Greg Iles, Mississippi's Storyteller, Dies at 64 After Battle with Cancer
Greg Iles, celebrated Mississippi novelist and New York Times bestselling author of the Penn Cage series and Southern Man, has died at 64 after battling multiple myeloma.
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Renowned novelist Greg Iles, a Mississippi-born New York Times bestselling author, passed away on Friday morning, August 15, at the age of 64, after a long battle with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer. His death marks the end of a prolific career defined by gripping Southern thrillers and deeply personal resilience.Magnolia State LiveMississippi's Best Community Newspaper
A Life of Storytelling and Tenacity
Born in Germany in 1960 while his father served at the U.S. Embassy, Iles was raised in Natchez, Mississippi, a setting that became central to his fiction. A graduate of the University of Mississippi (1983), he launched his literary career with Spandau Phoenix in 1993, the first of seventeen New York Times bestsellers.Wikipedia
Perhaps best known for his Penn Cage series—including the Natchez Burning trilogy—his novels explored themes of justice, history, and the racial and political wounds of the South. His works have been translated into over 20 languages and adapted into films, widening his influence well beyond literary circles.Today in MississippiMississippi's Best Community Newspaper
Battling Cancer with Pen in Hand
Iles courageously kept his diagnosis private for decades, only revealing his long-standing medical condition during the creation of his final novel, Southern Man. In a 2024 interview, he explained how he had delayed a potentially life-saving stem cell transplant to complete the book he considered vital to the country’s contemporary political moment.
"I waited to do the stem cell transplant… but this book is so important," he shared, vividly highlighting his commitment to storytelling in the face of mortality.Mississippi's Best Community Newspaper+1
A Legacy of Writing and Community
"Greg was a talented and brilliant author who never backed away from standing for justice," said Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson. "His books were captivating… we will forever miss him."Mississippi's Best Community Newspaper
Beyond his writing, Iles had also been briefly a musician in a literary rock band, The Rock Bottom Remainders, sharing the stage with authors like Stephen King and Dave Barry.Wikipedia
He is survived by his wife, Caroline, and their four children, along with a vast community of readers who admired his storytelling and strength.
