A Wanted Man

A Jack Reacher Novel

By: Lee Child

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

A masterpiece of suspense from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child

Four people in a car, hoping to make Chicago by morning. One man driving, eyes on the road. Another man next to him, telling stories that don’t add up. A woman in the back, silent and worried. And next to her, a huge man with a broken nose, hitching a ride east to Virginia.

An hour behind them, a man lies stabbed to death in an old pumping station. He was seen going in with two others, but he never came out. He has been executed, the knife work professional, the killers vanished. Within minutes, the police are notified. Within hours, the FBI descends, laying claim to the victim without ever saying who he was or why he was there.

All Reacher wanted was a ride to Virginia. All he did was stick out his thumb. But he soon discovers he has hitched more than a ride. He has tied himself to a massive conspiracy that makes him a threat—to both sides at once.

In Lee Child’s white-hot thriller, nothing is what it seems, and nobody is telling the truth. As the tension rises, the twists come fast and furious, keeping readers guessing and gasping until the explosive finale.

Praise for #1 bestselling author Lee Child and his Reacher series

“Child is a superb craftsman of suspense.”—Entertainment Weekly

“The truth about Reacher gets better and better.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“Implausible, irresistible Reacher remains just about the best butt-kicker in thriller-lit.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Like his hero Jack Reacher, Lee Child seems to make no wrong steps.”—Associated Press

“Lee Child [is] the current poster-boy of American crime fiction.”—Los Angeles Times

“Indisputably the best escape artist in this escapist genre.”—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times

“Jack Reacher is much more like the heir to the Op and Marlowe than Spenser ever was.”—Esquire

©2012 Lee Child (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Jack Reacher is much more like the heir to the Op and Marlowe than Spenser ever was." (Esquire)

"Indisputably the best escape artist in this escapist genre." (Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times)

"Lee Child [is] the current poster-boy of American crime fiction." (Los Angeles Times)

"Typical Reacher. No surprises here."

Would you consider the audio edition of A Wanted Man to be better than the print version?

No. I first became a fan of Jack Reacher in print, so I'm partial to print. Additionally, Reacher books tend to be pretty lengthy and because I spend alot of time in my car commuting to and from work, I find that I prefer listening to lengthy books and reading the shorter ones.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Considering I've read the entire Jack Reacher series, I wasn't surprised by the ending.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Dick Hill?

Depends on the book. In my opinion, Dick Hill has a great voice for villains and tough guys. However, he seems to struggle a bit with accents and with giving each character their own distinct voice. Essentially, all of the female characters eventually begin to sound the same and have the same speech patterns with no differentiating nuances; same goes for the men.

This can be frustrating for new Jack Reacher readers because Lee Childs' writing style-for this series-is to share seemingly inconsequential details, almost to the point of excess. However, Reacher fans know that these details are a critical part of the story because they represent how Jack Reacher processes information.

The problem is that some readers may equate "details" to "slow". And if a readers perception is that a book is slow, the last thing they want to hear is a slow narration and Dick Hill usually reads very slowly.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really

Good listen

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

love the narrator voice and inflection...worth listening...Reacher is tops

If you’ve listened to books by Lee Child before, how does this one compare?

average Lee Child...a bit out there at times, but entertaining

Which scene was your favorite?

the car ride where Reacher is using eye blinks to communicate and his time with Sorrenson

Could you see A Wanted Man being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Russel Crow, julliette Moore

Any additional comments?

great narration, story is a bit out there at times, but engaging

Tired? Needed Caffeine!

Reacher needed more caffeine in this work. He and Lee Childs seemed a little tired and out of focus. Regardless, I enjoyed the adventure.

Another excellent Reacher adventure

I've not been disappointed by the writing of Lee Child and this story may be one of my favorites. I can usually figure out plot twists of most authors, but not so with the Reacher stories and this one had me to the very end.

This Reacher is Tom Cruise

Where does A Wanted Man rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I love Jack Reacher novels, so this one wasn't a disappointment. Worth the time and money to read.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I listened to this straight through two days. It did hold my interest.

What about Dick Hill’s performance did you like?

I liked the narrator; he stayed in character well.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

You don't cry in a Reacher book, but there are humorous tension breakers along the way.

Any additional comments?

Just try to keep Tom Cruise out of the mental picture of Jack Reacher, and you'll be fine.

Not Bad

It was a good book. I have read several of the Riecher novels. This was not the best nor the worst. I liked it, but it doesn't get my highest marks. The narrator Dick Hill, as always is very good and is the reason for the overall 4 stars.

Good story; awful performance

I should remember never to listen to a book read by Dick Hill. He's OK on narrative but his dialogue is so stilted, especially for women. Ugh!

superb!😄

I have come to really enjoy this Arthur and his character it's a thrill e-ticket ride all the way to the very end!

Jack Reacher

I enjoyed this book as much as all of the books in the series. The series wouldn't be the same with out Dick Hill's narration. Please keep Reacher moving.

Is Reacher going soft?

Not the most exciting book in the series but still entertaining. I look forward to see if Reacher makes it to Virginia