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Butcher's Boy #1
The Butcher's Boy
Murder has always been easy for the Butcher's Boy - it's what he does best and what they pay him for. This is the story of a hired killer, as he plans the murder of a Senator, becomes embroiled in a mafia turf war in Las Vegas and is hunted by a female agent of the US Justice Department.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
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3672 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Perry
92 books1,699 followersThomas Perry was the author of 25 novels. He was born in Tonawanda, New York in 1947. He received a B.A. from Cornell University in 1969 and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Rochester in 1974. He had worked as a park maintenance man, factory laborer, commercial fisherman, university administrator and teacher, and as a writer and producer of prime time network television shows.
Thomas Perry lived in Southern California.
Thomas Perry lived in Southern California.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 660 reviews
September 3, 2024
The Butcher's Boy is an extremely clever and talented professional hit man. He takes a contract to eliminate the officer of a union and a United States senator because both of them are suspicious about the activities of a shady investment firm headquartered in Las Vegas. He cleverly pulls off both jobs in a way that makes one death look like an accident and the other like natural causes.
But the deaths do not escape the notice of Elizabeth Waring who is a smart young analyst in the Justice Department. Elizabeth is studying unusual deaths, looking for a pattern that would suggest the involvement of professional killers, and she sees something that attracts her attention in the death of the union officer.
Although she is an analyst and not a field agent, Elizabeth and her boss are sent out to southern California to take a closer look at the death of the union man. Then, when the senator turns up dead in a hotel room in Denver, they are sent to Colorado to assist in that investigation.
Meanwhile, the Butcher's Boy is headed to Las Vegas to collect the payment due for the services he has rendered. But he runs into unexpected problems, and it soon appears that the men who hired him would rather kill him than pay him.
Big mistake.
As the story plays out, we watch as the Butcher's Boy attempts to save both his life and his professional reputation, while Elizabeth sorts through her data, hoping to get a line on the elusive killer. Watching both of them at work is a lot of fun, and Perry is very inventive and creative in the way that developments unfold and in the way in which the two characters, the Butcher's Boy in particular, react and adjust on the fly.
When it first appeared in 1982, this novel won the prestigious Edgar Award for Best First Novel, and deservedly so. It was the first book in what has become a three-book series and was followed by Sleeping Dogs in 1992, and The Informant in 2011. The series thus spans a period of thirty years even though there are only three installments. The Butcher's Boy now reads almost like an historical novel and it's fun watching the character do all kinds of things that one could never get away with in 2015. As an example, just before a flight is to leave the airport, he is still able to race to the ticket counter, pay cash for a ticket using any name he wants, and then race immediately to the plane and board, and no one blinks an eye.
Other such examples abound, and by the time he gets to 2011, the Butcher's Boy is going to have to change his game significantly. But his debut is still a gripping story and great fun to read--a wonderful start to an excellent series and to a very successful career for Thomas Perry, who is perhaps best known as the author of the extremely popular Jane Whitefield series.
But the deaths do not escape the notice of Elizabeth Waring who is a smart young analyst in the Justice Department. Elizabeth is studying unusual deaths, looking for a pattern that would suggest the involvement of professional killers, and she sees something that attracts her attention in the death of the union officer.
Although she is an analyst and not a field agent, Elizabeth and her boss are sent out to southern California to take a closer look at the death of the union man. Then, when the senator turns up dead in a hotel room in Denver, they are sent to Colorado to assist in that investigation.
Meanwhile, the Butcher's Boy is headed to Las Vegas to collect the payment due for the services he has rendered. But he runs into unexpected problems, and it soon appears that the men who hired him would rather kill him than pay him.
Big mistake.
As the story plays out, we watch as the Butcher's Boy attempts to save both his life and his professional reputation, while Elizabeth sorts through her data, hoping to get a line on the elusive killer. Watching both of them at work is a lot of fun, and Perry is very inventive and creative in the way that developments unfold and in the way in which the two characters, the Butcher's Boy in particular, react and adjust on the fly.
When it first appeared in 1982, this novel won the prestigious Edgar Award for Best First Novel, and deservedly so. It was the first book in what has become a three-book series and was followed by Sleeping Dogs in 1992, and The Informant in 2011. The series thus spans a period of thirty years even though there are only three installments. The Butcher's Boy now reads almost like an historical novel and it's fun watching the character do all kinds of things that one could never get away with in 2015. As an example, just before a flight is to leave the airport, he is still able to race to the ticket counter, pay cash for a ticket using any name he wants, and then race immediately to the plane and board, and no one blinks an eye.
Other such examples abound, and by the time he gets to 2011, the Butcher's Boy is going to have to change his game significantly. But his debut is still a gripping story and great fun to read--a wonderful start to an excellent series and to a very successful career for Thomas Perry, who is perhaps best known as the author of the extremely popular Jane Whitefield series.
July 31, 2015
This book written in the early ‘80s made me nostalgic for the days when it wasn’t common knowledge that the ammonium nitrate in fertilizer made for a dandy car bomb. Oh, to be that naive again!
Speaking of naive...Elizabeth Waring is an analyst for the Justice Department who sifts through reports of suspicious deaths nationwide looking for indications that they may be related to the Mafia. The car bombing of a union member in California catches her attention, and she’s sent out on her first field assignment to investigate it. In a parallel story we’re introduced to the Butcher’s Boy, a nameless professional hit man in the midst of a double header in which he killed the union guy and is working on assassinating a US senator in Colorado. Circumstances conspire to suck both Elizabeth and the hit man into an on-going mob war.
This was kind of a weird one. The summary makes it sound like the kind of story where Elizabeth would track down the hit man, or maybe even that the Butcher’s Boy and her would have to form an unlikely partnership to survive the mob war if it was another kind of thriller. It ends up that both of those stories happen and neither one of those stories happen. Yeah, I know. I was confused too.
Instead of any kind of straight line narrative, Elizabeth and BB remain on their individual story rails in which the tracks intersect, but the trains never collide. At the end of the day it’s like the story was really about this mob war with BB in the middle of it while Elizabeth is on the outside looking in. The story zigs and zags and confounds expectations, and that should be a good thing, right? I know in the other Thomas Perry book I’ve read, Strip, that was one of the things I liked about the it.
However, Strip had a large cast of characters that had their own agendas, and it felt like you were getting the scope of the action while reading. Since Butcher’s Boy features only two characters who often aren’t around when major events happen, it ends up feeling oddly disjointed and as if we’re only getting part of the story.
This might have worked if I liked the two leads better. The hitman doesn’t have much of a personality by design, he’s a blank who hides in plain sight, but even his interior dialogue doesn’t tell us much about the guy and the few personality traits we get don’t make him particularly memorable. I did enjoy the details of how he went about his work and his dealing with the unwritten rules that the mob world has to abide by, but I’ve gotten similar stuff in other hitman novels that I’ve enjoyed more.
