Thomas Edmund Perry (August 7, 1947 – September 15, 2025) was an American mystery and thriller novelist. He received a 1983 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best First Novel for The Butcher's Boy.
Life and career Thomas Edmund Perry was born in Tonawanda, New York, on August 7, 1947. He received a B.A. from Cornell University in 1969 and his Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Rochester in 1974. He worked as a laborer, maintenance man, commercial fisherman, weapons mechanic, university administrator and teacher, as well as a television writer and producer (Simon & Simon, 21 Jump Street, Star Trek: The Next Generation). Through December 2024, Perry published 31 novels.
Perry lived in Southern California with his wife, author Jo (née Lee). The couple married in 1980 and had two children. He died from an aortic dissection at a hospital in Los Angeles on September 15, 2025, at the age of 78.Obituary Note: Thomas Perry
Writings Perry's work covered a variety of fictional suspense starting with The Butcher's Boy, which received a 1983 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best First Novel, followed by Metzger's Dog, Big Fish, Island, and Sleeping Dogs. He then launched the critically acclaimed Jane Whitefield series: Vanishing Act (chosen as one of the "100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century" by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association), Dance for the Dead, Shadow Woman, The Face Changers, Blood Money, Runner, and Poison Flower.
Perry developed a non-series list of mysteries with Death Benefits, Pursuit (which won a Gumshoe Award in 2002), Dead Aim, Night Life, Fidelity, and Strip. The New York Times selected Night Life for its best seller selection. In The Informant, released in 2011, Perry brought back the hit-man character first introduced in The Butcher's Boy and later the protagonist in Sleeping Dogs.
The Informant was awarded the 2012 Barry Award for Best Thriller. Eddie's Boy received the 2021 Barry Award for Best Thriller. In 2021, Vanishing Act was included in Parade's list of "101 Best Mystery Books of All Time".
Bibliography
+ Year Title Publisher Series ISBN1982The Butcher's Boy ScribnerButcher's Boy1983Metzger's Dog Scribner1985Big Fish Scribner1987Island Putnam1992Sleeping Dogs Random HouseButcher's Boy1995Vanishing Act Random HouseJane Whitefield1996Dance for the Dead Random HouseJane Whitefield1997Shadow Woman Random HouseJane Whitefield1998The Face-Changers Random HouseJane Whitefield 1999Blood Money Random HouseJane Whitefield2001Pursuit Random House2001Death Benefits Random House2002Dead Aim Random House2006Nightlife Random House 2007Silence HarcourtJack Till2008Fidelity Harcourt 2009Runner Houghton Mifflin HarcourtJane Whitefield 2010Strip Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2011The Informant Houghton Mifflin HarcourtButcher's Boy2012Poison Flower Mysterious PressJane Whitefield2013The Boyfriend GroveJack Till2014A String of Beads GroveJane Whitefield2016Forty Thieves Mysterious Press2017The Old Man Mysterious Press 2018The Bomb Maker Mysterious Press 2019The Burglar Grove 2020A Small Town Mysterious Press2020Eddie's Boy Mysterious PressButcher's Boy2021The Left-Handed TwinMysterious PressJane Whitefield 2023Murder Book Mysterious Press2024Hero Mysterious Press2025Pro Bono Mysterious Press2026The Tree of Light and Flowers Mysterious Press Jane Whitefield
References
External links Official site
Interview with Thomas Perry "The Professional," an overview of Perry's work by Ethan Iverson Modern Signed Books BlogTalkRadio Interview with Rodger Nichols about Forty Thieves (March 2016)