As a big Lee Child fan who has read all of the Reacher books I am disappointed in this one. Two plots run separately throughout this novel. Childs usually connects storylines and did not do that for most of this novel. Mobsters out to get Reacher provoke him to perform his usual greater than life crime solving throughout the book. I did not care for the parallel storylines that seemed superficial for most of the book. When it finally came together Reacher deals with the issue in his typical and predictable manner.

SPOILERS

I don't think you need spoilers for a Reacher novel, but just in case.

This was really satisfying. Are the Jack Reacher novels great literature? No. Are they satisfying? Yes! You know Reacher will get the bad guys, which he does, but it's always satisfying to have him do so. Along the way he learns more about his ever tangled family tree, stops a people hunting outfit (I know! But Lee Child does handle it with as deft a hand as one can) and I really like Patty and Shorty. Especially Patty, because she is a badass.

And you know, it's hard to sustain a series especially over 20+ books, but Child has and does and at this point there's a certain beauty in how he keeps everything going--concise but yet enough to keep you reading.

Just like Jack Reacher, I'll come back to see what's next.

Absolutely loved it! See Goodreads review link below.. Thanks for letting me read it as an ARC. My library will be purchasing several copies.

First, I love Jack Reacher, and am in awe of Lee Child, whom I've had the pleasure of meeting at Thrillerfest. In Past Tense, Reacher seeks to fill in some of the blanks from his personal history, which has been masterfully dripped in over the twenty-plus novels. Meanwhile, there is a mystery/thirller afoot nearby featuring a hapless couple trapped in a creepy motel.
It seems to me in past books, there is at least some overlap of the plotlines throughout, whereas here, there is none until the climax.
Reacher is true-to-form, but if I hadn't read the others, I'm not sure I would have liked him. He was almost "too Reacher." His glib comments accepted by everyone he meets, even without a preamble.
It's interesting how comparisons work...compared to most any other thriller, Past Tense was superb, but compared to the others in the series, this was my least favorite by a significant margin. It moved a little too slowly, and I didn't really buy Reacher's "danger," knowing how amazing he is. The other plotline I somehow guessed right off the bat, and found the characters a bit annoying, though they did get better.
So all in all, a good book, but I would not recommend this to anyone unfamiliar with the series, for fear they would miss out on all the rest.

st, thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the Advance Readers Copy of PAST TENSE. In many ways, this was the prototypical Reacher novel - drifting along, Reacher walks into one form of trouble while another is brewing on a parallel pathway. It takes quite a while for the 2 story lines to converge, but before they do, there are the typical Reacher vs. one or multiple assailants fights, as well as many instances of his keen observations and deductive reasoning. While this edition does nothing to prevent me from dropping almost anything when the new Reacher novel comes out, it did take longer to gain traction and transition into the un-put-downable book that I'm used to seeing from Lee Child. About 60% of the way into the book, thing start to get really good, and from then on, it WAS hard to put down. However, I am a bit disappointed that the story line reminded me of a classic short story by Richard Connell that I first read in high school.
That said, I'll continue to reach for Reacher as soon as the next book comes out!

For some reason it took me a little longer to get into this book compared to other Lee Child books. But, the real Jack Reacher grabbed my interest and pulled me through the rest of the book.

Not as much action or unusual characters as I’ve enjoyed in the past. Reacher stops in the town he believes his family cane from then the story changes lanes a bit.

Disclaimer: I received and e-ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Child's 23rd Jack Reacher book - so a very long-running series - once again delivers. We find Reacher taking advantage of an area of country he has not spent time in previously - a remote New Hampshire town and the supposed birthplace of his father. Again Child employs a dual story line and the pace is typical of a Reacher novel. I enjoy this series and give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Loved this book! One of the best in the series so far, for sure. Did the coincidences stretch the bounds of incredulity at times? Sure. But it was still a great story by a great author. As always, I look forward to more in this series.

I was only able to read a portion of Past Tense because despite the fact that I've read and enjoyed the other Reacher books, I found this one slow and not engaging at all. The one interesting part seemed cliche to me.

I always expect to be disappointed by the latest installment of Jack Reacher but Lee Child has a knack for surprising me.

The writing was superb as usual and this was another must read page turner to add to any collection.

This is the second book by Lee Child that I have read and I definitely enjoyed this one more than the other which was “The Midnight Line”. I liked the dual storyline which converges later on in the story. However I did feel that the one with Reacher in it, looking into his “family tree” to be quite slow moving and a bit dry. The second story line with the two young people stranded finally at a more than creepy motel was the most interesting in the book.

I like my characters well drawn and I think Mr. Child did a great job in helping me get to know Patty and Shorty and how they are hoping to set up a shop in Florida with the help of whatever is in that extremely heavy suitcase which they are unwilling to part with even when their lives are at stake. They have stopped at a motel during their cross country travels and this ends up to be the most incredibly wrong decision they have ever made.

