Renowned Mississippi novelist Greg Iles, famed for his 'Natchez Burning' series, succumbs to cancer at the age of 65.
American Novelist Greg Iles Passes Away at 65
Greg Iles, the acclaimed American author known for his suspenseful novels set in the American South, particularly Mississippi, has passed away at the age of 65. Dan Conaway, Iles' literary agent, announced his death on Facebook on Saturday.
Born in Germany but raised in Natchez, Mississippi, Iles developed a deep connection with the region that would later become the backdrop for many of his stories. He was initially diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996 and fought the disease for decades, eventually passing away on a Friday.
Iles' literary works are marked by tightly woven plots, morally complex characters, and a strong sense of place—the Deep South—as both a physical and cultural setting. His major contributions to the literary world include:
- The Quiet Game (1999): Introduced his iconic protagonist Penn Cage, a former prosecutor turned bestselling novelist.
- Natchez Burning trilogy (2014-2016): Comprising Natchez Burning, The Bone Tree, and Mississippi Blood, these historical fiction suspense novels focus on racial and social tensions in 1960s Mississippi. This trilogy stands as a key contribution in contemporary Southern thriller literature.
- Southern Man (2024): His final novel also featuring Penn Cage, acclaimed as a "perfectly done political thriller with genuine resonance" by Kirkus Reviews.
In addition to writing, Iles was also a musician, performing in the Rock Bottom Remainders band alongside famous authors like Stephen King and Amy Tan. Conaway, in a statement, described Iles as "warm, funny, fearless, and completely sui generis." Being on the phone with Iles while he worked on his novels, Conaway said, was "to be witness to genius at work."
Iles recovered from a near-fatal car accident in 2011, where he suffered a ruptured aorta, a partial leg amputation, and spent eight days in a medically induced coma after a crash on Highway 61 near Natchez. Despite these challenges, he kept his illness private until completing his final novel.
The "Natchez Burning" trilogy, historical fiction suspense novels set in Mississippi, are among Iles' works that explore race and class in the Jim Crow South. His style is praised for fusing "story-craft, bone-deep humanity, and a growing sense of moral and political responsibility" with precise, masterful writing.
Iles' legacy lies in crafting engrossing thrillers that illuminate the complexities of Southern identity and history, making him a significant figure in American thriller and literary fiction until his death in 2025.
US readers are encouraged to pick up the late Greg Iles' books, as tribute to an acclaimed American author known for his suspenseful entertainment that delved into the depths of Southern culture and history. Loyal fans, who had eagerly anticipated his final novel "Southern Man," may now savor the books as a heartfelt testament to a unique visionary who left us exceptionally memorable characters and enthralling stories.
