Jack Reacher is idly looking for his father’s past in small Laconia, New Hampshire in Past Tense.

There are two tales in this book: Jack’s search for his family and a young Canadian couple’s stay in a creepy motel. Both occur in Laconia so it is obvious the two tales will converge in time for the conclusion. The couple, Shorty and Patty, are taking a strange object to NYC when they have car trouble. They are forced to stay a night at a deserted motel. The reader can feel the dread on the first night when their room door is stuck closed.

The Reacher story moves slowly but the couple’s story keeps the reader’s interest until the slam bang conclusion where both plots come together. Past Tense is one of the best entries in the Jack Reacher series. It is highly recommended to readers looking for smart plots and authentic characters especially the laconic, but deadly, Jack Reacher. 4 stars!

Thanks to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

One thing that I look forward to every year is a brand new Jack Reacher novel. Past Tense is Lee Child's 23rd addition to the series and having read every single one of the books in the series, I can definitely say that it's fantastic and one of my all-time favorite books in the series. It's written a bit differently than Child's usual style since it's told in two different storylines, one about Reacher and one about a young Canadian couple, and you really aren't quite sure how the two storylines are connected until they converge around the three-fourths mark of the book (when Reacher comes along to help fight off the baddies and save the day!).

Reacher, my favorite 6'5", 250 lb, ex-Army MP is, as usual, on the road. This time he's walking/hitchhiking from Maine to California until an unexpected stop in New Hampshire leaves him at a crossroads near Laconia, a place he only knows about because it's his father's birthplace--the place Stan Reacher left home at age 17 to join the Marines and never, ever returned. Reacher's always a curious kinda guy and figures a one day detour to see the place his dad grew up, possibly see if any family is still alive and in the area, and dig into his family history is worth his time. What can it possibly hurt, right?

Well, since trouble seems to follow Reacher around like a magnet, you know there's going to be some kind of situation Reacher has to deal with, which means lots and lots of action, people coming after him for revenge, and him handling it in pure Reacher style. I do love the fact that Reacher can kick anyone's butt with his fighting skills and while I'm not a violent person, I do love the action that Child writes in these books! Sure, you might have to suspend belief at times, but I'm 100% for the hero being able to take out the bad guys and bullies every single time, single-handledly. Yes, I admit it, I have a crush on Jack Reacher (as long as it's not Tom Cruise as Reacher that is...). 

In another storyline, Patty and Shorty have left Canada to head on their own adventure to live the American dream...a new life in Florida after they sell whatever priceless possession they are lugging around in a heavy, old suitcase. But their beat-up car has other plans for them as it stalls near Laconia by a remote hotel run by some very creepy, icky characters. I soon thought of Norman Bates although I think Patty and Shorty's situation is much more frightening and a lot more desperate!! Where is Reacher when you need him?

As I said earlier, the two storylines converge about three-quarters way into the book and when it does, it's explosive! The palpitating desperation and tense build-up from Patty and Shorty's storyline make for an edge of your seat, thrill ride read! When you find out what's happening at the creepy motel, you'll be as horrified as I was!

Definitely another electrifying, must-read for Reacher fans! Actually, I think Past Tense can be read as a standalone, which is not always the case this many books into a series so if you like a good mystery and suspense, this is a perfect read!

Child not only knows how to write a heart-pounding, action-packed thriller, but he knows exactly what his audience wants and he has, once again, delivered with Past Tense. Child keeps this series fresh, imaginative, and engaging with each new book and not every author can do that twenty-three books into a series. By far one of my favorites in the series, and I highly recommend! It publishes on November 5, 2018, so make sure to pick up a copy!

**Thank you Netgalley and Random House-Delacorte Press for an ARC copy to read in exchange for my fair and honest review.**

Past Tense

A skillfully descriptive and masterfully intense story with Jack Reacher and a perfect cast of characters.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Jack Reacher is just starting an epic road trip, heading from Maine to San Diego. He only gets as far as New Hampshire, when he comes to a fork in the road. Left or right? He should go left to Portsmith, but the road to the right heads to a town he has never seen, Laconia, New Hampshire. It’s the town where his father grew up. He decides to take the detour to see the place his father talked about. Upon arriving he is mystified when he checks out city records, but can’t find any information about this dad. Was this the right town? Maybe his dad was really never there.

