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Jane Whitefield #10
The Tree of Light and Flowers
Jane Whitefield is used to protecting vulnerable people, but after she gives birth, the fugitives she must rescue are her own family.
A violent car crash brings on the premature birth of the baby that Jane Whitefield and her husband have hoped for, but it also shatters the period of calm in their lives like an earthquake triggering a tectonic shift.
Within weeks, Jane’s peaceful time as a new mother in a safe, harmonious home starts to revert to her harrowing previous life. She had spent over a decade rescuing and sheltering people from dangerous foes, taking them to new locations, and teaching them to live under new identities. It was something that she’d hoped to never have to do again.
Nearly simultaneously, as though the events were connected, people who are thousands of miles apart in vastly different circumstances start to move. Some of them are in terrible need of help finding a route to safety. Some are dedicated to serving justice. Others are determined to capture the woman who makes people disappear so they can force her to reveal where their potential victims are now. All of these travelers are soon on their way to the old house in western New York.
Suddenly the people requiring Jane’s special skills include not only multiple fugitives, but also Jane herself, her husband, and their newborn, as the danger she faces comes from people who know how to find her. She’ll need to use everything she’s ever learned in order to survive.
A violent car crash brings on the premature birth of the baby that Jane Whitefield and her husband have hoped for, but it also shatters the period of calm in their lives like an earthquake triggering a tectonic shift.
Within weeks, Jane’s peaceful time as a new mother in a safe, harmonious home starts to revert to her harrowing previous life. She had spent over a decade rescuing and sheltering people from dangerous foes, taking them to new locations, and teaching them to live under new identities. It was something that she’d hoped to never have to do again.
Nearly simultaneously, as though the events were connected, people who are thousands of miles apart in vastly different circumstances start to move. Some of them are in terrible need of help finding a route to safety. Some are dedicated to serving justice. Others are determined to capture the woman who makes people disappear so they can force her to reveal where their potential victims are now. All of these travelers are soon on their way to the old house in western New York.
Suddenly the people requiring Jane’s special skills include not only multiple fugitives, but also Jane herself, her husband, and their newborn, as the danger she faces comes from people who know how to find her. She’ll need to use everything she’s ever learned in order to survive.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2026
About the author
Thomas Perry
76 books1,735 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 - 30 of 142 reviews
March 20, 2026
The Tree of Light and Shadows is the eleventh entry in the iconic Jane Whitefield series by Thomas Perry. My thanks go to NetGalley and The Mysterious Press for the review copy. This book is for sale now.
For those unfamiliar, Jane Whitefield is a Seneca Indian woman with a past avocation of helping people that need to disappear. The person in question might be a woman running from an abusive relationship; an innocent person that’s inadvertently run afoul of the mafia or some other dangerous group or individual; or someone that has been wrongfully convicted of a crime. Jane combines her Native tracking skills with modern methods of blending in or hiding away. However, in recent years she’s given it up, eschewing the danger for a normal life with her husband, who is a physician, and their baby girl, May in Amherst, New York.
However, the universe has other plans for her right now. Clare, a young Indian girl who has stabbed her rapist, has learned that she is wanted for murder. The dead man was Caucasian, and he moved in powerful circles. Knowing she is unlikely to get a fair shake in an Oklahoma courtroom, she heads for New York to find the distant relative that she’s heard will help people like her.
At the same time, a Russian woman named Magda has been hired by someone with a vendetta to find and kill Jane.
The dual storylines are deftly handled, which doesn’t surprise me, since our author is Thomas Perry. But there is one misstep that happens early on that niggles at me for the rest of the book. When Clare finds Jane, Jane decides the girl is too young to be established on her own, so she tells her husband that she wants Clare to remain with them. Clare will go to school and help with the baby. And then—here it comes—she runs out to do errands and leaves the baby with Clare! Would someone as seasoned and astute as Jane leave her infant daughter in the care of someone that might be attacked by people from her past, and do so before the girl has been in her home for even 48 hours? I find this so jarring that I am unable to entirely forget about it for the duration of the novel.
Nevertheless, the book holds my interest, and I look forward to my session reading it each day. When the conclusion is near, I can’t walk away from it until I see how it ends. This doesn’t happen often. I am lucky enough to have been given access to both the audio and digital review copies. I haven’t been able to learn who the narrator is, but whoever he is, he’s good.
I just read of Perry’s sudden death while writing this review. He was such a force within the world of mystery writers that I can hardly believe it. While this book wasn’t the best thing he ever wrote, it is still quite good.
For those unfamiliar, Jane Whitefield is a Seneca Indian woman with a past avocation of helping people that need to disappear. The person in question might be a woman running from an abusive relationship; an innocent person that’s inadvertently run afoul of the mafia or some other dangerous group or individual; or someone that has been wrongfully convicted of a crime. Jane combines her Native tracking skills with modern methods of blending in or hiding away. However, in recent years she’s given it up, eschewing the danger for a normal life with her husband, who is a physician, and their baby girl, May in Amherst, New York.
However, the universe has other plans for her right now. Clare, a young Indian girl who has stabbed her rapist, has learned that she is wanted for murder. The dead man was Caucasian, and he moved in powerful circles. Knowing she is unlikely to get a fair shake in an Oklahoma courtroom, she heads for New York to find the distant relative that she’s heard will help people like her.
At the same time, a Russian woman named Magda has been hired by someone with a vendetta to find and kill Jane.
The dual storylines are deftly handled, which doesn’t surprise me, since our author is Thomas Perry. But there is one misstep that happens early on that niggles at me for the rest of the book. When Clare finds Jane, Jane decides the girl is too young to be established on her own, so she tells her husband that she wants Clare to remain with them. Clare will go to school and help with the baby. And then—here it comes—she runs out to do errands and leaves the baby with Clare! Would someone as seasoned and astute as Jane leave her infant daughter in the care of someone that might be attacked by people from her past, and do so before the girl has been in her home for even 48 hours? I find this so jarring that I am unable to entirely forget about it for the duration of the novel.
Nevertheless, the book holds my interest, and I look forward to my session reading it each day. When the conclusion is near, I can’t walk away from it until I see how it ends. This doesn’t happen often. I am lucky enough to have been given access to both the audio and digital review copies. I haven’t been able to learn who the narrator is, but whoever he is, he’s good.
I just read of Perry’s sudden death while writing this review. He was such a force within the world of mystery writers that I can hardly believe it. While this book wasn’t the best thing he ever wrote, it is still quite good.
April 9, 2026
Seems like half a story.
March 16, 2026
I have been a fan of the Jane Whitefield series for many years and I just realized that there was a new book that had dropped in the series. I like to alternate between the audio version and the print version and this is one time that I was very glad that I did because the print version contained some information that was not included in the audio version.
There were two letters at the end of the story - one from the author, Thomas Perry and another from his wife of 45 years. Apparently, Mr. Perry recently passed away so this book is truly the end of the Jane Whitefield series and it was done in a way that gave the readers some wonderful closure.
For those readers who have followed Jane throughout her life, to see her where she is at this point - happily married and with a new baby - it is a long way from where we first met her.
