I had read the author, Thomas Perry's last two books, the Old Man and the Bomb Maker. The Old Man was one of the better books I had read in 2017. The Bomb Maker on the other hand was not my cup of tea. I jumped on the newest book, The Burglar with some trepidation.

I was very happy to read a book that was much as a joy to read as the Old man. The protagonist, a female named Elle, has her occupation as a burglar planned out too a tee.. Perry has this character meticulously developed. Her approach to casing homes, the knowledge of executing the burglary, and her interactions with the supporting characters.. Although she is a criminal, Perry makes the reader really find Elle to be likable.

Perry slowly develops the plot, which is very plausible and believable, and draws the reader along with clues and details that are both challenging and suspenseful, The prose is engaging and maintains steady pace.all the while working towards a culminating conflict.

This book is a great read.

The Burglar is my first book by Thomas Perry, and I chose it because when Verushka mentioned it on her blog, I thought it sounded like fun.

Elle is young, small, and fit. Being small is a good thing when you want to burgle a house and entry through a doggy door presents no problem. Elle is a professional; she knows the skills of the trade from the burglary itself to the right fence for the goods.

However, when Elle burgles the home of an art dealer, she discovers a triple homicide and a camera still running on the scene. What to do? She takes the camera, edits out her own presence, and returns it for the police to find.

Unfortunately, her attempt to aid the the police in finding out who committed the murders goes awry, and Elle finds herself a target.

Read in July; blog review scheduled for Dec. 26.

NetGalley/Grove Atlantic/Mysterious Press
Suspense. Jan. 8, 2019. Print length: 304 pages.

I lost interest in this book very quickly and did not finish it. Because I did not finish it I am unable to leave a review.

First, I really like Thomas Perry so thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this manuscript.
This story is about Elle a young pretty girl who supports herself by being a burglar. She comes from a family of thieves and grifters who abandoned her when she was a teen. She was able to take care of herself by being smarter than the people around her.
Elle is a very accomplished burglar. She plans and stakes out the homes she breaks into, and she knows what to take, and how to fence it without getting caught. Then she hit a huge problem when she broke into a house and found the victims of a horrible murder. Unfortunately hidden cameras showed her to the bad guys, and she finds herself being hunted. Elle decides the only way to end this is to solve the murder and expose the bad guys. The book takes on her complicated dangerous journey to find the killer and get enough evidence to give to the police.
She is a typical Thomas Perry heroine. She is smart, pretty and somewhat a loner. Although there was a part of the book where I thought she should have figured someone out sooner, the story works well.

From my review on Goodreads:

I always love Thomas Perry books. The details he includes, the nearly step-by-step actions his protagonists take, keep me following the plot, even if the plot itself is not strong.

In The Burglar, Perry’s new novel, his protagonist is a young woman living in Los Angeles who earns her living by being a successful house burglar. We go with her and her every step, getting ready, breaking into a house, what she looks for, how she hides or what decisions she might have to make.

When she breaks into the home of a wealthy art dealer, she stumbles upon him with two women, and they’ve all been murdered. As she stands in the doorway, she sees a camera that is recording the scene. And this is where the story begins to move into a thriller, where she’s forced into a race to save her life.

I like the detail Perry pays to his characters and their actions. This protagonist reminds me of Jane Whitefield, his brilliantly conceived character who takes people running from something into hiding and new lives. The same level of detail in the Whitefield novels is applied here.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Thomas Perry is incapable of writing a bad book, but this isn't one of his many good and a few great ones. It's about a smart, skillful young woman who's very good at her work - thoroughly prepared, at the top of her game, the peak of physical fitness, and so good at breaking into all kinds of places that she's never been caught burgling the homes of wealthy Angelenos. But Elle, the eponymous protagonist, never quite interests the reader enough to care about what will happen when the mysterious black SUVs keep turning up at the scenes of her crimes, even when they murder her best friend. The plot is murky - what the killers want and how what Elle may or may not have seen at the site of a triple murder connects to it - isn't enough to propel it to a So what ? conclusion.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. Elle is a burglar - and she is good at it. She discovers a homicide while "on the job" and then discovers that she has become a target. She races to solve the mystery before she becomes another victim.

Thomas Perry always delivers solid entertainment, and complex characters. Elle is a delight, and I hope she comes back in future books like Jane Whitfield. While there were scenes and instances that stretch believability, the novel is an excellent escape from the daily grind, and in fact, I think it would make a terrific movie or series.

I loved the premise - a female burgler, who makes her living breaking into houses, sees too much on one job. I really liked the fast pace of the first half. Unfortunately, the second half slowed down a lot. The last part of the book involves a conversation tying the pieces together. The fact that this conversation took multiple pages shows that the rest of the book seemed to be missing a lot. There is no way you could have figured out what was going on without that explanation. One other thing, the main character had no personality. She was a professional but I never really got to know her. 4 stars because of the plot and attention to the burgling details,

(3). What an unusual book, a veritable roller coaster ride. The first half is high speed, petal to the metal all the way. The next quarter is snoozy, try to stay engaged. The last quarter, pretty strong, some good, some not so good. I expected more after the wonderful start but I always enjoy Perry, he has been on my must read list for a couple of years now. Luckily, this one is short enough that the overall experience is enjoyable.

