Thomas Perry Books in Order
Thomas Perry was an American crime fiction author best known for creating two long-running thriller series: the Butcher’s Boy series and the Jane Whitefield series. His debut novel, The Butcher’s Boy, won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel.
This page lists all Thomas Perry books in order, including both series, the Jack Till series, his Sam and Remi Fargo Adventure co-authored titles, standalone novels, and short stories, organized by publication order.
Thomas Perry died on September 15, 2025, in Los Angeles, at the age of 78.
Latest Thomas Perry Books
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Butcher’s Boy Series (Books in Order)
The Butcher’s Boy series follows a professional hitman, known as the Butcher’s Boy and later known as Michael Shaeffer, a contract killer who is working in the shadows of organized crime, who after finishing a contract job becomes the target of the very Mafia that employed him. He is working with Justice Department analyst Elizabeth Waring, who becomes obsessed with tracking him down. The two main characters do not really meet as equals until later in the series, which gives their relationship a strong slow-burn tension.
Reading Order
- The Butcher’s Boy, 1982
- Sleeping Dogs, 1992
- The Informant, 2011
- Eddie’s Boy, 2020
Jane Whitefield Series (Books in Order)
The Jane Whitefield series follows Jane Whitefield, a Native American woman living in upstate New York who runs an underground operation that is helping people in danger disappear and build new lives. Jane is not a detective or a cop, as she’s a guide in the most literal sense. The final novel in the series, The Tree of Light and Flowers, was published posthumously following Thomas Perry’s death in September 2025.
Reading Order
- Vanishing Act, 1995
- Dance for the Dead, 1996
- Shadow Woman), 1997
- The Face-Changers), 1998
- Blood Money, 1999
- Runner, 2009
- Poison Flower, 2012
- A String of Beads, 2015
- The Left-Handed Twin, 2021
- The Tree of Light and Flowers, 2026
Other Jane Whitefield Books
Jack Till Series (Books in Order)
The Jack Till series follows former Los Angeles homicide detective who is now working as a private investigator Jack Till, who helps people who have gone missing or who need protection. The series shows how violence and disappearances affect the people that are caught up in them.
Reading Order
- Silence 2007
- The Boyfriend, 2013
Sam and Remi Fargo Adventures Series (Books in Order)
The two novels are part of the Sam and Remi Fargo Adventure series created by Clive Cussler. Thomas Perry co-authored these books featuring the husband-and-wife treasure-hunting team. The full reading order for the Fargo Adventures series can be found on the Clive Cussler page.
Reading Order
- The Tombs, 2012
- The Mayan Secrets, 2013
Standalone Novels
- Metzger’s Dog, 1983
- Big Fish, 1985
- Island, 1987
- Death Benefits, 2001
- Pursuit, 2001
- Dead Aim, 2002
- Nightlife, 2006
- Fidelity, 2008
- Strip, 2010
- Forty Thieves, 2016
- The Old Man, 2017
- The Bomb Maker, 2018
- The Burglar, 2019
- A Small Town, 2019
- Murder Book, 2023
- Hero, 2024
- Pro Bono, 2025
Short Stories
- The Book of the Lion, 2015
Anthologies
- The Killing Spirit, 1996
- Secret City, 1997
- A Study in Sherlock, 2011
- Suspense Magazine March 2012, 2012
- Silent Night, Deadly Night, 2016
- Bibliomysteries: Volume Two, 2018
- Christmas Crimes at The Mysterious Bookshop, 2024
Thomas Perry Biography
Thomas Perry was an American crime fiction author who wrote the Jane Whitefield series, the Butcher’s Boy series, and more than thirty novels overall.
Official website: thomasperryauthor.com
Thomas Perry was born in 1947 in Tonawanda, New York. He studied at Cornell University where he earned his B.A. in 1969, followed by a Ph.D. in English from the University of Rochester in 1974. Before writing full time, he held several jobs, some of which included park maintenance, factory laborer, commercial fisherman, university administrator and teacher, as well as weapons mechanic. He was also a producer of prime-time network television shows like Simon and Simon, 21 Jump Street, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. All these helped with the knowledge and skills that would become relevant for his later writing career.
His debut novel, Butcher’s Boy was published in 1982 and won an Edgar Award in 1983, which established him as an important upcoming crime writer.
In the 1980s, he moved with his wife, Jo perry, who is also a writer, to Los Angeles, which is a city that also features heavily in many of his books. He has also co-authored two novels in Clive Cussler’s Sam and Remi Fargo Adventures series.
Thomas Perry died on September 15, 2025, at the age of 78.
Thomas Perry Book Adaptations
- The Old Man – adapted into the TV Series The Old Man (2022–2024)
- Strip – to be adapted into the action-thriller film Bear Country
Thomas Perry Awards and Honors
Awards
- The Butcher’s Boy – Edgar Award for Best First Novel (1983)
- Death Benefits and Pursuit – Gumshoe Award (2002)
- The Informant – Barry Award for Best Thriller (2012)
- Eddie’s Boy – Barry Award for Best Thriller (2021)
- Founders Award at the Tucson Festival of Books (2022)
- Hero – Barry Award for Best Thriller (2025). He won the award just eleven days before he died.
Nominations and Shortlists
- The Butcher’s Boy – New Blood Dagger Award (1982)
- The Butcher’s Boy – Edgar Award for Best First Novel from Mystery Writers of America in (1983)
- Silence – Barry Award for Best Thriller (2008)
- The Informant – Hammett Prize for Best Crime Novel (2011)
- The Old Man – Barry Award for Best Thriller (2018)
- The Old Man – Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel (2018)
- Vanishing Act – Parade’s list of “101 Best Mystery Books of All Time” (2021)
- Vanishing Act -Independent Mystery Booksellers Association (2021)
- The Burglar – Barry Award for Best Thriller (2020)
- Murder Book – Macavity Award for Best Novel (2024)
- Hero – Libby Award for Best Thriller (2025)
This man is a genius at writing characters involved in both situational and personal development. The deeply human concerns of his characters are balanced by skills, often surprising, in analysis and violent action – and that’s something very rarely seen properly in today’s fiction thriller writing.
He establishes the most unlikely basis for a story – read “The Island – and creates a human cast able to engage your attention and suspended disbelief with mastery ease. Dammit, I wish I could write like that.
The June Whitefield novels carry you through to deep understanding for a culture at complete odds to contemporary America and provide an insight into a world lost forever to the shallow generations inhabiting the land today.
A national treasure by any standard, he should be in every bookstore and library in the English-speaking world.
I love “Metzger’s Dog,” too. And “Island” is genius.
Was The Boyfriend adapted to a Law and Order SVU episode? There was an episode also called The Boyfriend; it followed the story line of the book.
As far as I know, The Boyfriend in SVU is not related to Thomas Perry’s The Boyfriend.
I love Thomas Perry books. Just discovered him. Have read about seven so far and have enjoyed all. I’ve gotten my husband hooked too! Plan to read them all!!!
Would love another”Jane” book!
What about THE OLD MAN?
I do not see it listed and I liked the story! I do note someone else mentioned it above.
Just discovered Mr Perry’s books and I am so impressed with his talent.
I just finished The Old Man by Thomas Perry and I absolutely loved it. It is my first book by this author and it has inspired me to seek out his other writings.
The book “Death Benefits” has been one of my favorites, which as me hoping there will be sequels. The main character has the same first name as my son, and could have been modeled after him.