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Jack Reacher #18
Never Go Back
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Mystery & Thriller (2013)After an epic and interrupted journey all the way from the snows of South Dakota, Jack Reacher has finally made it to Virginia. His destination: a sturdy stone building a short bus ride from Washington D.C., the headquarters of his old unit, the 110th MP. It was the closest thing to a home he ever had.
Why? He wants to meet the new commanding officer, Major Susan Turner. He liked her voice on the phone. But the officer sitting behind Reacher’s old desk isn't a woman. Why is Susan Turner not there?
What Reacher doesn’t expect is what comes next. He himself is in big trouble, accused of a sixteen-year-old homicide. And he certainly doesn't expect to hear these words: ‘You’re back in the army, Major. And your ass is mine.’
Will he be sorry he went back? Or – will someone else?
400 pages, Hardcover
First published September 3, 2013
7890 people are currently reading
23812 people want to read
About the author
Lee Child
448 books33.7k followersLee Child was born October 29th, 1954 in Coventry, England, but spent his formative years in the nearby city of Birmingham. By coincidence he won a scholarship to the same high school that JRR Tolkien had attended. He went to law school in Sheffield, England, and after part-time work in the theater he joined Granada Television in Manchester for what turned out to be an eighteen-year career as a presentation director during British TV's "golden age." During his tenure his company made Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, Prime Suspect, and Cracker. But he was fired in 1995 at the age of 40 as a result of corporate restructuring. Always a voracious reader, he decided to see an opportunity where others might have seen a crisis and bought six dollars' worth of paper and pencils and sat down to write a book, Killing Floor, the first in the Jack Reacher series.
Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment. The first Jack Reacher movie, based on the novel One Shot and starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, was released in December 2012.
Lee has three homes—an apartment in Manhattan, a country house in the south of France, and whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two. In the US he drives a supercharged Jaguar, which was built in Jaguar's Browns Lane plant, thirty yards from the hospital in which he was born.
Lee spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.
Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment. The first Jack Reacher movie, based on the novel One Shot and starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, was released in December 2012.
Lee has three homes—an apartment in Manhattan, a country house in the south of France, and whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two. In the US he drives a supercharged Jaguar, which was built in Jaguar's Browns Lane plant, thirty yards from the hospital in which he was born.
Lee spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,014 reviews
September 4, 2013
Where is Jack Reacher? Who is this imposter?
I am a huge Lee Child / Jack Reacher fan, and have been reading these books for years, but it has got to the point where I say that this could very well be my last Jack Reacher purchase. It pains me to say this, as these books have been the highlight of my reading calender for a long time.
There were a few times when I seriously considered not finishing the book, but this is Lee Child and Reacher, surely it can only get better? No, the writing was consistent throughout, it was boring and repetitive. The plot was weak, and every solution to every problem on both sides was just too convenient, unbelievably so on many occasions.
Jack Reacher, in my opinion, has become arrogant – he is no longer the Jack Reacher I have enjoyed reading about all these years. This new Jack does things because he can – not because he must in order to survive. The ridiculous fire episode and the aeroplane scene clinched the deal for me.
The ending, and the reason for all the trouble Jack found himself in, was crazy, far-fetched and not what I have come to expect from Lee Child.
I have been holding back on this review for days, but when you take the price of this book into consideration, and what is between the covers, I think it is important that potential readers know that this is not up to Lee Child’s earlier standards.
I am definitely the minority when it comes to reviewing this book – the 5 star reviews are rolling in on both Amazon and Goodreads. Maybe you will still enjoy this book if you are a die-hard Reacher fan, if not, I would give it a skip and rather try Lee Child's earlier Jack Reacher novels – they were brilliant.
Would I recommend this book? No
Will I buy the next book? Not on pre-order, I will wait for the reviews to come in first before buying – if at all.
I am a huge Lee Child / Jack Reacher fan, and have been reading these books for years, but it has got to the point where I say that this could very well be my last Jack Reacher purchase. It pains me to say this, as these books have been the highlight of my reading calender for a long time.
There were a few times when I seriously considered not finishing the book, but this is Lee Child and Reacher, surely it can only get better? No, the writing was consistent throughout, it was boring and repetitive. The plot was weak, and every solution to every problem on both sides was just too convenient, unbelievably so on many occasions.
Jack Reacher, in my opinion, has become arrogant – he is no longer the Jack Reacher I have enjoyed reading about all these years. This new Jack does things because he can – not because he must in order to survive. The ridiculous fire episode and the aeroplane scene clinched the deal for me.
The ending, and the reason for all the trouble Jack found himself in, was crazy, far-fetched and not what I have come to expect from Lee Child.
I have been holding back on this review for days, but when you take the price of this book into consideration, and what is between the covers, I think it is important that potential readers know that this is not up to Lee Child’s earlier standards.
I am definitely the minority when it comes to reviewing this book – the 5 star reviews are rolling in on both Amazon and Goodreads. Maybe you will still enjoy this book if you are a die-hard Reacher fan, if not, I would give it a skip and rather try Lee Child's earlier Jack Reacher novels – they were brilliant.
Would I recommend this book? No
Will I buy the next book? Not on pre-order, I will wait for the reviews to come in first before buying – if at all.
September 15, 2021
While traveling through South Dakota in 61 Hours, ex-military cop Jack Reacher had occasion to call in to his old office in Washington, D.C, the headquarters of the 110th MP. Reacher once commanded the unit but it now belongs to Major Susan Turner. Reacher decided that Turner had a very nice voice and, on the strength of that impression, he has slowly been making his way in the direction of D.C. in the hope that she will go out to dinner with him.
As this book opens, he finally arrives only to discover that Turner has just been arrested. His old unit is now under the command of an acting head named Morgan. Morgan not only tells Reacher that Turner is in the slammer but that Reacher himself is being charged with two relatively ancient crimes. Reacher claims to be totally innocent and to have little or no memory of either alleged incident. Nonetheless, the acting commander invokes some arcane regulation and informs Reacher that he is now back in the army and under Morgan's command, at least until the charges are cleared up. Morgan orders Reacher to go to a motel and to then report for duty first thing in the morning.
At this point, neither Reacher nor the reader has the slightest idea what in the hell might be going on, but obviously something very unseemly is in the works. Reacher is determined to discover what it might be and so dutifully checks into the motel as ordered.
As soon as he does two musclemen, clearly military men out of uniform, arrive at the motel and tell Reacher to get out of town, promising that no one will come looking for him if he does, and that they will beat the crap out of him if he refuses to do so.
Well, of course, no one threatens to beat the crap out of Jack Reacher, let alone actually do it, and before long the two musclemen are lying comatose next to their car which now has two new dents in the sheet metal from where Reacher has introduced their heads to the side of their ride. The next morning, Reacher gets up and reports to the unit as ordered, which is going to be very bad news for the people who are screwing with him.
It wouldn't be fair to say any more; needless to say the story proceeds as long-time Reacher fans will expect. The conspiracy at hand is deep and complex and, as always, Reacher will have to kick the crap out of any number of people who continue to underestimate him in spite of his size. (He is, of course, considerably larger and more intimidating than Tom Cruise.)
This is one of the better entries in this long-running series and would make a great summer read--or any other season, for that matter. This particular edition also includes an entertaining Reacher short story called "High Heat," which features a very mature sixteen-year-old Jack Reacher.
As this book opens, he finally arrives only to discover that Turner has just been arrested. His old unit is now under the command of an acting head named Morgan. Morgan not only tells Reacher that Turner is in the slammer but that Reacher himself is being charged with two relatively ancient crimes. Reacher claims to be totally innocent and to have little or no memory of either alleged incident. Nonetheless, the acting commander invokes some arcane regulation and informs Reacher that he is now back in the army and under Morgan's command, at least until the charges are cleared up. Morgan orders Reacher to go to a motel and to then report for duty first thing in the morning.
At this point, neither Reacher nor the reader has the slightest idea what in the hell might be going on, but obviously something very unseemly is in the works. Reacher is determined to discover what it might be and so dutifully checks into the motel as ordered.
As soon as he does two musclemen, clearly military men out of uniform, arrive at the motel and tell Reacher to get out of town, promising that no one will come looking for him if he does, and that they will beat the crap out of him if he refuses to do so.
Well, of course, no one threatens to beat the crap out of Jack Reacher, let alone actually do it, and before long the two musclemen are lying comatose next to their car which now has two new dents in the sheet metal from where Reacher has introduced their heads to the side of their ride. The next morning, Reacher gets up and reports to the unit as ordered, which is going to be very bad news for the people who are screwing with him.
