Lee Child is at the top of the bestseller lists and tops in thriller writing.
His Jack Reacher series is wildly popular and widely read. After reading many other crime thrillers lately, I can see why he deserves it. With 28 novels in the series, he takes us back to the beginning with The Affair, explaining how Reacher came to be a wandering crusader of justice.
Jack Reacher is a former Army Military Police Major, who was retired at age 36. A quintessential lone wolf, he now roams the US without any baggage or possessions, owns no house or car (he hitchhikes and takes the bus), and even throws his clothes away when he gets new ones. He is also six foot five, dirty blond, and about 250 pounds of muscle (despite what Tom Cruise has told you) so he certainly stands out as a stranger in a small town. Trained by the Army, he can handle any situation or crowd of angry thugs that comes his way. Wherever he travels there is suspicious crimes and miscarriages of justice his moral compass cannot ignore.
The first book in the series (and the first one I read) is called The Killing Floor. In The Affair, Lee Child begins with Reacher's final assignment back in 1997. His authorized mission is to check on trouble in a small Mississippi town, the home of military base Fort Kelham. Over the past few months three women have been killed in suspicious circumstances and someone on the base may be responsible. He meets with the (fantastic looking) sheriff and their mutual investigation leads to friendship and then a steamy affair. There are run-ins with locals, political cover-ups and possible wrongdoing in a secret operation in Kosovo. The Affair explains why Reacher left the army, reasons for his spare lifestyle and why he is at loose ends roaming the countryside like a modern-day Cheyenne.
Although it turned out my first guess at who-done-it was correct, I didn't mind at all. He adds enough twists and drops his hints slowly so you are lead off in several plausible directions. Child has a way of refining the plot and dialogue so you feel like you have just what you need as a reader. The novels and chapters aren't short (this novel is over 500 pages) but are written in a fluid style that is entertaining to read, slowly gaining like a freight train. The characters are sharp, and the whole thing seems tight and complete. It works well as a prequel to the series, with references and ties that complete the plot of The Killing Floor. The cover says "it's the Reacher book fans were waiting for", and I agree.
I read a lot of thrillers and find Child up there with Jeffrey Deaver and Brad Thor. If you like them too, check him out. (Always learning something new: I just read that Lee Child is a pseudonym for the British author Jim Grant, who chose the surname as it would place him on bookshelves between Raymond Chandler and Agatha Christie.)
I plan on continuing with the entire series.
Then again, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. That's for damn sure.
2011 / Paperback / 528 pages
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