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Ex-military cop Jack Reacher is the perfect antihero--tough as nails, but with a brain and a conscience to match. He's able to see what most miss and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Each book in Lee Child's smart, addictive series (The New York Times has referred to it as "pure escapist gold") follows the wandering warrior on a new adventure, making it easy to start with any book, including his latest gem, Bad Luck and Trouble. However, be forewarned...once you meet Jack Reacher, you'll be hooked, so be prepared to stock up on the series. --Daphne Durham
Who Is Jack Reacher? A Video from Lee Child
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A Note from Lee Child
Two years ago I was on a book tour, promoting that year's new Jack Reacher novel, One Shot. One particular night, the event was held in a small town outside of Chicago. The date was June 21st. As I was giving my talk and answering questions and signing books, that date was nagging away at the back of my mind. I knew it had some significance. I started panicking--had I forgotten my anniversary? No, that's in August. My wife's birthday? No, that's in January. My own birthday? No, that's in October.
Then suddenly I remembered--it was ten years to the day since I had been fired from my previous job. That was why and how I had become a writer. That night in Illinois was a ten-year anniversary of a different sort, somewhat bittersweet.
And ten is a nice round number. So I started thinking about my old colleagues. My workmates, my buddies. We had been through a lot together. I started to wonder where they all were now. What were they doing? Were they doing well, or struggling? Were they happy? What did they look like now? Pretty soon I was into full-on nostalgia mode. Ten-year anniversaries can do that to a person. I think we all share those kind of feelings, about high school, or college, or old jobs we've quit, or old towns we've moved away from.
So I decided to make this year's Jack Reacher book about a reunion. I decided to throw him back among a bunch of old colleagues that he hadn't seen for ten years, people that he loved fiercely and respected deeply. Regular Reacher readers will know that he's a pretty self-confident guy, but I wanted him to wobble just a little this time, to compare his choices with theirs, to measure himself against them.
The renewed get-together isn't Reacher's own choice, though. And it's not a standard-issue reunion, either. Something very bad has happened, and one of his old team-members from the army contacts him, by an ingenious method (it's hard to track Reacher down). She gives him the bad news, and asks him to do something about it. He says, "Of course I'll do something about it."
"No," his friend says. "I mean, I want you to put the old unit back together."
It's an irresistible invitation. Wouldn't we all like to do that, sometimes? --Lee Child
Secrets of the Series: A Q&A with Lee Child
Q: Why do you think readers keep coming back to your novels?
A: Two words: Jack Reacher. Reacher is a drifter and a loner with a strong sense of justice. He shows up, he acts, he moves on. He's the type of hero who has a long literary history. Robin Hood, the Lone Ranger, Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings, Jack Reacher--they're all part of the same heroic family. Reacher just ratchets it up a notch. Maybe more than a notch. Why is he so appealing? Most often people say to me it's his sense of justice; he will do the right thing. Even though there is no reward in it for him, even though there is often a high cost to be paid by him, he will always try to do the right thing and people find that reassuring in today's world when not too many people are doing the right thing.
Q: Jack Reacher gets compared to James Bond, Jack Bauer and Jason Bourne, each of whom now has a "face." In a movie, which actor do you think could fill Reacher's shoes?
A: That's the toughest question. The thing about Reacher is he's huge; he's 6'5" tall and about 250 pounds. There aren't any actors that size--actors tend to be small. So we aren't going to find a physical facsimile for Reacher because there aren't any. We have to find someone who is capable of looking big on the screen. Many people have said to me a young Clint Eastwood would have been perfect--we need someone like that who has the vibe of a big intimidating man. Hopefully there will be somebody available like that. It's also a question of finding somebody ready to sign up for more than one movie. They want to make a franchise, minimum of three, and that makes it a little bit harder.
Q: What research is involved in writing one of your stories?
A: My research is all kind of backwards. I don't go to the public library for three months and take notes in advance; instead my best research is by remembering and adapting. I read, travel, and talk to people just for the fun of it, filing away these interesting little snippets to the back of my mind and eventually they float to the surface and get used. The problem is, I approach writing the book with the same excitement and impatience that I hope the reader is going to feel about reading it. But even so, I need a certain measure of technical intrigue in the story. There is specific research I have to do as I go along, anything that's a small detail; a car, a gun, a type of bullet. I will check that out at the time. But, that's what I call the detail--the broad stuff is the stuff I already know.
Meet Jack Reacher
The Killing Floor |
Die Trying |
Tripwire |
Running Blind |
Echo Burning |
Without Fail |
Persuader |
The Enemy |
One Shot |
The Hard Way |
Book Description
From a helicopter high above the empty California desert, a man is sent free-falling into the night…. In Chicago, a woman learns that an elite team of ex–army investigators is being hunted down one by one.... And on the streets of Portland, Jack Reacher—soldier, cop, hero—is pulled out of his wandering life by a code that few other people could understand. From the first shocking scenes in Lee Child’s explosive new novel, Jack Reacher is plunged like a knife into the heart of a conspiracy that is killing old friends…and is on its way to something even worse.
A decade postmilitary, Reacher has an ATM card and the clothes on his back—no phone, no ties, and no address. But now a woman from his old unit has done the impossible. From Chicago, Frances Neagley finds Reacher, using a signal only the eight members of their elite team of army investigators would know. She tells him a terrifying story—about the brutal death of a man they both served with. Soon Reacher is reuniting with the survivors of his old team, scrambling to raise the living, bury the dead, and connect the dots in a mystery that is growing darker by the day. The deeper they dig, the more they don’t know: about two other comrades who have suddenly gone missing—and a trail that leads into the neon of Vegas and the darkness of international terrorism.
