Created by Thomas Perry
In the 2024 standalone Hero, Thomas Perry, creator of Jane Whitfield, gives us another strong, resourceful female. But JUSTINE POOLE isn’t a “guide,” shepherding people into a new life under new identities.
Nope, Justine—we eventually fid out—has already done that. Not that it matters—it’s her present life, as a personal security agent (ie: bodyguard) for a high-priced and well-regarded Los Angeles firm that lands her in trouble.
She’s young, ambitious, attractive and very good at her job, protecting wealthy, high-profile Hollywood celebrities, attending lavish galas and hobnobbing with Hollywood’s rich and famous. And then she gets a call from her boss, who suspects a couple he’s been guarding—an elderly television producer and his wife—are possibly targets. Rushing to the couple’s Beverly Hills home, Justine confronts five armed robbers, who open fire. Her training kicks in, and she kills two of them, reluctantly becoming the “hero” of the title.
But it doesn’t last. Her brief moment of local fame doesn’t go well with the fragile ego of Mr. Conger, the man behind the robbery; a cunning, self-styled criminal mastermind who takes umbrage at a lone young “girl” who not only takes out two of his lackeys, but more importantly blows his scheme to smithereens. Gee, what will all the other criminal masterminds think?
So he dispatches Leo Sealy, a coldly efficient assassin, to take out Justine and hopefully restore the chronically insecure Conger’s reputation. Should be a snap, Leo figures, especially with the local, easily manipulated media more than eager to broadcast info on Justine and her current whereabouts. And so begins a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, as the young bodyguard finds herself trying to stay out of the sights (literally) of a much more experienced and deadly foe.
I said cat-and-mouse, but maybe I should have said roadrunner-and-coyote. It turns out the Justine is unexpectedly resourceful, clever and… lucky. A few coincidences click into place, a few missteps occur and the increasingly frustrated Leo, it turns out, is rattled, making him even more dangerous.
It’s a fine romp, a blood-flecked cartoon of deadly intentions and random chaos. Not a surprise though—besides the Whitfield series, Perry is the author of acclaimed tautly wound thrillers such as The Old Man and The Butcher’s Boy, both featuring brutally efficient assassins.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The Butcher’s Boy (1982) was Thomas Perry‘s first book, and it promptly snatched up an Edgar for Best First Novel, for what that’s worth, but it was the first salvo in what’s turned out to be a long and fruitful career, with more than 30 novels to his credit (so far), including Metzer’s Dog (1983), a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and Pursuit, a Gumshoe Award for Best Novel.
Looking for something in a P.I. vein? Besides the always reliable Jane Whitfield series, be sure to check out Silence (2007), featuring retired LAPD detective P.I. Jack Till, who has also been known to help people disappear, and Nightlife (2006), featuring Portland private eye Joe Pitt and police detective Catherine Hobbes, and Death Benefits (2001), which pairs rookie insurance claims data analyst Johnny Walker with grizzled freelance investigator Max Spillman.
Perry now lives in southern California.
NOVELS
- Perry, Thomas, Hero (1: Justine Poole) | Buy this book | Buy the audio | Kindle it!
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
- I Could Be Your Bodyguard (Hey!)
Personal Security Specialists
