiancée had only recently escaped from an almost certain death at the hands of Brody Royal, the multi-millionaire backer of the Double Eagles, a violent but powerful splinter group of the KKK. FBI Agent John Kaiser is convinced that Frank Knox, the founder of the Double Eagles, was the real shooter in the JFK assassination and is determined to find the evidence. It has been rumoured for decades that this evidence as well as the bodies of many of the mostly black victims of the Eagles are hidden inside a huge cypress tree in the Lusahatcha Swamp known as the Bone Tree but so far, no one outside of the Eagles or their many supporters has been able to locate it. Despite every effort by Penn and Kaiser to find the truth, the Eagles, now led by Forrest Knox, seem to be one step ahead of them.Coming in at just over 800 pages (just slightly longer than Natchez Burning), The Bone Tree is definitely not a sleepy afternoon’s pleasure but it is well worth the read. Although the story is set in the modern south, it combines historical details and figures of the Civil Rights-era south with many of the conspiracy theories related to the assassination of President Kennedy to produce a tale that is at once compelling and emotionally charged. Its portrait of the racially motivated killings of the old south and the people who committed them is chilling and more so because Iles gives it a real sense of authenticity. That he then puts these same people in positions of power in the present only makes the tale more gripping as the power struggle between these old-line racists and the few who oppose them ramps up. Iles really knows how to build tension and keep the reader completely engaged and invested in the outcome, not just wanting but needing to know the fate of the many characters. The story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger so now we have to wait a bit longer to know the end of the story – probably a good thing because after this roller coaster of a ride, the reader may feel like they need to lie down for a bit.
    • 5/5
      devoured Natchez Burning, the first book in Greg Iles's planned trilogy and have been eagerly awaiting the second entry - The Bone Tree.The Bone Tree picks up right where Natchez Burning left off. Iles does a great job of quickly recapping, so that new readers could jump into the book. (But seriously, you need to read the first book)Lawyer Penn Cage is the mayor of Natchez, Mississippi. Between himself, his newspaper editor fiancee, his father Tom and others, they have uncovered and exposed the dirty underbelly of Natchez and surrounding Louisiana. Secrets, killings and corruption, racial hatred, greed, crime and political malfeasance of the worst kind imaginable. The perpetrators are so well placed and have been in power for so long that it seems nothing can take them down. And then comes the revelation that this shadowy group may have been responsible for the deaths of American leaders. (Gentle readers be warned - there are graphic scenes and descriptions)Iles's plotting is simply spectacular - intricately imagined and complexly drawn with a hefty dose of (frightening) fact mixed in. I did check out many many references online to see if they were real - they were. In fact it's almost impossible to try and explain the book - there are so many threads and characters. Each and every character Iles brings to the page is fully developed and the reader can't help but become engaged (or disgusted) with every player. I've been a fan of Penn Cage from the first book, but Tom and his old ranger buddy Walt were the underdogs I was cheering for this time. The 'bad guys' are well - just plain ugly.I described Natchez Burning as powerful, gripping, thrilling, sweeping and simply spectacular - and I'll use those same words to describe The Bone Tree. 800+ plus pages of absolutely epic reading. Read an excerpt of The Bone Tree. A reading guide is also available.This reader will be waiting and watching for the third and concluding book. There's no date or title as of yet, but Iles says "The release date of the final book in the trilogy is not set in stone at this time. I have a feeling that the TV series currently in the works might make me let go of that final book faster than I might otherwise have done, which I hope is good news for readers"
    • 5/5
      If you have not read "Natchez Burning", the first book in this trilogy, STOP RIGHT NOW, and read it first. I cannot recall where I read this quote, and I may be only paraphrasing it, but the quote for "Natchez Burning" went something like this: " I opened this book expecting a novel and got literature." I personally read both of these books back to back, and found the Natchez volume to be slightly more exciting than "The Bone Tree". Now, it might be simply that 1600 pages is more than my mind was willing to absorb.I found a few slow spots in "The Bone Tree", none in "Natchez". Almost all of the character development came from "Natchez", and that is one of the reasons I recommend reading that one first, but do read both of these amazing works of fiction.
    • 4/5
      You might not think the that the second of two massive (800 pages) novels would hold the same intensity as the first - or that the release of the third would still provoke excitement - but you would be wrong! Each page compells to the next and all I can hope is that the third is coming soon!! Great stuff!
    • 4/5
      What a thrill to receive this book early from Librarything’s early reviewer’s program.Picking up right where the first book Natchez Burning finished, this second book immediately takes the reader to the heart of the south and long buried but not forgotten hate crimes, assassination plots, Klan activity, Mafia mayhem and a swamp that may hold a key to chilling history. Mayor Penn Cage of Natchez is fighting on the side of the angels, but as usual he is collecting soul debts by bargaining with the devil - trying to save his family, fiancée and an out of control situation that seems headed to a high body count in this book. With names like JFK, MLK, Oswald and Marcello and enough law enforcement including the FBI, State Police, sheriff and local yokels, this is not a book to relax with - you'll be glued to your chair and turning pages all night long. And at over 800 pages it can be a long night or two. But as with any Greg Iles book, it's worth its weight in reading gold. So many twists and turns that you'll want to cry and laugh and cheer - perhaps all in the same chapter. Another great read that will leave you begging for the final installment of the trilogy.
    • 5/5
      A brilliantly written historical fiction novel about the segregation problems within the south during the 60's, reading about the corruption that lied within these communities was heartbreaking to the core. Hidden within the overall plot were the analogies that Greg Iles uses towards the JFK assassination keeps the readers mind drifting in another direction, but not so far as to loose your focus on the main issue.
    • 5/5
      The Bone Tree, book 2 in the trilogy by Greg Iles, picks up where Natchez Burning left off. This book is about white supremacy, murder, love, family and corruption of law enforcement. Other people have already given you the premise of these books in better detail and so I am just going to tell you that words cannot express the intrigue that continues throughout the book. I fail to understand how one man can write an 800+ page book and keep our interest peeked 24/7. I ate, slept and breathed this book for the 5 short days I read it. Personally I think it's better than the first book and I can honestly say that there wasn't one word wasted! The problem with reading this book is that now I have to wait and earthly long time for next one! I am giving it 5 stars and if you check out other books I have read you will see that I do not give 5 stars very often. Enjoy!
    • 4/5
      Picking up at exactly the same place that Natchez Burning left off, Greg Iles continues the second book of his trilogy. We heard about the The Bone Tree in the first book and we somehow knew it was to be a big part in what was to come. And it is. But there is so much more in this story playing out over a series of days that feels like lifetimes to us as readers. How long can we hold our breath? How many characters to we need to be concerned for? How many do we continue to loathe? And how many times do we need to put the book down and just walk away for awhile to assimilate and to regain control of our emotions before we go forward?The book is compelling. The detail so complete that I begin to think in this brutal retelling of events in the Deep South and in the country, in the sixties, the author could be rewriting parts of our nations' history. I am looking forward to the final book in the trilogy. Questions are yet to be answered. I just need a little time to decompress from this one.Thank you LibraryThing and Wm Morrow for the ARC.