The final sentence of Child's ninth suspenser (after The Enemy
)—"Then he could buy a pair of shoes and be just about anywhere before the sun went down"—is quintessential Jack Reacher, the rugged ex-army cop who practically defines the word "loner" and kicks ass with the best of 'em. In the book's gripping opening, five people are killed when a shooter opens fire in a small unnamed Indiana city. But when ex-infantry specialist James Barr is apprehended, he refuses to talk, saying only, "Get Jack Reacher for me." But Reacher's already en route; having seen a news story on the shooting, he heads to the scene with disturbing news of his own: "[Barr's] done this before. And once was enough." Nothing is what it seems in the riveting puzzle, as vivid set pieces and rapid-fire dialogue culminate in a slam-bang showdown in the villains' lair. (And what villains: a quintet of Russian émigrés, the stuff of everybody's worst nightmares, led by a wily 80-year-old who makes Freddy Krueger look like Little Lord Fauntleroy.) As usual, Child makes the most of Reacher's dry wit, cut-to-the-chase psychology and stubborn taciturnity—in short, this is a vintage double play for author and leading man. Agent, Darley Anderson
. (June 21)
Details
Reviewed on: 05/23/2005
Genre: Fiction
Analog Audio Cassette - 978-1-59355-516-0
Compact Disc - 978-1-4558-9372-0
Compact Disc - 978-1-4558-9374-4
Compact Disc - 10 pages - 978-1-59355-519-1
Compact Disc - 1 pages - 978-1-59335-731-3
Hardcover - 615 pages - 978-0-375-43338-2
MP3 CD - 978-1-4079-4886-7
Mass Market Paperbound - 485 pages - 978-0-345-53819-2
Other - 978-1-4079-4887-4
Paperback - 512 pages - 978-0-85750-012-0
Paperback - 400 pages - 978-0-345-54086-7
Paperback - 546 pages - 978-0-307-99079-2
Paperback - 494 pages - 978-0-553-81586-3
Pre-Recorded Audio Player - 978-1-61545-536-2
