The Burglar
by Thomas Perry

3 stars

The book starts well, engaging the reading in moving action. It does however get bogged down to a slow read through the middle. While this is trying to build tension – it is just slow. It does however improve the pace building to a climax.

Elle Stowell is a young woman with an unconventional profession: burglary. But Elle is no petty thief - with just the right combination of smarts, looks, and skills, she can easily stroll through ritzy Bel Air neighborhoods and pick out the perfect home for plucking the most valuable items. This is how Elle has always gotten by - she is good at it, and she thrives on the thrill. But after stumbling upon a grisly triple homicide while stealing from the home of a wealthy art dealer, Elle discovers that she is no longer the only one sneaking around. Somebody is searching for her. As Elle realizes that her knowledge of the high-profile murder has made her a target, she races to solve the case before becoming the next casualty, using her breaking-and-entering skills to uncover the truth about exactly who the victims were and why someone might have wanted them dead.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

#TheBurglar #NetGalley

Reviewed by Heath Henwood
www.books-reviewed.weebly.com

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an early copy of The Burglar in exchange for my honest review.. This was my first Thomas Perry novel. and I really liked this novel. I liked the character Elle - I thought the author did an excellent job of describing her as well as describing her escapades. - as long as its fiction - I don't like burglars in real life! I found this book to be well written with twists and turns.

Elle isn't your normal burglar but burglar she is. She doesn't rob just to rob in my eyes it's the risk she takes that keeps her doing it. She's not a bad person but a person that likes thrills until everything falls apart. In one of her burglars she comes upon a murder. So now she is being followed are they good guys or bad guys. It is a fun book because it has you guessing throughout.

Elle Stowell is young and petite and as she jogs through the wealthy neighborhoods, no one would question her appearance in the area. What people do not realize is that Elle is working as she jogs. She is a burglar and this exercise allows her to case the homes for her next job.

With resources running low, Elle breaks into the home of an art gallery owner. As she explores, she comes across the owner and two women murdered in his bedroom. The murder was captured on camera, but unfortunately the killer was not. Elle’s activities were detected by security and now someone is tracking her. Anonymity is necessary for Elle to succeed as a burglar. To protect herself, she decides to investigate the reason for the murders and ultimately find the killer. Using all of her skills, she enters the homes of the victims to discover what brought them together.

Perry’s character is a master in her chosen profession. As Elle cases homes, he explains how she chooses her targets and the security systems she has to overcome. As her pursuers close in and additional murders occur you can feel an increase of the tension, making this an excellent read.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Mysterious Press for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for this ARC of The Burglar.

The Burglar started off slower and picked up in nicely in the middle. I had high hopes for the end of this book but felt slightly disappointed when I finished reading. The action was just getting going and then it just fizzled out.

**spoilers**
Elle is a professional burglar living in Van Nuys. She does everything she can to blend in so she can scope out new places to rob. Elle comes across a house that looks perfect; newspapers are piling up and no new cars coming or going. She finds the weak point and gets inside, listening for any movement. She begins her prowl and comes across something she will never unsee...a brutal murder.

She thinks she's covered her tracks well enough so the cops won't know she was there, only now she's being followed. She thinks it's the cops at first, but as it turns out she doesn't know who it is she's up against. As more murders begin happening, Elle turns from burglar to investigator. She uncovers the mystery piece by piece while trying to stay hidden from the black SUVs and people trying to kill her.

While the story had me hooked initially, the ending felt like a letdown. There were definitely a couple times I found myself holding my breath and trying to read faster. Then at the end, I felt almost rushed to the conclusion. Somehow, the chain of events didn't seem probable in the real world and the whole thing just felt anticlimactic. This is why I can only give 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the eARC.
Elle is a master burglar in LA, and even though her choice of career is not an admirable one, you can't help but like the character. Her backstory is well woven throughout the book and makes her an attractive protagonist. When she's entered a Beverly Hills home looking for loot, she finds 2 women and men shot to death in a bedroom. Leaving immediately without taking anything, she soon finds herself being followed by shadowy figures. Fearing for her life, she starts to investigate the murders, which may or may not even involve the killings of people in her own life.
Her smarts, courage and tenacity are admirable and I found myself liking her more and more as the book continued. The ins and outs of successful burglary are fascinating and the mystery and ending of the story made for a very pleasurable read. Highly recommended!

The Burglar was not my favorite. I felt it was rather predictable but the writing was great and I did find myself feeling suspense throughout the book.

I received a free ARC of The Burglar on NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

I received a free e-copy of The Burglar by Thomas Perry from NetGalley for my honest review.

Elle Stowell, is a burglar. She isn't just any burglar. She is a an amazing burglar who knows all the tricks of being a master of the trade. The writing is suburb and makes you feel like you are there beside her, as she is breaking into homes. The details of the burglary, such as getting in, escaping, running if needed, etc were very entertaining.

Elle decides to break into one particular home, that of a wealthy art dealer. Suddenly she finds herself in the middle of a murder. Then, while in the home, she notices a camera that is recording. Now, she is running for her life. More people end up dead and she is terrified she will be next. Will she find the killer before he finds her or will she be next on the list?

An entertaining read with lots of twists and turns.

