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The Affair by Lee Child – Book Review

Posted on September 25, 2011
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March 1997. A woman has her throat cut behind a bar in Carter Crossing, Mississippi. Just down the road is a big army base. Is the murderer a local guy – or is he a soldier?

Jack Reacher, still a major in the military police, is sent in undercover. The county sheriff is a former U.S. Marine – and a stunningly beautiful woman. Her investigation is going nowhere. Is the Pentagon stonewalling her? Or doesn’t she really want to find the killer?

The adrenaline-pumping, high-voltage action in The Affair is set just six months before the opening of Killing Floor, and it marks a turning point in Reacher’s career. If he does what the army wants, will he be able to live with himself? And if he doesn’t, will the army be able to live with him? Is this his last case in uniform?

If you happen to be one of the rare and isolated readers who have yet to discover – full on action hero -Jack Reacher, I only have one question for you – where have you been this past fourteen years, Mars?!! The Affair marks Lee Child’s 16th Jack Reacher adventure and is without question the book Reacher fans have been waiting for, for one very simple reason, we discover why Reacher left the army.

Incredibly well paced and remarkably fluent, The Affair is another multi-layered adventure that entertains on so many levels. There’s a little action – not as much as I’ve come to expect from Reacher mind – some romance, explosive encounters and a depth in a protagonist I didn’t anticipate. Reacher, for me, is more guarded, more circumspect yet given the fact that he is still working under the express orders of the Army and Pentagon this is to be expected.

Billed as …

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Tripwire by Lee Child (book review)

Posted on October 3, 2010
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Jack Reacher returns in this his third outing as the enigmatic, no-nonsense maverick courtesy of bestselling author Lee Child. His first two books Killing Floor and Die Trying were sensational hits introducing the hero to the masses on both sides of the pond – Tripwire is no different.

Reacher, an ex-military policemen, is currently held up in Key West digging swimming pools by day and working as a security guard by night in a small strip joint – it’s a no-nonsense lifestyle that suits Reacher down to the ground. No ties, no commitment; Florida is just another step on his nomadic travels. Available in the US from Amazon US.

When a private detective (Costello) turns up asking questions about Jack Reacher, the 250 lb. maverick denies all knowledge and sends him on his way. Later that night Reacher stumbles upon Costello’s dead body and all roads lead to New York and an old friend.

It’s not long before Reacher is knee deep in trouble. While mourning the death of an old mentor, Reacher faces a new foe and is attacked by two ruthless thugs, he escapes and a whole new journey begins.

So what does Tripwire offer? The Reacher series is fairly formulaic offering nonstop action, entertainment and incredible twists and turns that lead to a climactic conclusion. We wouldn’t want it any other way! The main villain is pure evil and has a psychopathic air about him – he is deviously intelligent and Reacher has to dig deep to overcome his new enemy.

One thing I’ve come to enjoy about Reacher is his vulnerability and the fact that he isn’t perfect. He makes mistakes but when they happen; he works twice as hard to put them right. He is a moralistic character, fights for the underdog and has …

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Worth Dying For by Lee Child (book review)

Posted on September 19, 2010
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Astounding, brilliant, magnificent and dynamic – just some of the superlatives that best describe Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series. His latest offering “Worth Dying For”, out at the end of September incidentally, is another jaw dropping sure fire hit and one you’ll fail to put down. Available in the United States 19th Oct.

The 15th Jack Reacher novel moves on from the explosive end in “61 Hours”, leaving South Dakota our maverick hitches south making his way to the wilds of Nebraska.

Nebraska is flat and cold – it’s winter time!

Jack Reacher has a knack for finding trouble. He doesn’t go looking for it, trouble finds him – it’s that simple. A nomad and a drifter, Reacher is high on moralistic values and tries to do the right thing no matter what the cost. It’s these principles that continually land him in high adventure and low company.

The Duncans rule the town, slowly but surely they’ve sucked the heart and soul out of the farming community – they own the trucking services, the harvesting and the suppliers. If the town had police, they’d own them too, the clan is powerful and dangerous.

The local farmers are stuck, lifeless and without a say in how things are run – the Duncans rule everything. De-spirited over time, the farmers are frightened and with nowhere to run, fight eludes them; they’ve given in, bowing to each and every whim the Duncans desire.

Reacher arrives at a desolate crossroads and makes his way to the only motel in town, Hotel Apollo has seen better days; so has the owner.  After checking in he makes his way to the bar and drinks stewed coffee; not the best he’s had but it’s hot. The only other person drinking is the local …

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Lee Child’s the “Killing Floor” (Jack Reacher 1) book review

Posted on August 2, 2010
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In the “Killing Floor”, Lee Child’s introduces us to Jack Reacher the ex military cop and army major who is now a nomad travelling from state to state seeing America at his own pace.

Margrave, a sleepy little town in Georgia hasn’t seen a homicide in 30 years but when Jack Reacher jumps off a bus and walks fourteen miles in the rain things are about to change. Little does he know it but Reacher has walked into a hornet’s nest of corruption, deceit and money laundering. Lee Child’s Website

Reacher is a victim of circumstance. Wrong place, wrong time – Simple. Sitting quietly in the local diner he is arrested and taken to the police station and charged with murder. Needless to say he’s innocent but has a hell of a job proving it.

The police force is corrupt and it doesn’t take Reacher long to figure out things aren’t what they appear to be. He doesn’t know who to trust but he has no choice but to figure out who is involved, if only to clear his name.

As he investigates, secrets leak out and the body count mounts.

The book is faced paced, a true page turner in every sense. With a great blend of horrific violence, conspiracy and intrigue the novel is an emotional rollercoaster from beginning to end. Reacher receives news that makes the situation intensely personal. One thing is for sure, the crooked cops and town folk picked on the wrong guy in Reacher.

Forget Arnie; Reacher is the all American Action Hero and with an eye for the ladies, the book offers a softer side to the ex-Major hell-bent on revenge.

The supporting characters are incredibly well balanced and play a huge role in a very successful novel. The book is …

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Lee Child’s “Die Trying” Book Review

Posted on August 2, 2010
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Ex-military policeman Jack Reacher is back in Lee Child’s second instalment “Die Trying”. Following on from his first novel and critically acclaimed “Killing Floor” Child is not only back on form but is better than ever!

In the “Killing Floor”, Jack Reacher stumbles upon a web of corruption, murder and money laundering. Unable to escape due to corruption at the highest level of the local police Reacher is hell-bent on proving his innocence and bringing those guilty to his own unique level of justice.

Similarly in “Die Trying” Reacher is minding his own business when he walks past a small dry cleaners in Chicago and bumps into Holly Johnson, an attractive FBI agent new to the agency. Holly, recovering from a knee injury sustained while playing soccer, stumbles and Reacher is on hand to stop her from falling. At that very moment the pair are hurried into a waiting car, kidnapped at gunpoint and taken far away.

Reacher is once again a victim of circumstance but once he gets to know Holly he commits to the “relationship” and is determined to look after the rookie agent.

Child’s is at his descriptive best, effortlessly filling in Holly’s back-story as their journey unfolds.

We discover the truth about Holly and her family, why she is critical to Borken’s master plan of destruction and why despite kidnapping her he is adamant that no harm comes to her. Beau Borken is the enemy. There’s something different about his character, as a reader you want to side with Reacher (and you do) but I can’t help thinking some level of admiration for the cult leader for his ingenuity and guile. Borken is a clever but ruthless enemy who will stop at nothing to achieve the end game.

Full of twists and …

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