'The poster boy of southern gothic thrillers' (Kirkus review) delivers a powerful and unforgettable reading experience with The Devil's Punchbowl, and he marks the return of Penn Cage, the popular protagonist of The Quiet Game and Turning Angel. The Devil's Punchbowl refers to a deep pit near the river in Natchez, Mississippi. Not only have outlaws dumped numerous murder victims there, but there is also a long-standing rumor that it is where Jean Lafitte buried his treasure. This is a dangerous place, a kudzu-strangled, snake- rat- and armadillo-infested hole so deep that the bottom can't be seen. Against this backdrop, Iles plunges the reader into a mix of murder, racial tension, double-crosses, illicit sex.and all of the ensuing violent consequences.

Rich with Southern atmosphere and plenty of page-turning intrigues, The Devil's Punchbowl is further proof that Iles is today's unparalleled master of the suspense novel.