Review: 'Exit Strategy' by Lee Child and Andrew Child

The fourth season of Amazon Prime’s Reacher series is just around the corner, and it hit me like a sledgehammer that I still hadn’t read the latest Reacher novel, Exit Strategy. I raced to my TBR pile, blew off the dust like I was unveiling a long-forgotten artifact, and jumped right in. As the 30th installment in the Reacher saga, this book marks the second solo venture by Andrew Child, Lee Child's younger sibling. They still print Lee’s name in bigger letters on the cover, which almost feels like sibling rivalry in print form. I should confess I had tried to read this book more times than I’d care to admit since getting my review copy from the publisher last year. But something about those initial pages kept throwing me off. Maybe it was the unmistakable feeling that Lee Child's hand wasn’t guiding this ship, a detail you can’t quite articulate but feel deeply, like an itch in your brain that you can’t scratch.

The plot kicks off in classic Reacher style: he finds himself in a random coffee shop in Baltimore, sipping black coffee like the lone wolf he is, with two refills because why not? Just as he’s about to glide out into the world, a young guy brushes past him in the doorway. In Reacher’s world, that means a quick mental check: cash, passport, all accounted for. No drama there. Next stop? A store to grab a coat because he never carries a suitcase. Just something hefty enough to fit a man built like a bank vault but simple enough to toss aside when he chases the sun. But then, as he pulls out his cash, he discovers an unexpected addition in his pocket: a handwritten note pleading for help. Intrigued, he sets off on a new mission.

I once again broke my #1 rule before writing a review: I wandered into the chaos of other readers’ opinions. One reviewer’s quip had me stifling laughter: “Like it’s written by somebody else.” Well, duh, it was written by someone else: Andrew Child. Lee had played the mentor card before handing the reins to Andrew for In Too Deep, which I own but haven’t managed to read yet, buried somewhere in my rapidly expanding library. While Andrew brings his own flavor to the franchise, his narrative choices left me a bit disoriented. The decision to shift perspectives instead of sticking solely with Reacher might be a breath of fresh air for some, but for me, it was like trying to juggle while riding a unicycle.

The storyline itself is straightforward enough, a direct line from point A to point B. However, it’s cluttered with way too many characters who wander in and out like they’re auditioning for a soap opera. Adding to the frustration, Andrew has a peculiar habit of interrupting high-stakes scenes to drop information that should have been laid bare chapters ago. It’s like he’s hitting the pause button to play catch-up, and it seriously messes with the pacing. Midway through, I found myself wondering why the plot had decided to take a stroll rather than race toward a thrilling conclusion, leading to a chaotic final act that left me scratching my head in disbelief.

Exit Strategy might rank as one of the less stellar entries in the Jack Reacher series. It's bogged down by uneven narration and editing mishaps. But I will say this: Reacher still feels undeniably like Reacher, a beacon of rugged persistence amid the chaos. Here’s hoping Andrew Child tunes into reader feedback and takes it on board for future Reacher stories, especially with Chain Reaction set to drop in October. The blurb has me cautiously optimistic, at least plot-wise.

This is my take on Exit Strategy; others may have a different experience. If action-adventure is your jam, I still recommend the Reacher series; just start with one of the earlier gems before diving into the murkier waters of this installment. ╌★★½✰✰

Please consider supporting future reviews on this blog by purchasing Exit Strategy in hardcover ^[*], paperback ^[*], or a Kindle eBook ^[*].

〜B.J. Burgess

Disclosure: I received a free review copy from the publisher. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. [*]