In Too Deep (Jack Reacher, #29) (2024)

In Too Deep by Lee Child and Andrew Child is another great addition to the Jack Reacher action thriller series. What a powerful start to the novel. Reacher wakes up in the dark and handcuffed to a bed with no memory of how he got there. He remembers hitching a ride, getting run off the road, and that the driver was killed. That’s it for his short-term memory. The people who staged the attack assume Reacher was the driver’s accomplice. They want to make his talk, but that is never a good idea with Reacher.

The main character is clever, questioning, and complex. He doesn’t take short-cuts. He likes to find patterns in situations and if they’re not there, alarm bells ring telling him something isn’t right. The memory loss aspect of the story added another dimension. The other characters aren’t quite as dynamic, but are adequate for their roles.

The well-written novel has a first sentence that grabbed me and got me rapidly turning the pages. Despite being descriptive, it doesn’t slow the pace of the story. While the book shifts points of view from protagonist Reacher to several of the antagonists, the transitions are smooth and flow well. The plot has several twists and turns resulting in a surprise or two along the way and some unpredictable moments.

Overall, the storyline gripped me and kept me engaged throughout the novel. If you enjoy thrillers with plenty of action, then I recommend that you check out this series. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine – Delacorte Press, Lee Child, and Andrew Child provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for October 22, 2024.
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My 4.07 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

I wanted to rate this higher, but it took too long for Reacher to be Reacher.

Rating 4.5
This is my first read in this series. This is book 29.. I read a lot of crime books, so this is a new genre for me.my father in law enjoys reading their books.i enjoy watching the films.Reacher was in a car crash he doesnt remember how he got there an agent dies...Will his memory return? he ends up being involved in catching the criminals... a great thriller. I enjoyed this read.

A DNF for me 90 pages (or 27%) of the way through. The plot never grabbed me. Nor did the stakes. The Reacher character has become nothing more than a machine for violence. No charm. No humor. No heroism. Just a very big guy who goes from one "beat-down" to the next. I'm done with the series.

This was my first Reacher book, but I have seen the show. I pictured the Reacher from the show in my mind the whole time while reading it.

This was an exciting book. An undercover fed is possibly dead that was infiltrating a crime ring. Reacher is just simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets caught up in the mess. Or I guess you could call it the right place, since he ends up saving the day.

Reacher is a badass, but he is also weird. He doesn’t know anything about how to work phones or computers, but somehow he is always one step ahead of everyone. I find his character very interesting. Now that I have read one of the books I can say that the show captures his character very well.

I think if you enjoy the show or other Reacher books, you will like this, as well. Action packed with a little sprinkle of romance too.

Thank you to netgalley for this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have always enjoyed the Reacher novels and they are a "must have" as soon as published but this one was clearly NOT written by the same author. A choppy stilted story that had no character development and failed to ever capture my interest. Will be quite some time, if ever, before I buy this author again. Since, I own well over 20+ of his earlier books, guess I will read some of his earlier Reacher books when I get start missing him..... What a disappointment!

As a fan of the Reacher series, I always look forward to each new endeavor of the Child’s. This installment I found to be rather insipid, shallow and unrealistic. The characters, for the most part, are not likable and it strains the imagination that Reacher, with a broken wrist, could do the things he does throughout the novel. The story is mildly interesting but, as a whole, somewhat disappointing. I thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to its publication.

A One-Handed Reacher
A review of the Random House Audio audiobook (October 22, 2024) narrated by Scott Brick and released simultaneously with the Delacorte Press hardcover/ebook.

You don't usually look for symbolism in Reacher stories, but I couldn't help but notice that in this first solo* outing by Andrew Child that Jack Reacher begins the book with a broken hand. This is soon secured in a plaster/plastic cast, which remains on for the duration. So Reacher is forced to pummel the bad guys with literally one-hand throughout. Is that Andrew Child winking at the reader as if to say that he now has to write the books alone?

