Cemetery Road

A Novel

By: Greg Iles

Narrated by: Scott Brick

The number-one New York Times best-selling author of the Natchez Burning trilogy returns with an electrifying tale of friendship, betrayal, and shattering secrets that threaten to destroy a small Mississippi town.

When Marshall McEwan left his hometown at age 18, he vowed never to return. The trauma that drove him away ultimately spurred him to become one of the most successful journalists in Washington DC. But just as the political chaos in the nation’s capital lifts him to new heights, Marshall is forced to return home in spite of his boyhood vow.

His father is dying, his mother is struggling to keep the family newspaper from failing, and the town is in the midst of an economic rebirth that might be built upon crimes that reach into the state capitol - and perhaps even to Washington. More disturbing still, Marshall’s high school sweetheart, Jet, has married into the family of Max Matheson, patriarch of one of the families that rule Bienville through a shadow organization called the Bienville Poker Club.

When archaeologist Buck McKibben is murdered at a construction site, Bienville is thrown into chaos. The ensuing homicide investigation is soon derailed by a second crime that rocks the community to its core. Power broker Max Matheson’s wife has been shot dead in her own bed, and the only other person in it at the time was her husband, Max. Stranger still, Max demands his daughter-in-law, Jet, defend him in court.

As a journalist, Marshall knows all too well how the corrosive power of money and politics can sabotage investigations. Without telling a soul, he joins forces with Jet, who has lived for 15 years at the heart of Max Matheson’s family, and begins digging into both murders. With Jet walking the dangerous road of an inside informer, they soon uncover a web of criminal schemes that undergird the town’s recent success. But these crimes pale in comparison to the secret at the heart of the Matheson family. When those who have remained silent for years dare to speak to Marshall, pressure begins to build like water against a crumbling dam.

Marshall loses friends, family members, and finally, even Jet, for no one in Bienville seems willing to endure the reckoning the Poker Club has long deserved. By the time Marshall grasps the long-buried truth, he would give almost anything not to have to face it.

©2019 Greg Iles (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

Greg Iles Best

This was absolutely his best book. The story was great - twist and turns and surprises. I was never bored. However, the writing is excellent. Some beautiful sentences that took my breath away. Once he fell into a cliche but only once. Love and loss and the reality of life. Incredible

Excellent !

I have read most of the novels by this author. He can really go deep into a story. I am super impressed by his next level writing skills. Excellent ! I thought I would give the audiobook a try. I like to read the novels better.

This novel is really good deep rich and historic. He merges the story and the history of the land and the people so well.

I have and would recommend this novel to friends !

Good book

Good story with twists and turns. The author has a hard time hiding his true disdain for Christians/Christianity which I thought was weird and put in places where it didn’t really add anything to the story. Felt more like just getting a dig in. He’s using his platform to express his own views which I suppose he’s entitled to since it’s his book but I didn’t care for it.

Stunning! Loved it!

It was exceptional! Stunning! Twists and turns that I did not see coming. It was long (which I love) 23h 44min, but not once did I want to skip over a part.
Journalist, war, lawyer, corruption, old money, greed, infidelity, suicide, murder, it has it all and more!
First book from this author that I listened to (bought it on the Audible 2 for 1 sale) and will be listening to more of his books.
The narrator Scott Brick is my absolute favourite and made the book even better!
Don't miss this, definitely one of my top 5 books this year.

Mixed feelings

I have been a huge fan of Greg Iles for a very long time. I truly believe the man is a genius and his Penn Cage novels are some of my all time favorites.

I was really excited that Cemetery Road was a stand alone novel. I was looking forward to something a little different from him. However, I found this novel to be very similar to the Penn Cage novels. Not only the setting of Mississippi which Greg Iles describes in a way no other one can, but the characters and plot all seemed too familiar.

I am by no means saying that this is a bad book. I was just disappointed, personally. Perhaps if you are not as familiar with his work, this would seem new and genuine.

Mixed feelings about this book

I liked the pace of this book. I did not like references to a sitting President that were laced with unproven attributions, falsehoods, and innuendo that read as facts. It was totally unnecessary to move the narrative forward.

I also found the excessive violence as being over-the-top. The story would have been just as interesting without it.

Another great novel from Greg Iles!

Another great novel by Greg Iles!! Loved every moment of this audiobook. The storyline kept me motivated to read/listen. The narrator was fantastic and was perfect for this book!

Disappointing

Way too long. Story drags out with superfluous dead ends . Too much padding in the narrative.

Iles at his best.

A stand alone novel [though he couldn't resist dropping in one double eagles reference .]

Edge seat thriller

Kept me glued to it until the last. Love the twists and turns. Good character development