Elizabeth started out with a lot of promise as a rising star in the Justice Department who still has to contend with the office sexism of the ‘80s. She seemed like the kind of smart and interesting character who could be the hero of this kind of thriller, but somewhere along the way she turned into an absolute dunce. Yeah, she’s supposed to be a rookie, but she screws up a couple of huge things in this, and it stretched credibility to the breaking point that she wouldn’t be suspended and facing some kind of review board instead of remaining on the investigation. At one point this reaches a level where she isn’t just terrible at her job, she’s pretty awful at being a decent human being, too.
By the end of this I felt like I’d only gotten half of the story told to me by two characters I didn’t really care about. It’s not a bad book, but it just felt like was lacking the bits that would have made it a next level crime book for me. Maybe Perry was trying to subvert some of the tropes of the crime thriller genre, but I never got the impression that there was anything that different or clever happening here.
Speaking of naive...Elizabeth Waring is an analyst for the Justice Department who sifts through reports of suspicious deaths nationwide looking for indications that they may be related to the Mafia. The car bombing of a union member in California catches her attention, and she’s sent out on her first field assignment to investigate it. In a parallel story we’re introduced to the Butcher’s Boy, a nameless professional hit man in the midst of a double header in which he killed the union guy and is working on assassinating a US senator in Colorado. Circumstances conspire to suck both Elizabeth and the hit man into an on-going mob war.
This was kind of a weird one. The summary makes it sound like the kind of story where Elizabeth would track down the hit man, or maybe even that the Butcher’s Boy and her would have to form an unlikely partnership to survive the mob war if it was another kind of thriller. It ends up that both of those stories happen and neither one of those stories happen. Yeah, I know. I was confused too.
Instead of any kind of straight line narrative, Elizabeth and BB remain on their individual story rails in which the tracks intersect, but the trains never collide. At the end of the day it’s like the story was really about this mob war with BB in the middle of it while Elizabeth is on the outside looking in. The story zigs and zags and confounds expectations, and that should be a good thing, right? I know in the other Thomas Perry book I’ve read, Strip, that was one of the things I liked about the it.
However, Strip had a large cast of characters that had their own agendas, and it felt like you were getting the scope of the action while reading. Since Butcher’s Boy features only two characters who often aren’t around when major events happen, it ends up feeling oddly disjointed and as if we’re only getting part of the story.
This might have worked if I liked the two leads better. The hitman doesn’t have much of a personality by design, he’s a blank who hides in plain sight, but even his interior dialogue doesn’t tell us much about the guy and the few personality traits we get don’t make him particularly memorable. I did enjoy the details of how he went about his work and his dealing with the unwritten rules that the mob world has to abide by, but I’ve gotten similar stuff in other hitman novels that I’ve enjoyed more.
Elizabeth started out with a lot of promise as a rising star in the Justice Department who still has to contend with the office sexism of the ‘80s. She seemed like the kind of smart and interesting character who could be the hero of this kind of thriller, but somewhere along the way she turned into an absolute dunce. Yeah, she’s supposed to be a rookie, but she screws up a couple of huge things in this, and it stretched credibility to the breaking point that she wouldn’t be suspended and facing some kind of review board instead of remaining on the investigation. At one point this reaches a level where she isn’t just terrible at her job, she’s pretty awful at being a decent human being, too.
By the end of this I felt like I’d only gotten half of the story told to me by two characters I didn’t really care about. It’s not a bad book, but it just felt like was lacking the bits that would have made it a next level crime book for me. Maybe Perry was trying to subvert some of the tropes of the crime thriller genre, but I never got the impression that there was anything that different or clever happening here.
November 19, 2017
[7/10]
It was like trying to capture an animal that was so small and rare and elusive that you sometimes doubted that it existed, but if it did exist it would be capable of killing you. No, this was worse, because there wasn't any point in hunting it down unless you could keep it alive and teach it to talk.
A game of cat and mouse between a contract killer and a prosecutor from the Justice Department. The prize is to find out who the puppeteers are, who is pulling the strings and paying to take out big game on the political and industrial scene
As conspiracy theory thrillers with criminals as first person narrators go, this one was a great choice for my summer vacation reads, and if only I had the disposition to review it upon completion, I would easily have given four stars to a very well told and twisted story. Unfortunately, after only three months or so, the details got blurry and "The Butcher's Boy" sort of fades back into the background of the numerous other good thrillers I have tried lately. Which isn't so bad, because sometimes I re-read one of these standard action / popcorn books and it still feels fresh and gripping.
Anyway, I plan to read the next one in the series, eventually. Thomas Perry is a promising talent on the scene.
July 11, 2015
Happily rounding up my 3.5-star rating to 4 because of
Elizabeth Waring
who, despite being a woman in the man's man's world of 80s government, and proclaiming that “I'm not even a field investigator. I'm a data analyst.” still manages to be pretty kickass.
Data nerds FTW!
Data nerds FTW!
November 14, 2020
Nov 2020: I'm in the middle of a good nonfiction book, but my sinuses are giving me hell. Can't think. What better way than a relaxing reread of a good Perry book? Michael Connelly's introduction was certainly warm & full of praise. This was Perry's first book & blew him away. Me, too.
The first time through, I wasn't really sure of my 4 star rating, but I am this time. I'm so thrilled, I'm going to read all three. On to the next one!
July 2015: I'm giving this an extra star since it was a first book & I think the author has real possibilities, so this is the place to start. That's generous, though. Don't expect it to blow your doors off.
The book started out strong, but petered out a bit in the middle as it got more twisted than it needed to be. Some of that was plain disjointed, although not awful. I liked the end, though. It was more realistic in many ways than most stories of this sort. The investigators know very little & their opponents are often a mystery, especially the Butcher's Boy. He's quite the hit man. He thinks fast & makes tough, smart decisions. I'd like to read another just for him. While I had suspicions about the mole, I thought that part was pretty well done, too.
On the downside, some characters were a bit too murky & the guns could have been done better. Buying a pistol second hand & using it is one thing, but who buys a rifle & then counts on it to be sighted in? I hate that. It's ridiculous. And, as usual, there was a silencer. Next time I read a thriller that doesn't rely on one, I'm going to give it an extra star just for leaving it out - 2 if they still make the shot noisy.
Elizabeth, the Justice Department analyst, didn't quite work for me. Maybe she was that good on the paper side & that stupid on the streets, but damn was she dumb. I could see one goof, but not the second. That was just too much & it didn't have to be.
The first time through, I wasn't really sure of my 4 star rating, but I am this time. I'm so thrilled, I'm going to read all three. On to the next one!
July 2015: I'm giving this an extra star since it was a first book & I think the author has real possibilities, so this is the place to start. That's generous, though. Don't expect it to blow your doors off.
The book started out strong, but petered out a bit in the middle as it got more twisted than it needed to be. Some of that was plain disjointed, although not awful. I liked the end, though. It was more realistic in many ways than most stories of this sort. The investigators know very little & their opponents are often a mystery, especially the Butcher's Boy. He's quite the hit man. He thinks fast & makes tough, smart decisions. I'd like to read another just for him. While I had suspicions about the mole, I thought that part was pretty well done, too.