The book begins in medias res with an injured and concussed Reacher handcuffed to a bed. He has no memory of what happened. He still manages to make an escape but is then confronted by a supposed ally who insists on helping him. Reacher plays along and hopes to discover how he ended up in this situation. The story soon opens up into an apparent gang of heist thieves with few loyalties to each other. A policewoman and the FBI also enter the picture and suddenly the case turns into an espionage escapade with defense secrets on the market.

Although the reader is as confused as Reacher is for the longest time (my eyes started to glaze over at the mention of NFTs) this did eventually settle down into a satisfying Reacher saga. There was the requisite amount of banter with policewoman Knight being baffled at Reacher's vagabond lifestyle of no possessions. There was the delight of Reacher managing an international flight even though his only ID is an expired passport. My now regular Reacher statistics (see below) were at a more than satisfactory level. The narration by veteran Scott Brick was excellent as always.

Reacher fans are in good hands with this continuation series by Andrew Child.

Reacher Statistics
Toothbrush mentions = 1. A disappointingly low count, from a list following a search of Reacher's belongings.
"Reacher said nothing" count = 9. This seems very low at first, but is redeemed by the following:
"Reacher didn't reply" + "Reacher didn't respond" + "Reacher didn't answer" count = 9.
"___ didn't reply" count = 7. Representing other characters who don't reply.
Coffee mentions = at least 11. The exact number of coffees drunk was difficult to count, as several times Reacher has an unknown number of refills at restaurants and on an airplane. So let's say that coffee is mentioned at least 11 times.

Footnote
* It was publicly revealed in interviews about the previous novel The Secret (Reacher #28 -2023) that after 4 co-written novels during the handover between Lee and Andrew Child (actually the pennames of brothers James and Andrew Grant), that the 4 future novels were contracted to Andrew Child alone. For marketing and cataloging purposes, the books are still filed under "Lee Child."

Trivia and Links
There is a short book trailer for In Too Deep at the Random House YouTube channel which you can see here. Note: the publicist who wrote the script for this promo is obviously not familiar with the Reacher motto: "Get your retaliation in first."

Andrew Child is interviewed about the writing of In Too Deep at The Thriller Zone and at the Poisoned Pen Bookstore [Note: In the latter, the sound begins to work at 2'01").

This feels like the standard for latter day Reacher. Gone is any of the character’s original charm as he now more closely resembles one of Grant’s soulless protagonists. While they course corrected from the sociopathic vibes of the initial handover books, this is not the same Reacher. The plot is lifeless as well—it could have been written by AI. Not much action and a lot of wearisome wheel spinning. If I didn’t get these free from the library, I’d have stopped reading this series altogether. Though my reading list would be a lot better and a lot shorter if I had to pay for everything.

Though not the best in the series, it is still worth reading. Long live Jack Reacher!

*** 8/31/24 *** Finished! This is another solid entry in the Reacher series, which is in the process of being taken over by "Lee Child's" (pseudonym) younger brother, Andrew Child (another pseudonym). I was curious and did some googling to find out that in 2020 Lee Child said he couldn't keep up with the public's demand for Reacher books, so he brought on his younger brother to take over the series - first as partners, and eventually on his own. Reacher #25, The Sentinel, was published in 2020, and was the first the pair published together, and apparently they are still co-authoring, as this is book #29 in the Reacher series.

I have read a majority of Lee Child's Reacher books, and would have to go back and re-read some to really see how the tone of the writing, or the plot progression changed with the co-authors. What I can say now is that although I love the Reacher series, I feel the plots have become almost too formulaic and less personal about Reacher - always involving a major global situation, with Reacher maintaining his one outfit and toothbrush lifestyle despite his approximate age.