At the same time, a couple traveling from Canada to New York in a worn out Honda are experiencing car trouble thirty miles outside Laconia. Patty and Shorty have a suitcase weighted down with something to sell in New York and they want to maximize their profit, so a hotel stay was not in the plans. But the car was overheating. They see a unusual motel sign pointing down a tiny canopy road. They nurse the Honda several miles down the pot-holed tunnel of a road where they find a long and low hotel with twelve rooms and zero occupancy. It seems a little strange to be out in the middle of nowhere like this, but the car will go no further. The owner is welcoming, but everything seems a little off. Something just doesn’t feel right. And then the other rooms begin to fill, and a nightmare begins.

REVIEW
This is Jack Reacher #23, and I am happy to say I have loved every single one of Lee Child’s books. It’s just comfortable and fast reading. You know what your going to get when you open the cover. The story is going to be gripping and intense and Reacher is going to make things right. He always does. You may not like how he goes about it, but his rationale makes total sense.

LEE CHILD’s writing is skillfully descriptive and masterfully intense. He makes it easy to visualize the red painted motel with the white trim or the knocking of the engine of the old battered Honda. He takes us on a breathless ride of action and suspense, and easily juggles multiple plot lines before merging them together.

Jack Reacher at six-foot-five is his own man. He smart, strategic and strong and has the ability to find trouble even when he is asleep. And he will never turn a blind eye to someone who needs help. Unbeknownst to Reacher, Patty and Shorty need his help. Patty and Shorty’s characters are perfect for the story, and I particularly loved how Patti’s character showed strength and intelligence in a difficult situation.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Delacorte Press
Published November 5, 2018
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Past Tense is the 23rd book in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. In true Jack Reacher fashion, he sticks out his thumb hitchhiking for a ride across America. This time, Reacher is not traveling far. He is going to a small town where his father was born. Why not learn more about where his dad grew up? Except according to the city clerk's office and census experts, there is no record of anyone with the surname Reacher ever living in town. Meanwhile, a couple gets stranded at a motel in the middle of nowhere. Their car refuses to start and the motel staff seems strange. The storylines attempt to merge into one big suspenseful mystery.

Past Tense is the 23rd book in the series but only my sixth book read in the series. I am still fairly new to the character Jack Reacher. But enough to know he has a strong presence in every room he enters. He has a sharp mind. I've learned his appearance is tall, not so good looking and a little unkempt. His instincts are top notch. He can evaluate a situation and peg a person in seconds. It is these small details that make Jack Reacher stand out as a mystery main character amongst the likes of Myron Bolitar, Alex Cross, Mike Bennett and Easy Rawlins.

"Just three words, but in a tone also learned long ago, with whole extra paragraphs hidden in the dying vowel sound at the end of the phrase, about the inevitable and catastrophic result of attempted resistance." ~ 40%

Here's my three words: it didn't flow. Much like the sentence above. My newfound fondness for Jack Reacher took a disappointing dip. Past Tense was more like a bunch of short stories with a thin connection. Throwing in a subplot and a couple details of Reacher's past did not grab my attention. In fact, I struggled to finish. However, this does not discourage me from continuing with the series and my perpetual reading challenge. Even if I am reading the books backward.

Happy Early Pub Day, Lee Child. Past Tense will be available Monday, November 5.

LiteraryMarie

In this 23rd book in the series, Reacher finds himself near the small New Hampshire town where his late father grew up, and he follows his curiosity to find out more about his taciturn dad’s roots. The book is split into two storylines, one following Reacher and the other a young Canadian couple caught at a remote motel 20 miles away. The two storylines eventually merge towards the end of the book.

This was not among Child’s better crafted stories. The storyline with the young couple drags out with bizarre teasers until the end. The bad guys are almost comically evil and manipulative at times. It was obvious to me early on what was happening to the couple, but it takes a long time for the actual reveal. Oddly, the young couple’s thought processes in assessing their situation at times sounded so much like Reacher’s and each other’s that they all seemed like the same person.

Reacher, for his part, runs into trouble in the small town in a way that is totally unrelated to the rest of the story but provides opportunities for him to show his usual (and highly entertaining) brawl techniques and to make it harder for him to research his family. Without that and one other instance of an idiot thinking he could get the better of Reacher, the story would have been over in 50 pages. While Reacher does learn some interesting things about his family, much is left unanswered, including one plot line from which Reacher deliberately walks away at the end. It certainly showed his disinterest in the answers, but it left me as a reader unsatisfied.