For now, Reacher can only react. To every sound. Every suspicion. Every scent and every moment. Then Reacher will trust the people he once trusted with his life—and take this thing all the way to the end. Because in a world of bad luck and trouble, when someone targets Jack Reacher and his team, they’d better be ready for what comes right back at them…
Customer Reviews:
disappointing.......2007-09-27
Unfortunately, in my opinion, this book cannot be compared the The Hard Way. That one was taut, thrilling and extremely gripping. This one was drowning in minutiae, far too many 'filler' details. It took 250 pages to even know what the characters were trying to stop. From then on, you just knew Reacher would get the bad guys and the climax was pretty standard 'shoot 'em up', no surprises or twists at all. I expected so much more. Pass this one by.
Best Yet.......2007-09-25
I have enjoyed the seris, and liked this one the best, because of the former team members, they give some real balance to Jack...
The Latest Installment From A Favorite Author.......2007-09-18
If you somehow got your hands on a copy of Bad Luck & Trouble and have NOT read the previous Jack Reacher tales, stop and begin with The Killing Floor. Lucky you!
Having said that, Bad Luck & Trouble is yet another very satisfying installment in the series. I sincerely hope that Lee Child continues to be inspired by his character and the interesting settings that Jack Reacher finds himself in.
This story is fresh, edge of the seat entertainment that we fans have come to expect. Mr Child does not disappoint!.
Jack's Back.......2007-09-16
My enjoyment of the Jack Reacher novels is such that I actually purchased this hardcover. Anyone familiar with this type of novel recognizes that plot details are secondary to what has been called, "solidification of sequence". This novel is a shade less enjoyable than the rest. Is Mr.Child losing interest? Am I losing interest? Hard to say but this one comes up short. Of course Jack is still there. And I would still like to have him as a friend, although I come probably never find him if I needed him. By the way, isn't only owning the "clothes on his back" gimmick wearing a little thin. Jack,buy yourself a knapsack, a duffel bag, at least a brief case, and carry a change of socks. To those of us accustomed to changing clothing at least every day the idea of wearing them until they reek is not only unappealing but unrealistic. And, I have wondered, what the hell does Jack do when he takes the next bus to anywhere and gets there. What does he do, walk the streets? With no real money and clothes that stink his choices are somewhat limited. Seedy hotel rooms lose their charm after a while and there are only so many undeserving victims of cruel, powerful people out there to assist. Sure, it's great to read of him breaking the neck of some ruffian but walking back into the great outback of novel land, chucking it all so he can return next year to crack some more skulls does require the willing suspension of disbelief. Life must be awful boring between bouts with bad men. Jack, settle down, get a job, star in a tv series, marry that beautiful babe, put some roots down before old age catches up with you....and Mr. Child runs out of marginably credible adventures for you to participate. And, for cryin' out loud, change your clothes.
A different Reacher.......2007-09-06
Child is reverting to his NBC roots with Jack Reacher. The two latest books have Reacher less and less an action hero and more and more a left-leaning TV star. The clincher here is Reacher and troupe donating the bulk of the booty they take to PETA. This is totally out of character with the Reacher his fans know and love from the first nine books. If you've read the first nine and loved the character and what he stood for you'll be disappointed with ten and eleven. I think I'll pass on number twelve altogether.
Book Description
With his characteristic investigative eye and Menckenesque prose,
R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. sheds new light on Bill Clinton's post-presidential emotional depression, globe trotting and international deal-making, financial ties to China and the United Arab Emirates, ongoing womanizing, vital support role in Hillary Clinton's anticipated run for the White House, and possible role as America's first "First Man."
Customer Reviews:
Tyrell: American Sphincter.......2007-09-19
Moron Tyrell is yet another wingnut who can't accept that Clinton is gone. They must all have a secret yearning for Hillary in '08 to make their pathetic lives seem worthwhile. Maybe they're all in denial after seven years of G. W. Dumbass and the weekly scandals of his crooks and cronies.
Clinton Crackup.......2007-09-19
While I hated to see Clinton move into the presidency, and, of course, hated his actions even more following Lewinsky, it's a wonder that we still have a country at all. I most certainly would not buy anything that might give him (or her, for that matter) any type of grace, and only scanned the pages at a local bookstore. That was quite enough for me, thank you very much. Now, unfortunately, it looks as though Miseries Clinton might be our next president. Hold onto your wallets, people!
Well done - Emmett needs a thesaurus though.......2007-09-07
No secret that Tyrrell does not like the Clintons. Somehow, those supporting Clinton have a big problem with a book like this and have NO problem with books claiming Bush knew about 9/11, Bush is in tight with the Saudis, etc.
If nothing else, this book is VERY thorough. There were times when I was reading it that I thought "How did the editor let THAT stay in the book?"
Tyrrell has a habit of writing to an MBA level. Which I guess is ok but there are those of us who, while having a complete control of the English language, we don't feel the need to try to impress people with it.
So many times, I read this thinking the author could have used a different word to mean the same thing and not come across as high-brow. Bill Buckley can get away with - he's about the only one.
Bottom line - the book is solid reading, powerful, and damning to Bill and Hillary.
Too Much of the Clintons is Never Enough.......2007-08-30
Sure, the title is hyperbolic, the writing has little of that flinty incisiveness of muckrakers like Tarbell and Sinclair, a good deal of the material is old news, the editing could have been better, but, oh, what fun! For political junkies like me, Our Bill and his lovely Life Partner are simply the gifts that keep on giving. As the wide diversity and vigor of reviewers' reactions demonstrate, love 'em or hate 'em, they are simply fascinating.
Now, one can't expect the shenanigans of Post-Prez Bill to be as interesting as his time in the Oval Office if only because, for instance, there has bobbed to the surface no stained women's clothing--yet. Nonetheless, the mind reels and the spirit soars as Tyrrell not only revisits the low crimes and misde-wieners of the Clintons' time in the Arkansas governor's mansion and the White House, but takes us on a poignant tour of Our Bill's meanderings in the real world, i.e., the world where his only power derives from political suasion and the relentless pursuit of greater wealth. If nothing else, Tyrrell's listing of the President's last-minute pardons and commutations, complete with the crimes committed by those receiving those astonishing absolutions, is worth the price of admission. No one, least of all Bill himself, has ever explained or rationalized how these low-lives deserved legal reclamation, justifying the inevitable conclusion of critics then and now that they were exchanged for past, present, or future consideration, much of it brokered by the Clinton and Rodham siblings.
