Hunting the Red Fox
Hunting The Red Fox is the story of Perry Barnes, a multi-talented man who made one bad teenage mistake in the weeks leading up to his high school graduation in 1942. On a lark he "borrowed" some jewelry that wasn't technically his. The local judge took it personally and gave Perry the choice of an assignment to a newly formed Army special operations unit at the start of World War II or go to jail for 15 years. As a result, he winds up being trained by the United States government in the skills and arts of sabotage, killing, self-preservation, espionage and ultimately how to be a first-class jewel thief.
Along the way he finds himself in the movie business in the Hollywood of the 1950's, then uses his immense physical skills in pursuit of excellence as a journeyman golfer on the PGA tour of that era with the likes of Ben Hogan, Jimmy Demaret and Arnold Palmer. Before the adventure is over Perry has stolen the world-famous Mecklenburg Diamond from a known jewel thief, worth a fortune, with the intention of returning it to the authorities for love, of all things.
All the while he is befriended by the most bewildering array of characters, some real, some not, who add marvelous vignettes of clever humor, situational intrigue, and steamy romance as he earnestly pursues the one goal he covets most: finding true love, marital companionship, and family.
Four, so far
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Independent Press Award · Humor
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NYC Big Book Award · Cross Genre
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Winner of "World's Best" Magazine Award for Weaving Adventure, Espionage, and Redemption in Historical Fiction
Author W. Kenneth Tyler has a vivid imagination that mixes well with his enthusiasm for history, and this has helped him craft a gripping and imaginative blend of historical fiction, crime, and romance that has you hooked from cover to cover.
I was drawn in by the writing. Tyler has a real ear for voice. Perry Barnes feels so authentic, I kept forgetting this was fiction. The dialogue sparkles. It’s smooth, sharp, funny. And while some of Perry’s tales stretch believability, the way they’re told makes you want to believe them. The pacing is tight in all the right spots, and the narrative flow, zigzagging through time, memory, and golf courses, is handled with grace. At times, the prose gets almost poetic, especially when touching on themes of regret, legacy, and the slippery nature of truth. It’s like listening to your grandfather spin a yarn, and just when you think he’s done, he throws in something wild that makes your jaw drop.
Hunting the Red Fox by W. Kenneth Tyler, Jr. is a compelling and highly entertaining novel of intrigue, adventure, and misadventure.
Hunting the Red Fox is a marvelous and masterfully told tale resplendent with romance, intrigue, wit, humor, and a winning storyline. With its colorful cast of characters—some real, some not—and its irresistible and unforgettable protagonist, Hunting the Red Fox heralds the advent of a clever and captivating new voice in the world of historical fiction. Sparkling with crisp storytelling, clever twists, turns, and laugh-out-loud humor, Hunting the Red Fox is a gem.
- Publisher
- The Peppertree Press
- Published
- April 8, 2025
- Pages
- 289
- Hardcover
- 978-1-965950-05-0 · $34.00
- Trade paperback
- 978-1-965950-04-3 · $26.00
- Audiobook
- Audible
Hunting the Red Fox blends memoir-style storytelling with novelistic suspense, leaving readers to weigh for themselves whether Perry Barnes was simply a man with colorful tales or a true “Red Fox” whose life was stranger than fiction. Readers who enjoy historical fiction thrillers full of suspense, espionage, and memoir-style narratives may enjoy this book.
I have written a second novel which is finished, in very strong form and ready to go but the powers in charge have instructed me to sit on it like a hen with her eggs until the time is right. We can hatch that one once HRF is all grown up and matured.