by Thomas Perry
First published 2021
Michael Shaeffer has built a quiet life in England with his aristocratic wife, far from his violent past. Then strangers arrive at her annual summer party, and someone tries to kill him. The former mob assassin known as the Butcher's Boy must return to deadly work. He leads his hunters to Australia, then risks everything by entering the United States to discover why the mafia wants him dead again. Michael draws on skills learned during his brutal apprenticeship under Eddie, a master killer who shaped him from childhood. He plays two powerful crime families against each other, eliminating threats one by one. His contact inside the Justice Department's Organized Crime Division feeds him information while he keeps her at arm's length. The narrative moves between Michael's current fight for survival and his training years with Eddie. A new generation of contract killers pursues him with fresh energy and methods. Michael's experience and cunning face their ultimate test as he wages a careful war against enemies who may finally have the advantage of youth and numbers.
Genres: fiction, mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, revenge
Setting: Australia, England, United States
Period: Current Day
1 pages · Audio CD · Highbridge Audio and Blackstone Publishing
Content warnings: violence