Unfortunately, there are people and things from her past that have not stayed dead. Jane has several disasters that all congregate at the same time making this a non stop thriller from beginning to end.
Thank you Mr. Perry for the wonderful world that you created.
There were two letters at the end of the story - one from the author, Thomas Perry and another from his wife of 45 years. Apparently, Mr. Perry recently passed away so this book is truly the end of the Jane Whitefield series and it was done in a way that gave the readers some wonderful closure.
For those readers who have followed Jane throughout her life, to see her where she is at this point - happily married and with a new baby - it is a long way from where we first met her.
Unfortunately, there are people and things from her past that have not stayed dead. Jane has several disasters that all congregate at the same time making this a non stop thriller from beginning to end.
Thank you Mr. Perry for the wonderful world that you created.
March 4, 2026
So I believe this is the first I’ve read from this author… and unfortunately, I learned that he recently passed… so I won’t be reading any new material. Very sad…
Also, this is part of a series… I believe it was book #11. So I was a bit lost initially and felt like I was missing parts, but soon felt caught up…so, if you haven’t read any others in the series…you should be ok.
Jane is a tough woman. She has helped MANY people find themselves again. After a horrible death, a traumatic experience… or for any number of reasons that people might need to start over again. She is the one to seek out!
AND, she knows the people to hook you up with all the info you might need along the way! Kind of like witness protection… but way off the grid!
But… she’s married and has recently had a baby. Sweet Baby Mae. So, she’s decided that THIS LIFE is now in her rear view mirror. From here on out it’s all about her, hubby and Baby Mae.
But, as we all know, things don’t always go as planned…. And a young, teenage girl comes to her for help, after a tragic event in her life. One that she’s not sure she’ll ever get through, over, or be able to forget…
And so, Kate is re-born. And she’s now helping Jane with the baby…
But of course, it doesn’t end there. She gets word from an old friend/contact that people have moved in to her old home… and they think that a young boy went there for help ( from her)… and they might be holding him hostage. And so, it seems that she’s fully roped in to that life, again. Because she HAS TO save the boy, and, find out exactly what’s going on!
This was a remarkable story with a major bass-ass FMC! And, I love that her husband is a surgeon… and accepts the fact that this is her life… and she NEEDS to help people out!
Loved the close knit characters who all care deeply for each other, even when they don’t see each other very often. And I loved how Kate became such a huge part of their family!
This was sweet, sassy, heartbreaking, terrifying and so much more!
Again, sad that this was his last book. 😕🙏🏼
#TheTreeOfLightAndFlowers (Jane Whitefield #11) by @ThomasPerry and narrated by @JoyceBean.
*** THIS ONE WAS RELEASED TODAY!!! *** 3/3/26! *** So, look for it on shelves now!!
Thanks so much to #NetGalley, @HighbridgeAudio and @Highbridge for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!!
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
Also, this is part of a series… I believe it was book #11. So I was a bit lost initially and felt like I was missing parts, but soon felt caught up…so, if you haven’t read any others in the series…you should be ok.
Jane is a tough woman. She has helped MANY people find themselves again. After a horrible death, a traumatic experience… or for any number of reasons that people might need to start over again. She is the one to seek out!
AND, she knows the people to hook you up with all the info you might need along the way! Kind of like witness protection… but way off the grid!
But… she’s married and has recently had a baby. Sweet Baby Mae. So, she’s decided that THIS LIFE is now in her rear view mirror. From here on out it’s all about her, hubby and Baby Mae.
But, as we all know, things don’t always go as planned…. And a young, teenage girl comes to her for help, after a tragic event in her life. One that she’s not sure she’ll ever get through, over, or be able to forget…
And so, Kate is re-born. And she’s now helping Jane with the baby…
But of course, it doesn’t end there. She gets word from an old friend/contact that people have moved in to her old home… and they think that a young boy went there for help ( from her)… and they might be holding him hostage. And so, it seems that she’s fully roped in to that life, again. Because she HAS TO save the boy, and, find out exactly what’s going on!
This was a remarkable story with a major bass-ass FMC! And, I love that her husband is a surgeon… and accepts the fact that this is her life… and she NEEDS to help people out!
Loved the close knit characters who all care deeply for each other, even when they don’t see each other very often. And I loved how Kate became such a huge part of their family!
This was sweet, sassy, heartbreaking, terrifying and so much more!
Again, sad that this was his last book. 😕🙏🏼
#TheTreeOfLightAndFlowers (Jane Whitefield #11) by @ThomasPerry and narrated by @JoyceBean.
*** THIS ONE WAS RELEASED TODAY!!! *** 3/3/26! *** So, look for it on shelves now!!
Thanks so much to #NetGalley, @HighbridgeAudio and @Highbridge for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!!
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
February 11, 2026
The Tree of Light and Flowers by Thomas Perry. Thanks to @penzlerpub for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Jane Whitefield has just had a baby and is turning away from her previous life of sheltering women on the run from dangerous people. Unfortunately one of those dangerous people aren’t done with her, and Jane now needs to not only protect herself but her family as well.
While part of the Jane Whitefield series, you can definitely read this as a standalone. I’ve read a few of the books but in no particular order. The story tells you enough of the background as it goes and you know immediately the important part; that Jane Whitefield is a major badass. After a few chapters, the excitement starts and it doesn’t let go. The chapters fly by. I’d say I would be looking forward to the next one, except unfortunately Thomas Perry passed away in September last year. He certainly left a legacy and there are plenty of books to read that he left us.
“A few people who break laws do it for good reasons, but not many. Others will take what you have and leave you dead.”
Read if you like:
-Bad ass female characters
-Past Jane Whitefield novels
-Fast paced action thrillers
-Women vigilantes
The Tree of Light and Flowers comes out 3/3.
Jane Whitefield has just had a baby and is turning away from her previous life of sheltering women on the run from dangerous people. Unfortunately one of those dangerous people aren’t done with her, and Jane now needs to not only protect herself but her family as well.
While part of the Jane Whitefield series, you can definitely read this as a standalone. I’ve read a few of the books but in no particular order. The story tells you enough of the background as it goes and you know immediately the important part; that Jane Whitefield is a major badass. After a few chapters, the excitement starts and it doesn’t let go. The chapters fly by. I’d say I would be looking forward to the next one, except unfortunately Thomas Perry passed away in September last year. He certainly left a legacy and there are plenty of books to read that he left us.
“A few people who break laws do it for good reasons, but not many. Others will take what you have and leave you dead.”
Read if you like:
-Bad ass female characters
-Past Jane Whitefield novels
-Fast paced action thrillers
-Women vigilantes
The Tree of Light and Flowers comes out 3/3.
March 18, 2026
I love Thomas Perry's books, and hadn't heard about his death until this week. This book seems appropriate, closing the door on his and Jane's legacy.
April 11, 2026
Started at the end of this series. Book 10 with Jane Whitfield. I was pleasantly surprised and will add some more of the series to my list. Writing is good and the story was interesting and also nerve wracking. Jane helps people in trouble start a new life with a new name. I liked her a lot as a protagonist.
