My Review (5 stars out of 5)
When an American demands a hundred million dollars for an unspecified item, it seems the Saudis might be planning something big. Jack Reacher and his sidekick Neagley are sent to Hamburg to find out what, where and who.
This is book 21 in the Jack Reacher series and it’s a prequel, going back to when Reacher was still in the army. Sent to what he’s told is ‘night school’, Reacher finds himself billeted with two other ‘students’ – an FBI agent and a CIA analyst. Allowed to bring along his army buddy Neagley from the 110th MP, he soon gets into his stride. But with very little to go on he’s forced to rely on his ability to look at the problem from outside the box.
From the start our hero is faced with almost zero information which means the reader is also left wondering what’s going on in this story. However, the plot zooms along quite happily as the army buddies investigate, throwing in witty ripostes and amusing banter as they go about their assignment while disposing of the bad guys in the usual manner. The writing is as good as ever and kept me glued to the page right up to the end. While it’s not my favourite Reacher tale, it’s pretty darn good.
Another cracking good story from Lee Child.
Colin Garrow 