The Perk — Mark Gimenez

A grieving widower gets caught up in the politics of his Texas hometown when he returns to make peace with his father.


THE PERK was selected for BOOKS TO DIE FOR:  THE WORLD'S GREATEST MYSTERY WRITERS ON THE WORLD'S GREATEST MYSTERY NOVELS, edited by John Connolly and Declan Burke


Best-seller lists:


No. 6, Ireland

No. 11, Australia

No. 17, UK


Editorial Reviews:


"Remember when John Grisham exploded on to the courtroom drama market with novels of breathtaking brilliance? Lightning just struck twice." 

- The Daily Record (Scotland)


"Gimenez returns to the complex legal thrillers where he seems to be at his best. The Perk has mystery, humour and history along with well-drawn characters that the reader will actually care about. As is often the case in legal thrillers, there is a mix of those characters that take the moral high ground and those who seem just out for their own good. Unusually, there are also a few comic and slightly caricatured figures here as well -- but they all fit well together in the plot. Together with great characters and a strong plot there is also lots of interesting historical information. The ending may not be what is expected but it is all the better for it and proves to be a good finish to an excellent book. As ever, Gimenez is highly recommended, impossible to put down and definitely not to be missed." - CrimeSquad.com (UK)


"Just as well I started The Perk on the weekend, as I couldn't put down this book. . . . This one's a cracker -- neatly woven subplots, a taut thriller and a wonderfully current statement on American popular culture. And yes, Gimenez may possibly be the next Grisham." 

- Kerre's Book Reviews (UK)


“Gimenez fills the John Grisham hole in the legal-thriller genre so well there may be no room left for Grisham.” 

�" The Sunday Times (Perth) 


"Gimenez's novels are gripping, intense thrillers. Guaranteed to keep you up well into the night, The Perk is an exceptionally well crafted novel, populated by a cast of characters that are realistically-drawn and appealing. As always, thought-provoking, intelligent, and addictive. Highly recommended." 

- Civilian-Reader (UK)


Top Ten of 2008 -- "We read lots of thrillers and they can tend to merge into one another. The Perk stood out by a mile as an excellent example of the genre and a stunning, well told tale in its own right. Gimenez' stature continues to grow." - CrimeSquad.com (UK)