On the downside, some characters were a bit too murky & the guns could have been done better. Buying a pistol second hand & using it is one thing, but who buys a rifle & then counts on it to be sighted in? I hate that. It's ridiculous. And, as usual, there was a silencer. Next time I read a thriller that doesn't rely on one, I'm going to give it an extra star just for leaving it out - 2 if they still make the shot noisy.
Elizabeth, the Justice Department analyst, didn't quite work for me. Maybe she was that good on the paper side & that stupid on the streets, but damn was she dumb. I could see one goof, but not the second. That was just too much & it didn't have to be.
February 2, 2016
Interesting book. I was going to go with a 3 star rating, but then I thought about it. I intend to follow the series (for at least one more book). And while I had/have reservations about the book in some ways, overall I like it.
We're dealing here with a story told from 2 points of view. One is a killer He's a hitter, a pro and he's one of the best. Sadly somehow he manages to run afoul of some very powerful people...and they want him dead very badly.
The other point of view is an annalist for the Justice Department... who finds herself suddenly assigned to the field. For some time she's been going over lists of murders...murders from all over the country. She's not looking for "regular murders", no she's looking for the odd ones. Maybe she'll find a murder that doesn't look like a murder...and then...maybe she does.
Thus we set up our story with one protagonist seeking another as that protagonist tries to unravel the deadly mess he's in.
It's a pretty good book though it has some flaws. Also it frankly ends with the story still in motion. While it ties up some "sub-plot-points" found in this book things are still going on.
So, yeah I like it. It's not world shaking. I don't plan to drop everything and follow it...but I do plan to follow it. So, recommended, enjoy.
We're dealing here with a story told from 2 points of view. One is a killer He's a hitter, a pro and he's one of the best. Sadly somehow he manages to run afoul of some very powerful people...and they want him dead very badly.
The other point of view is an annalist for the Justice Department... who finds herself suddenly assigned to the field. For some time she's been going over lists of murders...murders from all over the country. She's not looking for "regular murders", no she's looking for the odd ones. Maybe she'll find a murder that doesn't look like a murder...and then...maybe she does.
Thus we set up our story with one protagonist seeking another as that protagonist tries to unravel the deadly mess he's in.
It's a pretty good book though it has some flaws. Also it frankly ends with the story still in motion. While it ties up some "sub-plot-points" found in this book things are still going on.
So, yeah I like it. It's not world shaking. I don't plan to drop everything and follow it...but I do plan to follow it. So, recommended, enjoy.
January 17, 2014
An Aged 2.5 Stars
Random Ramblings
Within the past year I have read In the Woods, Rogue Island and now The Butcher's Boy. Each of these won the Edgar Award for best first novel. On the basis of the first two award winners, Tana French and Bruce DeSilva are now two of my favorite authors. Unfortunately, this former award winner does not leave me excited about the further novels.
The writing and pacing of the book felt disjointed, slow and dated. The majority of books I read have been written the past ten year. The Butcher's Boy was written a couple of years after I was born and it certainly felt its age.
Plot summary
As this was a weak point in the book, my summary will be likely be equally weak. A female agent from the US Departments of Justice is following a trail of murders. In a parallel storyline, "the butcher's boy", a oddly sympathetic hitman for the mafia. After completing series of hits, he finds himself on the run. Instead of simply hiding out, he decides to take it to the mafia and fight back.
The Good
Our friendly neighbourhood hit man was an interesting character. For a man that spends his time blowing up, poisoning and shooting people, he is oddly sympathetic. I found myself rooting for the bad guy. It may have simply been that he was only "badish" and the people that hired him were worse. It may have been the fact that he only killed as part of his job or to protect himself. He didn't get his jollies from killing little girls or torturing boy scouts which I guess makes him a discriminating killer.
While not thrilling by today's standard, the portion of the subplot where the killer was on the run was interesting. While it was not difficult for him, it was fun to watch him take down the varous mob bosses by various means.
The Bad
The Plot and Female Lead. For an award winner, I thought the plot was thin and poorly constructed. Realistically, the plotline with the Department of Justice Agent could have been omitted. The agent was flat, prone to serious errors and not especially bright. Her actions did nothing to further the story. I found myself scratching my head and wondering was I was being forced to read her story. This was the story's biggest downfall. Had the story focused on the hitman alone, my rating would have been at least 1-2 stars higher.
Additionally, the story structure was both jerky and disconcerting. I continually found myself lost and backtracking. It did not follow the smooth and coherent structure of the modern crime novel.
Final Thoughts
I read this book after multiple people sang its praises. Although I did not find the story engaging this may be what I call the "star wars effect". I don't like Star Wars. I don't find it interesting in the least. Many of my friends are big fans. I have always attributed my ambivalence to the series due to the fact that I did not watch the movies as a kid. Having watched the movies for the first time while in my twenties, they didn't hold any magic and simply didn't compare to the new movies. Maybe this novel held some magic in 1983 but in 2014, the magic has faded.
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 1
There is no sexual content. There is no love story or romantic relationships.
Language - 2
There is minimal adult language.
Violence - 3
There are multiple murders throughout the story. The murders are not graphic and are relatively mild compared to more recent crime novels.
Random Ramblings
Within the past year I have read In the Woods, Rogue Island and now The Butcher's Boy. Each of these won the Edgar Award for best first novel. On the basis of the first two award winners, Tana French and Bruce DeSilva are now two of my favorite authors. Unfortunately, this former award winner does not leave me excited about the further novels.
The writing and pacing of the book felt disjointed, slow and dated. The majority of books I read have been written the past ten year. The Butcher's Boy was written a couple of years after I was born and it certainly felt its age.
Plot summary
As this was a weak point in the book, my summary will be likely be equally weak. A female agent from the US Departments of Justice is following a trail of murders. In a parallel storyline, "the butcher's boy", a oddly sympathetic hitman for the mafia. After completing series of hits, he finds himself on the run. Instead of simply hiding out, he decides to take it to the mafia and fight back.
The Good
Our friendly neighbourhood hit man was an interesting character. For a man that spends his time blowing up, poisoning and shooting people, he is oddly sympathetic. I found myself rooting for the bad guy. It may have simply been that he was only "badish" and the people that hired him were worse. It may have been the fact that he only killed as part of his job or to protect himself. He didn't get his jollies from killing little girls or torturing boy scouts which I guess makes him a discriminating killer.
While not thrilling by today's standard, the portion of the subplot where the killer was on the run was interesting. While it was not difficult for him, it was fun to watch him take down the varous mob bosses by various means.
The Bad
The Plot and Female Lead. For an award winner, I thought the plot was thin and poorly constructed. Realistically, the plotline with the Department of Justice Agent could have been omitted. The agent was flat, prone to serious errors and not especially bright. Her actions did nothing to further the story. I found myself scratching my head and wondering was I was being forced to read her story. This was the story's biggest downfall. Had the story focused on the hitman alone, my rating would have been at least 1-2 stars higher.
Additionally, the story structure was both jerky and disconcerting. I continually found myself lost and backtracking. It did not follow the smooth and coherent structure of the modern crime novel.