Enjoyable book. Complicated plot. It was tough to figure out what was going on. Some exciting moments. Toward end of book it slowed somewhat while it was explained what was going on. However, it ok ked back up again. It is a case of a small burglar vs a number of killers. Some close calls for her. Recommended. This father's Jane Whitefields books are excellent too. They are all highly recommended.

Thomas Perry is the accomplished author of some 25 fictional suspense novels and winner of many awards for his work. After reading “The Burglar,” I join those who sing his praises. The most common trait he gets credit for is his plotting but his other writing skills are commendable and on full display in this intricate novel.

Elle Stowell, a young woman in her twenties, has a stimulating occupation that she intends to continue. She’s a burglar; a very accomplished burglar who knows all the tricks. In “The Burglar,” she takes the reader along as she gets involved in an art fraud scheme that turns into a murderous blowup that catches her in the middle. She applies her meticulous thought process into attempting to solve the murders, intent on getting the information to the police, while never revealing her existence in the dim fringes of a wealthy and politically powerful society. The shadows are the secret to her success and she intends to stay there.

Her efforts, however, put her in line to be included among the murders when the murderous thugs discovers her presence. She is accumulating evidence against them that will end their scheme if she is allowed to disclose it. So, while skulking among the killers, she has to spend a lot of time running from them. Her nefarious career, along with her life, is threatened if she doesn’t display the same inventiveness in her investigation as she does breaking into expensive houses.

Perry is as painstaking in the construction of his tale as a watchmaker. No detail goes unexplained or seems unbelievable. No pathway remains unconnected. Every spring is wound tight.

I gained much information about breaking into houses and it sounds like an exciting enterprise. There’s lots of peeking at houses, mechanical skill in operating lock picks and slitting window screens, lots of scampering around steep, slick roofs, and learning to shake dogs off your leg who have taken umbrage at your appearance. You probably won’t want to take up this particular task but Perry, at least, is the place to start a nefarious attraction.

Definately kept me guessing. I couldn't imagine have to solve a strong of murders in my 20s. First time I read this author. I really enjoyed this book and definately want more from this author.

I have read Thomas Perry before and really enjoy his books. This began with a great plot and a lot of excitement. It did become somewhat convoluted during the last half but all in all a good read.

Elle Stowell is a burglar. And she’s very good at it. She loves it. Nothing small-time for her. She targets only high-dollar neighborhoods, the homes of the very wealthy and Hollywood elite. Her criminal life is good, all is going according to plan, right up until it isn’t. While pilfering from the home of a well-known art dealer, she comes face to face with a triple murder, a fact that puts a target on her back. But who is after her? Why were the three victims killed? These are questions Elle must answer before she becomes the next victim. To do so, she employs all her stealthy skills, knowing she must find the killer before he finds her. A great story, well-written, and filled with twists and turns. And a protagonist readers will love. Highly recommended.


DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly thriller series

Elle is a young career burglar, who ekes out a living stealing from rich so-cal residents. On one job, she stumbles upon a triple murder scene. She is followed, and in trying to hide, her best friend becomes a victim. She tries to avenge this murder, by solving it and the others. Well written and suspenseful. Elle is a great character who should be seen again. Highly recommended.

“The Burglar,” by Thomas Perry, is a thriller about a young woman named Elle who makes her living as a burglar of the wealthy in Beverly Hills. During one of her robberies, Elle stumbles upon a horrific murder scene and is caught on video. She then proceeds to run from the police and the unknown assassins while simultaneously trying to solve the crime

I am usually a huge fan of Thomas Perry. I read and enjoyed all of the Jane Whitefield series and last years stand alone, “The Old Man” was excellent.
But “The Burglar” missed the mark. The protagonist, Elle, was not well developed or even likeable and the plot preposterous. I had to force myself to finish it.

First book I have read by this author & really enjoyed it. It was fast paced & well written although a couple of the characters were a bit out of place for me. I plan on reading more by this author!

Elle has had a hard and leads a hard life. As a burglar, she lives on the other side, but that has made her pretty wily. After finding dead people at the house she was robbing, she makes a dumb decision by taking the security camera that could possibly reveal the killers. If killing 3 people doesn't phase anyone, cleaning up by killing one more is not a problem. Unless you are Elle.

Kind of interesting in the details of theft, and the story moves along pretty well. A bit more detail and wording that is necessary. Its ok, some of it is fun, some not so great.

When burglar Elle stumbles over three murder victims on one of her break-ins she has to solve the murder before the killer finds her and shuts her up. Why she needs to be shut up? We'll never find out but that is just a minor flaw.