It wouldn't be fair to say any more; needless to say the story proceeds as long-time Reacher fans will expect. The conspiracy at hand is deep and complex and, as always, Reacher will have to kick the crap out of any number of people who continue to underestimate him in spite of his size. (He is, of course, considerably larger and more intimidating than Tom Cruise.)
This is one of the better entries in this long-running series and would make a great summer read--or any other season, for that matter. This particular edition also includes an entertaining Reacher short story called "High Heat," which features a very mature sixteen-year-old Jack Reacher.
September 30, 2019
This Jack Reacher novel continues the series of deceptively simple, well conceived and crafted, and satisfying novels. Reacher is a bit more mature at times but always ahead of the story curve. The plot is timely, and the story is driven by ethical dilemmas faced by Reacher as a result of his past.
I try to anticipate the ending in as much detail as practical, but Never Go Back was a challenge in this regard. Never Go Back is a worthwhile read, even for a new Reacher fan.
I try to anticipate the ending in as much detail as practical, but Never Go Back was a challenge in this regard. Never Go Back is a worthwhile read, even for a new Reacher fan.
Read
September 18, 2013You're going to like this, or you're not going to like this. Fifty-fifty.
September 16, 2013
Book Review
Jack Reacher is back, in this, the 18th in the series. Like all the others I read this in one or two sittings in spite of the fact that some parts did not involve as much action as we have come to expect from this series. Lee Child's skill in causing one to turn the page is really quite excellent. Completing the book I took a look around GR and touched base with some fellow fans of this series. Although I was going to give this book a 4 star rating, reading their reviews caused me to halt spitting out my own. It's been a few weeks since completing this book and in that time I've had reasons to downgrade this book. In part, due to my friends' reviews, and in part because I let my subconscious sift through the rubble that was my initial thinking.
I believe Child made a serious mistake in this one. When I eat a certain delicacy over and over, one after the other, there comes a time when I want something different. Or, perhaps another analogy might do: you know those cereal boxes in the store, the ones with the horrendous packaging? How long has it been since humanity has had to deal with those impossible to open wax paper linings inside the cereal box. I mean, really! Isn't it time that we added a zip lock to the damned things? You see, right? When repeatedly going through the same struggle, we want some sort of progress. Same thing with series books.
Without introducing spoilers, Lee Child introduced certain plot elements and characterizations in this novel that are quite different from previous novels, elements that could have moved this series into another realm, into something that would cause us to eat another 18 books like pop corn. He didn't do that. He relied, I'm guessing because of writer's fatigue, on his old formula. I'm thinking if L. Child is tired of writing Reacher novels, he could have ended the series beautifully with this novel. Or, if not tired, by taking a leap forwards, he could have transformed Reacher, given us the core reason why he is alone...why he discards human relationships, and in a way forced him to abandon that and bring us into more novels where he might struggle with his former life while living a new existence.
Yes, yes, I know, easy enough for a reader to say "If I'd written this, I'd have done this and this." And in general I'd agree. But in this case, it might very well be a reason why I might abandon this series in the future.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Series Review
Lee Child
If you feel a certain affinity for the lone hero, a man of principle, of unwavering knowledge and assent as to his own actions, than Jack Reacher's your kinda guy.
Out of all the consequences that arise out of human motivation I do think that the threat of isolation and the threat of death are among the top two motivations that drive humans to do what they do. The Dark Ages, for example, arising out of a religious view - which is at base made possible by a fear of death - is one such consequence and much has been written about this in fiction: Umberto Eco's, the Name of the Rose for example. And then on the subject of isolation, a continuing theme in this series, we have Lee Child's hero Jack Reacher.
Let me preface this by saying Lee Child is no Umberto Eco. This should not be read if what you're looking for is an in-depth, psychological understanding into the human psyche delivered with beautiful literary prose. This is not literature. It is escapist reading par none. The series relies on a certain formula that the reader has come to expect from L. Child. The books are easy to read, page-turners, so to speak. You sort of gobble up the books like pop corn at the movies. When finally a new book is published in this series, you're the first to buy it and you finish it in one or two sittings out on the back patio with coffee (and in my case, a cigarette or so).
The formula consists of the following: a nomad with military experience travels the country. He is discharged from military services, owns nothing but the clothes on his back which instead of throwing in the laundry, are thrown into the rubbish bin when dirty. The nomad, Reacher, finds someone in trouble and he steps in to help. In this process he meets women and gets involved. Once done solving the problem, like his clothes, he moves on discarding everything and everyone involved in the novel's elements.
What fascinates about this series is the portrayal of Reacher. Forget about the movie that has just been released. Jack Reacher is NOTHING like Tom Cruise (probably one of the worst casting I've ever seen, let alone the disgusting need of Hollywood to sensationalize everything it produces). Jack seems to implicitly understand that he is a unique animal/human running around on this planet and that in spite of social conventions, cultural trappings, and whatever conventions and abstractions we allow into our mind in order to alleviate this core fact of our singularity (and solitude)...the truth of it is not something Mr. Reacher denies. Secretly, we only wish we could face life alone as Reacher does. It would certainly lift the veil off love, cure the blindness with which we often enter into romantic relationships - another often repeated theme in literature.
Jack Reacher embraces it. Understands his philosophy implicitly, revels in his physical being, his conventions and values. He defends those he loves (albeit temporarily), those he does allow into his world, with a loyalty bar none while never letting go of the notion that he is alone and being perfectly comfortable with that.
Jack Reacher is back, in this, the 18th in the series. Like all the others I read this in one or two sittings in spite of the fact that some parts did not involve as much action as we have come to expect from this series. Lee Child's skill in causing one to turn the page is really quite excellent. Completing the book I took a look around GR and touched base with some fellow fans of this series. Although I was going to give this book a 4 star rating, reading their reviews caused me to halt spitting out my own. It's been a few weeks since completing this book and in that time I've had reasons to downgrade this book. In part, due to my friends' reviews, and in part because I let my subconscious sift through the rubble that was my initial thinking.
I believe Child made a serious mistake in this one. When I eat a certain delicacy over and over, one after the other, there comes a time when I want something different. Or, perhaps another analogy might do: you know those cereal boxes in the store, the ones with the horrendous packaging? How long has it been since humanity has had to deal with those impossible to open wax paper linings inside the cereal box. I mean, really! Isn't it time that we added a zip lock to the damned things? You see, right? When repeatedly going through the same struggle, we want some sort of progress. Same thing with series books.
Without introducing spoilers, Lee Child introduced certain plot elements and characterizations in this novel that are quite different from previous novels, elements that could have moved this series into another realm, into something that would cause us to eat another 18 books like pop corn. He didn't do that. He relied, I'm guessing because of writer's fatigue, on his old formula. I'm thinking if L. Child is tired of writing Reacher novels, he could have ended the series beautifully with this novel. Or, if not tired, by taking a leap forwards, he could have transformed Reacher, given us the core reason why he is alone...why he discards human relationships, and in a way forced him to abandon that and bring us into more novels where he might struggle with his former life while living a new existence.
Yes, yes, I know, easy enough for a reader to say "If I'd written this, I'd have done this and this." And in general I'd agree. But in this case, it might very well be a reason why I might abandon this series in the future.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Series Review
Lee Child
If you feel a certain affinity for the lone hero, a man of principle, of unwavering knowledge and assent as to his own actions, than Jack Reacher's your kinda guy.
Out of all the consequences that arise out of human motivation I do think that the threat of isolation and the threat of death are among the top two motivations that drive humans to do what they do. The Dark Ages, for example, arising out of a religious view - which is at base made possible by a fear of death - is one such consequence and much has been written about this in fiction: Umberto Eco's, the Name of the Rose for example. And then on the subject of isolation, a continuing theme in this series, we have Lee Child's hero Jack Reacher.
Let me preface this by saying Lee Child is no Umberto Eco. This should not be read if what you're looking for is an in-depth, psychological understanding into the human psyche delivered with beautiful literary prose. This is not literature. It is escapist reading par none. The series relies on a certain formula that the reader has come to expect from L. Child. The books are easy to read, page-turners, so to speak. You sort of gobble up the books like pop corn at the movies. When finally a new book is published in this series, you're the first to buy it and you finish it in one or two sittings out on the back patio with coffee (and in my case, a cigarette or so).
The formula consists of the following: a nomad with military experience travels the country. He is discharged from military services, owns nothing but the clothes on his back which instead of throwing in the laundry, are thrown into the rubbish bin when dirty. The nomad, Reacher, finds someone in trouble and he steps in to help. In this process he meets women and gets involved. Once done solving the problem, like his clothes, he moves on discarding everything and everyone involved in the novel's elements.
