Derivative of the Butcher's Boy: a mistake.

I guess Thomas Perry just could not sustain that amazing streak of winners forever. Joey Moreland is nowhere near as engaging as the Butcher's Boy. In fact, he is a robot. The "explanation" of how he became a serial killer of gorgeous prostitutes is Psych 101. Moreland's assignments and the process by which he receives them is way less interesting than what is available in prior books. The twist that Mr. Perry provides here is just not that creative. The fact that Joey is hired to kill a target, and meanwhile becomes "invisible" by living with a prostitute that he eventually kills also: big deal.
Jack Till is a man we know from prior books, as is his developmentally disabled daughter Holly. There is really nothing particularly new here, and it is disappointing. Robertson Dean is a very good narrator, who doesn't have that many voices in his repertoire but has enough skill in other areas to more than make up for it.
Unlike Metzger's Dog, there is absolutely 100% zero humor here, which also is a serious handicap. Mr. Perry has entertained us in so many ways that we have become seriously spoiled. The plot doesn't drive so much as plod. The cat and mouse chase is kinda old by now, and is a device that is so common and so widespread that many many writers use it. There is almost nothing new here. I can't recommend it, particularly because the earlier books I mentioned, plus the others, are so masterful that there is no sense settling for this book. Read the original Butcher's Boy, or any of the sequels, or Metzger's Dog, or indeed any of the stand-alone books and you will find one of the most talented writers in the country, if I do say so myself. If you want more great stuff, read Tim Hallinan or Martin Cruz Smith. Save your money on this one.

29 people found this helpful

Typical Thomas Perry

A typical Thomas Perry novel, similar in plot and form to Pursuit (which is slightly superior) and featuring Jack Till, the detective from Silence. The writing is solid without being showy or demanding, the characters hold one's attention, and the plot is suspenseful but not twisty. This is fine, but I rate it a notch below Perry's best books (such as Strip).

19 people found this helpful

I should have been paid to listen to this book!

Would you try another book from Thomas Perry and/or Robertson Dean?

Only if it was free

Would you ever listen to anything by Thomas Perry again?

Only if it was free

What three words best describe Robertson Dean’s voice?

compelling, expressive, nice tone

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Boyfriend?

cut the lunch with the girls and history about the original victim. Cut the whole not sure about having sex with the call girl. and speed it up. some scenes took too long like the assination scene, the car chase, that whole killing at the last house was gratuitious.

Any additional comments?

I have been a customer for 3 years and this is the first time I believe you owe me a refund.

18 people found this helpful

I wanted to love this book but it fell flat

This is my first Thomas Perry novel and I wasn't impressed. I found the Jack Till character to be boring. I kept expecting him to develop more but it just didn't happen. Don't get me started about the end of the story. It was very abrupt. The whole story could have been made better by an epilogue.

12 people found this helpful

Take An Idea. Do it, then rethink it… Interesting

The Boyfriend is derivative of Thomas Perry.

I ask artists this question, "How much of a final work is created in the process as opposed to whatever concept you brought to the project at the start". Their average answer, "A whole bunch. The inmates take over the asylum early on."

Ever played the game, "Imagine how history would have changed if…. (fill in the tiny change… like someone jostled John Wilkes Booth shooting hand). Imagine the options… the paths… And that's what happens to an artist during process… Forking pathways are discovered and one is chosen over the other.

And yet… What if the author-artist could go back to that pathway to make the other choice? The Boyfriend exists in a universe that's parallel to other Perry stories. In it he takes one of his most complex bad-guy's essence and bends his presence to a totally different world.

Perry is such a talented story teller, and Roberstson Dean a gripping audio artist, that even though you think you've been this way before… you'll notice that both the scenery and destination become way, way different.

Perry's one of the best.

8 people found this helpful

A Good Story That Finishes Flat

Well, the sex was good for me! This book takes us into the ultimate male fantasy. Yes they are escorts, but they are stunningly beautiful, equally intelligent, and only too happy to please.

I loved the father daughter relationship featured in the story. Maybe it's because I've never been around the world of escorts, but I just couldn't believe the rest of the story.

7 people found this helpful

What an odd, yet somehow enjoyable, tale

So, we have a tale here, that begins in a very startling manner. From there it all moves pretty quickly and there's very little to no formula. Somehow though, it flows, and it all feels fairly realistic.

As mentioned, the tale is fairly enjoyable. You alternate between tagging along behind the private eye who is trailing a killer and the killer himself. We get treated to various scenes and encounters which, on their own, are fairly enjoyable. Both the killer and the detective are somewhat interested creatures with their own tales.

Some problems though: we never REALLY get to know the main characters (even though we're treated to backstory) and everything (including the ending) moves just a tad too fast to really have any significance. Many events happen, very little of them actually matter -- and just when you think it's going to get good, it's over. Just like that.

The reader did a great job, no complaints there.

7 people found this helpful

Excellent suspense thriller!

Jack Till is a private investigator who is retired from a career at LAPD. In The Boyfriend he is investigating a sleazy escort service. I admit that this novel is not as good as most Thomas Perry novels, but I enjoyed it.

6 people found this helpful

Just never got interesting.

I didn't connect with any characters. The main character has no back story, he's an ex-cop, that's about it. He's looking for a killer someone hired him to find. I sort of want the bad guy to get away he's the only one with any character development. The narration wasn't too bad; a bit flat, but that is what he was working with. I got really bored 3/4 of the way and I was done and moved on to another book, looking for an exchange. I happen to love that new policy.

4 people found this helpful

Dated, but still entertaining

Chauvinistic, dated, but I still found the story and character interesting. I was entertained albeit a little more than skeptical throughout.

I decent mystery and what you would expect from the author.

2 people found this helpful