And then there's Hillary. Just as I conclude my reading, what breaks but another campaign contribution imbroglio involving The Hill. Turns out that Norman Hsu, one of the Mrs.'s large contributors for the last several years, is a wanted fugitive from California justice and is somehow related to the Paw family of Daly City, several members of whom have made contributions coincident with those of Mr. Hsu which may or may not have been illegally funded by the latter. Mr. Paw, also Chinese, is a mail carrier, and yet the family has somehow found 45 G's to give to The Hill. The eyes tear and the throat constricts with mirth as one of the Paw family members turns out to be named Winkle. (Does the Supreme Being stay up at night devising names for those involved in Clinton scandals, you know the rich Marc Rich, et al? Does Winkle have siblings named Blinkle and Nod? But I digress.)
Astute readers will recall that Our Bill had some problems with Chinese contributors during his reign. One might have thought that those painful experiences would have convinced the Clintons they should limit their Chinese contacts to calling for take-out, but I guess not.
I'm not saying your life won't be complete if you don't read this book, but I found it a very enjoyable meander through these troubled lives. Think of it as a between-meal snack as we await The Hill's nomination for the presidency. Then it can serve as a reference point for the inevitable--and entirely justified--dredging up of the Clinton scandals by the Hillary Haters. Pray with me to the political gods that all this comes to pass: it will be a great 2008!
The Clinton Crackup.......2007-08-23
I have read the book. Tyrell is a gifted writer who records the continuing docu-drama of Bill Clinton's life. Coming away from this book there is the sense of flawed personality aspects outweighing good ones. I,too, wonder why people continue to find Clinton viable, attractive and charming. He is much to be pitied. Are Bill and Hillary a sign of the times - the narcissistic epitome of anything goes?
What Bill does fascinates us all - some love him, some don't. He "is" a national security leak and the continuing saga confirms it. One thing the book makes clear - if you set your sights on a particular goal and then
work towards it you will achieve it. Bill and Hillary had been working a long time to achieve their ambition. Though he did not win by a majority, other forces helped in the achievement of Bill's amibition.
These 2 people are very focused individuals. The truth of their lives is appallingly clear. If we are a product of our times, what does that say
about the kind of people we elect to high office. And how did we get to this cultural state of affairs.
Book Description
Welcome to the Custer Hill Club - a men's club set in an Adirondack hunting lodge whose members include some of America's most powerful business leaders, military men, and government officials. Ostensibly, the club is a place to relax with old friends. But one fall weekend, the club's Executive Board gathers to talk about 9/11 - and finalize a retaliation plan, known only by its code name: WILD FIRE. That same weekend, a member of the Federal Anti-Terrorist Task Force is found dead. Soon it's up to Detective John Corey and his wife, FBI Agent Kate Mayfield, to unravel a plot that starts with the Custer Hill Club and ends with American cities locked in the crosshairs of a nuclear device. Only Corey and Mayfield can stop the button from being pushed, and global chaos from being unleashed... More chilling than yesterday's headlines and as prophetic as tomorrow's, Wild Fire will challenge you to question everything you thought you knew about your leaders and your country while thrilling you with suspense that builds with every page.
Customer Reviews:
A must read.......2007-09-29
Wild Fire is the most powerful what-if scenario I've ever read in fiction. The intrigue and action are non-stop, and the novel is peppered with first class comic-relief. Not only was I unable to put Wild Fire down, but I also found it impossible to avoid laughing out loud every time the protagonist, John Corey, came up with another quip.
DeMille's view into the minds of fictional dangerous people at the top is frightening. He gives you the impression that this could happen. God help us all if it does, and pray that there's a Detective John Corey out there to stop it. This novel is a must-read.
not this time.......2007-09-27
I really wanted to like this book, but it was actually annoying. I really liked John Corey in Plum Island, less so in the Lion's Game, and hated him in Wildfire. the wisecracking was way over the top, and his wife came off as a lame straightman/sidekick.
I hope Mr. Demille doesnt do this in the sequel to his greatest work: The Gold Coast. That was the first book I read by him- luckily it wasnt this one!
The Usual Suspects.......2007-09-24
I read this book several months ago but held off writing a review, hoping my first impressions would improve with time. Alas, not so. De Mille's books are usually a reliable mixture of snappy dialogue and fast paced plots. The snappy dialogue is here in spades; John Corey is married and he and Kate engage in the usual banter. However, de Mille seems to think this is a substitute for a well thought-out plot. In this book we meet the bad guys (more on that later) and they proceed to lay out their plans in endless detail. In fact, the first 100 pages (at least it seemed that long) consist of the evil doers explaining all in a meeting that is laughable. We find that the bad guys (no spoiler here) intend to nuke one of our major cities. Just which one requires pages of discussion.
Once this meeting concludes the pace does pick up, but the "action" seems to consist of John and Kate driving around the countryside.
Now a word about the perps. Every author is entitled to his or her choice of bad guys. Is does help, however, if the choices are plausible and don't require too much of a stretch of ones imagination. In this case the proposed deed is the setting off of a nuclear device in one of our cities. Given recent history, one might suppose that this might be the work of Arab terrorists, etc. Not so. Here we have members of the FBI, CIA, and State Department. Heading up this group is, of course, a representative of the most evil group of all - - big oil.
De Mille can do much better than this sad sffort.
Wild Fier.......2007-09-23
Fun read interesting plot. It's a page tuner. If you are a fan of DeMille's other John Cory novels you will like this one. I read it in about a day and a half while on vacation.
