The Devil's Punchbowl

De: Greg Iles

Narrado por: Dick Hill

As a prosecutor in Houston, Penn Cage sent killers to death row. But as mayor of his hometown - Natchez, Mississippi - Penn will face his most dangerous threat. Urged by old friends to try to restore this fading jewel of the Old South, Penn has ridden into office on a tide of support for change. But in its quest for new jobs and fresh money, Natchez has turned to casino gambling, and now five steamboats float on the river beside the old slave market, like props from Gone With the Wind.

But one boat isn't like the others.

Rumor has it that the Magnolia Queen has found a way to pull the big players from Las Vegas to its Mississippi backwater. And with them - on sleek private jets that slip in and out of town like whispers in the night - come pro football players, rap stars, and international gamblers, all sharing an unquenchable taste for one thing: blood sport - and the dark vices that go with it. When a childhood friend of Penn's who brings him evidence of these crimes is brutally murdered, he begins a quest to find the men responsible. But the local authorities have been corrupted by the money and power of his hidden enemy and, with his family's lives at stake, Penn realizes his only allies are those bound to him by blood or honor.

Together they must defeat a killer who has an almost preternatural ability to anticipate - and counter - their every move. Ultimately, victory will depend on a bold stroke that will leave one of Penn's allies dead - and Natchez changed forever.

©2009 Greg Iles (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Not his best but Iles can't be bad

I prefer some of his other books (Spandau Prison, Black Cross, Blood Memory) but Iles develops his characters so fully that I found (1/2 way through the book) that I really cared about them. The story is about gambling, dog fighting, a lot of nasty evil people, and the others you care about. The people I cared about made it so that I couldn't stop listening, even though I didn't like parts of the story. I have liked Dick Hill reading other books, but didn't like the accent he assumed in this one. I don't know if it's my bias (I'm a Yankee). It did take awhile for me to get used to the accent, but eventually the story took over.

The best yet!

Even though this book in the audio format is long, I found myself wishing it would never end. The author accurately portrays the deep South and the narrator has the perfect "southern" inflection nailed! The writing style of Mr. Iles and the voice of Dick Hill makes this book one of the best listening experiences I have had in a long time. I am anxiously awaiting the next one!

Worth your time!

I'm a fan of Greg Iles and have found his character development and plots twists to be a good recipe for an entertaining read. Like the books of Grisham and Conroy, the Southern flavor of his writing adds a charm that keeps me coming back to his books. This Audible version does not disappoint either as I found myself totally immersed in the harrowing struggles of Penn Cage. The narrator has a Southern drawl which adds an authenticity to the story.

Great story

I found this book to be a page turner. A little tough to read at times due to the violence, but overall a great thrill ride. Highly recommended. The narration is par excellence!!!

Animal lover's be forewarned

What did you love best about The Devil's Punchbowl?

Always enjoy a Penn Cage book!

If you’ve listened to books by Greg Iles before, how does this one compare?

The animal cruelty was too overwhelming for me.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I was not happy when he spoke so quietly that I had to keep messing with the volume.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Well no......

Any additional comments?

Just could not stand the emphasis on the dog fighting, the horror of their treatment and the information regarding cats and weak dogs being used as bait.

Another Good One in the Series

I have enjoyed reading all of Greg Iles books in this series that takes place in Mississippi. Unfortunately I have read them out of order but that hasn't been a big issue but I was a bit upset at the fact that they weren't even listed as a series. The person who recommended these books told me they were a trilogy...........but I will be reading the sixth book soon. LOL So much for the trilogy.

Dick Hill is a wonderful reader, accent and all. The story is pretty non-stop action so I was hooked from the get-go.

HOWEVER, the spoiler may have been that the audio was so low on this book that I strained to hear a lot of it and contacted Audible and was told they would refer it to their sound people. I am painting while I listen to books and normally have the book sitting right across from me so I can hear it. I found myself using my earphones more often than not and even then, it was difficult to hear in places. Hence, my three star rating.

Story good; narration / sound quality not so much

What did you love best about The Devil's Punchbowl?

I love Greg Iles' books. I enjoy all of them.

What did you like best about this story?

Penn Cage

What three words best describe Dick Hill’s performance?

shoulda been better

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

What has Penn Cage gotten into this time?

Any additional comments?

Sound quality not good - have to continually fine tune to hear ... sometimes talk so low can't hear anything, next thing it's too loud. Not a pleasant, easy listen. Greg Iles deserves better.

another great one

author and narrator were fabulous as usual
great mix of suspense, action, history and the south. loved loved loved it.

Difficult to hear at times

Great book, awesome story. The narrator did better on the last one. When speaking for women or quiet, even at full volume, I could not hear it.

Great story but painful performance

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I've listed to the last three books by Greg Iles and the stories have all be top notch but the narration has gone down hill after the first book. Dick Hill's performance in the second book was better than this book. His accent is so much more pronounced and at times difficult to understand. It would be nice if they would bring back Tom Stechschulte as the reader. if you have a hard time with thick accents you'll have a hard time with this book.