Publication Date: March 13, 2025
Amateur golf historian and aspiring writer Roger Mace is a good golfer with a great idea: to document stories of ordinary people who have done extraordinary things for the book project he thinks will put him on the map. When he overhears a lunch conversation at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Virginia, Roger is intrigued: it seems one member of the conversation spent time in the Fifties playing what would later become the PGA Tour. With his curiosity piqued, Roger sets out to acquire his first interview with the man who turns out to be the enigmatic Perry Barnes.
But in his first meeting with Perry, Roger realizes that Perry’s golf career is only a small slice of this story. When Perry tantalizes him with a fantastical tidbit about the biggest and best jewel heist of his career, Roger is all ears—well, all ears and a healthy dose of skepticism. But what unfolds is a story beyond Roger’s wildest dreams.
And so begins story of Perry Barnes, a highly intelligent, devastatingly charming, and uber-talented man who made a bad teenage mistake in the weeks leading up to his high school graduation in 1942. On a lark, it seems Perry “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 a 15-year jail stint. As a result, Perry finds himself being trained by the United States government in the skills and arts of sabotage, killing, self-preservation, espionage and ultimately, how to be a world class jewel thief.
In a story that unfolds in a series of interviews Roger conducts—again, with a healthy dose of skepticism—Perry finds himself in the movie business in the Hollywood of the 1950s, 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. But before the adventure is over, Perry has stolen the priceless Mecklenburg Diamond from a known jewel thief, with the intention of returning it to the authorities for, of all things, love.
Befriended by a most bewildering—and spectacular—array of characters, Perry, in his unending quest for excellence, earnestly pursues the one goal he covets most: finding true love.
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.
Aspiring writer Roger Mace wants to document interesting, ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. However, it’s not until he overhears a lunch conversation among a group of older gentlemen golfers that he finds a perfect starting point.
Author W. Kenneth Tyler, Jr. sets the stage for 82-year-old Perry Barnes to reveal either the ramblings of a deluded old man or perhaps the catalyst for Roger’s first book.
Hunting the Red Fox unfolds in an unconventional manner. Although Roger is eager to hone his interview skills, Perry becomes the storyteller and Roger the scribe.
Instead of the expected story about Perry’s golfing experiences, a somewhat different story takes shape, highlighting a young man whose life was transformed by a poor decision. Full of humor, historical references, and an appreciation for golf, Perry’s story forces Roger to redefine the project’s parameters.
Hunting the Red Fox takes readers into the story where they can sit on the sidelines as Perry revisits key moments of his life.
W. Kenneth Tyler, Jr. is a semi-retired Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Master of Business Administration graduate degree with a concentration in marketing. Prior to starting his own CPA firm in the mid-1980s Tyler spent time in the advertising business writing radio commercials and speeches for corporate executives.