That said, the story does have some of the classic Reacher moments that make these books so entertaining. This wasn’t one of my favorites, but I certainly will continue to look forward to upcoming books in the series.

On the road again
Just can't wait to get on the road again
The life I love is making music with my friends

And I can't wait to get on the road again
On the road again

Goin' places that I've never been
Seein' things that I may never see again (Willie Nelson)

Jack Reacher is once again a traveling man. His goal is to walk from Maine to California (yikes) and so when he travels onto a road in New England, he randomly comes upon a sign which he recognizes. It seems to be he has stumbled onto a town which just so happened to be the birthplace of his father. Of course he needs to check this place out. What's a slight detour and one more day!

Arriving at the town and bumping up against the fact that no one seems to recognize the Reacher name, Jack embarks on another adventure sure to involve lots of mysterious and dangerous factors. Meanwhile a Canadian couple, traveling to New York, have their dilapidated car stop, and amble to a hotel where things turn creepy fast. (a bit of the Psycho vibe happening here)

Through the bulk of the story, we wonder how or if these two things are connected. What does Jack's family and this young couple have in common? How do they meet and come together and have their lives intertwine with each other. For Jack the danger is real. For the couple their fate is perilous and threatening.

Tough and resilient as we who know Jack Reacher to be, this book will not disappoint those who have been with Lee Child for many of his adventures with Jack. Recommended to those who like a tough, what you see is what you get type protagonist. He is the epitome of a tenacious and resilient character who you would certainly want in your corner in a bar fight or any other precarious exploit.

Thank you to Lee Child, Delacourt Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this latest Reacher exploit.

<a href="http://booksofmyheart.net/2018/11/02/past-tense-by-lee-child/" target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart</a>

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I love this <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/40549-jack-reacher"><em><strong>Jack Reacher series</strong></em></a>.   In the earlier books, it seemed to matter more whether they were read in order because of his connections with other characters, and his own progression. Lately, it hasn't seemed as important with some books going back in time, even to when he was in the army.  I have read them all, including most of the novellas except 20 and 22.  I have to go read them!

The time frame from <strong>Past Tense</strong> is not clear to me; he is obviously out of the army awhile. He makes a stop to check out his father's hometown and finds a whole mess of trouble. This is typical. There is plenty of action and intelligent deduction by Reacher which is always enjoyable. I'm not sure it is always realistic when he doesn't have more trouble for his actions, but he sure is fun.   I love the feel of how smart he is to figure out things.

I received a free ARC of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Yay!

This was a really good thriller. I've read a couple of Jack Reacher books here and there before, but I think this might be the one that convinces me to start from the beginning and read them all.

I love the way that for more than half the book, we cover two completely separate stories that you can see slowly, slowly coming together.

The motel in the woods - whew, that was so creepy, but in such a real, human way.

There were a number of other "bad guys" that Reacher encounters along the way, but honestly, I didn't really care much about those. They felt thrown in so we could experience the tough, capable physicality that is Jack Reacher, so I get it why it was there, but for me, they only serviced as a mechanism to help elevate the overall tension, which you could feel building and building throughout the entire narrative.

Seriously, the tension... while reading, I would put this book down to go do something else, only to find myself gravitating back towards my Kindle to read some more. Lee Child really has a talent for telling an unflinchingly compelling story.

Past Tense, the latest book in Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series, is appropriately named. The play on words title reveals itself while Reacher looks into family history and as the story unfolds, you will be beyond nervous, completely overwrought and anxiously awaiting the outcome.

As Reacher aimlessly travels the country, he stumbles through a small town that he remembers his father mentioning while reminiscing about his childhood. Could this be his father’s home town? Is it possible to learn more about why his father joined the army at 17 and never returned to the area? Could he learn more about his father who died thirty years ago? Maybe there’s family still in the area. Reacher decides to stop and take a look around for a while.

In an unrelated storyline, Patty and Shorty, a mid-twenties couple from California, are also travelling through the area on their way to New York City. Their less than reliable car chooses then to start acting up. They are relived to discover that there is a motel less than two miles away as the car limps its way to the parking lot. Unfortunately for them, things aren’t always as they seem.

Ultimately, the story lines will cross and as with the series in general, Lee Child will have you on the edge of your seat, eagerly turning page after page, right up until the end.

Another great Jack Reacher novel from Lee Child. Jack gets himself involved in finding his fathers old town and the fun begins!

Jack Reacher book #23. At this point you either love him or hate him. Unfortunately, the last few books in this series find me hovering a little closer to the hate side of the fence.