Just about anything by Thomas Perry is going to be good as this one is no exception. What’s a burglar to do when she’s just minding her own business but circumstances interfere? Elle, the main character, is not your usual smart cracking detective. She’s not someone who inherited a tea shop and decides to solve mysteries. No, Elle is smart alright, but in the sense of savvy. She’s a twenty-something who supports herself by housebreaking in the swankiest of swank neighborhood—-Bel Air. She looks like she belongs, so she is able to stroll right into some of the wealthiest homes. But she doesn’t expect to find bodies, and not one but three, who have been obviously mirdered. These are not particularly nice people, but Elle’s been seen by someone, so she needs to solve this mystery or become the next victim. Her life and her livelihood depend on it. The urgency of this mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat, or maybe even up all night. There’s nothing to complain about in The Burglar. It’s another of Perry’s exceptionally well plotted and well written books. I’m happy to recommend it with a full five stars.

I was given this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
A young girl with no way to care for herself begins to steal from rich peoples homes.
And then she sneaks in home and finds three people dead in bed - shot and a camera filming.
And then she is running for her life. She thinks the way to save herself is to find out who committed the murders.
I loved this book. Grab it for thrilling read!

Despite being the Burglar's burglar, Elle comes over a little 'larger than life' being almost too competent at such a young age. Where did she hone these skills so early on? Sure, the story was pacy, gripping and engaging albeit in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, but really, there was no reader challenge present.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for the ARC

This mystery/thriller begins with a great premise: a thief finds herself in jeopardy and must solve a crime to save herself. A solid mystery with some nice plot twists and turns. Reads very much like a screenplay in parts (way too many lengthy chase scenes for my taste). Ultimately, the books success or failure depends upon the readers reaction to the principle character.

The burglar by Tomas Perry is nerve wracking and grips you from the opening scene. Another amazing read by Perry! The story follows Elle, a woman that has a troubled childhood that has followed her into adulthood. Single and a thief, trouble still follows.

The story format is different, instead of the usual dialogue we have it told in 3rd person. Much of what happens is seller acting on her own, so it worked out well.

I liked how the main character was a strong willed female. The story doesn’t go to unbelievable stakes, it all could be someone’s life.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. More on my instagram, CloudOfThoughtsXO

Elle Stowell is my favorite kind of protagonist. She has humble beginnings. She is a financially challenged, desperate, single female living in a big city trying to get by. She is also street smart, independent, resourceful, creative, and motivated by money. The story starts off following Elle in a heist and the opening scene got my heart pounding right away. Elle is an independent, strong female character and I like her. I enjoyed the thriller vibe throughout the book. It has a rapid pace and is action packed, with very few dull moments.

The story's format is very unusual. I'm used to being privy to thoughts shared by characters, and much more dialogue. Most of this book is told in 3rd person, from an observer's POV - like you are reading a movie script but there is a less dialogue than usual. It might be intentionally structured this way because Elle is a loner and most of her actions are performed solo. It's a definitely a different way to tell a tale.

I like the suspense, anticipation, and urgency that builds slowly as the book progresses, and it contributes to the feeling that Elle is on the run and being hunted down. The book is a fascinating look inside the world of burglary in the modern age and fencing stolen goods. It has car chases, hidden cameras, hiding from the police, running from bad guys, near misses, daring escapes, and dead bodies. It’s definitely a candidate for a movie or TV series.

This book is nerve wracking but in a good way! Elle and her race to stop the burglar is just pure awesome adrenaline. I highly recommend this book. I look forward to reading more Thomas Perry books.

A fresh take on high stakes crime in the rarified world of Beverly Hills luxury. Tense and fast-paced, the story takes you on a relentless chase through unknown aspects of the Los Angeles underworld. Fans of police procedurals will appreciate the intricate detail of the plot, and you won't even mind that you'll never meet a cop!

A very funny book with a great central character. I loved this adventure. Super light read. More please!

A romping good holiday read; the thrill of cat burglary turning into adrenaline-fueled escape and revenge

Thanks to netgalley/author/publisher for ARC of the book.

This is the first book by the author that i am reading and glad to say my list of authors to watch out for has grown by one.

The story revolves around Elle, a young woman who had chosen thieving as a job due to her difficult childhood. . She comes upon a triple murder on a job and does the "right thing" by trying to help the police. On the way she loses her best friends and it gives her more motivation to solve the puzzle. The plot is extremely simple involving art but the author has done a good job keeping up the suspense.

The first half of the book keeps the readers guessing while the momentum slows down after that. Detailed descriptions of what streets elle turns to escape are parts where i felt could have been easily skipped. Also i feel if any indications of police progress was given, it would have made the story more realistic.

I am a huge Thomas Perry fan and was thrilled when given the opportunity to read this book. Thank you, Net Galley. This one is about a young burglar, Elle who comes from a long line of thieves and burglars. One day she walks in a triple murder that had a camera pointed at them. She takes the camera and erases herself and puts it back. Soon strangers are looking for her. She decides to find out what is going on when they kill her best friend and her boyfriend looking for her.

I enjoyed it just like I have all of Thomas Perry’s books. It was different because we only hear Elle point of view. Usually Mr. Perry shows other points of view. We read a little bit but in his other books we get more back story.
I own all his books on Audio and will be getting this one too. Really enjoyed.