Shadow Woman

Thomas Perry

Feb 2011 · Jane Whitefield Book 3 · Sold by Ballantine Books

About this ebook

In her latest adventure, Jane Whitefield, who helps people in trouble disappear from one life and establish a new identity, is hired by a Las Vegas gambling casino executive running from contract killers. But the killers are on the trail of the shadow woman and soon Jane becomes the principle target of their rage and revenge.

Ratings and reviews

BOTTOM-LINE: A potentially excellent book brought down to highly enjoyable . PLOT OR PREMISE: Pete Hatcher works in a Las Vegas casino as a low-level executive. When the big bosses decide maybe he knows something that would interest the Feds, Jane has to help him escape to a new life. But the major complication for Jane is that they hire a couple of pros to find Hatcher. . WHAT I LIKED: The book covers a lot of ground, with lots of running around the country, and even up into Glacier National Park. It's a bit different than the urban settings of the rest of it, and you get to see lots of new issues for Jane to adapt to while teaching the people how to live a hidden life. The pros that are chasing her are really good, and it adds lots of tension. . WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: I liked reading the story, and still the premise of what Jane does, but this one had some challenges for me. First, Pete has no idea what's going on because he doesn't know why they suddenly decided he knows too much or what's going on. But he hasn't done anything wrong, and unlike a lot of other people trying to disappear, he could simply go to the authorities and say "Help!". There's no good explanation why he doesn't. Secondly, the two pros that are chasing them are kind of nuts, but in very cliché ways. There's no depth to the characters so there's no menace just pretty superficial. Finally, one of the big tension scenes is more resolved by coincidence than the actions of the people, which was unsatisfying. . DISCLOSURE: I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.

About the author

Thomas Perry was born in Tonawanda, New York, and received a B.A. from Cornell University and a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. He has been a laborer, maintenance man, commercial fisherman, weapons mechanic, university administrator and teacher, and television writer and producer. His previous Jane Whitefield novels are Dance for the Dead and Vanishing Act. He is also the author of The Butcher's Boy, which was awarded an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America, and other novels. Thomas Perry lives in Southern California with his wife and two daughters.