Greg Iles, the Mississippi-born novelist whose gripping thrillers and Southern Gothic sagas captivated readers worldwide, has died at the age of 65.
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According to The Natchez Democrat, Iles passed away around 5 a.m. on Friday, August 15, in Natchez, Mississippi. His literary agent, Dan Conaway, confirmed the news on Saturday, August 16, in a Facebook post. Iles had been battling multiple myeloma, an incurable form of blood cancer.
Born in 1960 in Germany, where his father ran a medical clinic at the U.S. Embassy, Iles grew up in Mississippi and graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1983. Over his career, he penned more than a dozen bestselling novels, many exploring themes of politics, legacy, justice, and racism in the American South.
Among his most acclaimed works is the Natchez Burning Trilogy—Natchez Burning, The Bone Tree, and Mississippi Blood—which he once described as his “magnum opus.” The trilogy is part of his popular Penn Cage series, which spans seven novels and a novella. His books have sold internationally and several were adapted for film.
Beyond writing, Iles was also known for his love of music. He performed with the Rock Bottom Remainders, a literary rock band whose lineup included fellow authors Stephen King, Amy Tan, and Dave Barry.
Iles was first diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996 at age 36. In a candid update shared on his website, he revealed how he secretly lived with the disease for over two decades. Despite near-death experiences, he continued writing, often weaving his personal struggle into his characters’ journeys.
His most recent work, Southern Man, released in 2024, was completed just before he underwent a stem cell transplant. In reflecting on the book, Iles wrote that the connection between himself and his protagonist, Penn Cage, became “even deeper,” as both grappled with mortality and political tensions.
Iles is survived by his wife, Caroline, and their four children.
In his final health update, the bestselling author left readers with a simple but powerful message: “Only two things matter: family and friends.”