The motel in question is being run by one of the most depraved and money hungry bunch of goons I’ve ever come across, headed by a man with the last name of Reacher, go figure??? We aren’t really sure what they are up to until the ¾ mark in the book but I had a pretty good hunch once the other “guests” started arriving and let’s just say that Patty and Shorty didn’t have much say in the process. Their clever thinking and love for each other help them through their ordeals.

Meanwhile we are still following Reacher and his quest for family knowledge as he searches libraries and town halls for records of his father and grandfather. I felt this was more than a bit boring and was anxious to get back to Patty and Shorty. His extreme detail in parts still drives me crazy example “Reacher hit him in the face, with a straight right, maximum force, crashing and twisting. Like a freight train. The kid’s lights went out immediately. He went slack and gravity took over. Reacher kept his left hand rock solid. All the kid’s weight fell on his own locked elbow. Reacher waited . . . .. . . The kid’s elbow broke and his arm turned inside out. Reacher let him fall, etc. etc. etc.” Too much detail already.

In what I have come to know as true Reacher style his path converges with those in trouble just when he is most needed. I have to admit that I’m a little surprised at how many people are so enthralled with this character as he doesn’t grow or change in his books, at least in what I’ve read. He is also endowed with super-human strength and smarts but I was willing to suspend belief for entertainment.

All in all I still had fun reading this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading series books with a character that they can count on to “come to the aid of those in need”.

Will post to public media closer to publication date

On the road with Jack, and what a ride!! Headed from Maine to California, he gets as far as New Hampshire. Jack stops to check out his own family history and finds much more. Be prepared to travel sinister, dark and twisted roads through the deep dark woods.. Increasing speed as fast as pages can turn, as you roar to the unknown. At times, if I could read and cover my eyes at the same time, I would. Jack Reacher, once again finds himself in the hot mess of the criminal element and takes on the clean-up. Lee Child hits it again. Hits it hard and mighty. Excellent plotting, high octane suspense and a list of believable characters. I wait anxiously for the next Reacher book and happily thank NetGalley, Mr. Child and his publisher for this opportunity to read this advance copy of Past Tense in exchange for my honest review. As Jack says, "Hope for the best and plan for the worst." Past Tense is the best.

I have liked 99% of the Reacher books that I have read. I liked this one a lot.

There are 2 parallel plots that happen for the first 75% of the book but one knows that at some point they will intersect.

Reacher is traveling from Maine to San Diego. He takes a detour in New Hampshire when he sees a sign for the town that his father grew up in. I love the way he interacts with the people in this town from the town attorney, the crazy? older man on the outskirts of town and the police department.

In the other plot, 2 people who are traveling to NYC from Canada experience car trouble and take refuge in a motel that is not what it seems. And just like the Hotel California, they can never leave. I love the suspense that Mr. Child builds as the reader wonders what is going to happen to these poor people.

Reacher to the rescue!

Fun read.

When I began the latest book from Lee Child, I was really wondering where and how the story would proceed. Not that it wasn’t a bad start, but it seemed a different beginning than his other books which, I guess, is the sign of a good book. You got to understand a part of Jack Reacher’s history but it wasn’t until the middle of the book before you a had an understanding of the scope of evil that would be explained. A great ending and an enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book even if you haven’t read others in the series.

I've read all of lee Child's Reacher books. The last few haven't met my expectations. But this one does! This is more personal and reveals much more of Jack's history than any other book. His characters and the locale are so vividly written that you get right into the story with Jack. He stops in a town that has a personal, FAMILY, connection for him and is immediately involved in mayhem and a deadly game of cat(s) and mouse. You race to the conclusion of his personal story and the resolution of the deadly game. One of the best of Child's "can't put down" books!

I've just finished my 23rd Jack Reacher novel. As is the usual case, Lee Child has hit the ball out of the park. Jack continues his vagabond lifestyle only this time he gets sidetracked with an old family issue. This is two entirely different stories running parallel both building and finally coming together.

Kudos to Mr. Child for coming up with another entertaining storyline. Afterall, Reacher has gone everywhere and done everything and met everyone!

This book was gifted to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.

Jack Reacher. Lee Child. What more could a reader want? A killer....pun intended...story. This one delivers in spades!

Lee Child doesn't disappoint with his latest Jack Reacher tale. As Reacher pursues his family history in a small New Hampshire village, he stumbles into nefarious activity in an isolated part of town with the inevitable result.

This book is Lee Child at his absolute best! I do not usually like books with parallel story lines, but this was written to perfection. Tension abounds in both story lines. For those who like Jack Reacher when he is on his own this book has that. It also has Jack working with others to achieve his goal.