Typical.......2007-09-11
WILD FIRE was typical and predictable in plot for Nelson DeMille. Story's setting was interesting with our country's current events.
Book Description
Cooking cocaine is remarkably similar to cooking foie gras. Both are costly ingredients and require careful attention. Left unattended, cocaine will go up in smoke; foie gras dissipates into a puddle of fat.
So begins one man's remarkable journey of transformation. Jeff Henderson grew up in the inner–city streets of San Diego. He spent nine years in federal prison for dealing drugs, where he became fascinated with cooking and decided to pursue a career as a chef when released. Little did he know how hard it would be to climb to the top of this profession. He is now the executive chef at the Café Bellagio in Las Vegas.
A combination of Angela's Ashes and Finding Fish, this is the enthralling story of someone who has managed to overcome the most unimaginable adversity. Alive with the energy of street life, the sober reality of prison, and the visceral thrill of being inside the intense kitchens of great restaurants, Cooked is a journey through the America of crime, punishment, and redemption. And at it's heart, it is a very human story of how even the worst mistakes can be overcome.
Customer Reviews:
Great read, compelling story.......2007-09-24
Wow, Jeff Henderson had a real "rags to riches" story. This book captures all the details of how Mr. Henderson went from "nothing to something". It's a good read because the story captures you from the beginning.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading a "feel good" story, but i would also recommend it to youths who want to know what it's like to go from "something to nothing" real fast.
This book chronicles the good, the bad and the ugly of Mr. Henderson's life. What I really liked is how he did not make any excuses for his failures (his anger, temper, mistakes, etc). Youths will learn about responsibility from reading this book.
What an interesting life..........2007-09-14
Wow! Well written. It was so great to learn about how a person could change their life into something so positive after it was so worthless.
Awesome.......2007-09-03
I loved this book and would recommend it to familes that have youth in their homes, especially with drug crimes so high in our communities. I have a son that is currently serving a 11 year Federal sentence for crack cocaine and will share this book with him and his children. This is a great book to teach youth in Boys and Girls Club that what they see as far as drugs and living the good life, will come to an end. I work in the school system and ask youth on a regular basis what they want to be when they grow up, most boys say a drug dealer, that's what my father was. I ask where is father now, "in prison" but, I will be smarter than him and not get caught. I tell them from personal experience not what someone told me but they will end up one of two places in jail or dead, and to choose a more promising career, and to remember the choice is yours.
Cooked from the Streets to the Stove.......2007-08-13
This was an excellent book. It showed how someone can change their life no matter what obtacles are in front of them. This book is a book for all ages to read it allows you to see if a person wants to have change in their life it can happen by setting your mind to it, living a clean life and working hard.
I am very glad I saw this guy on Oprah and I decided to purchase the book.
Great Story, Great Read.......2007-07-27
You'll learn more than you thought you would ever want to know about selling crack on the streets, the prison system, and the world of culinary art...quite a trifecta. I wasn't particularly interested in any of these things but the book certainly kept my attention. It seems unlikely to me that Mr. Henderson wrote the book - if he did, he can add author to his list of accomplishments - if he didn't, his ghostwriter did a terrific job.
Book Description
Matt Stromsoe has come a long way since his wife and son were killed in an explosion meant for him. Wounded severely in both body and spirit, Stromsoe gave up the last thing that held any meaning for him—his job on the police force—and proceeded to hit rock bottom, hard.
That was a lifetime ago, and finally the spiral of personal destruction and despair seems to have come to an end. The man responsible for the murders—Stromsoe's best friend from childhood and his wife's old lover—is behind bars and Stromsoe has put the past behind him, rescued from the abyss by a former colleague who offers him a job at his private security firm. Stromsoe's first assignment is to protect local television personality Frankie Hatfield from a stalker. But the further Stromsoe is drawn into this case, the more he finds that the net of intrigue is wide and ultimately leads back to the man who killed his family. As events conspire against him, Stromsoe learns that prison is no safeguard against revenge.
T. Jefferson Parker has been hailed as belonging "in the first rank of American crime novelists" (Washington Post Book World) and praised for "some of the finest writing you'll ever read" (Chicago Sun-Times). Superbly crafted, emotionally complex, and filled with heart-stopping action, Storm Runners proves why the novels of T. Jefferson Parker are impossible to resist.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-10-01
This was a great book by T Jefferson Parker. His knowledge of the Spanish Gang called La Emme is very insightful and believable. He also takes you back and gives you history of the LA DPW. Very good book from start to finish.
SHOWDOWN IN THE VALLEY.......2007-09-20
The story of these two individuals is tied together with the lives of first one woman, who eventually married the cop, and one of the drug lord's lovers, who was killed by the actions of the cop. After the killing of the Ofelia, Mike Tavarez's lover, he tries to kill the cop, Matt Stromsoe, but ends up killing Matt's wife and young son instead. Matt himself is injured in the bomb blast and spends years recuperating and rehabilitating. He also spends time just trying to kill himself through drinking and pity.
But another friend of Matt's, Dan Birch pulls him back from the brink of self-destruction and gets him into rehab, then offers him a job working security with Dan's firm.
Here is where the stories start to intertwine. The person Matt is assigned to be a bodyguard for is a Fox News Weather Lady whose high-profile life has attracted a stalker. She has asked for protection and for Dan's company to stop the stalker.
Of course there are layers and layers of lies and deception and eventually the threads of the plot lead us back to Tavarez. Even though he is in prison, he still maintains a lucrative and vast network of corruption in the Southwest.
Throw in a formula for making rain, corrupt utility executives, scared innocents, and a little romance and you have a formula for a good read that keeps you turning the pages.
Parker takes the time to let us in on the mindset of the characters, he lets us see their flaws and their strengths. He leads us to the final showdown and ties up all the loose ends. Its always a pleasure to read his books.
