The Affair

Jack Reacher, Book 16

By: Lee Child

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

With Reacher, number-one New York Times best-selling author Lee Child has created “a series that stands in the front rank of modern thrillers” (The Washington Post)

Everything starts somewhere....

For elite military cop Jack Reacher, that somewhere was Carter Crossing, Mississippi, way back in 1997. A lonely railroad track. A crime scene. A coverup.

A young woman is dead, and solid evidence points to a soldier at a nearby military base. But that soldier has powerful friends in Washington.

Reacher is ordered undercover - to find out everything he can, to control the local police, and then to vanish. Reacher is a good soldier. But when he gets to Carter Crossing, he finds layers no one saw coming, and the investigation spins out of control.

Local sheriff Elizabeth Deveraux has a thirst for justice - and an appetite for secrets. Uncertain they can trust one another, Reacher and Deveraux reluctantly join forces. Reacher works to uncover the truth, while others try to bury it forever. The conspiracy threatens to shatter his faith in his mission, and turn him into a man to be feared.

A novel of unrelenting suspense that could only come from the pen of number-one New York Times best-selling author Lee Child, The Affair is the start of the Reacher saga, a thriller that takes Reacher - and his readers - right to the edge... and beyond.

PLEASE NOTE: As a special bonus, this download also includes a recording of the New York Times best-selling e-book exclusive short story "Second Son", read by Dick Hill: At 13, Jack Reacher already knows how to end a fight. He knows that his brain is more important than his brawn. He knows how to get the job done. When his father is transferred to the military base on Okinawa, Jack and his older brother, Joe, prepare for school and consider how to deal with both the neighborhood bully and a missing code book that could cost their father his career.

Take another thrill ride with Jack Reacher.

©2011 Lee Child; 2011 Random House Audio (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“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)

Mostly solving a mystery.

It’s fun because it’s Reacher. My favorite Reacher stories are the thrillers where the reader is in the bad guy’s head. I like seeing the bad guy’s motivations, plans and action to get Reacher. This book is not a thriller. We’re not in the head of any bad guy, but that’s ok. This is mystery, suspense, and some action. It’s enjoyable and entertaining because it’s Reacher. I like being in his world. Again, as with all the Reacher stories you need to suspend disbelief. Don’t try to hold him to technicalities. I will admit there were a few things about the plot that were not developed or explained well, but they were minor. This is my comic book hero escape.

One of the fun things I like about Reacher is how he confronts people and does not avoid conflict, which is so opposite of me. I like to avoid confrontation whenever possible. In this story, three army rangers are assigned to “sort of” arrest Reacher for a few hours. My reaction would be to sneak around and hope they don’t find me. What does Reacher do? He calls them on the phone and says I’m in the diner, here’s how I suggest you approach the diner to get me, but I’m not going with you.

Early in the story, Reacher’s boss orders him to investigate the case from the civilian side. I was chuckling at Reacher’s comment “You want ME to impersonate a CIVILIAN?” Apparently he had never done this before. Then I was chuckling on the subject of Reacher’s toothbrush. (We hear about this toothbrush in every book.) He needs to purchase traveling supplies, so he goes shopping for a toothbrush. He really likes this folding covered toothbrush and buys it. Later in the story, his boss tells Reacher not to go back to Mississippi. Reacher says I need to go back for my personal property. His boss asks what did you leave there? Reacher said my toothbrush. His boss said forget it. Reacher asked will the army reimburse me for it? His boss said no. Reacher said then I need to go back and get it... I then thought of another scene from one of the other books. Some bad guys trashed Reacher’s motel room and stepped on his toothbrush. Reacher walks in and isn’t bothered by the destruction until he sees his broken toothbrush, “b****rds he yells.

SEX SCENES:
I was laughing out loud at the sex scenes (in a good way - I’m not being critical). This book has more sex than any of the other Reacher books. It had six sex scenes. I’ve read a lot of romance with sex scenes written by female authors. They are sensual and passionate and designed to turn on a female reader. The Reacher sex scenes are not. They are written by a man and told from Reacher’s perspective. And they fit Reacher. There is nothing wrong with them. I just find it funny the way they are geared to a guy - not written to appeal to a female. I liked it for the humor. It fits.

SECOND STORY 4 ½ stars:
To my surprise a second story by Lee Child was at the end of this audiobook. It was a short story, 1 ½ hours long. It was titled “Second Son.” It’s about Reacher when he was 13 years old. His brother Joe was 15. They had just moved with their parents to a marine base in Okinawa (I think). There is a local bully and a couple of thefts. Reacher fights the bullies and solves the mysteries. It was good.

TOM CRUISE DISASTER:
If you haven’t heard, Tom will be playing Reacher in the first Reacher movie. He’s tiny. HE’S A LITTLE GUY. There are billions of people in this world. You'd think at least one exists who’s the right size and can act. Stallone was an unknown when he did the first Rocky, and it turned out great! Please movie people, show some Reacher integrity. You’re just going to turn this into another copy of all the other action movies out there. Reacher is different. Let him stay that way.

NOTE TO AUTHOR:
Someone suggested that you are changing things to better fit Tom Cruise and the movies. That reviewer said there was less talk of Reacher’s large size in this book and more sex. My request: please don’t change for the movies. Keep writing for us “readers.” One of the fun things about Reacher is hearing you say things like “250 pounds of power behind his ham-sized fist.”

Good story; graphic details of violence

Overall entertaining story, good character development, interesting twists. Graphic descriptions of violent situations, more so than other Reacher novels. I found these a bit over the top so I reduced my rating to a 4. My download included a short story after The Affair. This short story was interesting and gave some insight into the adolescent Reacher and his family. I found the young Reacher to be unbelievably clever.

An Affair to Forget

A laborious journey that (sadly) did not pay off in the end. Not the usual Reacher mishmash of heroism, valor and bravado crescendoing in torrid Bondish masculinity. Instead it's an overwrought limp home. Maybe the next Child escapade will be better. I hope so. He's one of my favorites.

Yet another fun Reacher novel

I'm a sucker for Reacher novels, and this one was great. I loved finally hearing Reacher's last interaction with the army, and to see some of his habits start (folding tooth brush, hitch hiking etc). It was very fun - Lee Child does seem to use somewhat of a 'too coincidental' story model, but it seems to work; it seems like he tells the stories where things simply are coincidental; although his character, Reacher himself would be suspicious. In any event, it was a solid Reacher novel.

I finished it

But it sucked, I love the Reacher stories and believe Dick Hill is the best to read them but I was very u satisfied with the story...I knew who was guilty before it was half way through and it and it just sucked, nuff said

Now we know why Reacher left the Army

Jack Reacher has always been by the book and I have always wondered why he left the Army. This is that piece of the puzzle. Having spent time in the Pentagon, I found this description to be interesting but not quite believable. Mississippi, however, is very believable. The train comes alive for those of us who have lived close to a railroad. If you have ever spent time on the road, you have encountered at least one hotel that can qualify for this story. The ending could be better but it is classic Reacher.

Love that Reacher!

Glad to know more about Jack and I am not disappointed with the book. I can't wait for what Reacher does next.

Best in a quite awhile

Outstanding story that lends itself to the audio-book format. The narrator does an excellent job. I now want to listen to more Lee Child books.

Exciting and interesting audio book

We travel from MA to FL and need an exciting and interesting book which holds our interest. My husband likes more adventure and I like character development and so we need a book with both which this book has!

I guess I have had an affair with Jack

Loved this entire series. I knew someone sort of like Jack while I was in the service. This is great.