It might be sacrilege to Reacher fans, but I feel he should be evolving with the times a bit: getting a cellphone, understanding commonly used apps like Uber or even email, maybe even buying at least one new pair of underwear per book!? Plot-wise, I feel they are really stretching the concept of Reacher being a smart former MP who is physically intimidating. For example, in this book, his "partner in crime" was a woman who is a law enforcement officer, but her actions seem like a special ops person IMO. I also think Reacher's reliance on his FBI contact for critical information felt like a bit of a stretch. The books should instead be trying to see Reacher evolve as an aging human in some way, instead of just randomly getting mixed up in global crises.

So, I'm not going to summarize the plot except to say yes, read it, but keep in mind the book is really not too focused on Reacher as a person, and I hope the Child brothers will try to do that more in the future. 4-stars.

*** 8/29/24 *** Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Delacorte Press for an Advanced Reader Copy of the latest Jack Reacher, #29, due for publication October 22, 2024. I love all of the Reacher books - despite the formula of his size, power, moral outrage about bad guys doing bad things, traveling with just a toothbrush, hooking up with interesting, smart and beautiful women, eating pie, drinking coffee, hitchhiking - it is comforting to me to read how he gets himself into and out of the mix.

This one starts out with Jack tied to a bed with one of his arms hurt, with no memory of how he got there. Hmmmmm........ Do we think he'll overtake and outsmart his captors? Review coming soon.

This book is like if Jack Reacher was a Jack Reacher wannabe and watched the tv show and went out and tried to do it himself. And failed.

A waste of time. It's like they asked AI to write a Reacher novel with a really lame payoff. These books have been sliding in quality since Andrew Child came on board. This is a solo effort by AC, apparently, and it shows: it's by far the worst of the series. The dialogue is strained and mechanical; the timelines don't work; the twists are heavy handed and obvious; the action is plodding and derivative. I'd be mad if I'd bought this book: thankfully I got it from the library. But still, it's several hours of my life I'm not going to get back.

Flat plot. Dire characters. Disappointing.

My 29th Reacher and what a let down. I count the days in October for launch day, and this is only one of a handful of authors that I'll pay for instant access. Definitely feel like asking for a refund. This book is not the Reacher we've come to expect. The plot is wafer thin, with zero personality for the characters. Normally I'll sit down and devour a Reacher book in a day. This took 3 days because I had too many "so what?" moments. I simply didn't care what happened next. One word to sum it all up: MEH! 😬

In Too Deep by Lee Child and Andrew Child plunges us into the action from the very start, with Jack Reacher waking up alone, handcuffed in a dark, unfamiliar place, and nursing a serious arm injury. Reacher has no clue how he got there. With his memory foggy and his surroundings hostile, Reacher’s fight for survival is essentially how this book begins. If you are looking for a slow start or long preamble, this isn't the book for you.

The story has plenty of classic Reacher: sharp observations, intense confrontations, and clever tactics. Here, though, we experience a puzzle-like setup as Reacher, just like the reader, is left to piece together the mystery of why he’s been taken and what he’s gotten himself into. The setup gives this installment a slightly different feel from others in the series—it’s less about chasing a clear villain and more about unraveling the layers of confusion and mistrust surrounding him. The gray area in which the plot develops adds intrigue and keeps you guessing as you try to piece together the truth alongside Reacher.

While packed with action and suspense, the story sometimes leans toward the formulaic. Reacher’s unmatched cleverness and knack for spotting patterns remain at the forefront, but with a heavier cast of characters, it’s sometimes challenging for them all to fully come into their own. Still, the plot’s twists add a solid punch, and even if you see some of them coming, they’re effective and satisfying.

Overall, In Too Deep is a quick and enjoyable read that keeps you on your toes. It’s a good choice for fans of thrillers or longtime Reacher readers, who will appreciate the familiar intensity and grit - even if it isn't quite yet seamless because of the author transition. Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing an advance reader’s copy for review.

Good story from the start.
Action packed.
The middle was a bit too busy with too many characters, in my opinion.
Still, I enjoyed this book.