Final Thoughts
I read this book after multiple people sang its praises. Although I did not find the story engaging this may be what I call the "star wars effect". I don't like Star Wars. I don't find it interesting in the least. Many of my friends are big fans. I have always attributed my ambivalence to the series due to the fact that I did not watch the movies as a kid. Having watched the movies for the first time while in my twenties, they didn't hold any magic and simply didn't compare to the new movies. Maybe this novel held some magic in 1983 but in 2014, the magic has faded.
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 1
There is no sexual content. There is no love story or romantic relationships.
Language - 2
There is minimal adult language.
Violence - 3
There are multiple murders throughout the story. The murders are not graphic and are relatively mild compared to more recent crime novels.
August 24, 2016
Elizabeth Waring is a Justice Department agent assigned to investigate the killing of a union leader, the victim of a fertilizer explosion in the back of his truck. Was it an accident, or the work of a hitman... ?
Yeah, I have to admit that this wasn't what I expected. It started strong. Elizabeth was a young agent who quickly got in over her head. Our nameless hitman, The Butcher's Boy of the title, is suddenly targeted for murder by someone high up in the Las Vegas mob. The story had all the momentum of a blockbuster thriller starring Christian Bale as the hitman and Scarlet Johannsen as Elizabeth.
So what went wrong?
The plot meandered all over the place until I stopped caring. Both main characters kept doing stupid things with no motivation and weird leaps in logic. It was obvious who the mole was in the Justice Department from very early on. I just didn't care about the nameless hitman enough to care who wanted him dead. FYI, the guy who wanted him dead NEVER made an actual appearance in the story.
While this book had its moments, they were few and far between. If you like your crime fiction dumbed down and kind of pointless, go ahead and pick this up.
Yeah, I have to admit that this wasn't what I expected. It started strong. Elizabeth was a young agent who quickly got in over her head. Our nameless hitman, The Butcher's Boy of the title, is suddenly targeted for murder by someone high up in the Las Vegas mob. The story had all the momentum of a blockbuster thriller starring Christian Bale as the hitman and Scarlet Johannsen as Elizabeth.
So what went wrong?
The plot meandered all over the place until I stopped caring. Both main characters kept doing stupid things with no motivation and weird leaps in logic. It was obvious who the mole was in the Justice Department from very early on. I just didn't care about the nameless hitman enough to care who wanted him dead. FYI, the guy who wanted him dead NEVER made an actual appearance in the story.
While this book had its moments, they were few and far between. If you like your crime fiction dumbed down and kind of pointless, go ahead and pick this up.
June 26, 2019
There are both advantages and disadvantages to the preference of reading books in a series in order. An obvious plus is that surprises are not ruined when referenced or built upon in later works. The most common drawback is encountering an author before he has learned the ins and outs of his craft. Unfortunately, The Butcher’s Boy is an example of the later. Throughout most of the book I kept wondering, Did he have an editor?
The novel follows two characters on their separate journeys: a professional killer known only by the title of the book (though I understand he gets a proper name later in the series) and Elizabeth Waring, a Justice Department analyst forced into the field on an evidence-gathering assignment, which eventually turns into the tracking of the assassin. It is interesting in premise. It’s in the execution that it begins to fray.
Even allowing for thirty-four years--it was copyrighted in 1982--it was absurdly easy to kill both a U.S. Senator and a mafia chieftain, each with no preplanning. And twice the assassin openly and dramatically slips by pursuers and ducks out of sight, only to complete the rest of his escape “off-screen.” Meanwhile Elizabeth makes multiple mistakes, the first of which is incredibly stupid. In all fairness, though, her second error could be safely put down to inexperience. Still, as the story winds down her end begins to sag.
Perhaps the most interesting thing--in my copy, anyway (Random House, 2003)--is the introduction by Michael Connelly, where he does virtual gymnastics to avoid calling The Butcher’s Boy a great novel. He calls it a favorite, and praises character and pace, and remarks on Perry’s grasp of “the cornerstones of craft.” Connelly also reminds us that the author continues to get better and that this particular work won an Edgar Award. The last is certainly true. But the Edgar was for Best First Novel. In any given year the competition could be fierce or extremely light. I suspect light.
But there is something here. I find myself wanting to read more. Neither can I deny that I was disappointed.
The novel follows two characters on their separate journeys: a professional killer known only by the title of the book (though I understand he gets a proper name later in the series) and Elizabeth Waring, a Justice Department analyst forced into the field on an evidence-gathering assignment, which eventually turns into the tracking of the assassin. It is interesting in premise. It’s in the execution that it begins to fray.
Even allowing for thirty-four years--it was copyrighted in 1982--it was absurdly easy to kill both a U.S. Senator and a mafia chieftain, each with no preplanning. And twice the assassin openly and dramatically slips by pursuers and ducks out of sight, only to complete the rest of his escape “off-screen.” Meanwhile Elizabeth makes multiple mistakes, the first of which is incredibly stupid. In all fairness, though, her second error could be safely put down to inexperience. Still, as the story winds down her end begins to sag.
Perhaps the most interesting thing--in my copy, anyway (Random House, 2003)--is the introduction by Michael Connelly, where he does virtual gymnastics to avoid calling The Butcher’s Boy a great novel. He calls it a favorite, and praises character and pace, and remarks on Perry’s grasp of “the cornerstones of craft.” Connelly also reminds us that the author continues to get better and that this particular work won an Edgar Award. The last is certainly true. But the Edgar was for Best First Novel. In any given year the competition could be fierce or extremely light. I suspect light.
But there is something here. I find myself wanting to read more. Neither can I deny that I was disappointed.
March 27, 2015
My first Thomas Perry book and certainly not my last I would like to thank my GR FRIENDS for the recommendation. Very enjoyable read from beginning to end!
April 26, 2011
This book was originally published in 1983, and was reprinted in 2003. Of course I’d seen Perry’s books and known he was big in crime noir, but until I read an enthusiastic review from a fan on Goodreads, I didn’t think his hard-boiled writing style would appeal to me. But what I especially liked about this debut novel was the description of the myriad ways big government departments involved in secret investigations and crime detection fail to communicate among themselves. Even better, his main maiden Elizabeth Waring, desk analyst extraordinaire, actually fails in her responsibilities several times in her first field outing, setting the investigation back irreparably.
Hard-boiled, even hard-bitten, crime novels like this one seem peculiarly male, despite the fact that two of his more interesting and fleshed-out creatures are female. Elizabeth is the Department of Justice representative on her first field trip, but then there is Maureen, bodyguard to The Butcher’s Boy. Maureen is both clever and able, and she may be even tougher than the rest of them. Perhaps I am identifying when I say that when these two were in the picture, the story immediately became more fascinating. This novel may have achieved the recognition it did (Edgar Award for First Novel) because Perry chose to focus on descriptions of the complicated feints and weaves our main hitman had to perform to escape the web tightening around him. Different groups, all unrelated, pursued him relentlessly, and every once in a while, someone got lucky. The devious ways the Butcher’s Boy misdirected his pursuers must go down in the annals as pure animal cunning.
