Die Trying by Lee Child

Thriller

In the second novel of the Jack Reacher series, Reacher finds himself in Chicago, though not for long. He spots a woman on crutches struggling with her dry cleaning and attempts to help her out. The women ends up being an FBI agent, and daughter of a prominent member of government. Just as Reacher starts to help her, three men pop out of a car and abduct the two of them. Reacher and Holly get to know each other as they spend long days in the back of a truck, being transported away from Chicago.

What results is a completely unrealistic series of events. With each page, things seem to get more and more ridiculous. Including forced chemistry between Reacher and Holly (sorry, I just wasn't feeling it), and the two of them making love beside the grave of a double agent. WHAT!?

Jack Reacher seems to suffer from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Always. While his books are still engaging and fun to read, I'm hoping that the next book in the series is a bit more realistic and doesn't fall in to the same trap as the first two.

First Line: "Nathan Rubin died because he got brave."

Rating:
(3/5)

Killing Floor by Lee Child

Mystery

Jack Reacher is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's a drifter, having left the military police, and winds up in a small southern town just as two murders take place. The police think he's the murderer and he's brought in to the police station to answer questions. Reacher has a rock-solid alibi, but it is Friday afternoon and they can't verify. He needs to be sent to jail for the weekend. When someone tries to take him out in the jail, Reacher knows he won't be able to let this go. Once his alibi is verified, he works with the police to try and solve the case.

This is the very first book in the Reacher series and for all the intrigue and mystery, it was all surrounded in a world of make believe. No cop would ever share case information with a suspect, even after they are cleared. The fact that this kept happening really bothered me because it was so unrealistic but the only way Child could make the story work.

Putting this problem aside, the book is pretty good. Reacher is an interesting character. I like ex-cops. They know how to do things but are free agents and not restricted to the letter of the law. When Bosch of Michael Connelly's books quit/retired for a book or two, it was some of the better books. This is the same except I suspect Reacher will permanently be like this.

I'll carry on to the next book in the series. There are quite a few so I have a long road ahead of me!

First Line: "I was arrested in Eno's diner."

Rating:
(4/5)