Parker is on the downswing.......2007-07-20
Sorry Jeff, but I just couldn't get past the unbelievable plot cornerstone: seeding the sky to make it rain. I found that central point, and the manner in which it is presented, to be quite preposterous. Character development was only passable - - not great. I was actually happy when the book ended, so I could move on to DeMille, Lescroart, Coben, et al.
Gripping.......2007-07-18
One of Parker's best. No gruesome ways to kill or torture women as in the sex criminal who practiced taxidermy on them, no people-eating serpents, which had turned me off to his books. Ditto tired jaded cops in all mystery fiction, a boring stereotype. Here a cracking good story. Parker's typical damaged hero rehabilitates to bodyguard a San Diego TV weather woman, the romantic interest--but a bit too convenient. Why do women always fall into the arms of a PI hero with no effort on his part? Too common, unlikely male fantasy. The woman is also more normal vs so often so off-center as to be unbelievable in some of his books, though she has an unusual obsession. Only plot flaw: Why would a major bad guy only decide to break out of prison at the end when he had the means and know-how to do it all along? Again too convenient to the plot. Parker's lyrical and fresh descriptions of nature always illuminate, now that he has dropped sleep-inducing multi-page descriptions of setting. His voice is unique and fresh, the menace in the plot one not explored to my knowledge, and twists of plot and character make STORM RUNNERS a standout, and a fast satisfying read.
Three and a half stars.......2007-07-16
I think I've read nearly all of T. Jefferson Parker's books. I love his fast paced books set in Southern California. I thought this was a good book but not his best. Still worth reading. I look forward to your next one!
Book Description
In Lee Child’s astonishing new thriller, ex–military cop Reacher sees more than most people would...and because of that, he’s thrust into an explosive situation that’s about to blow up in his face. For the only way to find the truth—and save two innocent lives—is to do it the way Jack Reacher does it best: the hard way….
Jack Reacher was alone, the way he liked it, soaking up the hot, electric New York City night, watching a man cross the street to a parked Mercedes and drive it away. The car contained one million dollars in ransom money. And Edward Lane, the man who paid it, will pay even more to get his family back. Lane runs a highly illegal soldiers-for-hire operation. He will use any amount of money and any tool to find his beautiful wife and child. And then he’ll turn Jack Reacher loose with a vengeance—because Reacher is the best man hunter in the world.
On the trail of a vicious kidnapper, Reacher is learning the chilling secrets of his employer’s past…and of a horrific drama in the heart of a nasty little war. He’s beginning to realize that Edward Lane is hiding something. Something dirty. Something big. But Reacher also knows this: he’s already in way too deep to stop now.
Customer Reviews:
Big and bad!.......2007-09-13
Jack reacher is big and bad and doesn't take crap from anyone. He also has a heart and a conscience that seem to choose the right thing to do for the right reason. He's far from perfect but he's like a modern cowboy and thinks in a traditional sense. One thing for sure, is you better make him a friend, because you certainly don't want him as your enemy.
Electrifying Climax!.......2007-09-07
Jack Reacher, like John "Lilly" Lelankevitch Evil, Be Gone, walks tall amongst other men. Guys like these are drawn to evildoers and leave dark justice, vengeful mayhem and a certain silencing of evil in their wake. Lee Child has created a character in Jack Reacher who conveys a very comfortable confidence in his ability to handle almost any dire situation that confronts him. The Hard Way is riveting and yet the author also equips his hero with comic relief capability that gives readers a moment to catch their breath. This is a fun book to read and the climax is one of the best in the genre, drawing you so completely into the scene that you'll be looking over your shoulder to make sure there are no bad guys sneaking up on you. Don't worry, with Reacher there...you're covered. Robert John Estko, author of Evil, Be Gone (a John "Lilly" Lelankevitch novel available on Amazon.com)
addictive.......2007-08-25
This writer is addictive. My husband told me to order all of Jack Reacher novels. We both love this guy. Everyone we know would love a guy like this in our lives. Great read!!!!!! Great writing and from start to finish non-stop action. Loved it!!
Thanks
JAS
The best of the series--so far.......2007-07-29
I just discovered this series and read all but the most recent this summer. He keeps getting better. I love his disinterest in possessions and the change in setting in each story. Makes for a one-of-a-kind hero who never fails to surprise.
Typical Jack Reacher Formula.......2007-07-23
I like the Reacher books, even though they are preposterous. Reacher, of course, is a caricature of the loner super-hero and this book is no exception. Sometimes I think the name "Reacher" is literal -- in other words, the author may be reaching a bit too far in his plot turns. BUT...on the whole, this was a good Reacher novel, if you can just suspend belief and reality for a few hundred pages. It's a good yarn, with a lot of suspense and some pretty well-drawn characters. I think the writing here is a shade better than in Child's other Reacher books and the plot is creative. If you're a Reacher fan, you'll like this one. I am and I did.
Customer Reviews:
Latest in a BRILLIANT series..........2007-09-06
As any lover of Brian K Vaughan could tell you, this guy is a genius. Whether it's a group of misfit, teen-age, evil-villian-parent-murdering crimestoppers; a family of bomb-dodging lions that escape a half-demolished zoo in Baghdad; a man named Yoric who survives a "plague" that wipes out every male on earth (except him and his pet capuchin Ampersand); or, in the case of Ex Machina, a hero-turned-polictician who just happens to be able to communicate with machinery, Vaughan delivers, every time. NOBODY who calls themselves comic book geek can live without reading this series. END OF REVIEW :):)
Comic book writing and art just don't get better than this.......2007-07-02
For anyone who grew up with comic books and love the medium, this is the perfect series to graduate to. It is stunningly beautiful and the writing is topical and smart. It's such a cliche, but it feels like an HBO show done in comic book form. Mayor Mitchell Hundred deals with tricky political situations with integrity, but never finds an easy time of it. He has a wisdom about him, but isn't above revisiting his ethics and decisions as he does in this volume with his arrest of a small-time pot dealer.
