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Island
Island, first published in 1987 and long out-of-print, one of Thomas Perry’s most sought-after titles, is now available to readers in e-book format. The riveting and entertaining thriller follows a husband-and-wife con team on the run from the Mob, a soldier of fortune between jobs, a two-bit operator with grandiose dreams of tribal dynasty, a sultry CIA operative with divided loyalties, and the most dazzling defector ever to hurl a split-fingered fastball––twentieth-century buccaneers who wash up on a tiny island in the Caribbean and turn it into a multinational cash machine—but then the shooting starts.
Somebody is trying to invade the island, and that somebody could be anybody: the CIA, NSC or IRS; the most powerful, corrupt bank in the U.S. or the South American cocaine mafia—or it could just be the Los Angeles incarnation of the devil himself, a shadowy figure with a checkered past named Fat Jimmy…
Reviews:
“Island has more thrills than The Butcher’s Boy and more laughs than Metzger’s Dog, and it makes you feel good to read it. A pure delight, start to finish.” – Lawrence Block.
“Thomas Perry’s Island is the tourist trap to end all tourist traps—a fearsomely funny oasis where Gilligan wouldn’t survive the first luau, but where Ivan Boesky or Oliver North might feel right at home. A wild and terrific book.” – Carl Hiaasen
Somebody is trying to invade the island, and that somebody could be anybody: the CIA, NSC or IRS; the most powerful, corrupt bank in the U.S. or the South American cocaine mafia—or it could just be the Los Angeles incarnation of the devil himself, a shadowy figure with a checkered past named Fat Jimmy…
Reviews:
“Island has more thrills than The Butcher’s Boy and more laughs than Metzger’s Dog, and it makes you feel good to read it. A pure delight, start to finish.” – Lawrence Block.
“Thomas Perry’s Island is the tourist trap to end all tourist traps—a fearsomely funny oasis where Gilligan wouldn’t survive the first luau, but where Ivan Boesky or Oliver North might feel right at home. A wild and terrific book.” – Carl Hiaasen
312 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
218 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Perry
94 books1,723 followersThomas Perry was the author of 25 novels. He 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 had worked as a park maintenance man, factory laborer, commercial fisherman, university administrator and teacher, and as a writer and producer of prime time network television shows.
Thomas Perry lived in Southern California.
Thomas Perry lived in Southern California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
December 18, 2019
Great fun with a couple of con artists who wind up being too good at their game. There's some coincidence, but also an inevitability as they are decent people who just want to be rich & masters of their own fate. I loved the way it wound up. Perry is a great hand at writing intriguing characters & he carried the story along at great pace. Never a dull moment with a lot of laughs along the way plus a few tears just so it wasn't too good. Very well narrated.
October 13, 2016
I think I've read everything Thomas Perry has published (that's certainly been my intention), but this early work remains a favorite. A lighthearted romp full of skeevy losers hacking the very concept of the Westphalian nation state and getting in way, way over their heads in the process.
Obviously a very influential work in Chinese government circles as well...
Obviously a very influential work in Chinese government circles as well...
June 5, 2022
ISLAND
Thomas Perry
I didn't realize this was a republish, but I am glad that I got it. This was super dry and utterly sarcastic! Just my kind of quirky action book.
Husband and wife team of con artists hang in there for 20 years to complete the con of their life! These two and a few more very cool characters join together to turn a swallow spot an island and then a tourist attraction. As it turns out, it can be a tribal dynasty that houses winter baseball. It is a tiny island in the Caribbean that turns into a cash cow until it is invaded. But who would invade this island during winter baseball?
Super fun!
5 STars
Happy Reading!
Thomas Perry
I didn't realize this was a republish, but I am glad that I got it. This was super dry and utterly sarcastic! Just my kind of quirky action book.
Husband and wife team of con artists hang in there for 20 years to complete the con of their life! These two and a few more very cool characters join together to turn a swallow spot an island and then a tourist attraction. As it turns out, it can be a tribal dynasty that houses winter baseball. It is a tiny island in the Caribbean that turns into a cash cow until it is invaded. But who would invade this island during winter baseball?