Hard-boiled, even hard-bitten, crime novels like this one seem peculiarly male, despite the fact that two of his more interesting and fleshed-out creatures are female. Elizabeth is the Department of Justice representative on her first field trip, but then there is Maureen, bodyguard to The Butcher’s Boy. Maureen is both clever and able, and she may be even tougher than the rest of them. Perhaps I am identifying when I say that when these two were in the picture, the story immediately became more fascinating. This novel may have achieved the recognition it did (Edgar Award for First Novel) because Perry chose to focus on descriptions of the complicated feints and weaves our main hitman had to perform to escape the web tightening around him. Different groups, all unrelated, pursued him relentlessly, and every once in a while, someone got lucky. The devious ways the Butcher’s Boy misdirected his pursuers must go down in the annals as pure animal cunning.
December 7, 2012
Yes. Very much yes. "Butcher's Boy" is one of my very favourite crime novels--- witty, dark, complicated, full of feints and twists and unexpected moments. Thos. Perry's unnamed main figure, the hitman know as "the Butcher's Boy", is a fascinating and sympathetic figure--- a craftsman proud of his trade and proud of his professionalism. His main female character--- the DOJ analyst unexpectedly (and unwittingly) chasing him ---is no less well-crafted and sympathetic. It will take you three-fourths of the way through the book to figure out exactly who is after the hero and why...and the feds never quite do figure out whether there's anyone there to really pursue. A fine, fast, adrenaline-filled read...very much worth a Friday night. And you do learn a number of very helpful tricks and stratagems should you ever need to escape the mob and the feds...
July 7, 2015
Kind of a strange story. Basically the story of a hitman, whose latest hits unravel and he finds himself on the run from the mob and others. Throw in a side story of Elizabeth Waring, a Dept of Justice agent who is trying to solve the initial murders and finding herself in trouble every step of the way; losing important files, losing potential witnesses, etc. More bodies than you can shake a stick at, all over the US. Just try to keep up and to make sense of this story. Interesting in its own way and well-written, just very implausible. But at the same time, it's a thriller, so I guess that is what it's supposed to be like. I will probably read the remaining stories in this series, once I find them but just not right away.
December 28, 2017
A terrific romp with my new fav kickass protagonist, FBI agent Elizabeth Waring and my new fav author Thomas Perry. Narrated to perfection by Michael Kramer. Perry won the Edgar Award for this book in 1982. Michael Connelly’s 2002 preface to the book is a gem.
Placed in the 80s when federal taxes are 43% the 70 year old, 6 term Senator from Colorado is committed to get his tax bill through next session but unfortunately is murdered before he can make it happen. (Interesting parallel with the new tax bill Trump signed last week. Glad it passed and no one was murdered!)
Thanks for the recommendation Boris!
Placed in the 80s when federal taxes are 43% the 70 year old, 6 term Senator from Colorado is committed to get his tax bill through next session but unfortunately is murdered before he can make it happen. (Interesting parallel with the new tax bill Trump signed last week. Glad it passed and no one was murdered!)
Thanks for the recommendation Boris!
January 20, 2021
There were so many positives about 'The Butcher’s Boy’. The story-line was interesting with a hit-man being chased by the organization that had originally hired him to do the hit, and a young female working for the Department of Justice who was tracking down that organization. Not just that, but the story had good pace throughout. And yet, it never really did it for me. Neither of the main characters was ever given enough depth to make me root for them, and the were no ups and downs, no moments of tension, excitement and release. It just remained at the same level from beginning to end. I liked it, but not too much.
July 9, 2014
Elizabeth Waring is a data analyst for the Department of Justice who has the unenviable task of looking at print-outs searching for any murder that might have been done by a professional killer. If something didn’t fall into one of the common murder patterns, she would do some investigation to see if the murder really were out of the ordinary or not. It seems rather a fruitless search, since hit men try not to do anything out of the ordinary. But even the possibility of snagging one of these guys makes it worth the effort.
On this particular day, Elizabeth notates a few of the entries on her print-out. One of the unusual murders is someone who got killed by dynamite. That doesn’t fit the hit man pattern of ordinariness, but it doesn't fit into a common pattern either. When it turns out that the death was the result of fertilizer exploding and that this couldn’t have been an event caused by Mother Nature, it warrants a little deeper investigation. Elizabeth’s boss decides to expand her horizons a bit and sends her on a field investigation to Ventura, CA. She is a very detailed and analytical person, and begins to come up with some possibilities. However, she and the FBI agent who is helping her are removed from that investigation in order to look at the death of a prominent senator. It turns out that somebody put curare into the glass holding his false teeth, and he died of poisoning.
It isn’t obvious yet, but both of these deaths were perpetrated by a professional hit man. He’s a man who is not fat, not thin, not young, not old, not tall, not short, not dark and not light. In other words, he is not in any way memorable. The book follows this man as he prepares for his hits. We look at how he thinks, how he plans. He is amazingly talented, able to adapt his techniques to fit a situation that changes before his eyes. We learn how his mind works, how he was trained by a man who taught him every move to make.
But then the unthinkable happens. He is mugged in an alleyway, and his face is cut and bruised. His cloak of invisibility is threatened. He decides to slip off to Las Vegas where he is to meet someone who will pay him for the killing of the senator. Things don’t go as planned.
In the meantime, the FBI is closely watching Las Vegas because four Mafia leaders have converged on the area. Are they all just escaping the winter doldrums? Or is a summit in the works?
We progress through the book, alternating between Elizabeth conducting her investigations and the hit man moving in and out of danger. In her own way, Elizabeth was the law-abiding version of the hit man. She was every bit as detailed as he was about her investigation. She looked at every nuance, examined every possibility. She made some novice mistakes as far as being an agent, but her basic radar was very well adjusted.
I loved this book, in spite of the fact that it does seem somewhat dated (written in 1982) and the female lead character is not completely convincing. We watch Elizabeth working through her field investigation and the hit man going through his situations. It’s as though the two of them started at points as far away from one another as possible, and as you read the book, you can see that it is only a matter of time before they will converge. How that happens and what results is the highlight of the book and very satisfying. This is truly a book where all is revealed in the last sentence. Don’t peek!
On this particular day, Elizabeth notates a few of the entries on her print-out. One of the unusual murders is someone who got killed by dynamite. That doesn’t fit the hit man pattern of ordinariness, but it doesn't fit into a common pattern either. When it turns out that the death was the result of fertilizer exploding and that this couldn’t have been an event caused by Mother Nature, it warrants a little deeper investigation. Elizabeth’s boss decides to expand her horizons a bit and sends her on a field investigation to Ventura, CA. She is a very detailed and analytical person, and begins to come up with some possibilities. However, she and the FBI agent who is helping her are removed from that investigation in order to look at the death of a prominent senator. It turns out that somebody put curare into the glass holding his false teeth, and he died of poisoning.