Trade paperback is the ideal format for Ex Machina, as the collected issues focus on themes and a collection of storylines. It's far more satisfying than reading it in monthly comics form. I highly recommend this volume and this series!
Good, but a bit short.......2007-05-14
I thoroughly enjoyed the first 4 volumes in this series, but this one disappointed me a bit. It didn't really seem to progress the story behind The Great Machine's origins as much as the past few entries in the series. It seemed a bit more caught up in the political issues facing Mitch as mayor in the "current" timeline.
Love this comic series!.......2007-05-07
Love this comic series! I hope it is never spoilt into a crappy movie saga...
Best regards from Barcelona,
Sergi
Filler.......2007-03-28
This book felt like Vaughn's prepping you for some big event later on. The story moves but it just seems to sit between Journal's death in the last book and whatever is brewing for the next.
Average customer rating:
- poorly written
- When the daughter of a tortilla tycoon is murdered, a detective ...
- Only one criticism
- Great addition to series
- Joe Pike steals the show
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L.A. Requiem
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Crais, Robert
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Similar Items:
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Indigo Slam: An Elvis Cole Novel
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Sunset Express: An Elvis Cole Novel (Elvis Cole Novels)
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The Last Detective
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Voodoo River
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The Forgotten Man (Elvis Cole Novels)
ASIN: 0385495838
Release Date: 1999-06-01 |
Amazon.com
More than 10 years ago, I was shocked to learn that some puerile piece of fluff had won the Edgar for Best Paperback Original, when it was so obvious to me and virtually everyone else in the Western Hemisphere that the award should have gone to The Monkey's Raincoat, the book that introduced Elvis Cole, private eye, and is to this day one of the funniest books I've ever read.
The terrific Elvis Cole series has grown through the years, each book better than the last, but nothing prepared me for the quantum leap (yes, it's a cliché, but it belongs here) that Crais has made with L.A. Requiem. It's not as funny as the other books in the series, but it's a beautifully plotted detective story, rich with police procedure, and it will keep even the most sophisticated reader at sea right until the end. And that's what elevates this book to the level of literature.
This one is more about Joe Pike, Elvis's silent sidekick, than it is about Elvis. We learn, through Pike's own eyes, how his childhood made him the way he is today. It's also about a friendship so strong that it threatens Elvis's relationship with his beloved Lucy. It is a tender but dark book--a serial killer book--but it doesn't attempt to outgross the other serial killer books on the shelf. It is funny at times and chilling at other times, making it one of the rare books that can't help but linger in the memory long after it's been read and put away. --Otto Penzler
Book Description
Los Angeles is a city of perpetual reinvention. Inviting, with a promise of infinite hope, it can also be a glittering landscape of debilitating isolation. The city's lost souls take comfort in its promise--the notion that tomorrow could be the day to start all over again, to transform oneself into someone else. Someone more powerful, more beautiful, more daring.
At the core of
L.A. Requiem is Joe Pike, a former cop with a past as dark and foreboding as his demeanor. His only stable relationship is with his partner of twelve years, Elvis Cole, a talented and quick-witted PI with skeletons in his own past.
When Pike's former lover is found dead at a reservoir in the Hollywood Hills, the duo is brought in by the woman's father to monitor the police investigation. But Pike's no stranger to the men and women in the LAPD's elite Robbery-Homicide Division, at least one of whom has been harboring a long-buried desire for revenge.
With a rich cast of characters reminiscent of Raymond Chandler's classic
The Long Goodbye,
L.A. Requiem is the apotheosis of Crais's writing career--a gripping novel that envelops Cole and Pike in an ever-tightening web of conspiracies, secrets, and mortal passions that threatens to destroy their friendship, and leave one, or both, dead.
Customer Reviews:
poorly written.......2007-09-29
I am beginning to think only those who love a book write a review. Others immediately dismiss it and go on to better reading. L.A. Requiem is my second attempt at Robert Crais. The first was Forgotten Man. This book was flat, characters were jumbled but I made my way through it. This highly touted L.A. Requiem just had to be better, but it isn't. The writing is poor. Elmore Leonard says to writers; don't write what they don't read. In Crais books I was skimming and scanning more than ever. At the rate I was skipping I could have finished it in nothing flat. Joe Pike, okay so he had a poor upbringing, he is just a rude man. Elvis Cole, oh who cares.
When the daughter of a tortilla tycoon is murdered, a detective ..........2007-08-07
... must solve the crime before his mysterious mercenary partner goes to prison as the prime suspect. Absorbing. Longer review available at my website the Impatient Reader. See My Amazon profile for URL.
Only one criticism.......2007-07-08
This is my third Elvis Cole novel. I find them exciting, "page turners", with humor. They are well written and intersting. There is one thing that reall bothers me, the totally unnecessary and gratuitous profanity, particulary using Jesus name in vain, that really bothers me. Thanks
Great addition to series.......2007-02-10
This is the 8th installment of the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series. Elvis is a wise cracking but hard working gumshoe in LA. Joe is a man of few words but incredible action and redefines the term "silent partner". In previous books Elvis has been the narrator/main protagonist with Joe slipping in and out when needed and the author has done a very good job of not bringing Joe into the fray to save the day a la Mr. Wizard. Because of this, those of us who have read the series know Elvis fairly well - Joe, not so much. That all changes in this book. The "case" in this volume begins when one of Joe's friend's, (!), daughter disappears and quickly spirals into the pursuit of a serial killer - all with Joe Pike as the fulcrum. I try to read series such as this in order, both for simple chronology reasons and also to enjoy an author's development. This book is a case in point of the latter. As stated in earlier reviews, the reader gets a whole new perspective on Joe Pike and he says more in this book than in all the previous combined. We learn of his past and even get inside his head. The story slides back and forth in time as well as in narrative perspective - not just Elvis this time - without missing a beat. Even with a couple of fairly predictable plot "twists" this is an extremely entertaining book. Highly recommended.
