“Eleven Numbers” by Lee Child is a gripping short story that delves into a tense, action-packed scenario involving Reacher, a familiar character from the Jack Reacher series. In this story, Reacher is pulled into a situation where numbers are the key to solving a dangerous puzzle, showcasing his sharp intellect and strategic thinking. Reacher finds himself in a high-stakes situation where his ability to decode a series of seemingly random numbers becomes crucial to surviving and outsmarting his adversaries.

Things I Liked:
• Tension and Suspense: Lee Child is great at building a sense of urgency and dread, which keeps the reader hooked from start to finish.
• Character Depth: Reacher’s personality shines through his actions and decisions, even in this short format. His calm, methodical approach to danger adds complexity to his character.
• Clever Plot: The puzzle aspect of the numbers and the way it’s integrated into the narrative makes the story feel like a clever game of wits.

What the Author Did Well:
• Pacing: The story moves at a quick pace, creating a sense of constant tension without sacrificing character development or plot.
• Dialogue: The dialogue is sharp and to the point, reflecting Reacher’s personality and making the exchanges between characters engaging.
• Twists and Turns: Lee Child incorporates effective twists, keeping the reader guessing and heightening the stakes throughout.

The story has a suspenseful, almost noir-like feel to it, blending mystery with action. There’s a sense of cool, calculated danger, and Reacher’s methodical approach to solving problems brings a calm, almost detached intensity to the story.

Only a writer of Lee Child's caliber could pack so much intrigue in such a short story. Great characters, a fast paced story and unexpected twists, everything you expect from Lee Child. Highly recommended

This was my first Lee Child book. I wasn't disappointed. It packed a ton of intrigue into such a short story!

I've been slow to get through many books so far this month, so I've been super appreciative of Eleven Numbers, a very short story from Lee Child. When I say short, I mean short: this is around 30 pages, and I was done with it in about half an hour.

I was a little worried as to how Child would possibly be able to fit the plot of an entire thriller into such a short amount of pages, but somehow it works. I think that's testament to a good writer who knows exactly how to balance pacing. Obviously, there's not a huge amount of detail here, and you'll rush from one plot point to another, but there's just enough information to give you everything you need.

The narrative of Eleven Numbers revolves around a secret Russian code, and the US government's plot to crack it. The protagonist is Nathan Tyler, a mathematics professor who is central to cracking the code. For such a short read, Child fits in a surprising amount of drama, and the plot was thrilling enough that I would have happily read an expanded version of the story. There's even a fun little twist hidden in here that I didn't see coming.

I've never read anything by Lee Child before, but now I've read Eleven Numbers, I'm certainly more interested in reading a full novel of his. I presume that's kind of the point of this short story. Still, I've very much appreciated this bite-sized read: it's perfect to get you out of a reading slump and have a miniature thrill injected into your evening.

This is actually a short story that feels more like a scene from a longer book. An American math professor goes to Russia for the U.S. government and ends up in a Russian prison. I just felt like there was more story to be told. Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing an ARC.

This was an excellent quick read! It was very engaging and easy to read. The plot had a twist I didn’t expect which made it even better.

The punch that this story packed! WOW. I could easily see this story being developed into a movie, as that is how it played out in my brain. Somehow the author developed a plot and a character as well as a twist within 50 pages. I’m certainly impressed. I thought this could have easily been expanded into a full book from a short story, and I really enjoyed it. Shockingly, this was the first that I have read from this author, but now I know that it will not be the last. I really enjoyed it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reading copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

fun concept, but overall just kinda meh. this feels like it needed to be longer to be fully fleshed out so i ended up just not really caring much about the ending. sort of anticlimactic, but i did like how tyler looked out for the dutch guy.

Eleven Numbers by Lee Child is a masterful demonstration of how less is more. Within just 50 pages, Child weaves a gripping tale that combines psychological intrigue, high-stakes tension, and a narrative elegance rarely seen in short fiction. Tyler, Jacob, and Suslov are characters that leap off the page, each one embodying the precarious balance between intellect and instinct.

Child’s skillful use of numbers as both a central theme and metaphor elevates the novella beyond a simple thriller, inviting readers to reflect on the ways patterns shape their lives. The story’s brevity is its strength, delivering a powerhouse of emotion and suspense in a way only a writer of Child’s caliber could achieve. Fans of his previous work and newcomers alike will find something to appreciate here.

Eleven Numbers is nothing short of a literary gem, compact in size but monumental in impact. A must-read for anyone who values sharp, intelligent storytelling.”

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the Advanced Readers Copy of the novella. Boy, did I get lucky and all the opinions are my own.

Nathan Tyler is a math professor at a small college in the Midwest when opportunity literally knocks at his door. Before he knows what is happening he is being sent to Moscow to an elite mathematical conference to meet with a renowned Russian elite mathematician. Unfortunately something crashes into his way and we are left wondering if Nathan will be able to use his mathematical prowess to find his way back home, I don't normally love short stories, but this amazing book from one of my favorite authors, Lee Child, felt amazingly complete and compelling. Thanks to NetGalley, and Amazon Original stories for the opportunity to read this advance reader's copy. Loved it.

Lee Child is one of those authors that i've been intrigued by for a while, but have somehow never picked up. So when I saw this short story on NetGalley, I went for it.

