October 14, 2024
Lee Child hands the Jack Reacher franchise over to his brother, Andrew, with this solid series entry (following The Secret). Former military policeman Reacher wakes up shackled to a steel table with a broken right arm and no memory of where he is or how he got there. During a visit from one of his captors, Reacher manages to get free. He soon learns he was kidnapped by a gang that’s wrapped up in a complex art forgery scheme. Their motives, as far as Reacher can tell, involve the pursuit of a safe holding $2.2 million, a bag of gold bullion, and something called “the Russian job.” As he tries to stay out of the group’s crosshairs and figure out what, exactly, they want from him, Reacher teams up with a detective named Jenny Knight who has a personal vendetta against one of the gang members. Together, they resolve to bring the whole syndicate down—provided their explosive romantic chemistry doesn’t distract them from the task at hand. Though the plot is too busy by half, Reacher fans old and new will be perfectly satisfied by the familiar bone-crunching and world-saving in this fast-paced adventure. The series is in good hands.
May 30, 2025
Jack Reacher regains consciousness strapped to a table. His wrist is broken, and he can't remember how he got there. After dramatically freeing himself, he confronts Ivan, one of his captors. Ivan spins a story about a car crash, a rogue FBI agent, and a ring of thieves robbing unoccupied mansions. Ivan doesn't know Reacher's real identity and plans to use him as a patsy in a scheme that promises a multi-million-dollar score. Reacher plays along while getting inside information from an unwilling FBI contact. As he becomes more deeply involved, however, he discovers a second and more deadly plot centered on the sale of state secrets. In typical style, Reacher uses his mental and physical skills to solve the mystery and bring the thieves to justice--with one hand wrapped in plaster. In this 29th installment in the Reacher series (after The Secret), the brother coauthors give their hero almost superhuman skills and the ability to attract friends with deep pockets to finance his backdoor investigations. Scott Brick narrates with enthusiasm, using multiple voices and accents to bring the action alive. VERDICT The story's plot relies heavily on coincidence and connections made in previous books. Reacher fans will be all in.--Joanna M. Burkhardt
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