Joe Pike steals the show.......2006-12-24
With "The Last Detective" I read it for Elvis Cole. With this book I read it for Joe Pike. There was a lot of great aspects to this book. But, mostly the great characters keep you reading. Robert Crais has a way of developing a character exactly how you want them to be or how you would want them to act. Oddly enough I did not really like Elvis's girlfriend Lucy, this time. But, I think that was intended. The one problem with this book is that I felt it dragged a little in the middle. Several times in order to get to the actual scene you had to navigate through some (although very well written) divergence. That said I only read two of the Elvis Cole books and I intend to read the rest of them.
Amazon.com
Karen Armstrong speaks to the troubling years following her decision to leave the life of a Roman Catholic nun and join the secular world in 1969. What makes this memoir especially fascinating is that Armstrong already wrote about this era once---only it was a disastrous book. It was too soon for her to understand how these dark, struggling years influenced her spiritual development, and she was too immature to protect herself from being be bullied by the publishing world. As a result, she agreed to portray herself only in as "positive and lively a light as possible"---a mandate that gave her permission to deny the truth of her pain and falsify her inner experience. The inspiration for this new approach comes from T. S. Eliot's Ash Wednesday, a series of six poems that speak to the process of spiritual recovery. Eliot metaphorically climbs a spiral staircase in these poems---turning again and again to what he does not want to see as he slowly makes progress toward the light. In revisiting her spiral climb out of her dark night of the soul, Armstrong gives readers a stunningly poignant account about the nature of spiritual growth. Upon leaving the convent, Armstrong grapples with the grief of her abandoned path and the uncertainty of her place in the world. On top of this angst, Armstrong spent years suffering from undiagnosed temporal lobe epilepsy, causing her to have frequent blackout lapses in memory and disturbing hallucinations---crippling symptoms that her psychiatrist adamantly attributed to Armstrong's denial of her femininity and sexuality. The details of this narrative may be specific to Armstrong's life, but the meanin! g she makes of her spiral ascent makes this a universally relevant story. All readers can glean inspiration from her insights into the nature of surrender and the possibilities of finding solace in the absence of hope. Armstrong shows us why spiritual wisdom is often a seasoned gift---no matter how much we strive for understanding, we can't force profound insights to occur simply because our publisher is waiting for them. With her elegant, humble and brave voice, she inspires readers to willingly turn our attention toward our false identities and vigilantly defended beliefs in order to better see the truth and vulnerability of our existence. Herein lies the staircase we can climb to enlightenment. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
In 1962, at age seventeen, Karen Armstrong entered a convent, eager to meet God. After seven brutally unhappy years as a nun, she left her order to pursue English literature at Oxford. But convent life had profoundly altered her, and coping with the outside world and her expiring faith proved to be excruciating. Her deep solitude and a terrifying illness–diagnosed only years later as epilepsy–marked her forever as an outsider. In her own mind she was a complete failure: as a nun, as an academic, and as a normal woman capable of intimacy. Her future seemed very much in question until she stumbled into comparative theology. What she found, in learning, thinking, and writing about other religions, was the ecstasy and transcendence she had never felt as a nun. Gripping, revelatory, and inspirational,
The Spiral Staircase is an extraordinary account of an astonishing spiritual journey.
Customer Reviews:
Inside the Mind of a Religious.......2007-08-25
I read the other reviews on this book, not because I wasn't going to buy it, but to see what others thought. Of course, I was going to buy it, after all this is Karen Armstrong we are talking about here. I am interested in what ever she thinks. I loved the book. I am always interested in stories about people overcoming difficulties. Karen Armstrong had to overcome a lot. It is interesting, to say the least, to know what the religous view of this writer actually is now after she's been through everything she's been through.
The book takes us with her on her spiritual and vocational journey. It answers the question of "Why did she write all those diverse books about God Anyway" I would recommend this book to anyone who in their own spiritual search is looking to see how someone else came through it and ended up apparently whole. This is a book I will keep. I find the last chapter especially captivating and I will need to review it until I can internalize what she is saying so beautifully.
An Engrossing Spiritual Autbiography.......2007-07-20
For those of us that have loved Karen Armstrong through her marvelous scholarly works, a glimpse into the experiences that shaped the scholar can be wonderful. In this book, Armstrong explores the experiences that brought her out of her religious disenchantment to become the fascinating, God-enamored woman that she is today. The pages are by turns heartbreaking, heartwarming and deeply profound. I strongly recommend this magnificent autobiography.
An honest revelation.......2007-06-02
Having read almost all of Karen Armstong's profoundly meaningfull studies I wondered how it all came about. This book provides a very honest insight into the sufferings of a young woman and the origin of her enduring search for the truth about so-called "revealed" religions
Facile and Dishonest.......2007-04-28
Ms. Armstrong has published a brace of well-edited, post-Christian titles. The Spiral Staircase is a sadly biased and one-sided slash against her Catholic roots. Those that have stood between Armstrong and her revisionist goals are poorly presented, while all who supported her are glorified--then are jettisoned in typical cameo fashion. Take, for example, Rebecca, the anorectic nun who stayed (long enough to provide Armstrong a nifty plot device, at least!). Poor emaciated Rebecca is used as a foil to revisit all that was horrific about that beastly convent. Then, when that part of Ms. Armstrong's life is no longer needed, Rebecca is entirely abandoned.
Given that this is the author's second version of the same post-convent events of an earlier book, how much of this text can be considered authentic? Will there be a definitive third title? Who will be the goat this time around? Be careful, it might well be you!! Ms. Armstrong is seemingly not responsible for her life, but many others are. Take care, all.
