Death Benefits [Import] [Unbound]

Thomas l. Perry (Author)

Product Details

• Unbound
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1st ed/1st printing edition (2001)
• ISBN-10: 0375506772
• ISBN-13: 978-0375506772
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)

More About the Author

THOMAS PERRY is the author of 19 novels including the Jane Whitefield series (Vanishing Act, Dance for the Dead, Shadow Woman, The Face Changers, Blood Money and Runner), Death Benefits, and Pursuit, the first recipient of the Gumshoe Award for best novel.
He won the Edgar for The Butcher's Boy, and Metzger's Dog was a New York Times Notable Book. The Independent Mystery Bookseller's Association included Vanishing Act in its "100 Favorite Mysteries of the 20th Century," and Nightlife was a New York Times bestseller. Metzger's Dog was voted one of NPR's 100 Killer Thrillers--Best Thrillers Ever.
Thomas Perry was born in Tonawanda, New York in 1947. He received a B.A. from Cornell University in 1969 and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Rochester in 1974. He has worked as a park maintenance man, factory laborer, commercial fisherman, university administrator and teacher, and a writer and producer of prime time network television shows. He lives in Southern California.  His website: www.thomasperryauthor.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enormously entertaining, February 21, 2001

By 

Charlotte Vale-Allen (CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Death Benefits: A Novel (Hardcover)

I've been a fan of Thomas Perry's work since his first book, Butcher's Boy. Perry is one of the rare writers who never inflicts himself on his material, but rather allows the characters to evolve and speak for themselves. His writing is spare, never cluttered, and his characters are always fully realized and highly distinctive. Death Benefits is a fine example of a writer at peak form. Aside from a truly intriguing plot line that extrapolates on the possibilities of misusing life insurance that have not (at least to my knowledge) previously been explored, we have a central character who, at the age of twenty-four, grows up within the pages of this book--ably and entertainingly pulled along by the fascinating Stillman and the clever Serena. What I particularly liked about the character of Stillman, aside from his ingenuity, is his humor and wisdom. There's a lot of truth about life, and about the process of personal growth in these pages. Much as I enjoyed it, though, I found the "bad guys" to be rather an implausible creation. That said, this is a thoughtful and entertaining book, and the last hundred pages of Death Benefits make for a breathless ride. Highly recommended.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Looks like Mr. Perry has the start of another great series, January 16, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Death Benefits: A Novel (Hardcover)

In Pasadena, California, insurance agent Ellen Snyder approves the payment of the twelve million-dollar death benefit to an impostor. Not long afterward, Ellen vanishes somewhere between the nearby airport and apparently LA. The impostor has also disappeared. A stunned McClaren Life and Casualty hires private investigator Max Stillman to investigate the fraud.

After making inquiries in both the Pasadena and the San Fransicso based home office, Max successfully recruits John Walker, an analyst working for his client, to assist him on the case. Max believes John can help him because he amorously knew Ellen when they were trainees. John agrees to help because he believes the woman he still loves is innocent of any wrongdoing. With opposite motives, John and Max begin a trek around the country in an effort to locate the money and the two culprits behind the felony.

If anyone had doubts that no one does suspense thrillers better than Thomas Perry does, just read the exciting, action-packed and character driven DEATH BENEFITS. Only a great writer with the talent of Mr. Thomas can turn insurance companies and related fraud seem glamorous and exhilarating, but that is what the author accomplishes in this fabulous tale. Max and John make a powerful team even as their individual traits make them seem like real people. The who-done-it is cleverly designed from the start, when Ellen flees into the night, and never eases up as the audience has another mystery from one of the genre greats.

Harriet Klausner

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not up to his standards, April 15, 2001

By 

John R. Linnell (New Gloucester, ME United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Death Benefits: A Novel (Hardcover)

I agree with those that liked the characters of John Walker and Max Stillman as well as the premise of this novel. As the characters worked their way through the puzzle of how somebody was defrauding McLaren Life and Casualty out of millions of dollars the intrigue gets more complex, interesting and very dangerous. However, the answer to the puzzle struck me as so implausable that after following what had become a real head scratching story, I could not help but wonder why the author had chosen to go there. I have enjoyed all of the Jane Whitefield books and am still looking for a copy of The Butcher's Boy, but this book is simply not up to what I have come to expect from this author. It deserves a better ending.