Oh dear what has happened? Andrew Child I presume. Very poor and confusing start to the story and very shallow characters, a lot of pointless narrative. The plot its self was barely explained and quite frustrating.
It felt like this book had been written by a child and a bored one at that.
Why people are saying things like best Reacher yet or Reachers back better than ever, perhaps they should read a couple of the early books and then they would understand the real Reacher not this half cocked version.
Please Lee take back the reigns, Andrew just isn’t up to the task sorry.

In Too Deep
Andrew Child & Lee Child
reviewed by Lou Jacobs

readersremains.com | Goodreads

Your next guilty pleasure has arrived. The voice of our beloved hero, Jack Reacher, lives on in another action-packed, suspenseful thriller penned with the emerging prominence of Andrew Child, with his older brother Lee taking a back seat. The torch is being successfully passed to Andrew, as Lee plans to retire.

Reacher’s inimitable style of conflict resolution, complete with action and violence in support of the victim, continues to shine with mystery and intrigue. This novel can be devoured as a standalone, with the necessary backstory seamlessly laid in.

Reacher awakens disoriented, shackled to a table, with an obvious broken right arm and no recollection of how he got there. He’s told that “they” suspect him of being an FBI agent. Upon waking, he is confronted by the leader of a crime organization. With his usual guile and skill, Reacher tricks Fletcher, overpowers him, and frees himself from the shackles. While attempting to escape, he meets Ivan Vidic, who offers his help and provides background on the situation. Vidic reveals that he wants to “jump ship” from this criminal enterprise, which has become a dangerous fiasco. What started as making copies of paintings for collectors has escalated into creating forgeries for unscrupulous art gallery owners. Under the new leadership of Fletcher, the operation has become more dangerous and violent, drawing the attention of the FBI. A previous member, O’Connell, was killed in a heist where a guard was unnecessarily murdered by their muscle, the psychotic Kane. Another member, Bowery, has gone missing while trying to retrieve a payment, and Gibson died in a car accident where Reacher was found at the scene, though he has no memory of what happened. Reacher also suspects Vidic isn’t telling him the full story.

After escaping, Reacher learns through investigation and gathering information from Vidic that the criminal cabal has multiple planned activities. They are rushing to complete “the Russian job,” obtain the contents of a safe worth more than two million dollars, and sell a stolen document (referred to as “the Report”) to a foreign government, which will likely net them millions. As Reacher skillfully evades confrontation with the group, he teams up with an off-duty female detective, Knight. Her father was senselessly killed while working security, and she has a personal vendetta to either apprehend or kill Kane. With Reacher’s help, Knight begins to unravel the subtleties of this complex criminal plot. Knight proves to be a badass complement to Reacher’s “take-no-prisoners” violence.

Once again, the Childs prove to be excellent storytellers, weaving together a complex and twisted tale with many surprise reveals as they steadily ratchet up the suspense and intrigue. Reacher delivers the expected action and violence, leading to a barn-burning denouement. I eagerly await the next thriller penned solely by Andrew Child.

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.
.... Published at MysteryAndSuspenseMagazine.com ...

**Happy Publication Day!**

The 29th adventure thriller finds Reacher strapped to a table with no memory of how he got there. Pretty decent plot that involves plenty of bad guys and various law enforcement agencies with lots of action and excitement. A quick, absorbing read.

Many thanks to the authors ands publisher for providing me with an arc of this new thriller via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

It used to be that time of year when Lee Child would publish his annual outing with one of my favorite fictional heroes, Jack Reacher. Those days are gone and the transition from big brother to younger brother has completed with the last year’s book, their fourth together. It is my understanding, based on separate interviews with Lee and Andrew Child, that Andrew wrote this one on his own and will be flying solo from here on out. At least that is, unless Lee gets an itch to write another Reacher novel down the road, which seems unlikely for now.

With Andrew taking over writing duties, some things have remained the same while other things have changed. Andrew was definitely not Lee, and his changes weren’t always subtle to the millions of Reacher fans. In my personal opinion, it’s taken Andrew several books to develop his own rhythm with the character and his behaviors. The result is that Andrew’s version of Reacher is not necessarily Lee’s Reacher. As a reader, you can choose to like that or not. It’s just the reality of the situation. Just like the authors who continued popular series by Tom Clancy, Robert B. Parker, Vince Flynn, and Stieg Larsson, there are always tradeoffs involved. It is no different with Reacher.

