A woman limping with a crutch staggers as she carries many outfits out of a dry cleaners, and luckily for her, Jack Reacher is walking past and assists her. Unluckily for him, they turn and are face two men with guns who bundle them into a van. She is Holly Johnson, FBI officer and daughter of a highly ranked government official. They are taken to the forest hideout of a survivalist group that plans to break free from the United States and form their own nation. But is everything ever as it seems? Reacher uses his bulk and wit to try to figure out how to save the girl; and later, the world.
I’ve probably mentioned it before – Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books are not high literature. One of the reviews I read for his first book, Killing Floor, pointed out that Child writes in short sentences that can read quite stilted, but I don’t care. They are a quick read, a change from deeper and more emotionally intense books. And I love them. I’m sure I must have read this before, but I couldn’t recall as I read it this time. I really liked the character of Holly Johnson. Tough, feisty and never giving up. Frustrated at both her injury and her place in the world, but prepared to risk everything rather than sitting on her rear end. And during one of his exciting escapes, we discover that Reacher has a weakness – confined spaces. Not like a lift; this is a teeny, tiny tunnel inside a huge mountain, and of course, he conquers his weakness in only two or three pages, but they were exciting pages. Where to next, Jack?
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Sounds like a book I’d love. I’ve never read any of Reacher’s books…
From what I can tell, you either love or hate them. I don’t think you really need to start from book one unless you’re a little obsessive about these things as I am. Thanks for the comment – give him a go!
Hah! A week ago a friend sat me down and nearly forced me to listen to Elaine Charles the host of the Book report radio show interview Lee Childs – “who” on both accounts for me, OMG am I glad for it. Went out, got the book, and less than 24 chours later I sat back…wanting more. ‘Die Trying’ seems like a good one if the library has it – and I’m interested in what you picked up as a weakness. If it’s the one problem I have in his latest book, is that he seems too indomitable – and where’s the suspense in that?
Thanks for introducing me to Elaine Charles and the Book Report – I jumped online and listened to the interview. Very interesting. Whislt I love the Reacher novels, I don’t think I can call myself a Reacher Creature! I get what you mean about him being indomitable, but I kind of love that. I haven’t read them in order until now, and I know I’m several books behind, but around the 61 Hours book or so, there are some extremely unexpected events occurring. I read them like I watch Law and Order. You know that there is pretty much always going to be a win for the good guys, even if there are a few losses along the way. Thanks for your comment, Maria!