Plot Summary:
True Evil by Greg Iles is a psychological crime thriller. The novel follows Dr. Chris Shepard, a man with the perfect wife, a beautiful child, and his own practice. Everything is perfect, except for the fact that his wife is plotting his murder. FBI Agent Alexandra Morse discovered that a local divorce attorney named Andrew Rusk has a trail of clients whose spouses died from seemingly natural causes, not long after meeting with him. One of those clients happened to be Agent Morse’s own brother-in-law – and now her sister is dead. Special Agent Morse is on a warpath to solve this mystery, and in doing so tells Dr. Shepard of his wife’s murder plot. Will Dr. Shepard help Agent Morse on her investigation, or will he ignore the signs and become the next victim in this bone- chilling murder plot?
My Take on the Novel:
True Evil by Greg Iles is not a novel that I would typically grab off of the shelf, but I am glad I did. The novel shifts point of views between Special Agent Alexandra Morse, Dr. Chris Shepard, Andrew Rusk, and a few other characters (who I won’t spoil) that are vital to the plot. The novel starts off slowly, giving background information about Agent Morse and Chris Shepard, but picks up quickly when Agent Morse is forced to approach Chris Shepard in order to warn him of his ‘perfect’ wife’s homicidal intentions.
A lot of crime novels love to focus on gore and wow-factor, but this one is different. I consider this novel to be a slow burn, but one that sticks in the back of your mind and makes you double check that you locked your doors and windows before bed. Once you are invested in the characters, you will not want to put the book down! Agent Morse is captivating, having facial scars from an FBI hostage negotiation gone bad, yet she is the perfect example of a strong female character who refuses to let anyone, even the FBI, get in the way of justice. Chris Shepard seems to be the perfect husband, raising his adopted son and being a caring doctor while dealing with the psychological punch of learning that his wife is not who he thought she was.
This novel is great, but it is by no means perfect. Arguably, the plot is far-fetched enough that it could cause the non-imaginative reader to roll their eyes at the improbability of the situation. But if you can get past that, you will love this novel. The point of view shifts can be confusing at times, forcing the reader to pay attention to the events on each page; this is not a novel that you can read without thinking- it requires your undivided attention. There is also unnecessary detail about Rusk’s sexual escapades that were not productive to the plot. Although it is probably meant to highlight his lack of morality and overall sleaziness, it was a bit forward for a crime thriller.
Another important detail is that this is not a ‘whodunnit’ novel, it is a ‘howdunnit’ novel. This is a fantastic mix of both medical and investigative fiction, so if you enjoy shows such as Criminal Minds and Grey’s Anatomy, you’ll like this novel.. This is not a novel where you will wonder which characters are committing these murders; rather you will ask how these individuals are dying from seemingly natural causes such as blood cancer or stroke. You will find yourself questioning what everyone’s next move will be, especially with Special Agent Morse and Chris Shepard, as they are very lovable characters. You will want justice, and you will flip the pages until you see if it is served or not. If you have read James Patterson novels, Greg Iles should be next on your reading list.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
MA-17