What fascinates about this series is the portrayal of Reacher. Forget about the movie that has just been released. Jack Reacher is NOTHING like Tom Cruise (probably one of the worst casting I've ever seen, let alone the disgusting need of Hollywood to sensationalize everything it produces). Jack seems to implicitly understand that he is a unique animal/human running around on this planet and that in spite of social conventions, cultural trappings, and whatever conventions and abstractions we allow into our mind in order to alleviate this core fact of our singularity (and solitude)...the truth of it is not something Mr. Reacher denies. Secretly, we only wish we could face life alone as Reacher does. It would certainly lift the veil off love, cure the blindness with which we often enter into romantic relationships - another often repeated theme in literature.
Jack Reacher embraces it. Understands his philosophy implicitly, revels in his physical being, his conventions and values. He defends those he loves (albeit temporarily), those he does allow into his world, with a loyalty bar none while never letting go of the notion that he is alone and being perfectly comfortable with that.
March 12, 2024
The typical Jack Reacher novel --- in other words, a fun ride from beginning to end on the adventures of an amazingly adventurous orthophobe, Jack Reacher.
The book opens where the previous episode, "A Wanted Man", leaves off --- with Reacher arriving in Virginia, hoping to meet up with the CO of the 110th Military Police, the unit he commanded as its first CO over 15 years prior.
Except things don't go as planned. Reacher finds himself involuntarily reactivated into the Army at his previous rank --- not because the Army needs his unique skills, but to court-martial him for a murder he's accused of from long ago. Is that realistic? Well, yes, under circumstances, the military could do that in some cases. Like me, as a military retiree, yes, technically, it's possible. Is it likely? No, from cases I've heard --- other than desertion, the military usually forwards offenses committed in service after the member's discharged from the service to the DOJ to prosecute. But it could happen.
Which makes for an interesting first third of the novel. Because things just seem to keep getting worse and worse for Reacher, and it's like he's caught like a rat in a trap with the bad guys orchestrating all this seeming to tighten the legal and administrative noose around his neck such that they've gotten the best of him --- or so it seemed.
But Reacher manages to change it up --- taking us on a wild ride along with the current 110th MP CO, Turner, across the corner as both endeavor to evade the long arm of the law while getting ahead of their adversaries.
I was expecting a slightly more climactic ending, based upon the buildup. It was good. Don't get me wrong. But less a bang than I expected.
Overall, a fun read. Those enjoying the thriller and action/adventure genres will enjoy this Jack Reacher novel.
The book opens where the previous episode, "A Wanted Man", leaves off --- with Reacher arriving in Virginia, hoping to meet up with the CO of the 110th Military Police, the unit he commanded as its first CO over 15 years prior.
Except things don't go as planned. Reacher finds himself involuntarily reactivated into the Army at his previous rank --- not because the Army needs his unique skills, but to court-martial him for a murder he's accused of from long ago. Is that realistic? Well, yes, under circumstances, the military could do that in some cases. Like me, as a military retiree, yes, technically, it's possible. Is it likely? No, from cases I've heard --- other than desertion, the military usually forwards offenses committed in service after the member's discharged from the service to the DOJ to prosecute. But it could happen.
Which makes for an interesting first third of the novel. Because things just seem to keep getting worse and worse for Reacher, and it's like he's caught like a rat in a trap with the bad guys orchestrating all this seeming to tighten the legal and administrative noose around his neck such that they've gotten the best of him --- or so it seemed.
But Reacher manages to change it up --- taking us on a wild ride along with the current 110th MP CO, Turner, across the corner as both endeavor to evade the long arm of the law while getting ahead of their adversaries.
I was expecting a slightly more climactic ending, based upon the buildup. It was good. Don't get me wrong. But less a bang than I expected.
Overall, a fun read. Those enjoying the thriller and action/adventure genres will enjoy this Jack Reacher novel.
April 25, 2023
"We're not going to bust them. We're going to do to them what they were going to do to us, [which is] put them in the ground . . . and then we're going to explain to them carefully why it's a very bad idea to mess with the 110th." -- Jack Reacher, laying out his vengeance-laden plans, on page 167
In this 18th Reacher suspense/adventure story, said retired military policeman finally reaches his former unit headquarters on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. to rendezvous with the intriguing female voice on the phone (belonging to the 110th's new commanding officer) that certainly piqued his interest in a few of the preceding novels. Trouble is - and that two-word phrase would make an ideal title for a future book - Reacher is swiftly recalled into active duty status and then slammed with the unexpected news that he has both new pending criminal and civil charges stemming from, respectively, an aggravated assault and a paternity issue that both seem extremely sketchy given the timing. Soon he and the commanding officer are on the run as AWOL fugitives and they leapfrog the country attempting to investigate the ever-thickening plot while also dodging both investigators AND the villains of the piece . . . who just may be one and the same. Never Go Back was dependably enjoyable like many of the other entries in this vigorous series, but shortly after the conclusion I realized 1.) some of the titillating plot developments were obviously NOT going to pan out, because it would wildly change the direction of the books and 2.) the ultimate fate of the puppet-master bad guys was very much of a let-down after a reasonably sturdy build-up to the climax. So maybe this should be more of a 3-star review, but I have to acknowledge that author Child kept my attention throughout because I often wanted to see how Reacher would get in and out of predicaments.
In this 18th Reacher suspense/adventure story, said retired military policeman finally reaches his former unit headquarters on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. to rendezvous with the intriguing female voice on the phone (belonging to the 110th's new commanding officer) that certainly piqued his interest in a few of the preceding novels. Trouble is - and that two-word phrase would make an ideal title for a future book - Reacher is swiftly recalled into active duty status and then slammed with the unexpected news that he has both new pending criminal and civil charges stemming from, respectively, an aggravated assault and a paternity issue that both seem extremely sketchy given the timing. Soon he and the commanding officer are on the run as AWOL fugitives and they leapfrog the country attempting to investigate the ever-thickening plot while also dodging both investigators AND the villains of the piece . . . who just may be one and the same. Never Go Back was dependably enjoyable like many of the other entries in this vigorous series, but shortly after the conclusion I realized 1.) some of the titillating plot developments were obviously NOT going to pan out, because it would wildly change the direction of the books and 2.) the ultimate fate of the puppet-master bad guys was very much of a let-down after a reasonably sturdy build-up to the climax. So maybe this should be more of a 3-star review, but I have to acknowledge that author Child kept my attention throughout because I often wanted to see how Reacher would get in and out of predicaments.
March 12, 2024
I wasn’t expecting Reacher to be hauled back into the military by some random and made-up rule, but that’s what happened when he went on the search for the female voice on the phone he became quite attached to, a couple of books back. He’s been methodically making his way back to his old stomping ground in Washington D.C.
Whip smart Susan Turner was the lady in question, the now leader of the 110th, and of course sparks flew. Firstly, he had to bust her out of gaol after being warned off by a couple of goons, while he himself being targeted for some past made up misdeeds. All Reacher wanted was to take this woman out to dinner, but she was not at her desk where she should be. An interloper was, and it was Jack’s task to fix this, firstly working out why Turner has been charged with taking a bribe.
He’d been set up and drawn back into the unit which was a fun thing for a new idea considering the stories follow the same vague idea – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Of course, on reflection it’s why I always go back for more, this series on audio is my go-to.
I love how the author just keeps delivering Reacher as the top guy, solid in his philosophy, unwavering, never says too much. Too little. Doesn’t care about the small one liners which will always get him in trouble, always saying it how it is, always belittling the person on the receiving end because we know they are the bad guys.
Reacher is human, we see this in one of the charges brought against him, and again, I love him even more for it. No spoilers but I love him to bits. Bring on number 19, it’s so easy to fly through these on audio.
I listened to this via the BorrowBox app and my public library, Jeff Harding rocks it.
Whip smart Susan Turner was the lady in question, the now leader of the 110th, and of course sparks flew. Firstly, he had to bust her out of gaol after being warned off by a couple of goons, while he himself being targeted for some past made up misdeeds. All Reacher wanted was to take this woman out to dinner, but she was not at her desk where she should be. An interloper was, and it was Jack’s task to fix this, firstly working out why Turner has been charged with taking a bribe.
He’d been set up and drawn back into the unit which was a fun thing for a new idea considering the stories follow the same vague idea – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Of course, on reflection it’s why I always go back for more, this series on audio is my go-to.