Super fun!
5 STars
Happy Reading!
July 5, 2018
I read this book 16 years ago and was excited to see that I could get a kindle version of it. It's a different kind of Thomas Perry book. While most of his other works are humorless, Metzger's Dog and Island are filled with Hiassen level wit. On top of being funny, the story is quite interesting. I couple on the run from the mob take a shoal in the Caribbean and turn it into a tax haven country. Its irreverent and highly entertaining.
September 10, 2018
Six-word Review: Steal money, start anew, build nation.
A surprisingly fun story from an author better known for his Jane Whitefield Series. This book was written in 1987 but even though it's no longer in print, I found it on Bookmooch. I'm glad I did.
Harry and Emma Erskine, two of the most lovable con artists, you'd ever want to meet, abscond with a dangerous mobster's money. They manage to get to Miami where they meet a Caribbean smuggler, Lord Carnavaron, and together with him and other rogues they enlist along the way, literally create an Island on top of an underwater reef. They develop it as an adventure destination at first and eventually an exotic attraction for the wealthy, especially those who have money to launder.
Over time they become recognized as an independent country and home to dispossessed Carribean natives. This attracts the attention of a particularly evil international banker who attempts to invade the island with mercenary troops on more than one occasion. They are also beset by secret government agencies and criminal gangs who want in on the scam.
Eventually, everything gets sorted out. Harry and Emma and their constituents prevail and perhaps live happily ever after.
I particularly enjoyed the interplay of suspense and humor. The characterizations of the folks inhabiting the island are very well done. The villains are also well drawn. I can recommend this book in spite of its age. The situations Perry describes are just as likely to exist now as they did 35 years ago.
A surprisingly fun story from an author better known for his Jane Whitefield Series. This book was written in 1987 but even though it's no longer in print, I found it on Bookmooch. I'm glad I did.
Harry and Emma Erskine, two of the most lovable con artists, you'd ever want to meet, abscond with a dangerous mobster's money. They manage to get to Miami where they meet a Caribbean smuggler, Lord Carnavaron, and together with him and other rogues they enlist along the way, literally create an Island on top of an underwater reef. They develop it as an adventure destination at first and eventually an exotic attraction for the wealthy, especially those who have money to launder.
Over time they become recognized as an independent country and home to dispossessed Carribean natives. This attracts the attention of a particularly evil international banker who attempts to invade the island with mercenary troops on more than one occasion. They are also beset by secret government agencies and criminal gangs who want in on the scam.
Eventually, everything gets sorted out. Harry and Emma and their constituents prevail and perhaps live happily ever after.
I particularly enjoyed the interplay of suspense and humor. The characterizations of the folks inhabiting the island are very well done. The villains are also well drawn. I can recommend this book in spite of its age. The situations Perry describes are just as likely to exist now as they did 35 years ago.
May 14, 2021
I've read all of Thomas Perry's grim "Butcher's Boy" books, his delightful crime comedy "Metzger's Dog" and a number of his other fast-paced thrillers, so when I saw "Island" on sale as an e-book, I figured I would give it a try. I am glad I did, but I have to say it does not feel like a Perry novel, though -- it's more like one of Donald E. Westlake's light-hearted globe-trotting caper novels.
The plot starts off with a bang as con-man couple Harry and Emma Erskine flee from a vengeful mobster named Fat Jimmy, toting a briefcase full of cash they 've stolen from him. They make it to a plane to Miami -- but where to go from there?
Inspiration strikes when they meet an old sailor turned smuggler named Lord Carnarvon who helps them figure out that there's a Caribbean island -- more of a shoal, really -- that no one owns and they can claim. Harry has a brainstorm: They don't have to flee to a country for refuge. They can create their own! A haven for cheats and frauds and the like, willing to pay top dollar to hide out there.
The story then follows their work to build up the island using any kind of garbage they can wangle away from its owners, and to recruit a soldier of fortune named Vickers to take care of defense. He becomes important when some evil entity (the identity of which becomes the biggest surprise of the story) decides to invade the place and seize control.