Yay for a new prolific author.
Yay for a new prolific author.
April 28, 2026
2.5 stars rounded up, though I strongly do not recommend the audio version. The narrator was terrible.
The story was compelling, but the characters were flat and the detail was oddly specific in some parts while being frustratingly vague in others.
I have never read any of the books in this series, though it wasn't hard to step in. However, given it is the last in the series and I didn't love it, I likely won't go back and read the others.
The story was compelling, but the characters were flat and the detail was oddly specific in some parts while being frustratingly vague in others.
I have never read any of the books in this series, though it wasn't hard to step in. However, given it is the last in the series and I didn't love it, I likely won't go back and read the others.
September 27, 2025
Wow, what a treat, another Jane Whitefield adventure!. Jane is of course married, but now she has a little one in her life too, their daughter May. Life is going along pretty well and then someone needs her help, then the people who tried to take her three years ago return and a second person needs help. Jane has to maneuver with all these parties and move her own family while she tries to work things out.
This book was almost impossible to put down. It starts out with a car accident and then just keeps on rolling. Very suspenseful and there were moments that had me holding my breath. You are going to have to read it to see how or if things work out and for whom. This was a really good book. I tried to not read it to fast, but that was impossible.
I would like to thank The Mysterious Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
This book was almost impossible to put down. It starts out with a car accident and then just keeps on rolling. Very suspenseful and there were moments that had me holding my breath. You are going to have to read it to see how or if things work out and for whom. This was a really good book. I tried to not read it to fast, but that was impossible.
I would like to thank The Mysterious Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
September 27, 2025
Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Tree of light and Flowers.
It is with sadness to recognize the passing of Thomas Perry recently. He is an author that always provided a book filled with great insight and inspiration as well as mystery and suspense.
This book follows my favorite hero Jane Whitfield a Seneca Indian woman who makes people in trouble disappear.
In this book Jane helps a young woman accused of murder while having to disappear herself from some really bad people.
A cross country flight keeps Jane running for her life and the life of her family.
This is a terrifying situation for Jane as she now has a baby to care for.
Can she outrun while keeping herself alive because she’s not alone anymore. Her family is everything to her.
Excellent! 5 stars
It is with sadness to recognize the passing of Thomas Perry recently. He is an author that always provided a book filled with great insight and inspiration as well as mystery and suspense.
This book follows my favorite hero Jane Whitfield a Seneca Indian woman who makes people in trouble disappear.
In this book Jane helps a young woman accused of murder while having to disappear herself from some really bad people.
A cross country flight keeps Jane running for her life and the life of her family.
This is a terrifying situation for Jane as she now has a baby to care for.
Can she outrun while keeping herself alive because she’s not alone anymore. Her family is everything to her.
Excellent! 5 stars
April 30, 2026
4.5 stars. It breaks my heart that this will most probably be the last Jane Whitefield book since Thomas Perry passed away suddenly last September. I have loved every book written by this amazing author that I have read or listened to. I also got the hardcover book as well since there was a letter to the reader written by Thomas Perry talking about the major change in Jane Whitefield's life that would make it impossible for her to continue to make new lives for people in danger. There was also a letter included by Jo Perry, Thomas Perry's wife. I'm hoping there are still a few of his books that I've missed, but, if not, I own enough of his books that I can always listen to or reread. He's an amazing writer and is greatly missed.
May 11, 2026
Jane Whitefield has a lot more to lose now, and everything to gain. This one was less action-packed than previous books. The middle was slow, but the story picked up again in the final third. A fitting end to the series. Thank you, Mr. Perry, for so many amazing books over the years. I’ve enjoyed each of them.
March 6, 2026
I love this series!
April 5, 2026
Not my favorite Jane Whitefield but a fitting end to the series. Interesting to think that no one slammed Perry (to my knowledge) for writing about a Native American woman.
April 7, 2026
It!s a nice finish to a good series
March 19, 2026
RIP Mr Perry.
March 27, 2026
this one was in an article of new books recommened. i thought it was meh, just didn't didn't the characters or plot interesting. the language was kind of basic and dull.
a girl is accused of murder when she kills a guy trying to rape her and she goes for help with hiding to a woman with a history of doing that.
a girl is accused of murder when she kills a guy trying to rape her and she goes for help with hiding to a woman with a history of doing that.
March 26, 2026
I loved the books that Thomas Perry wrote. He wrote a few clunkers and unfortunately his last book is one of them. I loved the Jane Whitefield series but this one won't be on my list of favorites.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
THE FINAL JANE WHITFIELD NOVEL.
These were the words that hit me when I turned to look at the back cover of THE TREE OF LIGHT AND FLOWERS by Thomas Perry. Regrettably, we lost Thomas on September 15, 2025, at the age of 78, so I knew this day was coming. I do not know if he had any other works in the hopper for future release at the time of his passing, but I gingerly opened the pages of this novel with the intention of savoring the experience of his writing for possibly the last time.
Stunning imagery from a passage of a novel called The Death and Rebirth of the Senca by Anthony F.C. Wallace provides symbolic references that are quite evident as readers dive into this story. In particular, there are the descriptions of a tree that is to be the new home for an unnamed female who is to become the mother of all-beings. This chilling and insightful passage will remain in your psyche as you read this final Jane Whitfield novel and the journey she herself is on within it.
To begin with, Jane is very pregnant and is involved in a car accident where her vehicle is struck from behind and driven off road into a tree. This collision brings on immediate labor as she is rushed to the hospital to save the life of both she and her unborn child. We next meet a Russian inmate of a woman’s prison named Magda who is part of an elaborate scheme to break her out of jail and set her on the path of locating the woman named Jane Whitfield whom her nefarious benefactors seek revenge upon.
The third principle character in this story on a different path to Jane Whitfield is a teen-ager named Clare Markham who had been raped and abused by an attacker. She has heard of the Native American woman named Jane Whitfield in the Buffalo, New York, area and knows she must get on a series of buses to make her way to her as she has been told that Jane is the only one who can help her and the unborn and unwanted child she currently carries.
Clare completes her journey from Oklahoma to upstate New York and does indeed locate Jane Whitfield, who is busy with her newborn daughter named May. Jane will provide the same service she has in the past for wayward souls who find her and need both protection and a new identity to hide from those that might seek to harm them. The issue, as readers are well aware, is that the third party in this three-pronged tale, Magda, will also be able to find Jane Whitfield and the confrontation could be deadly for all involved.
Magda is backed by some highly dangerous Russian operatives who not only protect her but provide her with all the resources necessary to make her own journey to upstate New York for the inevitable showdown. Thomas Perry, who always had a way with words, is able to describe the events that led to this showdown with troubling accuracy that provides the suspense behind this tale.