I love how the author just keeps delivering Reacher as the top guy, solid in his philosophy, unwavering, never says too much. Too little. Doesn’t care about the small one liners which will always get him in trouble, always saying it how it is, always belittling the person on the receiving end because we know they are the bad guys.
Reacher is human, we see this in one of the charges brought against him, and again, I love him even more for it. No spoilers but I love him to bits. Bring on number 19, it’s so easy to fly through these on audio.
I listened to this via the BorrowBox app and my public library, Jeff Harding rocks it.
November 17, 2016
I tried my hardest to finish this book before the movie came out, but I was a couple weeks too late. Actually it could be closer to a month by now! I kept putting it down as it just didn't hold my interest. Couldn't get into it.
I hope I enjoy the movie more than I did the book. To me it was the same old Jack Reacher, saving the world and finding a little love along the way, only to move onto the next town and do it all over again.
I still enjoy the series and will keep reading it. I am too far into it to stop now!!
I hope I enjoy the movie more than I did the book. To me it was the same old Jack Reacher, saving the world and finding a little love along the way, only to move onto the next town and do it all over again.
I still enjoy the series and will keep reading it. I am too far into it to stop now!!
October 27, 2013
There is such a purity in Child’s formula, I can’t resist it. All variations on a primal theme of one man against a Goliath of corrupt forces. A haiku of nouns and verbs, of chase and run, the reading of tea leaves like ripples that point to the track of sharks. Brave confrontations with desperados without even a butter knife. In this one our ex-military policeman hero Reacher breaks the mold by teaming with a twin, the new female chief of his former MP unit. Child whets us with small glimpses of their faceless enemy, high in Homeland Security, tracking their moves under code names of Romeo and Juliet. So satisfying to fulfill the dream of a true American setting the world right again. In another year, the hunger for such a hero will likely return, and I will know where to look.
March 15, 2025
Perfect blend of intrigue, action, and suspense that never lets up until the very end. Reacher finally makes his way to DC from South Dakota in his quest to meet a helpful voice over the phone. He quickly finds his world turned upside down by lawsuits, allegations, and on top of all that he has been reinstated in the Army.
November 15, 2016
Cards on the table. I like Reacher, always have, but I might be getting a bit tired of reading the same story.
I settled in to read the latest offering and at first it was like meeting up with an old friend, it prompted a smile of anticipation as I turned the first page (albeit electronically these days). I like the routine stuff: the coffee drinking, the luggage load of a toothbrush and nothing more, the alarm clock in his head and all the rest. I like the clinically linear way the stories are told. Even when the tale is told in the third person, as this is, the reader is essentially Reacher for the few days it takes to live through the latest adventure. There is no trickery, no clever sub-plot waiting to confuse or over-tax the reader. All this is good... to an extent.
So what didn’t I like about this book? It boils down to a couple of things:
1. I guess (like all Reacher fans) I’ve worked out that the story will essentially be a simple one with one or two elements left to resolve when we reach the denouement – tying up a few loose ends and making sense of all the bad behaviour, essentially. I don’t think there’s anything intrinsically wrong with that, but on this occasion I did find the knowledge that this was the way it would play out limiting. It seemed to put a ceiling on the amount I’d be able to get out of this story.
2. Lately, (or maybe it’s always been this way) the stories seem to take place in a very small geographical area. In fact a few buildings and a few roads are mentioned and that’s about all. It’s like a stage play with a limited number of backdrops. This leads to repetition and I found this, frankly, boring. The limitation itself didn’t add anything to the mechanics of the story – there was no hidden significance - but it did detract from the flow when yet again Reacher walked the same two blocks between the same two buildings and saw the same bus rolling by in the same direction. And I realised I’d been here before with Reacher and that I didn’t like it last time either. Another thing with the repetition: he introduced a ‘flip of a coin’ element towards the end of the book that drove me mad! Again, it didn’t add anything it just left me thinking ‘why?’
I’m seldom surprised by Reacher these days. Actually, I’m never surprised. The books are fun but hardly stimulating. It’s starting to feel like Lee Child isn’t trying hard enough, he has a formula that’s worked for him and he’s sticking to it – rigidly. However, when all is said and done, I will be buying the next Reacher book: partly because there is something enjoyable about settling down in the company of old friend but also in the hope that Child can re-create the pure excitement he’s capable of at his very best
I settled in to read the latest offering and at first it was like meeting up with an old friend, it prompted a smile of anticipation as I turned the first page (albeit electronically these days). I like the routine stuff: the coffee drinking, the luggage load of a toothbrush and nothing more, the alarm clock in his head and all the rest. I like the clinically linear way the stories are told. Even when the tale is told in the third person, as this is, the reader is essentially Reacher for the few days it takes to live through the latest adventure. There is no trickery, no clever sub-plot waiting to confuse or over-tax the reader. All this is good... to an extent.
So what didn’t I like about this book? It boils down to a couple of things:
1. I guess (like all Reacher fans) I’ve worked out that the story will essentially be a simple one with one or two elements left to resolve when we reach the denouement – tying up a few loose ends and making sense of all the bad behaviour, essentially. I don’t think there’s anything intrinsically wrong with that, but on this occasion I did find the knowledge that this was the way it would play out limiting. It seemed to put a ceiling on the amount I’d be able to get out of this story.
2. Lately, (or maybe it’s always been this way) the stories seem to take place in a very small geographical area. In fact a few buildings and a few roads are mentioned and that’s about all. It’s like a stage play with a limited number of backdrops. This leads to repetition and I found this, frankly, boring. The limitation itself didn’t add anything to the mechanics of the story – there was no hidden significance - but it did detract from the flow when yet again Reacher walked the same two blocks between the same two buildings and saw the same bus rolling by in the same direction. And I realised I’d been here before with Reacher and that I didn’t like it last time either. Another thing with the repetition: he introduced a ‘flip of a coin’ element towards the end of the book that drove me mad! Again, it didn’t add anything it just left me thinking ‘why?’
I’m seldom surprised by Reacher these days. Actually, I’m never surprised. The books are fun but hardly stimulating. It’s starting to feel like Lee Child isn’t trying hard enough, he has a formula that’s worked for him and he’s sticking to it – rigidly. However, when all is said and done, I will be buying the next Reacher book: partly because there is something enjoyable about settling down in the company of old friend but also in the hope that Child can re-create the pure excitement he’s capable of at his very best
December 4, 2013
More like a 3.5 for me. Much better than the last offering, this is classic Reacher. However, after 17 of these books, I was hoping for a bit of evolvement in Reacher's character or life position. There were glimmers of hope, but in the end we're still left with Reacher on his own, kicking ass and righting all the world's wrongs. I love Reacher, but I have to admit that I'm getting just a little bit bored.
And, not having written a review since "A Wanted Man", which came out after the casting of the Reacher movie, I have to say the movie itself wasn't awful. Casting was horrendous - Tom Cruise is simply not Jack Reacher and I thought Rosamund Pike was just awful - but I thought the movie was fairly well done despite that.
And, not having written a review since "A Wanted Man", which came out after the casting of the Reacher movie, I have to say the movie itself wasn't awful. Casting was horrendous - Tom Cruise is simply not Jack Reacher and I thought Rosamund Pike was just awful - but I thought the movie was fairly well done despite that.
October 1, 2020
Book 18 in the Jack Reacher series published 2013.
18 books in and they are still keeping me entertained.
Jack decides to pay a visit his old 110th MP unit. Before arriving at the unit Jack spoke to the current CO (Major Susan Turner) whose voice gave Jack goose bumps. Intrigued, Jack arrives keen to meet Major Turner in the flesh, so to speak.
But what he didn’t expect was to find himself, unwillingly, back in the army and to find that Major Turner is under close arrest. Things get really nasty when Jack also finds himself under arrest for incidents that happened 16 years ago, incidents that he has no recollection of.
There’s nothing else for it, Jack has to escape and take Major Turner with him.
The charges against Jack and Susan seem to be water tight but Jack knows this is a set up and if they are setting him up there’s a good chance that Major Turner is also being set up. But the question in both Jack and Susan’s head is, WHY.
After breaking a few limbs and cracking a few heads a reason WHY starts to emerge.
But getting at the truth is going to take all of Jack’s considerable skill sets. There is a lot of money involved and the people at the top of this particular tree weald a great deal of power and influence.
A vastly entertaining read with less of the overt violence, but not altogether, that is normal associated with Jack’s exploits.
It’s 4 stars from me.
18 books in and they are still keeping me entertained.
Jack decides to pay a visit his old 110th MP unit. Before arriving at the unit Jack spoke to the current CO (Major Susan Turner) whose voice gave Jack goose bumps. Intrigued, Jack arrives keen to meet Major Turner in the flesh, so to speak.
