61 Hours (2010)
Book # 14 with Jack Reacher, ex-military policeman, now wanders the U.S., picking up work where he can find it

Action/adventure type

Library Journal Review /* Starred Review */
Large and deadly, footloose former army major Jack Reacher returns . . . This time, the retired military cop gets stranded by a ferocious blizzard in the town of Bolton, South Dakota. Reacher has to deal with a hired assassin, a prison breakout, a mob of biker thugs, a secret government installation, a clutch of senior citizen tourists who thought a frigid vacation in South Dakota would save money, and a witness who needs protection from a murderous drug lord from Mexico. Just an ordinary day on the job for Reacher as the "61 hours" count down to an exciting climax.

Child's protagonist is a wandering knight who always finds trouble and inevitably solves it, with satisfying violence. As usual, Child's writing is superb. Not only is this thriller believable, but the descriptions of the blizzard will make readers want to hug their furnaces. Fast paced and exciting, this is highly recommended for thriller fans.

MBTB review: Once again, Lee Child's latest Jack Reacher novel is one of my Guilty Pleasures (see the Category Guilty Pleasures on the MBTB page left side). I was lucky enough to get my hands on an Advance Reading Copy of 61 Hours just a few days ago.

The story starts with a snow storm in South Dakota. Stranded in a small town by a bus crash and the storm, Reacher gets caught up in events, including helping police protect a vulnerable but stubborn witness. My favourite location for Reacher is in a small town. And I like that Reacher has flaws and enough tantalizing personal history to make him real. But Lee Child's real skill is making the other characters come alive - in this case, the police chief, the assistant chief, the stubborn witness, and even the Mexican drug lord.

## Related post: MBTB review of Bad Luck and Trouble # 11

The rest of the series:

Killing Floor (1997)

Die Trying (1998)

Tripwire (1999)

Running Blind (2000)

Echo Burning (2001)

Without Fail (2002)

Persuader (2003)

The Enemy (2004)

One Shot (2005)

The Hard Way (2006)

Bad Luck and Trouble (2007)

Nothing To Lose (2008)

Gone Tomorrow (2009)
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posted by Sharon
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