There are some very funny patches of dialogue, particularly those involving scenes at the State Department, the U.S. Senate and the United Nations and the ramifications of Harry's idea become clearer to people astonished by its boldness and simplicity. There are also some terrific action scenes involving the invasion efforts.
Overall it's a satisfying read but with a few loose threads here and there, which is understandable given the size of the cast and the sprawling nature of the story, which ends up with a hostage situation in Paris that's ended by a clever chef.
My one regret is that because this is available ONLY as an e-book, I can't buy a copy and give it as a gift to friends I know would enjoy it.
The plot starts off with a bang as con-man couple Harry and Emma Erskine flee from a vengeful mobster named Fat Jimmy, toting a briefcase full of cash they 've stolen from him. They make it to a plane to Miami -- but where to go from there?
Inspiration strikes when they meet an old sailor turned smuggler named Lord Carnarvon who helps them figure out that there's a Caribbean island -- more of a shoal, really -- that no one owns and they can claim. Harry has a brainstorm: They don't have to flee to a country for refuge. They can create their own! A haven for cheats and frauds and the like, willing to pay top dollar to hide out there.
The story then follows their work to build up the island using any kind of garbage they can wangle away from its owners, and to recruit a soldier of fortune named Vickers to take care of defense. He becomes important when some evil entity (the identity of which becomes the biggest surprise of the story) decides to invade the place and seize control.
There are some very funny patches of dialogue, particularly those involving scenes at the State Department, the U.S. Senate and the United Nations and the ramifications of Harry's idea become clearer to people astonished by its boldness and simplicity. There are also some terrific action scenes involving the invasion efforts.
Overall it's a satisfying read but with a few loose threads here and there, which is understandable given the size of the cast and the sprawling nature of the story, which ends up with a hostage situation in Paris that's ended by a clever chef.
My one regret is that because this is available ONLY as an e-book, I can't buy a copy and give it as a gift to friends I know would enjoy it.
August 29, 2021
What a fun, tense, Outrageous, and engaging story! If you enjoy the crazy antics of Carl Hiaasen, you will surely enjoy this story. I laughed often, gasped (in delighted exasperation at the unbelievable antics of these people), and genuinely cared about the outcome, which was never certain and became even more uncertain as it went along!
Fun, funny, wild, and wacky -- great read!
Fun, funny, wild, and wacky -- great read!
October 27, 2021
A different sort of book from Perry. A conman and his wife are on the run from a mobster they stole money from. The new scheme is to set up on an unoccupied island and set it up as a sovereign nation while scamming folks.
A fun book with a lot going on
A fun book with a lot going on
September 27, 2021
Absolutely riveting
Best book I've read in YEARS !! Doesn't compare to any others, just a fabulous story
I can't say enough about it , very hard to put down !!
Best book I've read in YEARS !! Doesn't compare to any others, just a fabulous story
I can't say enough about it , very hard to put down !!
October 16, 2018
this is Thomas Perry's first book and it is a caper! You can tell it is first novel. It has all of the elements of a Perry novel. It is a little raw and it does go on and on -- I was not sure about some of the side stories - such as the Senator. But all and all a fun listen
July 14, 2017
This is a clever story that hasn't really aged.
August 8, 2018
Fantastic!
July 6, 2021
Unusual kind of mystery with a cast of characters that would be great in a movie. Funny and silly a the same time.
November 1, 2020
Thomas Perry is one of a kind. He writes "tales." The kind that a gifted story teller might spin if he was sitting around a table after dinner talking to old friends. They are full of mystery and suspense, but also packed with whimsey and evoke small smiles as they role out. He's not like any other thriller/crime writer I've found.
This is the fourth of his early novels from the 1980s. I stumbled on to him recently and got hooked on his Jane Whitefield series after reading his first, "The Butcher's Boy," another jewel. I'm now going back and reading all of his novels. They are all unique, filled with marvelous characters, wonderful detail and devious turns that delight. I highly recommend him.
This one is about a couple, Harry and Emma that are a small-time con team. They flee after working a mob-boss for several hundred thousands and Harry gets a spectacular idea for a new con. He decides to build an island and use it to attract the rich who will spend their money generously. They set up banks, casinos, a baseball park and other attractions. He recruits a small band of partners, each with a specific expertise and sets about to do it. Adventure and whimsey follows.