Jane remains true to her mantra of helping others who seek to become a new person and have the chance to start over free of the problems that prevented them in their previous life. It was her commitment to this that put her on the spectrum of dangerous people like Magda and her benefactors, who now seek information from Jane about someone she helped in the past. THE TREE OF LIGHT AND FLOWERS is a cathartic tale for all the characters involved and shows how the important and kind work which Jane Whitfield has dedicated her life can become tainted by the evil and violent nature of the world around her. Thomas Perry and his unique storytelling, along with his great characters, will indeed be missed.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
These were the words that hit me when I turned to look at the back cover of THE TREE OF LIGHT AND FLOWERS by Thomas Perry. Regrettably, we lost Thomas on September 15, 2025, at the age of 78, so I knew this day was coming. I do not know if he had any other works in the hopper for future release at the time of his passing, but I gingerly opened the pages of this novel with the intention of savoring the experience of his writing for possibly the last time.
Stunning imagery from a passage of a novel called The Death and Rebirth of the Senca by Anthony F.C. Wallace provides symbolic references that are quite evident as readers dive into this story. In particular, there are the descriptions of a tree that is to be the new home for an unnamed female who is to become the mother of all-beings. This chilling and insightful passage will remain in your psyche as you read this final Jane Whitfield novel and the journey she herself is on within it.
To begin with, Jane is very pregnant and is involved in a car accident where her vehicle is struck from behind and driven off road into a tree. This collision brings on immediate labor as she is rushed to the hospital to save the life of both she and her unborn child. We next meet a Russian inmate of a woman’s prison named Magda who is part of an elaborate scheme to break her out of jail and set her on the path of locating the woman named Jane Whitfield whom her nefarious benefactors seek revenge upon.
The third principle character in this story on a different path to Jane Whitfield is a teen-ager named Clare Markham who had been raped and abused by an attacker. She has heard of the Native American woman named Jane Whitfield in the Buffalo, New York, area and knows she must get on a series of buses to make her way to her as she has been told that Jane is the only one who can help her and the unborn and unwanted child she currently carries.
Clare completes her journey from Oklahoma to upstate New York and does indeed locate Jane Whitfield, who is busy with her newborn daughter named May. Jane will provide the same service she has in the past for wayward souls who find her and need both protection and a new identity to hide from those that might seek to harm them. The issue, as readers are well aware, is that the third party in this three-pronged tale, Magda, will also be able to find Jane Whitfield and the confrontation could be deadly for all involved.
Magda is backed by some highly dangerous Russian operatives who not only protect her but provide her with all the resources necessary to make her own journey to upstate New York for the inevitable showdown. Thomas Perry, who always had a way with words, is able to describe the events that led to this showdown with troubling accuracy that provides the suspense behind this tale.
Jane remains true to her mantra of helping others who seek to become a new person and have the chance to start over free of the problems that prevented them in their previous life. It was her commitment to this that put her on the spectrum of dangerous people like Magda and her benefactors, who now seek information from Jane about someone she helped in the past. THE TREE OF LIGHT AND FLOWERS is a cathartic tale for all the characters involved and shows how the important and kind work which Jane Whitfield has dedicated her life can become tainted by the evil and violent nature of the world around her. Thomas Perry and his unique storytelling, along with his great characters, will indeed be missed.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This time her rescue mission is as personal as it gets
For years Jane Whitefield has been someone who assists those in need of disappearing to do so, helping them to escape bad situations, evade the dangerous people who wish them harm, establish new identities and learn to live as an entirely different person. She is one of the best "guides" (as she likes to think of herself) that there is, and has no qualms about doing whatever needs to be done in order to guide those she rescues to safety. But her personal life of late has changed; she has a husband now and a brand new baby, and consequently has much more to lose if things go wrong. When a young Native girl, on the run since a man (brother to a cop) tried to rape her and she killed him in defending herself, arrives in search of Jane and her services Jane can't refuse to help her. She brings the girl into her home as a live-in babysitter, telling her husband what she thinks he needs to hear rather than the truth of the girl's circumstances. But another person in need of Jane's services arrives soon after, just as an adversary from Jane's past also comes to town looking to settle scores. Jane now has to protect not just the two people who came to her for help from those who are tracking them; she has to protect her husband, her baby daughter and herself from the Russian criminal with whom she has unfinished business at the same time. Can she keep everyone safe, or is she going to have to make some difficult choices and live with the consequences?
This is the tenth and final novel in author Thomas Perry's series featuring Jane Whitefield, the daughter of a Seneca father and a white mother who possesses an innate ability to help people disappear. It is also the final installment in the series, the author having passed away last year just after completing the novel. Jane is an interesting protagonist, a smart and savvy woman who uses the skills she has learned and developed over the years alongside her knowledge of Native customs and traditions to aid innocent people in danger to escape and create new lives. Her husband knows of her activities but does not wholly approve of them, particularly as they frequently put her life in danger (and do not always stay within legal boundaries). She has been enjoying this new stage of her life, more focused on the domestic than the dangerous, but must suddenly cope with her family being the hunted when a past foe tracks her down. The suspense quickly builds and Jane needs every bit of ingenuity and survival skills to bring about a happy ending for those she loves. It can easily be read as a standalone, but readers of the series will particularly enjoy this tension-filled ending to a solid series. Those who enjoy Lee Child, Gregg Hurwitz and Harlan Coben should give this novel, and the series as a whole, a try. I found it a well-crafted finale to an excellent series, and thank NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Mysterious Press for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.
For years Jane Whitefield has been someone who assists those in need of disappearing to do so, helping them to escape bad situations, evade the dangerous people who wish them harm, establish new identities and learn to live as an entirely different person. She is one of the best "guides" (as she likes to think of herself) that there is, and has no qualms about doing whatever needs to be done in order to guide those she rescues to safety. But her personal life of late has changed; she has a husband now and a brand new baby, and consequently has much more to lose if things go wrong. When a young Native girl, on the run since a man (brother to a cop) tried to rape her and she killed him in defending herself, arrives in search of Jane and her services Jane can't refuse to help her. She brings the girl into her home as a live-in babysitter, telling her husband what she thinks he needs to hear rather than the truth of the girl's circumstances. But another person in need of Jane's services arrives soon after, just as an adversary from Jane's past also comes to town looking to settle scores. Jane now has to protect not just the two people who came to her for help from those who are tracking them; she has to protect her husband, her baby daughter and herself from the Russian criminal with whom she has unfinished business at the same time. Can she keep everyone safe, or is she going to have to make some difficult choices and live with the consequences?
This is the tenth and final novel in author Thomas Perry's series featuring Jane Whitefield, the daughter of a Seneca father and a white mother who possesses an innate ability to help people disappear. It is also the final installment in the series, the author having passed away last year just after completing the novel. Jane is an interesting protagonist, a smart and savvy woman who uses the skills she has learned and developed over the years alongside her knowledge of Native customs and traditions to aid innocent people in danger to escape and create new lives. Her husband knows of her activities but does not wholly approve of them, particularly as they frequently put her life in danger (and do not always stay within legal boundaries). She has been enjoying this new stage of her life, more focused on the domestic than the dangerous, but must suddenly cope with her family being the hunted when a past foe tracks her down. The suspense quickly builds and Jane needs every bit of ingenuity and survival skills to bring about a happy ending for those she loves. It can easily be read as a standalone, but readers of the series will particularly enjoy this tension-filled ending to a solid series. Those who enjoy Lee Child, Gregg Hurwitz and Harlan Coben should give this novel, and the series as a whole, a try. I found it a well-crafted finale to an excellent series, and thank NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Mysterious Press for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.
