This was a great book with lots of twist and turns. It did get a little slow in a few parts . I do think the plot twists got to the point of "really one more". I think it could have done with a little less in that area but overall it was a good solid book.

I am a devoted Reacher fan, I’ve read every book and I’m always intrigued to see what new adventure Lee Child will embark upon. This one delivers, again. It’s nice because it offers a somewhat softer side, don’t worry there’s still fighting. Reacher’s quest to figure out the mystery surrounding his father’s childhood is engaging. He always meets such diverse people along the way. His unbending fight for the little guy and the way he stands up against bullies, it’s refreshing to read. #PastTense #Netgalley

A great new adventure for Jack Reacher. One that starts as a look into his own past. Not sure he would have started it knowing what happened afterwards.

It's a typical Child's plot, two story lines that are waiting to collide. I don't think this is Child's best effort, but if you like Reacher, then you'll not waste your time by reading this book. I thought he spent more time emphasizing his protagonist's physical size. Could that be a reaction to having settled on the diminutive Tom Cruise as the movie version of Reacher?

(3 1/2). I am a Reacher Creature..I look forward to every one of these. This effort is a combination of some of the old Reacher feel and the newer ones as well. Very slow moving at first, with a couple of spiraling themes that were destined to intertwine at some point. Reacher is up to his old procedural intellect and always keeps us thinking ahead. It all reaches warp speed at the end, and the unusual use of violence in this one is distinctive. Big fun as always.

This is a great story in the Jack Reacher Saga. I liked that it kept me interested Overall I think the plot was good and something worth following. You can read this as a standalone book, but it is great in the context of the entire series as well!

If you've read many of the Reacher books , then you already know what you're in for. In Past Tense we find Reacher headed home to sort out his roots. Why, because he was there. Of course, with Reacher, it's never that easy.

Child does an good job of taking multiple threads and weaving them together. I feel that this installment is a very back to basics of Reacher. We aren't in the past, and there's no 5 book subplot. Just an incident in the northeast, and back on the road.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

I cannot think of anything better than being able to contemplate starting a new Jack Reacher book. And “Past Tense” lives up to its forecast. This time Jack is in New Hampshire, and he strikes out for Laconia, the town his father was from, and where he has never been. In the meantime, there is a second strand in the story; a young Canadian couple, Shorty and Patty, having had car trouble, are forced to stop at an isolated motel about twenty miles from Laconia.

This being a Jack Reacher book, it is obvious from the first that the two strands of the story will meet up. I don’t like spoilers, so I am not going to give any; you will enjoy discovering the plot for yourself. Suffice it to say, there is a lot going on, and Reacher reacts to events in his usual, glorious way. Lee Child does his usual masterful job in building up the suspense and foreboding, making this book very hard to put down.

“Past Tense” joins the earlier Jack Reacher books as an excellent thriller. I have read all of them, in order, and there hasn’t been one which I haven’t liked. But this could be your first meeting with Jack, the book does not require prior knowledge to enjoy, it can stand alone. Be warned, though, if this is your first of the series it won’t be the last, these books are seriously addictive.

I was so incredibly excited to get an advanced reader’s copy of Lee Child’s newest thriller “Past Tense” that will be released on November 5, 2018. I received it several months ago and found myself sneaking reading a few pages here and there. That is exactly the wrong way to read a Jack Reacher story. Reacher’s story are pure escapism and it is best to lose yourself in Reacher’s world in which he does his own thing and then all wrongs are eventually righted. So I started over and read it properly…i.e. I inhaled it. This is one of the best Reacher thrillers in a long time. Reacher happens upon a town that he remembers his dad talking about growing up in so he figures he might as well learn a little family history while he is passing through. He learns more than he bargains for and upsets not one, not two, but three different criminal enterprises. I really enjoyed the subplot about a Canadian couple whose car breaks down and end up trapped at a motel. Not to give too much away, but the action scenes from their escape are first-rate. I especially liked how the ordinary couple are shown using their own cleverness to escape and it is not all up to Reacher to rescue them. The resolution of Reacher’s family drama was also on point and fitting with his character. I highly recommend purchasing this book to add to your Jack Reacher collection.

Thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Delacorte Press, and the author Lee Child for an advanced electronic reading copy.

Past Tense is the latest thriller in the Jack Reacher series. There are two alternating storylines that do not appear to be related other than the fact that they occur within the same locale: 1) Reacher’s curiosity about his father’s place of birth and early life; and 2) Patty and Shorty’s arrival at the motel from hell. Each of these storylines unfolds slowly, leaving me wondering how they would eventually merge and afford Reacher the opportunity to save the day. There is tension and suspense and violence but, unlike some of the previous books in this series, Past Tense is a slower paced story until Reacher’s curiosity leads him to Patty and Shorty. Ultimately, Past Tense delivers a satisfactory conclusion with a bit of an unexpected resolution to Reacher’s search into his father’s past.