In this latest adventure, Reacher hits the pavement and sticks out his thumb. No surprise that he’s hitch hiking, right? He plans on a trip across America, from Maine to California, but he doesn’t get far. On a country road deep in the New England woods, he sees a sign for the town where his father was born. He thinks, What’s one extra day? and takes the detour. I was really intrigued by this story, by the opportunity to see a little deeper into Reacher’s personal life. While it was interesting, it wasn’t anything to write home to mom about.

At the same moment that Reacher enters town, a car breaks down with two young Canadians inside. Now they’re stranded at a lonely motel in the middle of nowhere and the owners seem almost too friendly. In the beginning, this story really had my interest up. The two are stranded with a huge case they won’t let out of their sight. What was in that case really interested me. Perhaps I made it out to be more than was intended, but I was let down once the contents were revealed.

So, you might ask, how do these two different stories merge? Well, it’s ¾ of the way through the book before they finally do. And let me tell you, I wasn’t all that thrilled with the merger. What intrigued me about both stories at first was lost because the middle half the book was SO. SLOW! And then BAM! Both stories wrapped up a little too fast and neatly for me.

Past Tense still finds me on the fence regarding Reacher. Do I keep reading the series or not? Even though I’ve had a hard time with the last several books, part of me can’t let go. There’s a huge hope that the Reacher I loved in the beginning will return. Fellow Reacher fans, what do you say? Keep going? Or break up with Reacher once and for all?

4.5*
Jack Reacher is back and tougher than ever! And as anticipated, big trouble seems to be hot on his trail…

Once again, Jack Reacher is traveling along the back roads of America. His way of avoiding unwanted attention. Hitch-hiking is a roll of the dice at best, and now he’s found himself unexpectedly dropped–off in New Hampshire. He finds himself drifting back in time to his childhood, his father fondly telling him all about his hometown of Laconia.
It wasn’t in Jacks’ game plan, but at the crossroads he now found himself at, has a choice to make. It looks like all roads lead to Laconia, New Hampshire. Home. And that’s the direction he’s chosen. Who says you can never go home...? Maybe it’s high time to get in touch with his family roots.

Shorty and Patty have concocted a fool-proof plan. They’ll drive from Canada straight through to New York to make a quick sale for some easy money. Only they didn’t plan on getting stranded at what appears to be the Bates Motel! There is definitely something strange going on in this odd-ball place. Are the motel owners trying to help them? Or...what exactly do they want from them?

As the two seemingly separate stories converge, the tension builds to an explosive crescendo.
This is one of the darker Jack Reacher novels I’ve read. The story-line of Patty and Shorty will have your heart pounding and your blood running cold.

If you’re a Jack Reacher fan then this is a must read for you! One of my favorites from the series so far!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Lee Childs for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review

I remember the day I bought Killing Floor, back in 1997. A friend was working in a local bookstore and was waxing poetic about the fantastic book he had just read by a new author. That day I bought my copy and promptly lost track of time as I became lost in the world of Jack Reacher. Needless to say, I have eagerly waited for every one of the next twenty-two books. This is classic Reacher, giving me that same thrill as Killing Floor.
If you are new to the series, please don't be put off by the slow pace at the beginning. Imagine yourself walking along a nice road, not a hard incline, enjoying the pace and someplace down that road, you look back and realize that you have reached a much higher elevation. It's that slow, gradual revealing of the story, the building of tension that fans of Lee Child and Reacher can't wait to get drawn into. The pace of the story, the pace of every sentence......not many authors can pull it off this well.
Reacher, as usual, has no set plans, not today, not for next week or for however much longer he has on this earth. He just goes with the flow of the moment. He travels with the clothes on his back, usually a toothbrush in his pocket and funds - he's not broke and he chooses to be a vagabond. He doesn't have a drivers license, mostly on foot or hitchhiking. This time he has a vague plan to cross the country from Maine to San Diego but get sidetracked by a sign pointing to Laconia, NH, the birthplace of his late father. Being the curious sort with no plans, he makes his way into town and so begins the puzzle that, of course, leads him straight into a whole mess of trouble. All because he wanted to find out some family history. As the saying goes...what could possibly go wrong. But this is Reacher and a whole lot can and does go wrong, very wrong.
There are two threads going, alternating chapters, something I'm usually not very fond of but Lee Child makes it work to perfection. Each chapter pulls you to the next because you are so caught up in each thread that you don't want to take a break. The other story line is a Canadian couple who had planned to drive to New York in a not very reliable car to sell something valuable in a very big suitcase. When the car is on its last leg, ready to expire, (which it does) they find a motel. Oh, how the tension builds there. Past and present sure have lots of surprises for Reacher. The Canadian couple should have taken better care of the car and just kept on driving. Good thing they crossed paths with Reacher. If I ever found myself in a mess, forget wishing for Superman wearing a cape, I would want to have Reacher on my side.
If you have read even one other book in the series, you are waiting for the real action to happen, the fighting to start, the bad guys get what's coming to them and Reacher will head off to the nearest road or highway to hitch a ride to who knows where. If he keeps to his plan to reach California, I'm going, too. I can't wait to see what trouble finds him down the road.