It isn’t obvious yet, but both of these deaths were perpetrated by a professional hit man. He’s a man who is not fat, not thin, not young, not old, not tall, not short, not dark and not light. In other words, he is not in any way memorable. The book follows this man as he prepares for his hits. We look at how he thinks, how he plans. He is amazingly talented, able to adapt his techniques to fit a situation that changes before his eyes. We learn how his mind works, how he was trained by a man who taught him every move to make.
But then the unthinkable happens. He is mugged in an alleyway, and his face is cut and bruised. His cloak of invisibility is threatened. He decides to slip off to Las Vegas where he is to meet someone who will pay him for the killing of the senator. Things don’t go as planned.
In the meantime, the FBI is closely watching Las Vegas because four Mafia leaders have converged on the area. Are they all just escaping the winter doldrums? Or is a summit in the works?
We progress through the book, alternating between Elizabeth conducting her investigations and the hit man moving in and out of danger. In her own way, Elizabeth was the law-abiding version of the hit man. She was every bit as detailed as he was about her investigation. She looked at every nuance, examined every possibility. She made some novice mistakes as far as being an agent, but her basic radar was very well adjusted.
I loved this book, in spite of the fact that it does seem somewhat dated (written in 1982) and the female lead character is not completely convincing. We watch Elizabeth working through her field investigation and the hit man going through his situations. It’s as though the two of them started at points as far away from one another as possible, and as you read the book, you can see that it is only a matter of time before they will converge. How that happens and what results is the highlight of the book and very satisfying. This is truly a book where all is revealed in the last sentence. Don’t peek!
July 23, 2020
I picked up this book through my library and got it because it won an Edgar Award. I am glad I did. It is hard to imagine having a professional hit man as a sympathetic main character, but Perry pulls it off. The Butcher’s Boy is an elite assassin. We don’t know his real name. He is the penultimate professional. He is highly paid and doesn’t know who his ultimate employer is. He works through middle men. He is hired to kill a union machinist in California. Then he travels to Denver to kill a US senator. We follow his meticulous planning both of the hit and his travel plans. He is a master of being invisible - looking ordinary and never drawing attention to himself. With some last minute ingenuity he executes his plan to kill the senator and then travels to Las Vegas to collect his pay. But what he doesn’t know is that he has become a liability to the organized crime bosses behind his employment. Now it takes all his cunning to stay ahead of those who want to eliminate him. Meanwhile, at the Justice Department in Washington DC a young, bright analyst, Elizabeth Waring, is looking into the machinist’s death. She is asked to help with the much higher profile death of the senator. No one but she sees a possible connection. She is on the trail, but even she doesn’t realize the magnitude - just how big, how deep, and how deadly. She experiences set backs, but you never get the sense that she is really in over her head. She just redoubles her efforts by analyzing data. She is not afraid to speak up either, without being aggressive or off putting. She ends up being right about so much. The death toll rises to staggering amounts as our assassin takes care of himself. I enjoyed this unique book.
February 11, 2013
A rising analyst in the Justice Department, Elizabeth Waring, finds an improbable link between the death by dynamite of a union representative and the deadly heart attack of a U.S. Senator from Colorado. As it turns out, both were killed by an assassin working for the Mafia, who seeks retribution when they try to kill him too. Fast paced and Perry won a prestigious award for this, his first novel.
April 2, 2024
Thomas Perry's *Edgar Award-winning debut novel*, "The Butcher's Boy," is a gripping thriller that introduces readers to a professional hitman who operates in the shadows. The audiobook, narrated by the talented Michael Kramer, brings this suspenseful tale to life with precision and intensity.
**Plot Summary**
Murder has always been easy for the Butcher's Boy—it's what he does best and what they pay him for. But after the successful assassination of a senator, he arrives in Las Vegas to collect his fee, only to discover he has become a liability to his shadowy employers. His survival is at stake, and he needs to kill them before they kill him. But first, he must find out who they are.
As the Butcher's Boy goes to work, police specialists watching the world of organized crime realize something has gone very wrong for the mafia. In the race to discover just what that something is, Elizabeth Waring, a bright young analyst in the Justice Department, becomes their best chance. But is she good enough to catch the Butcher's Boy?
**Narration and Atmosphere**
Michael Kramer's narration is impeccable. His deep, gravelly voice captures the essence of the Butcher's Boy—a man of few words, deadly efficiency, and a chilling calmness. Kramer's pacing keeps listeners on the edge of their seats, emphasizing the tension and urgency of the plot. Whether describing a tense standoff or a calculated hit, his delivery is spot-on.
The audiobook's atmosphere is dark and brooding, mirroring the protagonist's world. From the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas to the corridors of power, Perry's writing and Kramer's narration create a palpable sense of danger. Listeners will feel the weight of every decision, every step the Butcher's Boy takes.
**Characterization**
The Butcher's Boy is an enigma. His lack of a name adds to his mystique—he's a silent assassin, devoid of unnecessary emotions. Perry masterfully portrays him as a cold, calculating professional who navigates a treacherous landscape. His interactions with other characters are minimal but impactful. He's not a hero; he's a survivor.
Elizabeth Waring provides a compelling contrast. As an analyst, she relies on her intellect and determination. Her pursuit of the Butcher's Boy is driven by a mix of duty and curiosity. Waring's character development is subtle but effective, and her clashes with the assassin create a fascinating dynamic.
**Themes and Suspense**
"The Butcher's Boy" delves into themes of identity, survival, and the blurred lines between good and evil. The novel questions whether a killer can ever escape their past or if redemption is even possible. Perry's exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and the cost of violence resonates long after the audiobook ends.
Suspense permeates every chapter. Perry's tight plotting keeps listeners guessing, and the Butcher's Boy's next move remains unpredictable. The tension builds steadily, leading to a climactic showdown that leaves no loose ends.
**Verdict**
Thomas Perry's "The Butcher's Boy" is a classic in the thriller genre. Its stark portrayal of a hitman's life, combined with Michael Kramer's exceptional narration, makes it a must-listen.
**Plot Summary**
Murder has always been easy for the Butcher's Boy—it's what he does best and what they pay him for. But after the successful assassination of a senator, he arrives in Las Vegas to collect his fee, only to discover he has become a liability to his shadowy employers. His survival is at stake, and he needs to kill them before they kill him. But first, he must find out who they are.
As the Butcher's Boy goes to work, police specialists watching the world of organized crime realize something has gone very wrong for the mafia. In the race to discover just what that something is, Elizabeth Waring, a bright young analyst in the Justice Department, becomes their best chance. But is she good enough to catch the Butcher's Boy?
**Narration and Atmosphere**
Michael Kramer's narration is impeccable. His deep, gravelly voice captures the essence of the Butcher's Boy—a man of few words, deadly efficiency, and a chilling calmness. Kramer's pacing keeps listeners on the edge of their seats, emphasizing the tension and urgency of the plot. Whether describing a tense standoff or a calculated hit, his delivery is spot-on.
The audiobook's atmosphere is dark and brooding, mirroring the protagonist's world. From the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas to the corridors of power, Perry's writing and Kramer's narration create a palpable sense of danger. Listeners will feel the weight of every decision, every step the Butcher's Boy takes.
**Characterization**
The Butcher's Boy is an enigma. His lack of a name adds to his mystique—he's a silent assassin, devoid of unnecessary emotions. Perry masterfully portrays him as a cold, calculating professional who navigates a treacherous landscape. His interactions with other characters are minimal but impactful. He's not a hero; he's a survivor.
Elizabeth Waring provides a compelling contrast. As an analyst, she relies on her intellect and determination. Her pursuit of the Butcher's Boy is driven by a mix of duty and curiosity. Waring's character development is subtle but effective, and her clashes with the assassin create a fascinating dynamic.
**Themes and Suspense**
"The Butcher's Boy" delves into themes of identity, survival, and the blurred lines between good and evil. The novel questions whether a killer can ever escape their past or if redemption is even possible. Perry's exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and the cost of violence resonates long after the audiobook ends.
Suspense permeates every chapter. Perry's tight plotting keeps listeners guessing, and the Butcher's Boy's next move remains unpredictable. The tension builds steadily, leading to a climactic showdown that leaves no loose ends.
**Verdict**
Thomas Perry's "The Butcher's Boy" is a classic in the thriller genre. Its stark portrayal of a hitman's life, combined with Michael Kramer's exceptional narration, makes it a must-listen.
March 25, 2018
This is Thomas Perry's debut novel; it won an Edgar for Best First Novel in 1983. It's a fast-paced thriller that pits a DOJ researcher against a top-notch professional killer. The researcher is a young woman, an analyst who spends her days looking for nuggets of information in vast fields of data. The hit man is a hired gun of long experience and skillful tradecraft. The story switches back and forth between their points of view.
The hit man inadvertently sets off a war between mob factions and becomes a target himself. As he is dodging bullets and dispatching rivals on a cross-country run for cover, our heroine is contending with office politics, overbearing males and a possible mole in the department as she is certain she has picked up the trail of the man who killed that senator... it gets complicated.
It's full of procedural detail and clever tricks; it's fairly violent and reasonably entertaining. The organization and efficacy of the alleged nationwide crime syndicate are, I think, exaggerated, and the inconclusive ending obviously sets up a series, so there was no real payoff. I didn't find it totally convincing or totally compelling, but I finished it. And that makes it better than many a book that has crossed my path.
The hit man inadvertently sets off a war between mob factions and becomes a target himself. As he is dodging bullets and dispatching rivals on a cross-country run for cover, our heroine is contending with office politics, overbearing males and a possible mole in the department as she is certain she has picked up the trail of the man who killed that senator... it gets complicated.
It's full of procedural detail and clever tricks; it's fairly violent and reasonably entertaining. The organization and efficacy of the alleged nationwide crime syndicate are, I think, exaggerated, and the inconclusive ending obviously sets up a series, so there was no real payoff. I didn't find it totally convincing or totally compelling, but I finished it. And that makes it better than many a book that has crossed my path.
June 28, 2019
Not sure why I gravitate to crime fiction when I’ve repeatedly found I really don’t enjoy that genre. Having said that I still think I can fairly say this was not a very compelling story. It was the author’s first book and presumably he has improved since he’s the author of 25+ well-reviewed books & has won several awards. But the unending chase scenes (often leading to several dead bodies at a time, oh well) seemed convoluted, unrealistic and uninteresting. Even I, who rarely solves the mystery before it’s revealed, concluded who the informant was long before the FBI and Dept of Justice did.
December 6, 2012
An early 80s Edgar Award winner, this wonderful adventure pits Department of Justice prodigy Elizabeth Waring against The Butcher’s Boy, the professional assassin who remains nameless throughout the book. He’s good at his job. Two early murders, one of an influential U.S. Senator, put the Department of Justice and Elizabeth and her co-workers, sometimes in uneasy alliance with the FBI and local law enforcement, on the trail of an unknown murderer, maybe two since they aren’t sure if the homicides are related or not. The factor tying them together turns out to be Fieldstone Growth Enterprises, ostensibly an investment company. Things end up going in unpredictable directions for both main characters, particularly caused by the role of a mafia-like organization that touches on all of this business and the lives of the murderer and Elizabeth. There are plenty of murders in the book, some first hand, some only discussed, but only peripherally gory in most cases. I found it disconcertingly easy to like the assassin, not the first bad guy of Perry’s I liked (see Gordon in Metzger’s Dog). I’ve read half a dozen or more of Perry’s books. This is his first, and it’s interesting to see in character Maureen a foreshadow of Jane Whitefield (try Vanishing Act), a character I enjoyed immensely in her several novels. This is one more sample of why I find Perry to be a most reliable story teller, entertaining and consistently good.
January 22, 2013
OK, full disclosure: I read TBB waaayyy back in the day. In fact, the paperback I read had a picture of a revolver wrapped in butcher paper as a cover shot. I mean, who could resist that? I just had to get into it. And so, after an appropriate number of pages, I was sufficiently transfixed to say—"Where in the H*** has this guy been!?" I have been a big fan ever since that day back in the 80's, essentially devouring Perry books as they appear.The man writes GOOD!
Our protagonist in this first book, a hitman trained by a butcher-hitman foster dad, is going about the country, plying his trade, with not so much abandon as precision, shall we say? He's damn good, and he knows it, working hard to be shadowy to friend and foe alike.
Finishing a job, and heading to Vegas to get paid, he discovers the universal truth—"What have you done for me lately?" Now, the Mafia that hired him, and the FBI that wants him are both in pursuit, and his wits are tested as he seeks revenge and restitution. What happens in Vegas? Well, it doesn't stay in Vegas.
This is as good a first effort as us mere mortals can hope for, full of life (and death), characterization, and plot. Sweet.
Four stars: You won't go wrong.
Our protagonist in this first book, a hitman trained by a butcher-hitman foster dad, is going about the country, plying his trade, with not so much abandon as precision, shall we say? He's damn good, and he knows it, working hard to be shadowy to friend and foe alike.
Finishing a job, and heading to Vegas to get paid, he discovers the universal truth—"What have you done for me lately?" Now, the Mafia that hired him, and the FBI that wants him are both in pursuit, and his wits are tested as he seeks revenge and restitution. What happens in Vegas? Well, it doesn't stay in Vegas.
This is as good a first effort as us mere mortals can hope for, full of life (and death), characterization, and plot. Sweet.
Four stars: You won't go wrong.
March 17, 2018
I had so enjoyed Thomas Perry's book, The Old Man, that I was eagerly anticipating Butcher's Boy.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed, mostly because I just couldn't find anything to like in one of the two main characters-- a Justice department analyst called Elizabeth Waring. I realize that she was written as a non-field agent, but she was rather lacking in common sense or street smarts- to the point of annoyance.
The other character, an assassin to whom the title refers, was a very good character and a lot of fun to follow as he extracts some payback on those who had elected, foolishly, to stiff him for a job.
In all, the times when he had the story's focus were enjoyable but the remainder of the book just failed to engage me.
I hope other works by this author are better, as I found this one to be very average.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed, mostly because I just couldn't find anything to like in one of the two main characters-- a Justice department analyst called Elizabeth Waring. I realize that she was written as a non-field agent, but she was rather lacking in common sense or street smarts- to the point of annoyance.
The other character, an assassin to whom the title refers, was a very good character and a lot of fun to follow as he extracts some payback on those who had elected, foolishly, to stiff him for a job.
In all, the times when he had the story's focus were enjoyable but the remainder of the book just failed to engage me.
I hope other works by this author are better, as I found this one to be very average.
May 30, 2020
Read another Thomas Perry. After enjoying The Old Man. I had to read another.
This is my third time to read the Butcher Boy.
Think I will read the next two the series !
Ok here is 2020 and I listened to the book again.
This is my third time to read the Butcher Boy.
Think I will read the next two the series !
Ok here is 2020 and I listened to the book again.
May 28, 2022
I had the exact opposite reading experience that Michael Connelly describes in his endorsement-introduction for this book. I think that I’m through with thrillers for a while.
June 5, 2025
The Butcher’s Boy was a selection in my small family book club. I approached it with a bit of skepticism.
Published in 1982, I anticipated signs of dated writing, plot points, and perhaps the familiar limitations of a male author writing a female protagonist in a male-dominated profession.
Instead, I was genuinely impressed by Thomas Perry’s craftsmanship.
Perry’s writing is clean, efficient, and deeply engaging. He has created a timeless narrative, with just enough restraint to allows the story’s tension to build organically. The structure alternates between the perspective of a highly skilled hitman and that of Justice Department analyst Elizabeth Waring.
What’s striking is how Perry develops both as fully competent professionals operating inside very different systems, each governed by its own rules, limitations, and forms of isolation.
Waring’s character in particular was a pleasant surprise. While there are occasional dated references to her appearance, Perry captures the bureaucratic gender dynamics she faces with realism. Her position as an overlooked but highly capable analyst reflects challenges still recognizable in professional spaces today.
The Butcher’s Boy, in contrast, is fascinating for his emotional detachment yet faint hints of loneliness and disconnection from ordinary life. Are we cheering for a hitman at the ending? It's hard to say.
The pacing is masterful. Perry ratchets up tension through overlapping systems of power rather than relying on constant action.
The ending, understated and delicately implied, left me thinking "that was literary perfection."
Published in 1982, I anticipated signs of dated writing, plot points, and perhaps the familiar limitations of a male author writing a female protagonist in a male-dominated profession.
Instead, I was genuinely impressed by Thomas Perry’s craftsmanship.
Perry’s writing is clean, efficient, and deeply engaging. He has created a timeless narrative, with just enough restraint to allows the story’s tension to build organically. The structure alternates between the perspective of a highly skilled hitman and that of Justice Department analyst Elizabeth Waring.
What’s striking is how Perry develops both as fully competent professionals operating inside very different systems, each governed by its own rules, limitations, and forms of isolation.
Waring’s character in particular was a pleasant surprise. While there are occasional dated references to her appearance, Perry captures the bureaucratic gender dynamics she faces with realism. Her position as an overlooked but highly capable analyst reflects challenges still recognizable in professional spaces today.
The Butcher’s Boy, in contrast, is fascinating for his emotional detachment yet faint hints of loneliness and disconnection from ordinary life. Are we cheering for a hitman at the ending? It's hard to say.
The pacing is masterful. Perry ratchets up tension through overlapping systems of power rather than relying on constant action.
The ending, understated and delicately implied, left me thinking "that was literary perfection."
April 9, 2017
This is not my normal reading selection, but my husband guaranteed that I would like it, so I ventured forth.
While reading this book, I found myself rooting for the assassin! ( As I do in the novels of Patricia Highsmith). Perhaps it is because said hit man is clearly bright and has such careful habits and such a will to survive. You wouldn't want a wolf in your back yard, but you do admire their skill, cunning, and life force.
I found the storyline about the Justice Department less compelling than that of the killer. The plot is fairly complex and at some times hard to follow (because I do not understand about the underworld and money laundering, etc., etc.), but still intriguing.
I understand that there is a follow-up to this book that was written years later and I think I will try reading it as well – just to become reacquainted with this hit man and what has become of him. Please don't judge me because of this!
While reading this book, I found myself rooting for the assassin! ( As I do in the novels of Patricia Highsmith). Perhaps it is because said hit man is clearly bright and has such careful habits and such a will to survive. You wouldn't want a wolf in your back yard, but you do admire their skill, cunning, and life force.
I found the storyline about the Justice Department less compelling than that of the killer. The plot is fairly complex and at some times hard to follow (because I do not understand about the underworld and money laundering, etc., etc.), but still intriguing.
I understand that there is a follow-up to this book that was written years later and I think I will try reading it as well – just to become reacquainted with this hit man and what has become of him. Please don't judge me because of this!
July 31, 2023
I really enjoyed The Informant, which is a sequel to this novel, and this gave me high expectations for The Butcher's Boy. It didn't live up to them.
For one thing, the plot is a mess, just all over the place. Sure there's a lot of action but the Butcher's Boy just seems to be flailing around most of the time, while occasionally killing a bunch of people. There was no narrative drive here. Also, the protagonist seemed less likable in this book than in the Informant. Probably because this book gives a more realistic look at what an assassin is really like, but still, I didn't really care for the man. The book doesn't give us much reason to root for him.
And Elizabeth Waring, the book's female lead, is even worse. In the Informant she is great, a complicated character juggling a home life with two teenage kids and a jerk of a boss who seems bent on sabotaging her career. She makes some mistakes in the Informant, but she isn't a complete idiot like she is in this one. She just basically watches the action from the outside and then screws things up when she gets involved. The fact that she couldn't figure out who the mole in the Justice Department is, is just mind blowing. I'm pretty dumb, but when exactly one person knows when you are going to be doing something in a specific place, and a bunch of bad guys show up to kill you and/or the witness you are escorting, it should be pretty obvious whodunit. But no. When the mole is revealed to her, her mind is blown.
For one thing, the plot is a mess, just all over the place. Sure there's a lot of action but the Butcher's Boy just seems to be flailing around most of the time, while occasionally killing a bunch of people. There was no narrative drive here. Also, the protagonist seemed less likable in this book than in the Informant. Probably because this book gives a more realistic look at what an assassin is really like, but still, I didn't really care for the man. The book doesn't give us much reason to root for him.
And Elizabeth Waring, the book's female lead, is even worse. In the Informant she is great, a complicated character juggling a home life with two teenage kids and a jerk of a boss who seems bent on sabotaging her career. She makes some mistakes in the Informant, but she isn't a complete idiot like she is in this one. She just basically watches the action from the outside and then screws things up when she gets involved. The fact that she couldn't figure out who the mole in the Justice Department is, is just mind blowing. I'm pretty dumb, but when exactly one person knows when you are going to be doing something in a specific place, and a bunch of bad guys show up to kill you and/or the witness you are escorting, it should be pretty obvious whodunit. But no. When the mole is revealed to her, her mind is blown.
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