This is the fourth of his early novels from the 1980s. I stumbled on to him recently and got hooked on his Jane Whitefield series after reading his first, "The Butcher's Boy," another jewel. I'm now going back and reading all of his novels. They are all unique, filled with marvelous characters, wonderful detail and devious turns that delight. I highly recommend him.
This one is about a couple, Harry and Emma that are a small-time con team. They flee after working a mob-boss for several hundred thousands and Harry gets a spectacular idea for a new con. He decides to build an island and use it to attract the rich who will spend their money generously. They set up banks, casinos, a baseball park and other attractions. He recruits a small band of partners, each with a specific expertise and sets about to do it. Adventure and whimsey follows.
July 29, 2024
Harry and Emma are happily married con artists. And they are ready to start the biggest game of their careers. Harry wants his own island. It's purpose will be to make it a haven for tax evasion, money laundering, and hiding assets from the authorities. He finds the perfect place. It is more or less just a reef but is located in a spot in the Caribbean close enough to enough other countries that none of them would be inclined to invade for fear of offending their neighbors. It isn't exactly perfect since it is mostly under water at high tide. But Harry and his determined partners don't let that deter them. They use inventive methods to slowly build this spot into a real island by filling in all around it with construction debris and other materials that they can get just for the cost of hauling them away. It turns out that this will be a very long con. And along the way, Harry and Emma create their own country with interesting citizens. The wealth of this oasis starts to attract those who would like to claim it for themselves. And the people of Carib need to fight to protect their homes. I loved these characters and was rooting for them all the way. They had a grand vision.
February 2, 2025
A literate, Fantastical, Exiting and Fun Romp
I have read and loved everything that Thomas Perry has written, especially the Jane Whitfield series. This book, however, has a certain unique brilliance about it from its preposterous beginning of an idea to create an island where none existed and it's ultimate transformation to a destination sought as a retreat by the wealthy around the globe. The central characters Harry and Emma are two thieving scoundrels trying to escape their own deaths by fleeing the US and, in the course of their retreat, meet a number of people of similar character to join them in their dream/scheme to become wealthy. Is it believable? Oh gosh, no, but you won't mind. Harry is brilliant and knowledgeable, Emma is a savvy and willing wife/partner, and both are kind and caring people. They are joined by other skilled characters along the way, each of whom brings their own special wisdom. The dialog is superb, the wit laugh-producing, and the commentary on class, politicians and pretentiousness spot-on, in my opinion. I am so glad this came out in a Kindle version. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
I have read and loved everything that Thomas Perry has written, especially the Jane Whitfield series. This book, however, has a certain unique brilliance about it from its preposterous beginning of an idea to create an island where none existed and it's ultimate transformation to a destination sought as a retreat by the wealthy around the globe. The central characters Harry and Emma are two thieving scoundrels trying to escape their own deaths by fleeing the US and, in the course of their retreat, meet a number of people of similar character to join them in their dream/scheme to become wealthy. Is it believable? Oh gosh, no, but you won't mind. Harry is brilliant and knowledgeable, Emma is a savvy and willing wife/partner, and both are kind and caring people. They are joined by other skilled characters along the way, each of whom brings their own special wisdom. The dialog is superb, the wit laugh-producing, and the commentary on class, politicians and pretentiousness spot-on, in my opinion. I am so glad this came out in a Kindle version. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
August 3, 2019
Thomas Perry has a vivid imagination and has come up with a gem in this book. It is the story of five people who create an island from a sunken reef and how they develop it over a period of 15 years. The story is all tough-in-cheek and is a lot of fun to read.
I liked one paragraph in particular, which happened when one of the protagonists returned to LA after 15 years in the Caribbean. This was his impression of Los Angeles:
"It seemed to me that all the roads and the buildings were just places where you stopped your car to rest, or stopped to get gas, or to get your car fixed, or trade it in for another car, and then got back on the road trying to make up for the time you'd lost. Here it seemed to be going out to struggle to make your way against thousands of other people, all moving as fast as they could, to get there before you did and take your place before you found it. If they did, they'd take your job, your money, your house, your food, and your woman and there'd be nothing left for you. You'd never get an identity, you'd never exist at all."
