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Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Past Tense by Lee Child (*NetGalley)

Past Tense
     A Jack Reacher Novel
written by Lee Child
ISBN 10: 0399593519
ISBN 13: 978-0399593512
November 5th, 2018
Delacorte Press



Reacher, the eternal drifter, happens by chance on the small New Hampshire town he remembers his father was supposed to have come from. But when he starts looking for his dad's old home, he finds there's no record of anyone named Reacher ever having lived there.

EnLightened Reader

My Review:

Past Tense (Jack Reacher, #23)

Jack Reacher novel number twenty-three. . .It's hard to believe I have been reading Child's stories since The Killing Floor. That was way back in 1997. Any devoted reader of the series knows a few things before opening the book. Jack's living a nomadic life, can be spotten in old-timey diners, loves his coffee, is gonna find trouble, and will somehow become the reluctant hero. Oh, and since Hollywood put it on the big sreen, you can't help but think of Tom Cruise when you hear the name Jack Reacher.

Okay. That's what we know. Her is what you need to know about Past Tense. Child switches gears and slows this one down. Almost too much. Readers may find it difficult to stay invested and interested. There are two plot-lines being told parallel to each other. Reacher is still enjoying his nomadic lifestyle and as always he is flying by the seat-of-his-pants headlong into trouble. At a Y in the road, Reacher recognizes his Dad's New Hampshire hometown of Laconia. Once he starts asking questions the locals roll up the welcome mat. They want him gone and he want to know why. Researching one's family is not a high-octane, shoot'em up bang-bang adventure. It's slower, psychologically methodical. (But don't despair, this is a Jack Reacher story.)

While Reacher is focused on the past, in the present a young couple who think they are making their way to dreamy riches from the sale of their comics has run into trouble. They find their way to a motel Anthony Perkins himself would have run like hell away from. But they stay. They realize, albeit too late, they are being held prisoner. But, why? The weird folks at the motel have plans for the couple. Big plans.

It seemed to take too long for the two stories to come together. When they do - bling, bang, boom - the bad guys are revealed, Reacher solves the mystery and saves the day. Yes, there's action. It's fast, furious, and fun. Then you're done. The shift in pace may cause some to skip, flip, or simply call it quits. Don't! This is a good story. It moves the saga forward into number twenty-four. So you wouldn't want to miss it.

While you can read and enjoy this book as a stand alone, it's definitely more fun if you read them all.

Happy Reading,



Published by a division of Penguin Random House

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