Jack Reacher is back! I was so excited to read this book. This series is one of my favorites. Love how they can all be read as a stand-alone. Past Tense is one of my favorite in the Jack Reacher series.

In this book we have 2 stories. Reacher is on how way to San Diego but he sees a sign for a town where his father was born. He's in no rush to get to San Diego so he takes the detour to find out more about his ancestors. Meanwhile, a young couple from Canada are on their way to New York City to sell some items so they can make a fresh start. Their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere but lucky for them, they see a sign for a motel. But strange things happens at the motel.

Even though I knew what was going to happen with the young couple, I was still on the edge-of-my seat for when the 2 stories intertwine. This book was one of those that really grabbed me from page one and did not let go until I was done. It was full of suspense right up to the end.

I definitely recommend this book to all whether you are a Jack Reacher fan or not. Cannot wait for the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for a copy of Lee Child's "Past Tense" in exchange for an honest review.

While on his usual routine of traveling from town to town, Reacher stops at a small town because he remembers that his father had lived there at one time and he wanted to find out more about his history. Inadvertently, he discovers that 2 individuals traveling from Canada to NYC have been trapped in a "hotel" that is going to offer them off as "human victims" to hunters. He helps the individuals escape, and in the process, he finds out much more about his father's life. An excellent addition to the stories about Jack Reacher; for fans of the series and of thrillers in general.

Twenty-third in the Jack Reacher thriller series revolving around an ex-MP roaming the countryside, exploring what he spent so many years protecting.

This eARC was sent to me by NetGalley and Dell for an honest review.

My Take
It's so Reacher, recommending that hole in the rosewood closet...*laughing*

It surely is an interesting way to start a genealogy search, expecting that your relatives may have had federal warrants out on them. Then there's his lack of computer skills: He usually clicked that mouse twice, seemed to be as good as a double tap.

It's a complex story with Child using third person multiple points-of-view with three primary groups of characters: Reacher of course, Patty and Shorty, and the men running the motel. The minor POVs are the "anonymous" ones who take a complicated path to get to town with our following their individual trails coming in. Not to worry though, it's very easy to follow, even if it is a tricky one. I will say it's fascinating how Child weaves in all the different conflicts, making me wonder which new character and his vehicle went where, how he pulls Reacher in.

I'm also wondering why it is that anyone in the area would be so interested in keeping the men at the Motel informed...hmmm...

I was not liking Mark and company to start. I mean, what kind of innkeeper tries to humiliate a guest?? And yep, it just gets so much worse. Child did a bang-up job of ratcheting up the suspense with me dying to know what could possibly be the reason for Mark and co's actions. I knew it had be bad, but...what? As for the reasoning, er, I mean excuses they come up with...jesus. I gotta say, it's scary that there's a community of like-minded people out there. It makes sense, since there are a lot of sick people out there.

And Child continues to confuse. Wall Street was a better market? Consumer feedback? Word-of-mouth in chat rooms?

The primary conflict is Reacher's search for family — and doesn't that turn out unexpectedly — with secondary conflicts courtesy of the repeat of the beating seventy-five years ago, only this time, daddy has a harsher reach, and then there's the stew in which Patty and Shorty are cooking. And Patty reckons it's only fair since she does work in a saw mill, grave humor, that.

In the end, it boils down to a code: If you do a bad thing, he'd make sure you only did it once.

The Story
It was happenstance for both parties: Reacher saw that sign and remembered that his brother had always wanted to check out the family homestead, and Shorty and Patty, well, that Honda Civic had needed work.

Both parties found a refuge: Shorty and Patty got lucky when they saw that Motel sign, and Reacher got a room at a B&B. Not so lucky, since he needed to rescue a lady in distress which led to taking down the distresser. A connected one.

