Square Books hosted an event for Greg Iles’ first novel, Spandau Phoenix, in 1993. Soon afterwards, we saw him at the Booksellers Convention, my first. We were on the up escalator and he was headed down. While the others around us pretended not to notice these Mississippi yahoos shouting to each other, we were now fast friends. Greg was a proud Mississippian and generously supported the bookstores in his home state. He could be counted on to come to Oxford and sign each new novel. His last visit was for Southern Man in 2024; by then his cancer was back. To protect him, we carefully planned the event to limit contact and keep him safe. The store was full and he was late, so I waited outside to help him out of the car. Instead, I saw a motorized wheel chair passing cars at top speed, his brother jogging along half a block behind. He zoomed by me, down the aisle, gave an exuberant talk to the packed house of fans, and then signed, posed for photographs, shook hands, and hugged without a break or any regard for his doctor’s advice.
He was full of ideas and enthusiasm – always – and from his first diagnosis in the late 90s, he understood that time was limited, so he rushed to get as much life in as possible, be it writing huge and compelling novels or talking with friends and family. We wish he had more time (and we with him), but stand in admiration of how very much he accomplished—with determination, fearlessness, and in good spirits.
Our thoughts are with all his readers, admirers, friends and especially his beloved family.
Lyn, Richard, Cody and all at Square Books
