Running Blind

Jack Reacher, Book 4

By: Lee Child

Narrated by: Johnathan McClain

Length: 13 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's Summary

Across the country women are being murdered by a killer who leaves no evidence, no fatal wounds, no signs of struggle, and no clues to a motive. They are, truly, perfect crimes. In fact, the only thing that links the victims is the man they all knew: Jack Reacher.

©2005 Lee Child (P)2012 Peunguin Audio

Critic Reviews

“Reacher is one of the more interesting suspense heroes to come along in a while.” (San Antonio Express News)

“Jack Reacher, the wandering folk hero of Child’s superb line of thrillers faces a baffling puzzle in his latest adventure…a brain-teasing puzzle that gets put together piece by fascinating piece...and a central character with Robin Hood-like integrity and an engagingly eccentric approach to life.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Deeply satisfying...plan to stay up long past bedtime and do some serious hyperventilating toward the end.” (Kirkus Reviews)

narrative distracting

If you could sum up Running Blind in three words, what would they be?

good,smart, story

What was one of the most memorable moments of Running Blind?

When they discovered what the appliance boxes actually contained.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Jonathan McClain?

maybe

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Jack Reacher races to save the painted ladies...

Any additional comments?

I love Jack Reacher books, and this one delivers.

Not My Favorite Reacher...

It seems like the story was weak and fluffed up . The plot wasn't that great and the punchline was weaker. Seems to be something that was written without much thought. Dissappointed....hope the next is better.

Poor narration

I usually listen to audiobooks during long drives for my job. I’ve listened to all the Reacher books that Audible has except those narrated by Johnathan McClain... I believe books #2-4 in the series. Usually when I listen to an audiobook I get lost in the story not paying any particular attention to the performance. With McClain’s books, I’ve started them but can’t get past the poor narration... makes it difficult to follow the characters and stay engaged while driving.

Not Lee Child's best

What would have made Running Blind better?

Take out the annoying nasal narration for some of the characters.

Has Running Blind turned you off from other books in this genre?

No. I think just a one off for Child. Maybe he had a balloon mortgage payment coming up and dashed this one out.

Which character – as performed by Jonathan McClain – was your favorite?

Reacher - but he was overly sarcastic at times.

Any additional comments?

**SPOILER ALERT!!!** **SPOILER ALERT!!!****SPOILER ALERT!!!** Too easy to solve. Got it in the first 3rd. I think I may have liked better if I had read it instead of listening. The narrator's soft voice and genderless personal pronouns gave away that the killer was a woman. The robotic responses of the victims responses indicated that they were hypnotized.

Dissapointing

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Only if you are die hard to read the series then you need to read all.

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

The story line was good but falls completely apart a the end.

Any additional comments?

I feel like this book had a good story line and some surprises that I didn't see coming. I was very disappointed by the ending. I don't know who this Reacher guy is at the end of the book. For a tough know it all he just rolls over.

My eyes hurt from rolling

I am a huge fan of the character Jack Reacher, but the books can be a hit or miss. Lee Child tends to walk a tightrope of "plausible" vs. "everyone but Jack is a drooling idiot." He didn't do so well in the first book, did very well in the second two and then tipped off the later edge into abject crap in this one. Seriously, the FBI are a bunch of lying, rights-violating, vicious morons. Jack is kind of being an ass himself and the story is painfully lackluster. I had to force myself to finish it, because I paid for it, but I am going to be very selective about reading all reviews and not reading the JR series in order anymore - rather reading the books where people aren't suffering from the same "this is so stupid" eye rolling headaches I did during this book.

Merits and Demerits

The story line was quite good overall altough a little bit transparent. It contained interesting twists and turns but, unlike the other Reacher books I have listened to so far, I found that I could see more of them coming in advance than I am accustomed to.

The narrator was good.

I was severely put-off by the FBI characters. All fiction requires some greater or lesser degree of suspension of disbelief and I'm usually pretty tolerant where that's concerned. But the FBI charaters were beyond my considerable ability to suspend. I don't think it even slightly plausible that they are as stupid, rigid or devoid of ethics as portrayed. That hand was seriously over-played.

Could have been much better

What would have made Running Blind better?

Not as enjoyable as the other Jack Reacher Series books that I've heard. Main story idea was fine. The FBI characters were written and portraied as obnoxious and stupid. That, and the overall narration, were strong distraction as I lisened.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I'll probably continue with the Jack Reacher Series until I tire.

Have you listened to any of Jonathan McClain’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is a McClain narration. I did not care for his performance.

What character would you cut from Running Blind?

Make the law enforcement characters seem more professional.

Any additional comments?

No.

Good story. Horrible narrator.

Awsome story line. Can not say the same about the narrator. He made the federal agents sound like complete idiots. I'm excited that Dick Hill is the narrator for the next book.

noooooo the ending :(

Would you listen to Running Blind again? Why?

No. Its a mystery. Really no point unless i forget the story.

Would you recommend Running Blind to your friends? Why or why not?

No. There are better reacher books.

What does Johnathan McClain bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The sense of attitude and ego is just PERFECT.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. i just HAD to know how it ended.

Any additional comments?

Story was wound so tight. i was DYING to figure at the mystery. It was such a let down.. :( worst Reacher book so far just for that. man... such a let down.