I liked one paragraph in particular, which happened when one of the protagonists returned to LA after 15 years in the Caribbean. This was his impression of Los Angeles:
"It seemed to me that all the roads and the buildings were just places where you stopped your car to rest, or stopped to get gas, or to get your car fixed, or trade it in for another car, and then got back on the road trying to make up for the time you'd lost. Here it seemed to be going out to struggle to make your way against thousands of other people, all moving as fast as they could, to get there before you did and take your place before you found it. If they did, they'd take your job, your money, your house, your food, and your woman and there'd be nothing left for you. You'd never get an identity, you'd never exist at all."
July 8, 2021
This was my eleventh Perry book read. This was his fourth book published back in 1987. It didn't really grab me like so many of his other books. This was a quasi-utopian story that just never accelerated for my taste. That being said, I did enjoy it because of the quirky characters and their humorous banter. I was somewhat reminded of Carl Hiassen, but to a lesser degree. Nonetheless, I will continue reading his other books, because, apart from this one, I have really enjoyed the other ten Perry books that I've read to date. Happy reading all of you awesome book peeps!!!
January 18, 2024
still fun
After all the Thomas Perry books I’ve read and loved this remains one of my favorites (even though Chinese Gordon barely makes an appearance). Crosses and double crosses and bad guys who aren’t, really, and people being sneaky and deals being made. Island, and Metzger’s Dog, and Big Fish all wear well. If you didn’t read them before now you’ve missed some excellent entertainment.
After all the Thomas Perry books I’ve read and loved this remains one of my favorites (even though Chinese Gordon barely makes an appearance). Crosses and double crosses and bad guys who aren’t, really, and people being sneaky and deals being made. Island, and Metzger’s Dog, and Big Fish all wear well. If you didn’t read them before now you’ve missed some excellent entertainment.
December 16, 2017
This was a perfect airplane novel, in the sense that it didn't require undivided attention, but the characters and plot were engaging enough to divert me from the crowded waiting areas and the flight itself. This starts out like a Donald E. Westlake crime caper, and turns out a little less comic and a lot more procedural than it smells in the beginning. No spoilers! I will stop there.
December 28, 2024
A fun, light hearted, but exciting book. Who wouldn’t want to create an island and become millionaires? I read this book and it was so good, I want to read more by the author. The main character, Harry, starts off as a selfish, conniving con artist. But, as he circles himself with the right people, he creates a home. Island has intrigue, fun, and definitely excitement.
June 4, 2017
A great fantasy!
This is a unique story - unlike anything I've read before. I've read nearly all this authors books and this is the most unique and different. Well written and highly entertaining. Not overly realistic but that's ok. Traditional, you will enjoy it.
This is a unique story - unlike anything I've read before. I've read nearly all this authors books and this is the most unique and different. Well written and highly entertaining. Not overly realistic but that's ok. Traditional, you will enjoy it.
March 8, 2019
Love his later books.
This was his foist and his woist.
This was his foist and his woist.
April 20, 2019
As always an entertaining book by Perry- with an interesting , albeit far fetched plot, and as always interesting characters-reminds me a bit of Elmore Leonard
June 23, 2019
It's 2019 and I don't remember this book, yet it's in my spreadsheet.
July 29, 2019
I hunted this out of print book and finally found it on e-book. I was under the impression that it was along the lines of Metzer’s Dog and thought I would enjoy it. I didn’t.
Read
December 4, 2020Not his normal (if he has a normal) read. Funny and just different. Almost didn't finish
February 27, 2022
Neat story, with threads of action and political satire. Good character development.
October 11, 2022
Not your typical Thomas Perry novel. Definitely not my favorite. But it is well-written.
February 15, 2023
I am trying to read all of Thomas Perry's older books. This was previously out of print, but was republished due to his success. It should have stayed buried. Boring and tedious.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews