After viewing Reacher's season two finale on Amazon Prime, I felt it was time to write my review for the latest Jack Reacher novel, The Secret (available to purchase on *Hardcover and *Kindle), by Lee Child (pseudonym for James Dover Grant) and his brother Andrew Child (pseudonym for Andrew Grant). This book marks the 28th installment in the venerable series, which began in 1997 with Killing Floor. The series isn't published in chronological order, as the books are occasionally set in the past when the character was a member of the United States Army Military Police Corps, which is also the setting of The Secret. (*Paid Link)
The Secret is set in 1992 when Jack Reacher is investigating missing inventory in Illinois—a superfluous case that is rapidly resolved before the character gets introduced to the main narrative. The secretary of defense summons to Washington, D.C., and assigns him to a special task force that's looking into the murders of retired scientists who worked at a research facility in India in 1969. His sole purpose for being there is to represent the army; should something go wrong, they will put him up as the fall guy.
How do I put it? Like any Reacher novel, you know what you're getting yourself into before you even turn the first page, and The Secret is just another routine Reacher story in the same old framework. Not that there's anything wrong with that. You get what you pay for—a fast-paced thriller.
Probably the most pressing question on everyone's mind is, "Did you like The Secret?" The answer is yes and no; however, I thought several moments were too predictable. I enjoyed the backdrop setup with the scientists, but the actual investigation felt washed out and repetitive as if the narrative were on cruise control. I was hoping for unexpected turns and twists, but this wasn't that kind of story.
In the end, The Secret will appeal to ardent Jack Reacher fans regardless of anything else; I happen to be one of those people. Heck, despite all of its shortcomings, I even like the series' average entries. It's easy to read The Secret in one day; it's nothing more than a tightly written thriller. Even with its predictable parts, I had fun reading the darn thing, and I'm excited for the release of In Too Deep, the next Reacher story, later this year. ╌★★★½✰
The Secret is set in 1992 when Jack Reacher is investigating missing inventory in Illinois—a superfluous case that is rapidly resolved before the character gets introduced to the main narrative. The secretary of defense summons to Washington, D.C., and assigns him to a special task force that's looking into the murders of retired scientists who worked at a research facility in India in 1969. His sole purpose for being there is to represent the army; should something go wrong, they will put him up as the fall guy.
How do I put it? Like any Reacher novel, you know what you're getting yourself into before you even turn the first page, and The Secret is just another routine Reacher story in the same old framework. Not that there's anything wrong with that. You get what you pay for—a fast-paced thriller.
Probably the most pressing question on everyone's mind is, "Did you like The Secret?" The answer is yes and no; however, I thought several moments were too predictable. I enjoyed the backdrop setup with the scientists, but the actual investigation felt washed out and repetitive as if the narrative were on cruise control. I was hoping for unexpected turns and twists, but this wasn't that kind of story.
In the end, The Secret will appeal to ardent Jack Reacher fans regardless of anything else; I happen to be one of those people. Heck, despite all of its shortcomings, I even like the series' average entries. It's easy to read The Secret in one day; it's nothing more than a tightly written thriller. Even with its predictable parts, I had fun reading the darn thing, and I'm excited for the release of In Too Deep, the next Reacher story, later this year. ╌★★★½✰
I love the Reacher series on Aazon Prime, but I've never read the books. I've just added the Killing Floor to my TBR List, I'm hoping to get to it before season 3, assuming there is one. Idea-ist@GetLostInLit</a
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