Who exactly is Lee Child, and where did he find the ideas for such a tense series?
1954 saw the birth of a child in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. Andrew, his younger brother, is also a mystery and thriller author. Genes for excellent writing run in the family!
Mr. Child began his career in television broadcasting but was “redeployed” in the middle of the 1990s owing to organizational changes at his employer. He decided to become a novelist because, in Child’s words, they are “the purest form of amusement.”
Killing Floor, the first book in Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series, was his debut. After his book was a hit, Child relocated to the US to pursue his literary career there.
Child always completes the following installment of his Jack Reacher stories on the day that marks the anniversary of his termination from his broadcasting profession. Child views the Reacher novels as tales of retribution. Someone appears to have done something bad, and Jack Reacher exacts retribution. Each tale is, in a manner, retaliation for Child losing his job on a deeper level. What could be a better form of retaliation than to achieve unparalleled success?
Even Lee Child would not describe the Jack Reacher books as “great literature.” These novels are intentionally written in a much more businesslike style. Child wants to keep his work profitable, and thus far, he has been successful, having authored 24 Jack Reacher books, produced two films, and is currently developing a TV series.
The Character of Jack Reacher
Jack Reacher has a mysterious exterior but is unexpectedly honest about why he does what he does: he acts because someone has harmed him, a close friend or even an absolute stranger, and he wants retribution on their behalf. And there is always a wrong that needs to be put right, regardless of the community he enters. In the first book, Killing Floor, he is wrongly charged with murder in a small Georgia town. He sets out to clear his reputation and find the genuine murderer and dismantle the evil organization running things from behind the scenes.
He enters a crime lord’s mansion in rural Maine after being asked to rescue a captive DEA agent in Persuader, where he finds some unfinished business from his military past. In Midnight Line, he discovers a ring in a Wisconsin pawn shop that belonged to a West Point alumnus, and his quest to find its owner leads him to an opioid business that is robbing people of their lives. No matter where Reacher exits the Greyhound, he always stumbles onto an adventure, as if the story’s climax was just waiting for him to show there.
Reacher always responds to the circumstance in a way that makes him a hero—perhaps not the most morally upright man alive—nevertheless.
Why Read Jack Reacher’s Story?
Many non-readers developed a passion for fiction after reading Reacher’s story. He is a fascinating man who sometimes seems to pull off superhuman but realistic accomplishments when it appears that there is no other option. The Jack Reacher series is one you just must read if you enjoy mysteries and thrillers. If you are interested, read Jack Reacher’s story in chronological sequence now.
