Dance for the Dead

Thomas Perry

Apr 2011 · Jane Whitefield Book 2 · Sold by Ivy Books

About this ebook

“Compelling . . . Nobody writes a chase better than [Thomas] Perry.”—The Washington Post Book World

Jane Whitefield is the patron saint of the pursued, a Native American “guide” who specializes in making victims vanish. Calling on the ancient wisdom of the Seneca tribe and her own razor-sharp cunning, she conjures up new identities for people with nowhere left to run. She's as quick and quiet as freshly fallen show, and she covers a trail just as completely. But when a calculating killer stalks an innocent eight-year-old boy, Jane faces dangerous obstacles that will put her powers—and her life—to a terrifying test. . . .

Praise for Dance for the Dead

“Spellbinding . . . Terrific . . . Jane Whitefield may be the most arresting protagonist in the 90s thriller arena. . . . Thrillers need good villains, and this one has a formidable SOB who is cold-blooded enough to satisfy anybody's taste.”—Entertainment Weekly

“A terse thriller . . . Perry starts the story with a bang.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“One of the most engaging heroines in contemporary suspense.”—The Flint Journal

Ratings and reviews

PLOT OR PREMISE: Jane Whitefield is back and trying to guide an 8-year-old boy with an inheritance and a 30-year-old woman with stolen bank money to a safe haven. . WHAT I LIKED: The methodology for how Jane helps everyone is quite good, and reads both simple and plausible, a veneer of realism that sells the stories. The explanations for both cases are relatively clear, you understand the motives and why someone is coming after the two of them. Most of the story is a cat and mouse world, and it works well. . WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: The two stories seem unconnected at the beginning but it blindlingly obvious they will eventually connect, even if it is a connection told in reverse (i.e. if you know the connection in advance, you can write two separate stores to get there), but it seems coincidental rather than natural. There are also two really long expositions, one at the beginning for the kid's back story and one in the middle for hers. Finally, there is some romance that comes out of nowhere for the character, particularly as you have been in her head for sometime and then it's like, "Cue the romance scene with guy she knows but we don't.". . 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 / her on social media.

Excellent read!!

About the author

Thomas Perry won an Edgar Award for The Butcher’s Boy, and Metzger’s Dog was one of the New York Times's Notable Books of the Year. His other books include The Face-Changers, Shadow Woman, Dance for the Dead, and Vanishing Act. He lives in Southern California with his wife and two daughters.