Many of you have been in the store asking after Greg Iles. Is the new book ready? When is it coming? What is he doing? Granted, we've enjoyed introducing you to new authors to enjoy while you wait — John Hart, Michael Koryta and Roger Hobbs are a few who come to mind — but we agree that it's high time we get a new book from Greg.
And so we were delighted to receive this recent word from his new publisher, William Morrow:
William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, has acquired North American rights to a new Penn Cage trilogy by #1 New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles. The first book in the trilogy, NATCHEZ BURNING, will be published in May 2014.
Beginning with NATCHEZ BURNING, this remarkable trio of thrillers finds Penn Cage's father, Dr. Tom Cage, accused of murdering his former nurse, whose death opens the door to several unsolved murders from the 1960s. In 2010, while writing this trilogy, Iles lost his own father, who originally inspired the character of Dr. Tom Cage. In 2011, Greg sustained life-threatening injuries in an automobile accident on Highway 61 near Natchez, Mississippi. He remained in a medically-induced coma for eight days and ultimately lost part of his right leg. Doctors declared his survival miraculous and predicted a long recovery, yet early in his rehabilitation, Greg found comfort and motivation by re-entering the world of the characters, the town, and the secrets that his fans have loved most. The road into these novels proved to be the road back to life for him, and from this harrowing journey emerged NATCHEZ BURNING.Iles says, "My father has always been the heart of my Penn Cage novels. When he died during the writing of this book — and then I very nearly died myself — the thriller I was working on grew into something far more ambitious and profound. This story is an exploration of family, race murder, and what used to be called 'miscegenation' in the South. It became epic in scope, and I began to see the exciting and unusual potential of stretching the plot across three interlinked novels. In William Morrow, I found a publisher that shared my vision of what a 'thriller' could be once the conventional limits were removed. David Highfill edited some of my earlier novels, so in that way, it felt like coming home. He and the team at HarperCollins realized that this could be a groundbreaking opportunity to give readers not only something with visceral punch, but also a story that explores the darkest corners of America's past."
Highfill says, "Greg Iles has been writing some of the most moving and thrilling suspense fiction for years now, and I believe NATCHEZ BURNING, the first in this trilogy, is a new high-water mark in a brilliant career. Greg has never been afraid to explore the more dangerous facets of the human condition -- the temptations of prejudice, lust, and revenge -- but his stories are always leavened by characters who are armed with our most noble impulses, people still motivated by idealism, hope, and the deepest love. I think this is the perfect next novel for both longtime fans and new readers alike, and I couldn't be happier to get the chance to work with him again."
So there you have it, Iles' fans. Sit tight and wait for spring. We'll put it up for early purchase on our website as soon as we get a price and ISBN.