It is not necessary to have read any of the previous books in this series to appreciate Past Tense. However, if you haven’t already been following Reacher’s previous exploits, this novel will leave you eager to read about prior predicaments that have come his way. An enjoyable read that keeps you involved. Hard to put down.

A great addition to a well loved series. It moves a a great pace but I found myself bored. It was different but the same. There are no real complaints from me I just wasn't in love with this book. I'm in love with the character but just bored with everything else.

I have read all of the Jack Reacher books and will continue to read any new ones Lee Child authors. They are fun to read, filled with action, and feature a protagonist with whom I would love to just hang out for a while (even though probably would likely find us... or we would find it).

This Jack Reacher novel does not disappoint. There are some differences from other Reacher books, but none that detract from the enjoyment of reading. For example, Jack doesn't have any romantic encounters in <u>Past Tense</u>, which is not a bad thing, but just something that has happened fairly often in the past. We read Reacher's story but also the story of a couple from Canada. Of course they intersect at some point, but how we get there is always part of the intrigue. I always enjoy reading about Reacher's backstory to understand what made him into the man he has become, and in this book Reacher is investigating his father's backstory for much the same reason. As usual, there are some bad guys but also some good guys (and women) who do the right thing.

Patty and Shorty's portion of the novel is an interesting detour in more ways that one. I will be honest and say that it was pretty clear from early on what was probably happening when they went down that road through the trees, but that doesn't mean Child does a poor job of developing the events and other characters there. Once Reacher becomes involved, the situation gets resolved a bit quicker than I would have liked it to be, but it was a satisfying resolution nonetheless.

Shoutout to <u>Pulp Fiction</u> as we are left throughout most of the book wondering, "What's in the (suit)case?"

Whether this is your first Reacher novel or your 23rd, <u>Past Tense</u> is worth the read.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of #PastTense in exchange for an honest review.

Past Tense by Lee Child, a slightly different take from Child's normal story. a slow suspenseful build most of the way thru the book till we get to the twist where we finally think we understand whats going on ... or do we? I enjoyed and look forward to the future.

Another great book in the Jack Reacher series, with a very different story line. It's a fast paced, mystery thriller that I didn't want to put down!.

Reacher is in his usual fine form, and Mr. Child has managed to give us more Reacher with a fresh story line. This is one of my top 5 series and this latest offering did not disappoint.

3.5 - Good read over all.
I loved climbing Reacher's family tree and the parallel story involving the couple is arousing in a slow, creeping burn kind of way. Looks like Child hit the cruise control though, riding the speed limit, while digging into Reacher's past. And I can see where non-Reacher fans would have a slow, almost distant connection to the story during the first half of it.
To that point, Child has written better Reacher novels. I'm not disappointed with Past Tense, as Lee Child successfully exposes another side of Reacher not written before. I recommend it on that basis ....... well, that and because we get to read how Reacher kicks ass, yet again!
Strong recommendation.

Fast paced, tight writing, Child gives us another adventure rolled out like he’s talking to us over a campfire.

As always, Lee Child brings us an all nighter, peopled with Jack Reacher and a smorgasbord of characters, likeable to despicable, making for a mystery not easily solved. An added bonus - Past Tense brings to life Jack Reacher's father, Stan, and many notes of Jack's early life that we have only guessed at before.

I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Lee Child, and Random House, Ballantine Books, Delacorte Press. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

Another thriller by Lee Child! Jack Reacher is always in the right place at the right time...luckily for Patty and Shorty. Scary premise well thought out with a plot full of dramatic action. Really scary to think that this is not so very far fetched in this crazy world we live in. Loved the people Jack met in his quest to find his father. Was hoping for some romance with his fellow MP, but it wasn’t meant to be. Fans of Jack Reacher will definitely appreciate this one! Many thanks to Lee Child, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this soon to be published enjoyable read! Look for it on November 5th.

I've read several books by Child, and this one is the weakest of the bunch. The writing is solid, but the story is for the most point rather dull. Most books Reacher just happens to go by, when something happens, so he gets involved. Well, here he got involved into several different things, and all of it, just to maneuver him into the place where the second plot took place - about two young Canadians, who found themselves in a strange motel.
The action sequences are good, and the climax is original enough. But there are just too many pieces moving here to make you suspend disbelief.