March 8, 2026
THE FINAL JANE WHITEFIELD NOVEL
These were the words that hit me when I turned to the back cover of THE TREE OF LIGHT AND FLOWERS. Sadly, we lost Thomas Perry in September 2025 at the age of 78, so I knew this day was coming. I gingerly opened the pages of this novel with the intention of savoring the experience of his writing for possibly the last time.
Stunning imagery from a portion of THE DEATH AND REBIRTH OF THE SENECA by Anthony F. C. Wallace provides symbolic references that are quite evident as readers dive into the story. In particular, there are the descriptions of a tree that will be the new home for an unnamed female who is to become the mother of all beings. This chilling and insightful passage will remain in your psyche as you read this final Jane Whitefield novel and the journey she is on.
To begin with, Jane is very pregnant and is involved in a car accident that causes her vehicle to be driven off the road and into a tree. The collision brings on immediate labor as she is rushed to the hospital to save the lives of both her and her unborn child.
We then meet Magda Kaprovna, a Russian inmate at a women’s prison who is part of an elaborate scheme to break out of jail and hunt down Jane, upon whom her nefarious benefactors seek revenge.
The third principal character is 16-year-old Clare Markham, who thwarted an attempted rape by stabbing her attacker. She has heard of Jane, who is in the Buffalo, New York, area, and knows that she must get on a series of buses to make her way to her. She has been told that Jane is the only one who can help get her life back on track.
Clare does indeed locate Jane, who is busy with her newborn daughter, May. Jane will provide the same service she has in the past for wayward souls who find her and need both protection and a new identity to hide from those who might seek to harm them. The issue, as readers are well aware, is that Magda is also looking for Jane, and the confrontation could be deadly for all involved.
Magda is backed by some highly dangerous Russian operatives who not only protect her but provide her with all the resources necessary to make her own journey to upstate New York for the inevitable showdown. Perry, who always had a way with words, is able to describe the events that lead to this faceoff with troubling accuracy, which intensifies the suspense.
Jane remains true to her mantra of helping others who wish to start over free of the problems that hampered them in their previous life. It is this commitment that puts her on the spectrum of dangerous people like Magda and her benefactors, who now seek information from her about certain people she has assisted.
THE TREE OF LIGHT AND FLOWERS is a cathartic tale for all involved and shows how the important and kind work to which Jane Whitefield has dedicated her life can become tainted by the evil and violent nature of the world around her. Thomas Perry and his unique storytelling, along with his great characters, will be missed.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
These were the words that hit me when I turned to the back cover of THE TREE OF LIGHT AND FLOWERS. Sadly, we lost Thomas Perry in September 2025 at the age of 78, so I knew this day was coming. I gingerly opened the pages of this novel with the intention of savoring the experience of his writing for possibly the last time.
Stunning imagery from a portion of THE DEATH AND REBIRTH OF THE SENECA by Anthony F. C. Wallace provides symbolic references that are quite evident as readers dive into the story. In particular, there are the descriptions of a tree that will be the new home for an unnamed female who is to become the mother of all beings. This chilling and insightful passage will remain in your psyche as you read this final Jane Whitefield novel and the journey she is on.
To begin with, Jane is very pregnant and is involved in a car accident that causes her vehicle to be driven off the road and into a tree. The collision brings on immediate labor as she is rushed to the hospital to save the lives of both her and her unborn child.
We then meet Magda Kaprovna, a Russian inmate at a women’s prison who is part of an elaborate scheme to break out of jail and hunt down Jane, upon whom her nefarious benefactors seek revenge.
The third principal character is 16-year-old Clare Markham, who thwarted an attempted rape by stabbing her attacker. She has heard of Jane, who is in the Buffalo, New York, area, and knows that she must get on a series of buses to make her way to her. She has been told that Jane is the only one who can help get her life back on track.
Clare does indeed locate Jane, who is busy with her newborn daughter, May. Jane will provide the same service she has in the past for wayward souls who find her and need both protection and a new identity to hide from those who might seek to harm them. The issue, as readers are well aware, is that Magda is also looking for Jane, and the confrontation could be deadly for all involved.
Magda is backed by some highly dangerous Russian operatives who not only protect her but provide her with all the resources necessary to make her own journey to upstate New York for the inevitable showdown. Perry, who always had a way with words, is able to describe the events that lead to this faceoff with troubling accuracy, which intensifies the suspense.
Jane remains true to her mantra of helping others who wish to start over free of the problems that hampered them in their previous life. It is this commitment that puts her on the spectrum of dangerous people like Magda and her benefactors, who now seek information from her about certain people she has assisted.
THE TREE OF LIGHT AND FLOWERS is a cathartic tale for all involved and shows how the important and kind work to which Jane Whitefield has dedicated her life can become tainted by the evil and violent nature of the world around her. Thomas Perry and his unique storytelling, along with his great characters, will be missed.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
April 12, 2026
Well, here is a very honest review. Because I have read the 5 or 6 earliest Jane Whitefield books in this series and never read the rest until I happen to find this one on the Library New Shelf.
Not knowing that the author had passed and that this one was the last and final Jane! Well I actually got almost half way through the reading before I happen to note those facts within another Goodread friend's reaction update.
I finished the entire. The first half I read quite slowly and did return with interest. The last third I went much quicker with close to a speed read (not quite because I slowed down for immense detail) but I think with all those logistics used it went from a 4 star to a solid 3. Not even a 3.5 stars.
Jane is like a robot. Having so many levels of adversaries? Three groups here, at least. And the plot ties all of those threads "up" with so many deaths and location movements? Not believable in any stretch, let alone with a husband, baby and added teenager. And no one ever "talks". Does this scenario ever consider over these lengths of years that even 2 people cannot "keep a secret". At times it will only come out in stretched context or stranger situations references, but groups CANNOT keep secrets. It has been proven scientifically over and over and over in cognition studies. Not as many individuals or groups that Jane has "helped" in the past could even sustain networks this length or depth. Not even the one teenager example here could. Only if they were entirely alone and never spoke in references or conversation with other people. Human cognition doesn't work as this particular book posits it.
Also having the Magda and Pavel bunch in there? Ridiculous situations that of course could have been profitable. BUT. Where is the money that that gang is following? Are all these former identity helped in the past now millionaires to soak? LOL. Well I could go on and on. But I won't make it a treatise.
Whoever helped write this after Perry's death- maybe helped his estate's bottom line but it would have been better to leave Jane where she was and how she was. Cold actually to those closer to her as she is an obsessed fanatic at core. Also adding so much of the Native American "reality" in this day and age is also around the bend. Have these readers ever gone to see councils or know any tribal situations as they exist now? Nope. Do so and you will see that most of this is counter to reality.
Really, truly a 2 star fairy tale. But I rounded it up for the departed's efforts alone. This was NOT written only by him at all. The first half was- most of the second half was not. I'd bet on it and I'm not even a gambler.
