I have loved every one of Thomas Perry's books! This one is no exception! Hero is about a female bodyguard to the rich and famous, Justine Poole. When the couple she's protecting are attacked by a gang of 5 home invaders, Justine has to shoot two of them and hold the other three down until the police arrive. The mafia boss cannot let a girl get by with making him look bad. He hires a relentless hitman to kill her. It's a hard book to put down! Recommended! ( )

Thomas Perry's 'Hero' delivers a gripping Hollywood thriller where Justine Poole, a security agent turned local hero, faces danger from both a vengeful crime kingpin and the relentless media. The cat-and-mouse game between Justine and the ruthless Leo Sealy unfolds with relentless intensity. Perry skillfully explores the price of heroism in a world where fame can be as perilous as hired killers. Packed with action, suspense, and a nuanced portrayal of power dynamics, 'Hero' is a fast-paced read that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. ( )

Justine is a security agent for the wealthy and the famous in Hollywood. She prevents an attack and robbery on one of her clients. She ends up killing two of the robbers. Well of course, the media picks it up and touts her as a hero. But, this puts her in the site of a Mr. Conger, the one who engineered the robbery to begin with. He is not going to stand for the embarrassment of his team being taken down by a single woman.

Boy, Justine is fierce! Y’all know I love a strong female lead. And she fits the bill! As the danger gets stronger, Justine gets smarter. And the intensity just keeps building until the very end!

This author has quite a few books. I have only read one other, The Murder Book . I gave it four stars as well. But I enjoyed this one more. It moves quicker and there is a bit more energy and excitement. Now, there are places the author states the obvious and there is quite a bit of description, but these are minor issues. I enjoyed the pacing and the fervor!

The narrator, Christina Delaine, did a great job, especially with all the men in this tale.

Need a fast paced thriller …THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review. ( )

Relentless
Review of the upcoming Mysterious Press hardcover/audiobook/eBook (January 16, 2024) via the Net Galley Kindle ARC (downloaded November 3, 2023).

Thomas Perry is the master of the ‘hunt and hide’ / ‘pursuit and evade’ sub-genre of suspense thrillers. He crafts his books to show two points of view, the pursuer and the runner. He varies the process with the pursuer sometimes as the villain or the hero. The novels are cat and mouse games where sometimes the mouse turns the tables on the cat.

The ‘hero’ in this book is personal security guard Justine Poole who has risen in the ranks and esteem of her co-workers from what was initially an office job. Through training and mentorship she is now one of their elite agents. The agency is working personal security for high-profile clients in an effort to prevent ‘home follow’ assaults and robberies. In one such protection mission, she exchanges gunfire with a carload of criminals who had followed home a Hollywood producer & his wife from a gala event. Two of the criminals are shot dead by Poole.

The crime lord behind the various robbery gangs decides that an example must be made of Poole in order to ensure the loyalty of his underlings. A relentless hitman named Leo Sealy is tasked with the job for a fee of $100,000. It does not take very long for Poole to realize she is being hunted, but not all her supposed allies will step up for her protection. The media is even being manipulated to turn on her. She is uncertain as to whom to turn to and to trust. Meanwhile Sealy is closing in and will not stop regardless of whatever innocents might get in the way.

Hero is a compelling read which you will find hard to put down. The methodical steps taken by both hunter and pursued are laid out in exacting details which draw you in to the action without pause. This is one highly recommended suspense thriller!

My thanks to publisher Mysterious Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this preview ARC, in exchange for which I provide this honest review. ( )