Book one: The Butcher's Boy by Thomas Perry.

One of the best books I read in 2011 was Metzger's Dog by Thomas Perry.  I liked the book so much that I decided to pick up another of Perry's works; The Butcher's Boy. This is the story of a hit man who is assigned to kill Colorado's senior senator. When he goes to Las Vegas to get his payment for the killing, he discovers that he's been double-crossed.  The police become suspicious of his activities and how they might relate to other killings.  Soon Elizabeth Waring, a Justice Department analyst is sorting through all the evidence to try to get to the truth.

The Butcher's Boy is a perfectly fine suspense thriller with plenty of plot twists and turns and lots of action.  But it certainly isn't as rewarding as Metzger's Dog.  Nor is it as darkly funny.  Metzger's Dog delivered it's madcap, surprising tale with a big dose of quirky charm.  Nonetheless, if you are a fan of fast-paced, well-plotted thrillers, I can almost guarantee you'll enjoy this book.