What do you think is the most significant plot twist?

There are several twists and turns that keep the plot driving forward. What do you think is the most significant plot twist, and is Penn able to recover from and move beyond it?

For me, one significant plot twist was discovering that Dr. Cage had had an affair with his nurse, Viola. He has always been held up to be such an honorable, almost perfect character in Iles' other novels. I wasn't happy to learn of his digression, but it did make him more human. And certainly made for a more interesting story!

I found Penn's discovery that his father was all-too-human and had cheated on his mother was one of the more significant plot twists. In all of the previous books featuring Penn Cage, the reader sees that Penn idealizes, if not idolizes, his father. Dr. Cage's fall from grace was a major blow. It forces Penn to rethink his entire childhood and family memories as if they needed to be revisited in light of this new information.

I think the discovery that Dr. Cage does not have impeccably high morals and is prey to the same temptation as far too many men, century after century after century, is the most significant twist.

When Penn learns that his father has had an affair, I felt the novel shift. It's a hard reality to learn that a parent is flawed.

I see Tom Cage's disappearance as probably a major turning point in the story. It left the family and everyone else surprised, and worried and precipitated a lot of other things. Every one, both on the right and the wrong side of the law was affected.

There were so many twists and turns but I do think Dr. Cage jumping bail was a major one. It created so many questions and doubts as well as repercussions.

Definitely Dr Cage's affair with Viola. Not only did it put a blemish on his perfect persona, it also created the conflict for Penn

It has to be when Penn learns of his father's affair. I thought the disappearance of Tom Cage was also very significant, and I am having a hard time deciding which was the most disturbing twist.

I think the fact that Dr. Cage jumped bail was the most significant plot twist.

For me, it would have to be Penn's learning of his father's affair. When he learns this then he starts to doubt and realize that it may be possible his father played some role in Viola's death since Penn knows his father is capable of and has participated in mercy killing.

Can't decide if it is TOm's affair (and Penn's discovery of it) or Tom's jumping bail - but clearly the relationship between Peen and his father is a driving force in the plot of this book.

I want to know ALL of Dr Cages secrets. What involvement exactly did he share with Royal. What did Royal have on Dr Cage and his family. Who in fact killed Viola. I want to know ALL, killing me over here. Secrets are plenty, I am more than curious.

The fact that Lincoln may actually be Dr. Penn's son, maybe. Maybe the affair, but that seemed to me to be not such a surprise. To Penn it sure was.

It is hard to pick one, many kept coming. One, Penn discovered that his father had a past he knew nothing about. Two, that his father had an affair when Penn thought he was so much in love with his mother. Third, the doctor jumping bail. This really stopped Penn in his tracks.

Yes it has to be both Dr. Tom Cage's affair and Penn's discovery of it. Dr. Tom shocked us and we were as disappointed as Penn to discover the affair.

When Tom made the decision to jump bail, everything changed. Penn's view of his father was shaken by the knowledge of his affair, but he could have dealt with that by acknowledging his father's humaness. But jumping bail and en effect deserting the family simply didn't fit with what he and we could imagine he would do.

It seems we have two major plot twist votes. I vote with those who felt that Tom's jumping bail was the biggest surprise. Of course it would have been hard got the doctor on survive in prison.

I do wonder if one plot twist, the relationship between Penn and his new brother, will form a basis for conflict in the third book. Most everyone said the fact that Penn's Father had an affair was the biggest twist but I found that almost "human". It would have been inhuman not to have followed through as his father did with Viola but for me, the most significant plot twist were the secrets that everybody kept from each other and the other one was the friendship (that surpasses all other friendships) between Penn's father and the Texas Ranger was so "Southern". I would give anything tor have a friend like that.

For me, it was Tom's jumping bail that was the most significant plot twist. That he really did have an affair with Viola was, as someone remarked above, a very human thing to have happened and made him less a saint and more a real person. Jumping bail, on the other hand, put so many others that Tom claims to love at risk that it seemed out of character.