The Death Factory: A Penn Cage Novella

Greg Iles has been sorely missed and I'm so glad he is back. If you are new to his work and looking at this wondering if its worth your money or time, please let me assure you its worth far more than the asking price and the time it will take you to read it. This story will stay with you, it will come back to you when you're not expecting it and give you cause to think about life and even death in ways you probably haven't before. It will almost certainly give you a new way of looking at justice, and the way we perceive the preferential treatment the rich are given, how money can determine who pays for crimes committed and in what ways. A rape case - she said he said - he is rich, she is not. No trial and a plea bargain favoring the rich guy. Usual story right? Along comes Mr. Isles and you've got a whole new story. A fascinating story that will have you cheering in delight! Could it be that some cases are just not worth the time, they won't make a notch in someone's career belt? Did the case not go to trial because the accused is rich, or because the case is too petty or seen as unnoticeable? Perhaps there is something larger going on that only a few people are aware of, something that might set the entire county back years, or decades and cause immeasurable damage to careers and lives? Author Greg Iles takes us on a thrilling ride throughout the land he knows and he loves in The Death Factory, a land seasoned readers will recognize and rejoice in, and new readers will come to love, as he explains justice gone astray in this gem of a story. It will leave you wanting more, much more of Greg's work. I find his books akin to sitting down with an old friend who tells me a story in a friendly, conversational tone. I don't know of any other author who has this ability and it was great to spend a few hours with him again. I hope you find the same. Welcome back Greg!

Nice, flowing read with some rawness. An Iles without action is rare, but I enjoyed the short read between other books.

Greg Iles is one of my favorite authors. I have read all his books and loved them all. He sets the mood and description of place and time so authentically you feel like you are there. His characters come to life on the page, and his plotting moves at a good pace. The story lines are always gripping. This is one of the Penn Cage books, which make for great reading. If he's new to you, I suggest you read the Penn Cage character's novels in the order written, for many days or weeks of a most enjoyable saga, with characters you will love as well as some you will hate. Set in Natchez, MS.

Honestly, I am new to the Kindle shopping experience, but I did not realize that I had paid $6.99 for a novella--I wouldn't have paid that price for a VERY short story. It was over in a wink. The story was engaging, and I liked the characters, the pace of the story, and the set up was well done...but I thought I was reading a novel--imagine the shock and screwed up sense of things when it just ended in a quick boom--all done. I like this author but I think there are too many people writing too much of the same sort of thing--the Thriller has become a cash crop, if you will, and I don't really respect this venue just now, although I do admit to being a thriller gal. I want there to be some kind of old school desire to write what you love and hope someone likes it--and it's really a "write what the public will pay for, and hope"... that the story isn't too overly done by too many other thriller writers...or that it isn't plagiarized outright, or that the authors writing today even care if it's been plagiarized. I guess I just sound old now, and I am.

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.

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

This is the very first book of Greg's I have read! I know he passed away from cancer on August 15 2025! But this is my tribute.! Great book Greg! You will be missed so much! But we have your boojs to remember you by! RIP Greg!

Arrived safely !! Small book for the price

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.

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

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!

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

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.