But what he didn’t expect was to find himself, unwillingly, back in the army and to find that Major Turner is under close arrest. Things get really nasty when Jack also finds himself under arrest for incidents that happened 16 years ago, incidents that he has no recollection of.
There’s nothing else for it, Jack has to escape and take Major Turner with him.
The charges against Jack and Susan seem to be water tight but Jack knows this is a set up and if they are setting him up there’s a good chance that Major Turner is also being set up. But the question in both Jack and Susan’s head is, WHY.
After breaking a few limbs and cracking a few heads a reason WHY starts to emerge.
But getting at the truth is going to take all of Jack’s considerable skill sets. There is a lot of money involved and the people at the top of this particular tree weald a great deal of power and influence.
A vastly entertaining read with less of the overt violence, but not altogether, that is normal associated with Jack’s exploits.
It’s 4 stars from me.
July 24, 2025
So, I’m really starting to feel sorry for Jack Reacher now. I never thought pity would be an emotion I would ever feel for him; sadness, maybe, because here’s a guy who literally has no one in his life that he can call family or even friend. His nomadic lifestyle requires it.
Living a life without lasting connections of any sort is a sad existence, but it’s understandable in Reacher. He’s chosen it, and he likes it.
Until several books ago, when he meets a voice on a phone. Her name is Susan, and she is the commanding officer of Reacher’s old military police post. For several books now, she has been as close to a confidante and friend as Reacher has allowed anyone to be. He has been slowly, state by state, making his way to Virginia to meet her.
Finally, in Lee Child’s 18th Reacher novel, “Never Go Back”, he arrives in Virginia. He walks into the headquarters of the 110th MP, his old unit---his “alma mater”---with the expectation of meeting Susan for the first time...
Only to find that she has been arrested for treason. Reacher himself has been re-activated in the Army due to several warrants for his arrest. One involves the brutal beating of a suspect that he knows he never touched. The other is a paternity suit of a woman who claims Reacher impregnated her while he was stationed in Korea. Reacher knows that he doesn’t know the woman, has never met her, and has certainly never impregnated her.
Someone is framing Susan and him. So, of course, Reacher does what he has to do: break her out of jail and run, hoping they can solve the problem on the lam.
Here’s where the pity comes in: Reacher knows he doesn’t have a child as a result of a one-night stand---it’s not his style---but he needs to know, so he and Susan travel across the country, to L.A., to be sure.
Along the way, Reacher and Susan have an inevitable fling. Both of them know it won’t last. Neither of them are built for it. Susan calls Reacher a “feral” man, a rare type who feels compelled to break from the pack and run free. Reacher agrees.
What’s never said, of course, and what Child so deftly manages to hint at solely through implication, is that Reacher’s feeling lonely. Why else would he travel the length of the U.S. to confirm that he doesn’t, in fact, have a teenage daughter? And why would he be so desperate to be with---and try to save the reputation of---a woman he has never actually met outside of a few long, intimate phone calls?
“Never Go Back” is a turning point for Reacher. It’s a chance to see what might have been if he had made different choices in life. The entire intricate espionage thriller plot is almost secondary. Almost.
As aways, Child unfolds a crazy story, one that involves an Afghani drug smuggling ring, corrupt generals, and a multi-billion dollar illegal industry that has been going on under the radar of law enforcement for several hundred years. It’s not a conspiracy theory either. It’s real and probably happening somewhere in the city where you live.
But the real story in “Never Go Back” is a subtle tragedy. It’s the tragedy of regrets in life of those things we didn’t do.
Kind of a downer of a Reacher novel. But still damn good.
Living a life without lasting connections of any sort is a sad existence, but it’s understandable in Reacher. He’s chosen it, and he likes it.
Until several books ago, when he meets a voice on a phone. Her name is Susan, and she is the commanding officer of Reacher’s old military police post. For several books now, she has been as close to a confidante and friend as Reacher has allowed anyone to be. He has been slowly, state by state, making his way to Virginia to meet her.
Finally, in Lee Child’s 18th Reacher novel, “Never Go Back”, he arrives in Virginia. He walks into the headquarters of the 110th MP, his old unit---his “alma mater”---with the expectation of meeting Susan for the first time...
Only to find that she has been arrested for treason. Reacher himself has been re-activated in the Army due to several warrants for his arrest. One involves the brutal beating of a suspect that he knows he never touched. The other is a paternity suit of a woman who claims Reacher impregnated her while he was stationed in Korea. Reacher knows that he doesn’t know the woman, has never met her, and has certainly never impregnated her.
Someone is framing Susan and him. So, of course, Reacher does what he has to do: break her out of jail and run, hoping they can solve the problem on the lam.
Here’s where the pity comes in: Reacher knows he doesn’t have a child as a result of a one-night stand---it’s not his style---but he needs to know, so he and Susan travel across the country, to L.A., to be sure.
Along the way, Reacher and Susan have an inevitable fling. Both of them know it won’t last. Neither of them are built for it. Susan calls Reacher a “feral” man, a rare type who feels compelled to break from the pack and run free. Reacher agrees.
What’s never said, of course, and what Child so deftly manages to hint at solely through implication, is that Reacher’s feeling lonely. Why else would he travel the length of the U.S. to confirm that he doesn’t, in fact, have a teenage daughter? And why would he be so desperate to be with---and try to save the reputation of---a woman he has never actually met outside of a few long, intimate phone calls?
“Never Go Back” is a turning point for Reacher. It’s a chance to see what might have been if he had made different choices in life. The entire intricate espionage thriller plot is almost secondary. Almost.
As aways, Child unfolds a crazy story, one that involves an Afghani drug smuggling ring, corrupt generals, and a multi-billion dollar illegal industry that has been going on under the radar of law enforcement for several hundred years. It’s not a conspiracy theory either. It’s real and probably happening somewhere in the city where you live.
But the real story in “Never Go Back” is a subtle tragedy. It’s the tragedy of regrets in life of those things we didn’t do.
Kind of a downer of a Reacher novel. But still damn good.
November 4, 2018
It's so frustrating all this moving around and all this wandering, our hero can't settle down , i think deep down he's afraid of building a life for him and thus becoming an ordinary man .
Otherwise i loved this book : ain't no messing around with the MP , Reacher kicked so much ass and i think I'm a little disappointed that Sam didn't turn out to be his daughter after all, it would have changed things drastically for him.
I laughed my ass off when Susan told our boy you're so feral ....
The coolest thing for me was the breakout of the base: it was cold , logical and well timed, it shows the superiority of the Reacher gene ... Of course breaking a few fingers and some elbows in planes was oddly very satisfying. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as i did .
Otherwise i loved this book : ain't no messing around with the MP , Reacher kicked so much ass and i think I'm a little disappointed that Sam didn't turn out to be his daughter after all, it would have changed things drastically for him.
I laughed my ass off when Susan told our boy you're so feral ....
The coolest thing for me was the breakout of the base: it was cold , logical and well timed, it shows the superiority of the Reacher gene ... Of course breaking a few fingers and some elbows in planes was oddly very satisfying. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as i did .
December 18, 2013
Never Go Back (Reacher #18)
Lee Child ☆★☆★
I won an advance copy from goodreads first reads.
WOW! First Reacher novel Ever and certainly will not be my last.
Lee Child did a great job with making it a stand alone novel, but sometimes throughout the book I thought it would have been a little more helpful to read the past books and have a back story. But with that said I was still able to follow on and enjoy this novel.
In this novel Jack Reacher goes to Virginia to Meet Major Susan Turner who had intrigued him only to find out she was not commanding officer anymore.
From there it just gets nutsss
Reacher is the hunted in this book and from what Ive read that was not his usual position. Reacher does everything with such cool calmness (thanka to his military training) I know sometimes he had my heart pounding.
This book was so much fun for me, fast paced, left me on the edge of my seat! And Even a little steamy action added
I would definitely recommend
Lee Child ☆★☆★
I won an advance copy from goodreads first reads.
WOW! First Reacher novel Ever and certainly will not be my last.
Lee Child did a great job with making it a stand alone novel, but sometimes throughout the book I thought it would have been a little more helpful to read the past books and have a back story. But with that said I was still able to follow on and enjoy this novel.
In this novel Jack Reacher goes to Virginia to Meet Major Susan Turner who had intrigued him only to find out she was not commanding officer anymore.
From there it just gets nutsss
Reacher is the hunted in this book and from what Ive read that was not his usual position. Reacher does everything with such cool calmness (thanka to his military training) I know sometimes he had my heart pounding.