I'm normally not really a fan of short stories, mostly because i feel like a lot of authors have a difficult time with the pacing in short stories or novella's. But this was actually a really enjoyable read. I was immediately engaged in the story, the pacing was consistent and the author managed to wrap the ending up in a satisfactory way. I immensely enjoyed Lee Child's writing style, it's so well thought out and he manages to keep the story flowing in such a nice way.

I did however, as i do with most short stories, wish for this to be longer. But this did kind of feel like a prologue, so who knows, maybe Nathan Tyler will be back for a full sized novel in the future?

I'm definitely picking up a more books by Lee Child in the future, his writing style is really just right up my alley.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing me with this short story.

A compelling quick read!

My first Lee Child book and I really enjoyed it. A look at modern day espionage, taking advantage of heightened tensions between nations, whilst using everyday citizens. Clever plot and I would recommend it.

Eleven Numbers was my first Lee Child book, but after this, I’ll definitely be reading more from him. An exciting short story which picks up right away and keeps up the pace all the way through to the end. As someone studying a STEM subject, the mathy-ness of the book was fun, if a bit unrealistic. The only real critique I have is that the book ends somewhat abruptly, but it does wrap up the plot in a conclusive way, so I can’t complain too much. Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read!

A tidy short story, a bit outside of my usual genre of reading but I enjoyed the mathematician become spy plot and Child got a couple of twists in the plot even for such a quick read.

I will confess to googling to see if the math terms used were real and was a bit disappointed they weren't but what's an engineer to do.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy!

Lee Child, best known for his Jack Reacher series, takes a thrilling detour into the world of espionage and mathematical intrigue in The Equation. This short, fast-paced thriller follows Nathan Tyler, an unremarkable American mathematics professor, who finds himself at the center of a high-stakes intelligence operation.

Nathan’s life takes a dramatic turn when the White House calls him in for a classified briefing. A cryptic series of equations has surfaced—ones that could expose secrets buried deep within the Kremlin. The only person who can decipher them? Nathan. Tasked with meeting the Russian mathematician behind the code, he soon realizes he’s become a pawn in a much larger game—one where allegiances shift rapidly, and the wrong move could cost him everything.

Child’s trademark pacing and tension are on full display here. Though the novella format limits deep character development, Nathan’s transformation from a quiet academic to an unwitting spy feels believable and engaging. The plot is tight, the stakes feel real, and the action unfolds with relentless energy. Fans of Child’s writing will appreciate his ability to weave complex puzzles with pulse-pounding suspense.

While The Equation may not have the depth of a full-length thriller, it delivers a compelling blend of intellectual intrigue and spycraft. Readers looking for a quick, exhilarating read will find plenty to enjoy.

When Professor Nathan Tyler is summoned to the White House, he receives a request that is really not a request to take part in a meeting with a math genius in Moscow. As his White House contacts, all 5 of them, including the POTUS, lay out the plan, the one thing they didn't plan on was Nathan's intelligence extends past the field of mathematics. This is a short story that is not Lee Child's typical Reacher type thriller but it's satisfying to see the "good" guy come out on top. Easily a 5 stra read and I'd really love to see more like it from Child.

𝗔 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

For anyone who appreciates thrillers or wants to start reading them, Eleven Numbers is an excellent narrative.

Although I haven't read any of this author's novels before, I was intrigued because I had heard so much about him. I had to try this when it appeared on Netgalley. It's also a fairly quick read (50 pages). 

The narrative maintained the suspense till the very end, and the prose's simplicity struck me. The plot also had a lot of clever twists that kept me interested. However, the conclusion was a little underwhelming in spite of the increasing suspense and unexpected revelation. 

I find myself interested in reading more of this author's work after finishing this.

[Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing an ARC of this book.]

3.5⭐

Eleven Numbers
A Short Story
by Lee Child

I tried a book by Lee Child several years ago. As I remember, I did not care for it and never read anything more by the author. When I saw this on NetGalley, I was a bit curious. After all Lee Child is a very popular author and this was a short story which sounded interesting. So I gave it a try and liked it.


This story is a quick read and definitely worth your time whether you are a fan of Lee Child or not. I think this short story would be enjoyed by readers who enjoy stories about espionage, mysteries or math.

Thanks, @netgalley, for the ARC.

This is the first short story I've read, and it definitely didn't disappoint! I couldn't put it down, even though it was only 50 pages, very cleverly written, but you expect that from Lee Child. Who would have thought that Moscow and Maths could elicit so much excitement?! Full of twists and turns, and if this was a full novel, I would still have devoured it!

It's definitely worth a (quick) read!

Eleven Number by Lee Child is is an excellent short story that delivers exactly what it needs to without overstaying its welcome.
The dialogue is sharp, the characters feel real, and the elements of espionage and spycraft are woven in seamlessly.
He strikes a great balance between intrigue and clarity—especially when touching on cryptography and mathematics, making them accessible without oversimplifying.

Despite its brevity, the story manages to build a compelling world, offering glimpses into a larger, complex network of espionage that feels rich and lived-in. It keeps you guessing with just the right amount of twists, and the pacing is spot on.
It was a satisfying read - highly recommended for fans of espionage fiction!