The Tree of Light and Flowers

Jane Whitefield is used to protecting vulnerable people, but after she gives birth, the fugitives she must rescue are her own family.

A violent car crash brings on the premature birth of the baby that Jane Whitefield and her husband have hoped for, but it also shatters the period of calm in their lives like an earthquake triggering a tectonic shift.

Within weeks, Jane’s peaceful time as a new mother in a safe, harmonious home starts to revert to her harrowing previous life. She had spent over a decade rescuing and sheltering people from dangerous foes, taking them to new locations, and teaching them to live under new identities. It was something that she’d hoped to never have to do again.

Nearly simultaneously, as though the events were connected, people who are thousands of miles apart in vastly different circumstances start to move. Some of them are in terrible need of help finding a route to safety. Some are dedicated to serving justice. Others are determined to capture the woman who makes people disappear so they can force her to reveal where their potential victims are now. All of these travelers are soon on their way to the old house in western New York.

Suddenly the people requiring Jane’s special skills include not only multiple fugitives, but also Jane herself, her husband, and their newborn, as the danger she faces comes from people who know how to find her. She’ll need to use everything she’s ever learned in order to survive.

Perry, always a master at ratcheting up tension and delivering high-octane action scenes, showcases all his talents here. Intentionally or not, the novel has a whiff of melancholy. This final Jane Whitefield novel is the farewell his readers needed.”
―The New York Times

The Tree of Light and Flowers is a cathartic tale for all involved and shows how the important and kind work to which Jane Whitefield has dedicated her life can become tainted by the evil and violent nature of the world around her. Thomas Perry and his unique storytelling, along with his great characters, will be missed.”
―BookReporter

Jane is fearless and determined, and her narrative remains powerful in this 10th book of the series (following The Left-Handed Twin). This is a smart, fast-paced action drama from a stellar literary talent.”
―Library Journal (starred review)

Fascinating . . . Another absorbing Perry mystery.”
―Booklist (starred review)

Could. Not. Put. It. Down. . . . The gripping plot is a primer for those who would like to disappear off the grid, and the wrap-up is very satisfying.”
―BookPage (starred review)

Perry crafts a taut, morally charged narrative where loyalty and survival collide. Fans of high-stakes suspense will savor this white-knuckle ride.”
―Publishers Weekly

A supercharged final pursuit that’s a fitting close to Perry’s remarkably consistent career as a master of suspense.”
―Kirkus

“Perry, who died in 2025, has written a fine capstone for his own career as well as his courageous character. . . . Reader concern for Jane, her family and her clients raises the suspense level.”
―Wall Street Journal

An original and fascinating read from start to finish. Perry’s storytelling style is vivid, eloquent, and deftly crafted. Readers who are fans of suspense thriller adventures featuring female sleuths will fully appreciate and enjoy this latest Jane Whitefield novel.”
―Midwest Book Review

Another stunner from a modern master.”
―Booklist (starred review) for The Left-Handed Twin

Few crime-fiction authors are as skilled as Thomas Perry at keeping readers off balance and in suspense.”
―Wall Street Journal

Both thrilling (that’s a given) and a surprisingly emotional and wrenching farewell—a parting gift featuring one of crime fiction’s all-time great original characters, by one of its most noted and creative practitioners.”
―Deadly Pleasures

This finale is incredible. Thomas Perry was a genius.”
―Daytona Daily News

Thomas Perry is the Edgar-winning author of over thirty novels, including The Butcher’s Boy, which Parade magazine included in its 2021 list of 101 Best Mystery Books of All Time, and Metzger’s Dog, which NPR listeners voted one of the “Best Thrillers of All Time.” His novel The Old Man was the inspiration for the television series starring Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow, and his novel Strip inspired the film Bear Country starring Russell Crowe. He died in Los Angeles on September 15, 2025, at the age of 78.