This book was so much fun for me, fast paced, left me on the edge of my seat! And Even a little steamy action added
I would definitely recommend
December 28, 2018
My first book by Lee Child. I love the character of Jack Reacher! There’s nothing like starting a series at #18. It read like a stand alone, but lucky for me there are so many more :)
November 16, 2013
There's not much I can say here. If you're a Jack Reacher fan, get this book.
If you're not yet, then do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Killing Floor - the first Jack Reacher book. Once you've fallen in love with Reacher, rejoice in the fact that there are 17 more novels to get absorbed and lost in.
This book was a great way to lose more than half of a Saturday. People always ask the same stupid question at work on Monday mornings: How was your weekend? [As if anyone really gives a f* how anyone's weekend was. Why can't people just say Hello when they pass you in the damned hall?] This time, I'll say, "It was great! I read the new book from Lee Child on Saturday."
If you're not yet, then do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Killing Floor - the first Jack Reacher book. Once you've fallen in love with Reacher, rejoice in the fact that there are 17 more novels to get absorbed and lost in.
This book was a great way to lose more than half of a Saturday. People always ask the same stupid question at work on Monday mornings: How was your weekend? [As if anyone really gives a f* how anyone's weekend was. Why can't people just say Hello when they pass you in the damned hall?] This time, I'll say, "It was great! I read the new book from Lee Child on Saturday."
July 28, 2023
Book 18 in the Jack Reacher series and short stories aside, he can do no wrong. I could binge on Reacher novels all day every day. This one does not disappoint.
Five stars.
Five stars.
September 16, 2013
One of the characters in the 18th Jack Reacher book, an army MP major (like Reacher) sums Reacher up economically: "It's like you've been sanded down to nothing but yes and no, and you and them, and black and white, and live or die (176-177)." There's a lot in this book to support that view, but, as usual, there's a few moments that make it clear that Reacher isn't really "feral," as the other major characterizes him. WHat happens to a scared young waitress matters, just as what Reacher admires in a young woman who might be his daughter matters.
Reacher has reached the 110th MPs, the unit he once commanded. It is a trip that started out four books ago. He is there to have dinner with a woman MP whom he talked with on the phone when he was trapped in a South Dakota blizzard in "61 Hours." Meeting her under duress for both of them, seeing her dressed in his shirt when they're both on the run from trumped up charges, he judges that she was worth the trip. That judgment is Reacher in a nutshell: focused, determined, whimsical. How Reacher and the woman major get clear of their situation makes for a good novel in the middle of the pack as Reacher books go. It may end abruptly (it has been claimed by other more critical readers), though the grounds for the ending are prefigured along the way. Lee Child doesn't waste exposition and he doesn't make mistakes about structure.
The first two Reacher books were good and got my attention but the series accelerated with the third book, hit its stride with the fifth through eighth books (the splendid run that started with "Echo Burning" and carried through "The Enemy"—the best four books in a row written by anyone anywhere), and peaked with the eleventh and twelfth books: "Bad Luck and Trouble" and "Nothing to Lose." There has never been a Reacher book that wasn't worth my time, not even "A Wanted Man." All of them mesh together in pleasing ways. I look forward to the next one already.
NOTE: I reread the four-book sequence that I admire so much and am convinced again that "The Enemy" and "Without Fail" are the two best thrillers I've ever read, both as thrillers and as wonderfully crafted novels. I also watched "Reacher, which is a decent enough thriller that isn't really a Reacher movie because Jack Reacher isn't in it.
Reacher has reached the 110th MPs, the unit he once commanded. It is a trip that started out four books ago. He is there to have dinner with a woman MP whom he talked with on the phone when he was trapped in a South Dakota blizzard in "61 Hours." Meeting her under duress for both of them, seeing her dressed in his shirt when they're both on the run from trumped up charges, he judges that she was worth the trip. That judgment is Reacher in a nutshell: focused, determined, whimsical. How Reacher and the woman major get clear of their situation makes for a good novel in the middle of the pack as Reacher books go. It may end abruptly (it has been claimed by other more critical readers), though the grounds for the ending are prefigured along the way. Lee Child doesn't waste exposition and he doesn't make mistakes about structure.
The first two Reacher books were good and got my attention but the series accelerated with the third book, hit its stride with the fifth through eighth books (the splendid run that started with "Echo Burning" and carried through "The Enemy"—the best four books in a row written by anyone anywhere), and peaked with the eleventh and twelfth books: "Bad Luck and Trouble" and "Nothing to Lose." There has never been a Reacher book that wasn't worth my time, not even "A Wanted Man." All of them mesh together in pleasing ways. I look forward to the next one already.
NOTE: I reread the four-book sequence that I admire so much and am convinced again that "The Enemy" and "Without Fail" are the two best thrillers I've ever read, both as thrillers and as wonderfully crafted novels. I also watched "Reacher, which is a decent enough thriller that isn't really a Reacher movie because Jack Reacher isn't in it.
October 20, 2015
If you like the Reacher series, this one will suit you fine. Fast paced, engrossing, packed with action ... and even a few tender moments.
A note on Child's technique ... the chapters roll forward, with the next one always picking up where the previous one left off. The story rushes forward and never misses a beat. Maybe that's why so many readers (including me) report reading a 500 page book in two nights.
I would not, however, recommend this as the first Reacher you should read, since there is a history to this man and you will enjoy this book more if you know some of what happened before.
A note on Child's technique ... the chapters roll forward, with the next one always picking up where the previous one left off. The story rushes forward and never misses a beat. Maybe that's why so many readers (including me) report reading a 500 page book in two nights.
I would not, however, recommend this as the first Reacher you should read, since there is a history to this man and you will enjoy this book more if you know some of what happened before.
May 15, 2018
Never Go Back was another fantastic instalment in this series and the book where Reacher finally gets to Virginia after whole books worth of delays. What leads him to his old army base is that he liked the voice of the woman that now does his job. If only he wasn’t a typical male thriller character led by his dick then this story may never have existed. This genre does love a cliched character.
That said I did love seeing Reacher having to become a fugitive across America as he was hunted down my multiple agencies for crimes he may or may not have committed. There’s also a major question mark over something from his past and I think Lee Child missed a trick by not exploring this further because it could have spun a whole new series. After all just how long can this one go on... Although I never want it to end.
I am now moving straight on to Personal which is where I wanted to be before my holiday later this week where I’ll be taking the most recent Reacher stories and the short story collection to read while I’m away. Reading these books one after the other has only made me love this series even more and I am dreading reaching the end and having to wait months for the next one.
That said I did love seeing Reacher having to become a fugitive across America as he was hunted down my multiple agencies for crimes he may or may not have committed. There’s also a major question mark over something from his past and I think Lee Child missed a trick by not exploring this further because it could have spun a whole new series. After all just how long can this one go on... Although I never want it to end.
I am now moving straight on to Personal which is where I wanted to be before my holiday later this week where I’ll be taking the most recent Reacher stories and the short story collection to read while I’m away. Reading these books one after the other has only made me love this series even more and I am dreading reaching the end and having to wait months for the next one.
June 9, 2018
5-stars, perhaps Child's best Reacher.
I read this straight through with only 2 hours sleep. WOOHOOO! Child, you b'stard! 😊
If you saw the movie first, don't worry. It's a good movie that diverges completely from this great book, pretty early on.
Reacher finally makes it to DC to meet the woman he talked with several books ago ("61 Hours") while he was being abused way out west. As usual, Reacher arrives just in time to drop deep, deep into the brown stuff. And as usual, he is soon in personal jeopardy, and as usual, his sense of justice rides to rescue Turner.
The pace is blistering, confident, controlled. The mystery good and complex with lots of players. There's very good humour and snappy dialogue throughout. Child really is on a roll here! There's none of the over-detailed exposition that mars so many Reacher books. In fact, there are far more memorable quotes in this book than almost any other Reacher.
The plot is very good, and the climax is satisfying and believable.
My notes and some great quotes:
SAW - Squad Automatic Weapon
Full size image
Turner stares at Reacher over a breakfast table:
"You’re like something feral... You’re like a predator. Cold, and hard."
She took her first sip of coffee, slow and contemplative. She said, ‘... And that’s the problem, right there. That’s what’s making me uncomfortable. I’m just like you. Except not yet. And that’s the point. Looking at you is like looking into the future. You’re what I’m going to be one day. When I’m all sanded down too.... You scare me. Or the prospect of becoming you scares me. I’m not sure I’m ready for that. I’m not sure I ever will be.’
Our Jack is such a dawg! 😊
She was everything he thought she would be, and she was everything he had ever wanted.