Not knowing that the author had passed and that this one was the last and final Jane! Well I actually got almost half way through the reading before I happen to note those facts within another Goodread friend's reaction update.
I finished the entire. The first half I read quite slowly and did return with interest. The last third I went much quicker with close to a speed read (not quite because I slowed down for immense detail) but I think with all those logistics used it went from a 4 star to a solid 3. Not even a 3.5 stars.
Jane is like a robot. Having so many levels of adversaries? Three groups here, at least. And the plot ties all of those threads "up" with so many deaths and location movements? Not believable in any stretch, let alone with a husband, baby and added teenager. And no one ever "talks". Does this scenario ever consider over these lengths of years that even 2 people cannot "keep a secret". At times it will only come out in stretched context or stranger situations references, but groups CANNOT keep secrets. It has been proven scientifically over and over and over in cognition studies. Not as many individuals or groups that Jane has "helped" in the past could even sustain networks this length or depth. Not even the one teenager example here could. Only if they were entirely alone and never spoke in references or conversation with other people. Human cognition doesn't work as this particular book posits it.
Also having the Magda and Pavel bunch in there? Ridiculous situations that of course could have been profitable. BUT. Where is the money that that gang is following? Are all these former identity helped in the past now millionaires to soak? LOL. Well I could go on and on. But I won't make it a treatise.
Whoever helped write this after Perry's death- maybe helped his estate's bottom line but it would have been better to leave Jane where she was and how she was. Cold actually to those closer to her as she is an obsessed fanatic at core. Also adding so much of the Native American "reality" in this day and age is also around the bend. Have these readers ever gone to see councils or know any tribal situations as they exist now? Nope. Do so and you will see that most of this is counter to reality.
Really, truly a 2 star fairy tale. But I rounded it up for the departed's efforts alone. This was NOT written only by him at all. The first half was- most of the second half was not. I'd bet on it and I'm not even a gambler.
November 17, 2025
I am so sorry to read that Thomas Perry died suddenly on Sept. 15th this year. He has been one of my favorite mystery authors since the early 1990’s. His series on Jane Whitefield is a classic and has won Perry many awards over the years. You might know him as the author of stand-alones such as The Old Man which was a TV series starring Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow in 2022.
And I DO love Perry’s stand-alone novels as well. But for me the best of his legacy will be the Jane Whitefield series of ten books. The latest, and unfortunately, the last, Jane Whitefield book will come out posthumously in March of 2026.
The Tree of Light and Flowers wraps up the Whitefield storyline which began in 1994 when Jane, a Seneca woman who helps people to disappear and obtain new identities, first was introduced in Vanishing Act. Jane works as guide again, and for the last time in Tree of Light and Flowers, when a teenage girl seeks her help from arrest after the teen killed her well-connected rapist. Jane has a new baby now, and she has a gang of crooks after her for the knowledge she holds of the 30 years of hiding people with secrets. Jane’s peaceful time as a new mother abruptly comes to an end.
I will miss Thomas Perry’s writings. He was one of the very best in the mystery genre. Perry won the Edgar Award in 1983 for his very first novel, The Butcher’s Boy. Vanishing Act was chosen as one of the the "100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century" by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association and was included in Parade's list of "101 Best Mystery Books of All Time."
Time changed and Jane Whitefield had to come up with new ways to disappear people, but she always did – even when technology took away many of her ways of cheating the system. If you haven’t read the first nine Jane Whitefield books, consider starting with Vanishing Act. I know you will love this series as I have. If you are caught up, then say goodbye to Thomas Perry and Jane Whitefield with the wonderful -- The Tree of Light and Flowers.
My rating: 5 of 5
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. The Tree of Light and Flowers will be published on March 2, 2026.
And I DO love Perry’s stand-alone novels as well. But for me the best of his legacy will be the Jane Whitefield series of ten books. The latest, and unfortunately, the last, Jane Whitefield book will come out posthumously in March of 2026.
The Tree of Light and Flowers wraps up the Whitefield storyline which began in 1994 when Jane, a Seneca woman who helps people to disappear and obtain new identities, first was introduced in Vanishing Act. Jane works as guide again, and for the last time in Tree of Light and Flowers, when a teenage girl seeks her help from arrest after the teen killed her well-connected rapist. Jane has a new baby now, and she has a gang of crooks after her for the knowledge she holds of the 30 years of hiding people with secrets. Jane’s peaceful time as a new mother abruptly comes to an end.
I will miss Thomas Perry’s writings. He was one of the very best in the mystery genre. Perry won the Edgar Award in 1983 for his very first novel, The Butcher’s Boy. Vanishing Act was chosen as one of the the "100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century" by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association and was included in Parade's list of "101 Best Mystery Books of All Time."
Time changed and Jane Whitefield had to come up with new ways to disappear people, but she always did – even when technology took away many of her ways of cheating the system. If you haven’t read the first nine Jane Whitefield books, consider starting with Vanishing Act. I know you will love this series as I have. If you are caught up, then say goodbye to Thomas Perry and Jane Whitefield with the wonderful -- The Tree of Light and Flowers.
My rating: 5 of 5
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. The Tree of Light and Flowers will be published on March 2, 2026.
November 23, 2025
Thanks to Penzler Publishing and Netgalley for this eARC.
Thomas Perry’s The Tree of Light and Flowers is a tense, emotionally layered addition to the Jane Whitefield series, blending the urgency of survival with the intimate challenges of family.
🌌 The novel opens with a violent car crash that shatters Jane Whitefield’s fragile peace, plunging her back into the dangerous world she thought she had left behind.
Perry’s prose is taut and immersive, creating a mood where domestic calm collides with sudden peril.
The tone balances suspense with emotional resonance, making the reader feel both the adrenaline of pursuit and the vulnerability of new parenthood.
👤 Jane Whitefield, long known for guiding fugitives to safety, now faces her most personal case: protecting her own family. Her husband and newborn child are drawn into the narrative not as passive figures but as catalysts for Jane’s return to her harrowing skills.
- Secondary characters—friends, enemies, and those caught in between—are shaded with Perry’s trademark ambiguity, forcing Jane (and the reader) to question trust at every turn.
🔍 Family and survival form the novel’s core, with Jane’s maternal instincts colliding with her professional expertise.
Perry explores the tension between identity and concealment, asking whether a life built on secrecy can ever truly be safe.
This story interrogates how trauma reshapes both memory and belonging, showing that even joy (like the birth of a child) can be shadowed by danger.
🎧 Perry structures the novel with deliberate pacing, weaving moments of quiet domesticity with bursts of action.
The narrative mirrors Jane’s fractured state—caught between the desire for peace and the inevitability of conflict.
His prose is precise yet evocative, grounding suspense in emotional stakes rather than spectacle.
⭐ The Tree of Light and Flowers is both a gripping thriller and a meditation on the cost of protection. By placing Jane’s own family at the center of the danger, Perry raises the emotional intensity of the series to new heights. It’s a novel that reminds readers that safety is never permanent, and that even the most skilled protector must confront the vulnerabilities of love.
Thomas Perry’s The Tree of Light and Flowers is a tense, emotionally layered addition to the Jane Whitefield series, blending the urgency of survival with the intimate challenges of family.
🌌 The novel opens with a violent car crash that shatters Jane Whitefield’s fragile peace, plunging her back into the dangerous world she thought she had left behind.
Perry’s prose is taut and immersive, creating a mood where domestic calm collides with sudden peril.
The tone balances suspense with emotional resonance, making the reader feel both the adrenaline of pursuit and the vulnerability of new parenthood.
👤 Jane Whitefield, long known for guiding fugitives to safety, now faces her most personal case: protecting her own family. Her husband and newborn child are drawn into the narrative not as passive figures but as catalysts for Jane’s return to her harrowing skills.
- Secondary characters—friends, enemies, and those caught in between—are shaded with Perry’s trademark ambiguity, forcing Jane (and the reader) to question trust at every turn.
🔍 Family and survival form the novel’s core, with Jane’s maternal instincts colliding with her professional expertise.
Perry explores the tension between identity and concealment, asking whether a life built on secrecy can ever truly be safe.
This story interrogates how trauma reshapes both memory and belonging, showing that even joy (like the birth of a child) can be shadowed by danger.
🎧 Perry structures the novel with deliberate pacing, weaving moments of quiet domesticity with bursts of action.
The narrative mirrors Jane’s fractured state—caught between the desire for peace and the inevitability of conflict.
His prose is precise yet evocative, grounding suspense in emotional stakes rather than spectacle.
⭐ The Tree of Light and Flowers is both a gripping thriller and a meditation on the cost of protection. By placing Jane’s own family at the center of the danger, Perry raises the emotional intensity of the series to new heights. It’s a novel that reminds readers that safety is never permanent, and that even the most skilled protector must confront the vulnerabilities of love.
April 23, 2026
"A violent car crash brings on the premature birth of the baby that Jane Whitefield and her husband have hoped for, but it also shatters the period of calm in their lives like an earthquake triggering a tectonic shift.
Within weeks, Jane’s peaceful time as a new mother in a safe, harmonious home starts to revert to her harrowing previous life. She had spent over a decade rescuing and sheltering people from dangerous foes, taking them to new locations, and teaching them to live under new identities. It was something that she’d hoped to never have to do again.
Nearly simultaneously, as though the events were connected, people who are thousands of miles apart in vastly different circumstances start to move. Some of them are in terrible need of help finding a route to safety. Some are dedicated to serving justice. Others are determined to capture the woman who makes people disappear so they can force her to reveal where their potential victims are now. All of these travelers are soon on their way to the old house in western New York.
Suddenly the people requiring Jane’s special skills include not only multiple fugitives, but also Jane herself, her husband, and their newborn, as the danger she faces comes from people who know how to find her. She’ll need to use everything she’s ever learned in order to survive."
This was so well-received by other readers, and I had high hopes for an author whom I had not previously read.
Instead, it was overwhelmingly annoying. This might be due to not having been familiar with the previous books on Jane Whitefield. Nonetheless, I did not know how Jane acquired her amazing (and lethal) skills, where she got the very large sums of money she required, how she convinced her husband to go along with her plans and the impacts on their families, and on and on. I will not be reading more by this author.
Within weeks, Jane’s peaceful time as a new mother in a safe, harmonious home starts to revert to her harrowing previous life. She had spent over a decade rescuing and sheltering people from dangerous foes, taking them to new locations, and teaching them to live under new identities. It was something that she’d hoped to never have to do again.
Nearly simultaneously, as though the events were connected, people who are thousands of miles apart in vastly different circumstances start to move. Some of them are in terrible need of help finding a route to safety. Some are dedicated to serving justice. Others are determined to capture the woman who makes people disappear so they can force her to reveal where their potential victims are now. All of these travelers are soon on their way to the old house in western New York.
Suddenly the people requiring Jane’s special skills include not only multiple fugitives, but also Jane herself, her husband, and their newborn, as the danger she faces comes from people who know how to find her. She’ll need to use everything she’s ever learned in order to survive."
This was so well-received by other readers, and I had high hopes for an author whom I had not previously read.
Instead, it was overwhelmingly annoying. This might be due to not having been familiar with the previous books on Jane Whitefield. Nonetheless, I did not know how Jane acquired her amazing (and lethal) skills, where she got the very large sums of money she required, how she convinced her husband to go along with her plans and the impacts on their families, and on and on. I will not be reading more by this author.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I received this book as part of a free promotion. All opinions are my own. 4.5 out of 5 rounded up
The Tree of Light and Flowers introduces readers to Jane Whitefield, a woman who appears to have it all — a loving husband, a supportive family, and a new baby girl named May. On the surface, she seems like a typical suburban wife and mother. But Jane has a past — and it’s not one that stays buried for long.
Before settling into family life, Jane made a name for herself helping people disappear. Now, that past is catching up to her. Some people are searching for her because they desperately need her help. Others are hunting her for far more dangerous reasons. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Jane can’t simply walk away from who she used to be.
I really enjoyed this book. This is my first time reading Thomas Perry, and it definitely won’t be my last. While the pacing starts off a bit slow, it quickly gains momentum as multiple storylines begin to intertwine. We follow a young girl accused of murder, a man fleeing his former boss, and a group of Russians trying to track Jane down to profit from the secrets she holds. Watching these threads gradually collide kept me hooked.
What makes the story especially compelling is the tension between Jane’s past and her present. She’s not just protecting clients anymore — she’s protecting her husband and newborn daughter. The stakes feel personal, and that emotional layer adds real weight to the suspense.
If you enjoy thrillers with strong, intelligent female leads and layered plots that build toward explosive confrontations, this one is worth picking up. I’m already looking forward to reading more from this author.
The Tree of Light and Flowers introduces readers to Jane Whitefield, a woman who appears to have it all — a loving husband, a supportive family, and a new baby girl named May. On the surface, she seems like a typical suburban wife and mother. But Jane has a past — and it’s not one that stays buried for long.
Before settling into family life, Jane made a name for herself helping people disappear. Now, that past is catching up to her. Some people are searching for her because they desperately need her help. Others are hunting her for far more dangerous reasons. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Jane can’t simply walk away from who she used to be.
I really enjoyed this book. This is my first time reading Thomas Perry, and it definitely won’t be my last. While the pacing starts off a bit slow, it quickly gains momentum as multiple storylines begin to intertwine. We follow a young girl accused of murder, a man fleeing his former boss, and a group of Russians trying to track Jane down to profit from the secrets she holds. Watching these threads gradually collide kept me hooked.
What makes the story especially compelling is the tension between Jane’s past and her present. She’s not just protecting clients anymore — she’s protecting her husband and newborn daughter. The stakes feel personal, and that emotional layer adds real weight to the suspense.
If you enjoy thrillers with strong, intelligent female leads and layered plots that build toward explosive confrontations, this one is worth picking up. I’m already looking forward to reading more from this author.
March 7, 2026
The Tree of Light and Flowers by Thomas Perry is a thriller. In my mind, to make a thriller viable, one must care about the protagonist. Without caring, the thriller is somewhat empty chases. In this case, the protagonist is Jane, who helps people disappear; people who do not quality for government help. She has been successful for years, although it is getting more difficult, with technology and all. Her newest client is Clare Markham, a young woman who had accidentally killed a man as he was trying to rape her, with his own weapon. The problem was that he was a son of the local gentry and she was a sixteen year old Native American. The cards were stacked against her. The book opens with Jane getting in a car accident, which brought on early labor. She had married a man she loved, a doctor, and now they had a daughter. She had more people to worry about.
Someone wanted to find her. To kill her? Maybe. As it turns out, so they could torture her and get the names of people she had relocated so they could sell them to whomever was looking for them. It is a chase the entire time, but an interesting one. This is a woman who can take care of herself. We see it time and time again. She is also loyal as are the people she helps. A sixteen year old can not be relocated so Jane and Carey took on the responsibility of seeing her educated and ready for relocation down the road. Magna has been paid to capture Jane. She is smart. But, not quite as smart as Jane. This was a chase. Dead bodies. It was a good one: cleverly written with a totally engaging protagonist. I recommend it.
I was invited to read The Tree of Light and Flowers by Penzler Publishers. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #PenzlerPublishers #ThomasPerry #TheTreeOfLightAndFlowers
Someone wanted to find her. To kill her? Maybe. As it turns out, so they could torture her and get the names of people she had relocated so they could sell them to whomever was looking for them. It is a chase the entire time, but an interesting one. This is a woman who can take care of herself. We see it time and time again. She is also loyal as are the people she helps. A sixteen year old can not be relocated so Jane and Carey took on the responsibility of seeing her educated and ready for relocation down the road. Magna has been paid to capture Jane. She is smart. But, not quite as smart as Jane. This was a chase. Dead bodies. It was a good one: cleverly written with a totally engaging protagonist. I recommend it.
I was invited to read The Tree of Light and Flowers by Penzler Publishers. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #PenzlerPublishers #ThomasPerry #TheTreeOfLightAndFlowers
December 6, 2025
The Tree of Light and Flowers is in the highly popular Jane Whitefield series, one of the few series prolific writer Thomas Perry wrote over his long and distinguished career. The old saying "the devil is in the details" aptly describes a Jane Whitefield gripping thriller. Perry describes every careful step Jane must take to ensure the person (a runner) escaping a dangerous situation is truly disappeared forever from the chaser. It’s amazing how much work and expense is required to totally remake a person into someone that can’t be found. For years Jane has been guiding innocent people caught in life or death situations. Jane excels at developing for the runner a new detailed background, leaving no detail untouched, and then schools the runner on all phases of their fabricated backstory and how to handle their new lives in the future.
Jane, married with a child, has given up being a guide for those in desperate of help. To her dismay she unexpectedly finds herself once again in several potentially fatal situations as she is determined to protect and disappear two runners seeking her help. In addition a group of Russian thugs hired to find and capture Jane are given limitless funds to track her down and bring her in. Along with the two runners Jane and her family have become targets. Jane uses all her disappearing skills, calm under pressure demeanor, and creative MacGyver like thinking to keep herself, family, and runners safe. This gripping thriller is Thomas Perry at his best and a fitting finish to the Jane Whitefield saga. It’s a must read.
My thanks to The Mysterious Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this outstanding publication.
Jane, married with a child, has given up being a guide for those in desperate of help. To her dismay she unexpectedly finds herself once again in several potentially fatal situations as she is determined to protect and disappear two runners seeking her help. In addition a group of Russian thugs hired to find and capture Jane are given limitless funds to track her down and bring her in. Along with the two runners Jane and her family have become targets. Jane uses all her disappearing skills, calm under pressure demeanor, and creative MacGyver like thinking to keep herself, family, and runners safe. This gripping thriller is Thomas Perry at his best and a fitting finish to the Jane Whitefield saga. It’s a must read.
My thanks to The Mysterious Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this outstanding publication.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“The Tree of Light and Flowers” by Thomas Perry is the 10th novel in the Jane Whitefield series. Jane makes people disappear. You come to her in need; she helps you get away with a new identity. The story is really good.
However, I’m reviewing the audiobook. And therein lies the problem. To me, the story is a solid 4, with leanings towards a 4.5. The audiobook, not so much.
The audiobook is narrated by Joyce Bean. Her voice is pleasing to listen to, when she speaks in normal voice. However, decisions were made by someone that took me out of the story and just flat out irritated me.
When she is voicing a 16-year-old runaway, she sounds like every voice actor playing a 5- to 6-year-old girl. It made the character intolerable to listen to. And then there is the portrayal of Jane Whitefield, our protagonist. The narrator speaks in a very simplistic English when voicing Jane. Almost as if she is an adult trying to explain something to a small child (or Oscar explaining something to Michael Scott). It is almost a broken English in how Jane is voiced. But then later, when Jane is talking with a forger and his wife who are native American as Jane is, I realized they were being voiced the same way. I started focusing on the words (instead of the narration) to see if all native American characters were written in an old school stereotype. They were not. So, this means that this was a choice by the narrator or someone producing her. It ruined a good book.
If you want to consume this content, focus on the book, not the audiobook.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
However, I’m reviewing the audiobook. And therein lies the problem. To me, the story is a solid 4, with leanings towards a 4.5. The audiobook, not so much.
The audiobook is narrated by Joyce Bean. Her voice is pleasing to listen to, when she speaks in normal voice. However, decisions were made by someone that took me out of the story and just flat out irritated me.
When she is voicing a 16-year-old runaway, she sounds like every voice actor playing a 5- to 6-year-old girl. It made the character intolerable to listen to. And then there is the portrayal of Jane Whitefield, our protagonist. The narrator speaks in a very simplistic English when voicing Jane. Almost as if she is an adult trying to explain something to a small child (or Oscar explaining something to Michael Scott). It is almost a broken English in how Jane is voiced. But then later, when Jane is talking with a forger and his wife who are native American as Jane is, I realized they were being voiced the same way. I started focusing on the words (instead of the narration) to see if all native American characters were written in an old school stereotype. They were not. So, this means that this was a choice by the narrator or someone producing her. It ruined a good book.
If you want to consume this content, focus on the book, not the audiobook.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
April 2, 2026
The tenth and final novel in the Jane Whitefield series, which is really a conclusion to the events of Book #9, The Left-Handed Twin. Jane must protect her baby daughter and husband from ruthless Russian operatives led by Magda Kaprovna, who are still searching for her after she narrowly escaped death in the last book. They want to capture her to reveal all of the runners she has helped flee from persecution and sell their names to their respective pursuers. Meanwhile, a young Seneca fugitive, 16-year old Clare Markham, is on the run for killing the brother of a deputy in self-defense while he attempted to rape her. Jane uses her prodigious skills to place Clare in a private school, working as the family nanny before school starts, and rescuing two other innocents from the Russians. This book had a different feel for me, and I wonder if it was finished by a ghost writer after the author's death in 2025. As a simple example, I do not remember any book where Jane did not make a tobacco offering to the spirits (smudging) and there were too many forced Native American words used.
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