Well, the cops aren't interested in any drive-by shootings, and they're mighty eager to get Reacher out of town before those hitmen arrive.

All in all, it'll be an experience.

The Characters
Jack Reacher, a former major with the Army military police, decided to explore the America he had been protecting. Along the way, he fights wrongs and puts things right, keeping his dad's code in the forefront of his mind. The former Captain Joe Reacher had been the older brother. Stan Reacher had been Reacher's dad who married a Frenchwoman, Josephine.

Family legend has it that Reacher's dad left Laconia when he was seventeen to join the Marines. There's an ornithologist at the university who believes he's related and that Stan is still alive. It was Cousin Bill who introduced Stan to birdwatching. James, a tin mill foreman, and Elizabeth, a bed sheet finisher, Reacher would have been his grandparents. Mark Reacher could be Reacher's nephew. Reacher's great-great-grandfather was one of seven brothers.

Shorty Fleck, a potato farmer, is with Patty Sundstrom, a sawmill worker; both born and raised in Saint Leonard, New Brunswick in Canada, heading for New York City to sell a treasure and start some water-related business in Florida.

The Motel is...
...in Saint Leonard and supposedly undergoing refurbishment to re-open later in the year. Mark is working the desk and his partners: Robert, Steven, and Peter. A passive-aggressive bunch who can't quite hold onto their mask.

Karel is from Macedonia and is a car mechanic and tow truck driver. He's good, and I don't mean in a good way.

Laconia, New Hampshire
Elizabeth Castle is with the city records office. Carter Carrington is a census geek and the town attorney. Jim Shaw, the chief of detectives, and Detective Brenda Amos, another former army MP, are happy to help. Patrolman Davison and Officer Davenport could be the same guy.

Happens all the time, there's another twenty-year-old loud mouth bully who got beaten up whose daddy is also rich, from laundering money.

Bruce Jones is a cautious guy. A former teacher, the Reverend Patrick G Burke, had a lot to say about tin pollution. Then there's that fraudulent apple farmer with too much pride. Mr Mortimer remembers Ryantown, remembers the Reachers. From what he remembers, I can understand why Stan took off.

Some 75 years ago...
...the local loudmouth bully son of the local rich guy was found beaten up and unconscious. Marcus Ryan had owned a tin mill and built accommodations for the workers, called the place Ryanton.

The Cover and Title
The cover has a solid royal blue background with a woodcut-style graphic of an exploding star above a long low building behind a rail fence. To the left is a red neon sign reading "Motel" with thin rays of red shooting out from behind and in front of the sign. The test is all outlined in red with the top info blurb, the series information and the title in white and the author's name in yellow split between the series name.

The title is where Reacher sees that genealogy. It's Past Tense for him.

Love Jack Reacher mysteries. Always fast moving, well written, and keep you up late finishing Lee Child's suspenseful endings.

They say you can never go home again. For Jack Reacher, it wasn't going home again, but a detour to visit the town where his father said he had been raised.

In the search for info on his father and where he'd been raised, he angers folks as he is want to do and he finds himself involved in search for who he is.

At the same time another mystery is developing, and as you read the book you are asking how exactly Reacher is going to get involved.

It's another fantastic Reacher read. I love the way Reacher's mind works mathematically and logically.

Another terrific outing for Jack Reacher, who never goes looking for trouble but always finds it= and solves it. This time a random choice to explore his father's past leads him to a complicated and intriguing mystery. At the same time, Shorty and Patty, two young and naive Canadians on their way to New York to sell a treasure, find themselves marooned at a creepy motel on the outskirts of the same small New Hampshire town. You know these three are going to come together but how? And what's in the suitcase? (You'll wait for that answer!). There are some great characters here, including Reacher's police contact Amos, the town attorney Carrington, his new buddy who drives him around, and so on but the best of all are the main three. Don't sell either Shorty or Patty short. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. This is a fast, highly entertaining read. If you've not read the series before, feel free to start here. You're in for a good time.

If you haven’t read Lee Child,s Jack Reacher series, you are really missing an outstanding character and outstanding suspense. In Past Tense, Jack is back - this time derailing is travels to explore his family history. As usual, he finds trouble. Jack Reacher is an exciting yet down to earth character with a strong sense of morality. Past Tense was impossible to put down (I had to find out what was happening next) and now I’m waiting for Lee Child’s next masterpiece.