The Old Man

I’ve always been a Thomas Perry fan going all the way back to The Butcher’s Boy, and thoroughly enjoyed his Jane Whitefield series. His novel, The Old Man, was recently adapted for television, starring Jeff Bridges, who’s perfect as the protagonist. The thing I’ve always appreciated about Perry’s books is his careful plotting and attention to detail, which is particularly noticeable in the Jane Whitefield books.  The other thing about his books is the way he can turn a villain —like the Butcher’s Boy—into a likable protagonist.  

I love a good chase element in my crime stories, and no one does them better than Thomas Perry. There’s a reason this guy co-wrote thrillers with Clive Cussler for so many years, he knows how the keep the story moving just as fast as a bullet. For my money, The Old Man is Perry’s best book. First of all, the main character is literally named Chase, Dan Chase. And the action kicks in within the first few pages and never really slows down. Perry doles out the character details on a need-to-know basis in between breathless escapes as we… show more.