Another "the guy went down so fast that ..." from Child. Hahahaaaahahaa!
... and the guy went down so fast and so hard it was like someone had bet him a million bucks he couldn’t make a hole in the dirt with his face.
And another:
He stayed on his feet for a long second, and then his knees got the message that the lights were out upstairs, and he went down in a vertical heap, like he had jumped off a wall.
Okay, don't get too excited now. According to Child, Reacher is 6' 5" and about 250 lbs of hard muscle. This is what that might look like.
One of my all-time favourite Reacher quotes:
The car parallel-parked neatly and its headlights shut off, and two guys got out, far off and indistinct, just moving shadows really, one maybe larger than the other. The lizard brain stirred, and a billion years later Reacher leaned forward an inch.
Reacher belittles Epsin with a great mixed metaphor ... Hahahaaaahahaa!
"This is not rocket surgery."
And the old Reacher standard:
‘No plan ever survives first contact with the enemy.’
Totally delicious throughout!
Echo Burning #5, 4+ stars
Persuader #7, 4+ stars
The Enemy #8, 5 stars
Gone Tomorrow #13, 4 stars
The Affair #16, 4+ stars
Never Go Back, #18, 5 stars
Personal, #19, 4 stars
Make Me, #20, 4 stars
Night School, #21, 4+ stars
The Midnight Line, #22, 5 stars
I read this straight through with only 2 hours sleep. WOOHOOO! Child, you b'stard! 😊
If you saw the movie first, don't worry. It's a good movie that diverges completely from this great book, pretty early on.
Reacher finally makes it to DC to meet the woman he talked with several books ago ("61 Hours") while he was being abused way out west. As usual, Reacher arrives just in time to drop deep, deep into the brown stuff. And as usual, he is soon in personal jeopardy, and as usual, his sense of justice rides to rescue Turner.
The pace is blistering, confident, controlled. The mystery good and complex with lots of players. There's very good humour and snappy dialogue throughout. Child really is on a roll here! There's none of the over-detailed exposition that mars so many Reacher books. In fact, there are far more memorable quotes in this book than almost any other Reacher.
The plot is very good, and the climax is satisfying and believable.
My notes and some great quotes:
SAW - Squad Automatic Weapon
Full size image
Turner stares at Reacher over a breakfast table:
"You’re like something feral... You’re like a predator. Cold, and hard."
She took her first sip of coffee, slow and contemplative. She said, ‘... And that’s the problem, right there. That’s what’s making me uncomfortable. I’m just like you. Except not yet. And that’s the point. Looking at you is like looking into the future. You’re what I’m going to be one day. When I’m all sanded down too.... You scare me. Or the prospect of becoming you scares me. I’m not sure I’m ready for that. I’m not sure I ever will be.’
Our Jack is such a dawg! 😊
She was everything he thought she would be, and she was everything he had ever wanted.
Another "the guy went down so fast that ..." from Child. Hahahaaaahahaa!
... and the guy went down so fast and so hard it was like someone had bet him a million bucks he couldn’t make a hole in the dirt with his face.
And another:
He stayed on his feet for a long second, and then his knees got the message that the lights were out upstairs, and he went down in a vertical heap, like he had jumped off a wall.
Okay, don't get too excited now. According to Child, Reacher is 6' 5" and about 250 lbs of hard muscle. This is what that might look like.
One of my all-time favourite Reacher quotes:
The car parallel-parked neatly and its headlights shut off, and two guys got out, far off and indistinct, just moving shadows really, one maybe larger than the other. The lizard brain stirred, and a billion years later Reacher leaned forward an inch.
Reacher belittles Epsin with a great mixed metaphor ... Hahahaaaahahaa!
"This is not rocket surgery."
And the old Reacher standard:
‘No plan ever survives first contact with the enemy.’
Totally delicious throughout!
Echo Burning #5, 4+ stars
Persuader #7, 4+ stars
The Enemy #8, 5 stars
Gone Tomorrow #13, 4 stars
The Affair #16, 4+ stars
Never Go Back, #18, 5 stars
Personal, #19, 4 stars
Make Me, #20, 4 stars
Night School, #21, 4+ stars
The Midnight Line, #22, 5 stars
August 19, 2013
Jack Reacher is back and don’t worry folks he’s back with his usual swagger, confidence and his remarkable ability to get things done, completely on his own terms and in his own time of course. Never Go Back is another rip roaring adventure with arguably the most iconic action hero of the modern literary world. Who wouldn’t want to be in his shoes? Yet again he takes no prisoners and his no nonsense approach is refreshing, one can never get enough of The Reacher!
Although we come across a little violence, a few deaths and your fair share of bad guys suffering at the hands of our protagonist there was one scene - in a diner - that was the polar opposite and incidentally my favourite part of the book. I’m not going to go in any kind of detail to avoid spoilers but the scene was intelligently written and well crafted,the dialogue was sharp and on point with a great deal of subtlety and personality. I really enjoyed the verbal tennis and the scene proof, if ever it was needed, that Lee Child doesn’t have to rely on Reacher creating havoc wherever he goes just to be entertaining. Brilliant.
The book moves along at a furious pace from beginning to end thanks mainly to an enigmatic leading man but equally to a well crafted and thought out storyline and a sound narrative that keeps the reader keep turning the pages to see just what happens next. I really enjoyed how Child took the story one way and then the next, introducing characters full of depth and flavour allowing them all to play a growing role in the outcome of the book.
For me Jack Reacher books are never about the ending, sure they’re important as one book tends to lead into another, for me however they are about the journey within. I love how he interacts with characters, who he tolerates and who he can’t and won’t abide. He has a wise head on his shoulders does our Jack and he more often than not uses it wisely. Between you and me I do like it when he acts a little rashly, loses control - not that it happens much - and just goes at it, carnage ensues and a few broken bones follow. I’m sure deep down he’s always itching for a fight but he does have an inner strength that reins it in.
Never Go Back delivers, simple as that. From beginning to end it entertains with a crisp narrative, intelligent dialogue and two storylines running concurrently that somehow, magically, gel together at the end to deliver a fitting climax (even though I felt it was a little rushed in the end) to another Jack Reacher novel.
There a few authors out there that will make me stop what I’m doing and lose myself in a literary adventure - Lee Child is one of them. Terrifically taut, Never Go Back will not disappoint.
Although we come across a little violence, a few deaths and your fair share of bad guys suffering at the hands of our protagonist there was one scene - in a diner - that was the polar opposite and incidentally my favourite part of the book. I’m not going to go in any kind of detail to avoid spoilers but the scene was intelligently written and well crafted,the dialogue was sharp and on point with a great deal of subtlety and personality. I really enjoyed the verbal tennis and the scene proof, if ever it was needed, that Lee Child doesn’t have to rely on Reacher creating havoc wherever he goes just to be entertaining. Brilliant.
The book moves along at a furious pace from beginning to end thanks mainly to an enigmatic leading man but equally to a well crafted and thought out storyline and a sound narrative that keeps the reader keep turning the pages to see just what happens next. I really enjoyed how Child took the story one way and then the next, introducing characters full of depth and flavour allowing them all to play a growing role in the outcome of the book.
For me Jack Reacher books are never about the ending, sure they’re important as one book tends to lead into another, for me however they are about the journey within. I love how he interacts with characters, who he tolerates and who he can’t and won’t abide. He has a wise head on his shoulders does our Jack and he more often than not uses it wisely. Between you and me I do like it when he acts a little rashly, loses control - not that it happens much - and just goes at it, carnage ensues and a few broken bones follow. I’m sure deep down he’s always itching for a fight but he does have an inner strength that reins it in.
Never Go Back delivers, simple as that. From beginning to end it entertains with a crisp narrative, intelligent dialogue and two storylines running concurrently that somehow, magically, gel together at the end to deliver a fitting climax (even though I felt it was a little rushed in the end) to another Jack Reacher novel.
There a few authors out there that will make me stop what I’m doing and lose myself in a literary adventure - Lee Child is one of them. Terrifically taut, Never Go Back will not disappoint.
May 20, 2025
If you like an author, which is the case between Mr. Child and me, it matters less what he writes and more HOW he does it. But, nonetheless, there are some facts which look too easy, strange or illogical:
- the kidnapping of the three officers, as none of them has a mobile phone to alarm the MP.
- the duel with the Claughton guys, in which six guys, in fact six tough rednecks, consent that only two of them to fight
- he airplane episode, as two guys with broken hands and fingers don't event scream
- the girl episode, as I find much too frivolous for a 14 years youngster to enter a conversation with unknown men.