Ms. Armstrong has seemingly appeared in every other soft, non-offensive Unitarian project around, and she maintains an evangelical adherence to Catholic guilt trips for all moderate-to-orthodox Christians. Read her last dozen pages of this text, and witness her simplistic and absurd analysis for 9/11. She has abandoned her past, yet she claims absolute privaledge to speak for Christianity and monotheism. We are all one, and we should all think like Ms. Armstrong. Fundamentalist much?
A rewarding read; parts worth reading again.......2007-04-07
I have never read any of Karen Armstrong's books, but I have seen many references to her writings and have perused her books at the bookstore and found them interesting. I thought this might be a good book to begin with and I was not disappointed. She is an interesting woman who has opened herself and has shown all the darkest corners of her being in what I found to be a very matter-of-fact way. She certainly has enough baggage from a rather strange past, but I felt she was honest in dealing with her frustrations, her weaknesses, her mistakes, and her achievements. I do find her bitterness at the Catholic Church a bit much at times; surely there was someone in the convent or in her early Catholic life that was a positive influence. She can be a harsh judge of others, but I think she also judges herself harshly at times.
The last chapters of Spiral Staircase are especially interesting and worthy of going back to reread. I find her explanation of the paradox of the absent God and as she says "a presence in my life" insightful. Her analogy of ascending a spiral staircase and her spiritual journey is so apt. Ms. Armstrong has done for me something that I do not have the time, skill, or intellect to do and that is to step back from the boundaries of a very traditional religious upbringing and take a much larger view of this unnameable force in our lives that we so innocently and ineffectually call God.
I would also recommend The Seven Storey Mountain by the Trappist monk Thomas Merton (who is referred to in the last pages of Spiral Staircase). Thomas Merton's faith journey leads to the Catholic Church rather than away from it, but I believe the ultimate destination of both Merton and Armstrong are not that far from each other.
Book Description
Your ex-spouse is bad-mouthing you to your children, perhaps even trying to turn them against you. If you handle the situation ineffectively, you could lose your children's respect, their affection -- even, in extreme cases, contact with them.
Backed by twenty-five years of experience in helping families, Dr. Richard Warshak presents powerful strategies for dealing with everything from tainted parent-child relationships in which children are disrespectful or reluctant to show their affection to disturbances in which children virtually disown an entire side of the family.
Divorce Poison offers advice on how to:
- Recognize early warning signs of trouble
- React if your children refuse to see you
- Respond to rude and hateful behavior
- Avoid the seven most common errors made by rejected parents
This groundbreaking work gives parents powerful strategies to preserve and rebuild loving relationships with their children and provides legal and mental-health professionals with practical advice to help their clients and ensure the welfare of children.
Customer Reviews:
a MIRACULOUS help this book was!.......2007-09-24
We thought our situation with a 7-year old being in the middle of a divorce war was hopeless. I am very pleased to say that out of ALL the books, articles and online information I have read, Divorce Poison is truly the most thorough on the subject of brainwashing and deception, and was the most relevant to our situation. I was so touched by the book's relevance to me personally that I contacted Dr. Warshak to thank him for writing the book. Take the time to read it. Even a few sections if you can't read it all. It will be worth it!
This book is a must read for divorcing parents.......2007-08-30
This is a subject I am all too familiar with. As a divorced mother of four, I know first hand the damage that can be inflicted on the children by a vindictive ex. Read this book and study it, it will give you the tools you need to cope with an ex-spouse who is out of control.
Christina Rowe
Seven Secrets to a Successful Divorce
Hope for abused children and their true parent.......2007-08-20
Thank you Dr. Warshak, you have given clarity to a mother's longing for help for her children with the abuse they suffer by their father. The corruption of reality section literally made me gasp as my children are told to ignore me when I use loving longterm nicknames as they are told I don't respect them. There is nothing about me and our relationship post-divorce that escapes denouncement by their father. While I am fortunate that my children have not been brainwashed into believing these terrible things, they suffer tremendous pain and frequently have panic attacks when transitioning to their father. I am less worried about my relationship with them than I am about their well being. If I could ask for some advice on how to help them when they are actually being abused, how to help them cope with it and not internalize it. While your advice is critical for dealing with the effects of the abuse, how to help them suffer through it when it is actually happening is something I request that you provide additional brilliant insight about.
Thank you so much for all you do for victims of abuse and the hope you
give to their parents.
This book should be a court ordered requirement for divorcing /divorced parents.......2007-08-13
I purchased this book following a suggestion on a stepfamily related website.
I've read a great number of books over the years for work, college, and pleasure but this book is by far the best I've ever read.
This book should be a required read by family court judges, mediators, child daycare providers, child social workers, and teachers. It should also be a required read for parents in custody disputes or divorce litigation. It should be THE manual of parenting classes mandated by the family courts.
Divorce Poison: Protecting the Parent-Child Bond from a Vindictive Ex
Very Informative.......2007-08-05
Very eye opening. As a victim of divorce poison,I was told "These things happen." I felt very alone and helpless. This book gave me great insight as to reasons why someone would do this to their own children. It gives even better insight into why the children follow suit and what the long term effects are for them, the REAL victims.
This book gave me courage, knowledge and better yet, direction. I live in a small midwest town. Our court system, lawyers and even mental health professionals have yet to acknowlege PAS as anything other than what happens when adults divorce and put the children in the middle. I now feel that I know better how to handle myself with both my ex and my children.
I hope that ultimately the offenders get harsh penalties and or punishments. Reading this book and eduacating ourselves and then others involved in one very important step foward. Someone has to protect the children from this kind of abuse.
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- Building a Successful Construction Company
- Cafe & Restaurant Design
- Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems
- Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings
- Complete Earth
- Cosmo's Naughty Notes: 100 Sexy Stickies to Tease, Tantalize, and Turn On Your Man
- Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds
- Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan
- DK Space Encyclopedia
Books Index
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