Greg Iles - True Evil: Library Edition

Pros: Awesome basic premise, some decent atmosphere early on
Cons: Cardboard characters, plot becomes far too convoluted

I don't have a typical love/hate relationship with the books of Greg Iles.  It's more of a really-like/like/dislike/this- annoys-me relationship.  When he's "on", I thoroughly enjoy his work.  When he missteps, I still don't hate it, but...

Pros: Well written, creepy suspense thriller
Cons: Slow developing, Exaggerated characters, Too long

In his creepy suspense thriller True Evil, Author Greg Iles grabs his reader's attention right off the bat with the eye catching tag line, true evil has a face you know and a voice you trust. After a rather slow start, the novel picks up ...

Pros: Some interesting characters, gripping plot once it gets going
Cons: too much angst, too many infodumps, one fatal implausibility

I very much enjoyed Greg Iles' last book, Turning Angel, though I found the characters extremely unlikable. The book itself was relentless in its pacing and was very hard to put down. Iles' latest book, ...

Pros: Greg Iles is a splendid writer. He creates solidness, yet it lacks a memorable grasp.
Cons: The novel never motivated me, to anxiously continue reading.

"True Evil" when you consider the sum of its parts, makes you realize that its a solid novel. Yet, the downfall of it, is the resulting apathy. It holds an inviting plot and holds solid characters.. but eh.. there's nothing particularly momentous about it.

I've read enough incredible novels by Greg Iles that griped me and gratified with a thrill ride, that this book seemed run-of-the-mill.

"True Evil" is about a man who is a facilitator if you seek the disposing of a spouse. The talent he holds, is killing, yet making it seem that the person was not murdered, but that they died from an illness. The other half of the novel, is an FBI agent, in hot pursuit of this man.

The enjoyable factors in this book are the following:

The killer is an interesting character, a mad scientist genius, who instills fear in the way he murders.

Also, the chilling concept of being murdered, by way of an induced illness.

Plus, Greg Iles is always a great writer. He knows how to tell a story, properly.