The final is not the best one and one more question is why one of the bad guys is named David Baldacci, the same as the writer, but that doesn't mean I'll ignore Child's new productions. On the contrary...
- the kidnapping of the three officers, as none of them has a mobile phone to alarm the MP.
- the duel with the Claughton guys, in which six guys, in fact six tough rednecks, consent that only two of them to fight
- he airplane episode, as two guys with broken hands and fingers don't event scream
- the girl episode, as I find much too frivolous for a 14 years youngster to enter a conversation with unknown men.
The final is not the best one and one more question is why one of the bad guys is named David Baldacci, the same as the writer, but that doesn't mean I'll ignore Child's new productions. On the contrary...
May 26, 2021
NYT Best Seller #1 - Sep. 22, 2013
Reacher finds Turner’s in “pre-trial confinement“ for taking an offshore export bribe, $100,000 deposit. He had no confinement. Did they expect Reacher to bolt so they could do something to him?
They escape & are chased. They must find the military officers responsible on illegal goods transport to Afghanistan & who made the $100,000 deposit to Turner.
They follow Samantha many days to a cafe - Sam asks why first! The paternity suit was a fraudulent “service” to get alimony. “You can’t be dad”, the cafe’s waitress is mom & neither of you recognized each other.
They uncover the murder charge against Richer to cover up, a “trashed” murder crime for a LAPD & “Uncle Sam” mistake?
They were 3 setups & their names cleared. But does it effect the “love” Reacher & Turner experienced?
Great book & movie.
IMDb - the 2 Jack Reacher movies
IMDb movie review (2016)x-Major Reacher of the 110th CO of MP (Commanding Officer/Military Police), wants to meet his replacement Major Susan Turner CO/MP. When arriving Why is he accused of a soldier murder & a paternity suit that he is a father of a daughter, Samantha Dayton(15)?
The insurmountable & unstoppable Jack Reacher, the “x-military” officer & drifter has a new project in his life.
Never Go Back Movie trailer - 2016
Reacher finds Turner’s in “pre-trial confinement“ for taking an offshore export bribe, $100,000 deposit. He had no confinement. Did they expect Reacher to bolt so they could do something to him?
They escape & are chased. They must find the military officers responsible on illegal goods transport to Afghanistan & who made the $100,000 deposit to Turner.
They follow Samantha many days to a cafe - Sam asks why first! The paternity suit was a fraudulent “service” to get alimony. “You can’t be dad”, the cafe’s waitress is mom & neither of you recognized each other.
They uncover the murder charge against Richer to cover up, a “trashed” murder crime for a LAPD & “Uncle Sam” mistake?
They were 3 setups & their names cleared. But does it effect the “love” Reacher & Turner experienced?
Great book & movie.
IMDb - the 2 Jack Reacher movies
August 31, 2018
You know, over time I've read quite a few of the Reacher books now. I read them in groups of 2 or 3 at a time. I've commented before on why that is.
This one is a good read and I decided to go all 5 stars. The books run a gamut from excellent to...oh well better luck next time". This one? As I said, I liked it.
Here Jack is post military (some books take place while he's still an MP Major [or captain whatever] some after he's...well not military). He has had occasion to talk to the new commander of his old outfit (the 110th Military Police) and he liked her voice. So, being Jack (I mean Reacher...everyone calls him Reacher) he decides to travel across the entire country and ask her out (at least he did wear semi-clean clothes when he went to meet her this time).
The thing is that when he gets there...to the old office he remembers so well, the new commander (Major Susan Turner) has been relieved of command, locked away in a cell and there are charges pending against Jack (Reacher). These are charges from 15 years ago. Jack points out that the military has no jurisdiction over a civilian, and he's promptly reinstate into the Army at his old rank (Major Reacher) and placed under arrest.
At least Reacher is confined to a grade triple D motel room instead of a cell...at first.
From there we launch off into another farfetched but enjoyable Jack Reacher adventure as he (and Major Turner of course) unravel a major (no pun intended there) conspiracy.
Look this is a good story. There are still the logical inconsistencies that plague this series for me but I suppose that I've read so many now that I've beefed up my suspension of disbelief muscles. If you like good fast moving action thrillers this will probably not disappoint.
By the way this is the book the last Reacher movie with Tom Cruise was loosely based on. The movie isn't bad either so enjoy both. Good brain candy.
This one is a good read and I decided to go all 5 stars. The books run a gamut from excellent to...oh well better luck next time". This one? As I said, I liked it.
Here Jack is post military (some books take place while he's still an MP Major [or captain whatever] some after he's...well not military). He has had occasion to talk to the new commander of his old outfit (the 110th Military Police) and he liked her voice. So, being Jack (I mean Reacher...everyone calls him Reacher) he decides to travel across the entire country and ask her out (at least he did wear semi-clean clothes when he went to meet her this time).
The thing is that when he gets there...to the old office he remembers so well, the new commander (Major Susan Turner) has been relieved of command, locked away in a cell and there are charges pending against Jack (Reacher). These are charges from 15 years ago. Jack points out that the military has no jurisdiction over a civilian, and he's promptly reinstate into the Army at his old rank (Major Reacher) and placed under arrest.
At least Reacher is confined to a grade triple D motel room instead of a cell...at first.
From there we launch off into another farfetched but enjoyable Jack Reacher adventure as he (and Major Turner of course) unravel a major (no pun intended there) conspiracy.
Look this is a good story. There are still the logical inconsistencies that plague this series for me but I suppose that I've read so many now that I've beefed up my suspension of disbelief muscles. If you like good fast moving action thrillers this will probably not disappoint.
By the way this is the book the last Reacher movie with Tom Cruise was loosely based on. The movie isn't bad either so enjoy both. Good brain candy.
September 13, 2013
Bob Dylan said, "You can always go back, but you can't go back all the way".I think even the title, "Never Go Back" is a clue to Reacher 2014.I found out about Jack Reacher late, so I didn't have to wait for annual installments until about 5 books ago.I really liked who and what he was, and thought Lee Child was a good purveyor of this huge ex-Marine (MP) drifter, good-guy, Jack Reacher. The books do not have to be read in order, but I was fortunate to read him as he grew.
And, then, Tom Cruise got a notion in his head that HE was Jack Reacher, and bought up a bunch of movie rights. Many of us repeated the sentiment that Lee Child used when we all went apoplectic over this bad news, and that is:: I know Jack Reacher, and Tom Cruise is not Jack Reacher.:: Lee Child defended his bank roll with a retort that NObody in Hollywood is Jack Reacher. I beg his pardon, because I know of some women who are much more Jack Reacher than Tom Cruise. Tom Cruise is not someone that Reacher would even like, and if Tom Cruise really did read the books (and not a movie treatment), he would know that. Lee Child put Reacher out for movie rights in the very beginning, and no one was biting - until 2005, when Cruise bought the rights to all of the Reacher books.
What a betrayal. Lee Child took the very low road. Now, he's just pimping a bunch of meaningless words and instructions to Reacher, as if he is going to change Reacher into a Tom Cruise type. There are some nuances about Reacher, that are part of the package of who he is, that are missing, or misleading in this latest book. This is definitely not the Reacher we've known. It is easy to see how his character was being disassembled and modified.
I gave my first rating - very low - based on these personal politics, and with prejudice, and that was unfair, so I've edited my original ranting and thrashing, and re-scored.
And, then, Tom Cruise got a notion in his head that HE was Jack Reacher, and bought up a bunch of movie rights. Many of us repeated the sentiment that Lee Child used when we all went apoplectic over this bad news, and that is:: I know Jack Reacher, and Tom Cruise is not Jack Reacher.:: Lee Child defended his bank roll with a retort that NObody in Hollywood is Jack Reacher. I beg his pardon, because I know of some women who are much more Jack Reacher than Tom Cruise. Tom Cruise is not someone that Reacher would even like, and if Tom Cruise really did read the books (and not a movie treatment), he would know that. Lee Child put Reacher out for movie rights in the very beginning, and no one was biting - until 2005, when Cruise bought the rights to all of the Reacher books.
What a betrayal. Lee Child took the very low road. Now, he's just pimping a bunch of meaningless words and instructions to Reacher, as if he is going to change Reacher into a Tom Cruise type. There are some nuances about Reacher, that are part of the package of who he is, that are missing, or misleading in this latest book. This is definitely not the Reacher we've known. It is easy to see how his character was being disassembled and modified.
I gave my first rating - very low - based on these personal politics, and with prejudice, and that was unfair, so I've edited my original ranting and thrashing, and re-scored.
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