This year, Andrew has delivered his fifth and solo Reacher novel - “In Too Deep”, which continues much of the same approach, style, and plotting as his previous two Reacher adventures. For me personally, there continues to be some more incremental improvement. Reacher’s intelligence from earlier books has returned, as well as his sarcastic banter. In addition, Andrew’s plotting has gotten stronger and more complex, providing a better overall story. That isn’t to say that there aren’t some trade-offs in style and a few problems, but I will save that for later.

“In Too Deep” starts off in the middle of a very bad situation for Reacher. Jack wakes up by himself in a dark place, with his hands and feet handcuffed to a table. His right arm is in extreme pain, having suffered serious damage of some kind. His head hurts with what appears to be a likely concussion. The worst part is that he has cannot remember how he got where he is. The last thing he remembers is hitching a ride with someone and then they were run off the road. Otherwise, he has no memory of what happened…

This was a good place to start off a Reacher novel. Have Reacher in a captive situation by an unknown enemy. Put him in a weakened position in which two of his biggest physical strengths – the use of his right fist and ability to head butt – are limited or non-existent. And to top things off, give Reacher short term memory loss to amplify the mystery elements. Talk about a perfect challenge for our hero, Reacher.

For purposes of enjoying this novel, I will hold back from revealing anymore and not risk giving any of the twists and surprises away.

Like the last two books, this was an easy and fast read. In some ways too fast. Most of that is because this book is only 324 pages in length. I’ve noticed that Andrew’s novels are definitely shorter in length, his writing style more focused with shorter sentences and fewer words, and less time spent on transition moments and setting descriptions.

For me, the plotting and pacing were good, most of the time. Andrew captures much of the same plot development style and flow as his brother, Lee. Andrew’s plots have become more complex and intricate five books in. He ties thing together well, peeling the onion in layers, and every time you think that you have things figured out, he’s usually one or two steps ahead of you. Although, I still feel that Andrew comes across as a bit too clinical at moments, making Reacher feel like a caricature of himself.

I am also more comfortable with the fact that Andrew writes Reacher differently than Lee. That is reality and it isn’t going to change anytime soon. Andrew’s Reacher is focused more on his physical skills and instinctual strengths. I especially appreciated in this book how Reacher used his analytical skills more, which reminded me more of Lee Child’s writing, and I really enjoyed getting the “smart” Reacher back.

There were a couple of elements that were not as strong as I wished they had been. The bad guy, in this case bad guys, felt weak and didn’t really serve as compelling adversaries. Because of that, it felt like the ending did not fully deliver on the buildup as well as it could have. It wasn’t a bad ending, but it seems like Andrew struggles some with putting it all together at the end. Mechanically he got all of the pieces connected, but emotionally, it still felt a little bit lacking when it came to experiencing closure. By the time you got to the climax, the villains end up turning on themselves, robbing Reacher of a full showdown and the reader of emotional closure. Creating persuasive and worthy adversaries for Reacher is still a work in progress for Andrew.

That being said, we, as readers, must come to terms with understanding that Andrew is not Lee and cannot be Lee. He is his own writer. I fully understand that some Reacher fans will learn to enjoy Andrew’s version of Reacher and others will never be satisfied with Andrew, choosing rather to pick it apart. Although it probably doesn’t feel that way after reading my review, I am probably somewhere in the middle. Lee was certainly burning out on writing Reacher. That was clear in his later interviews, so it was time to move on.

In the same way, it isn’t fair to judge Andrew Child with the expectation of being a Lee Child clone or copycat. We owe him the right to deliver Reacher using his own style, which means that we may have to accept his version of Reacher with different nuances than that which his creator instilled. At that point, we can choose to stick with him or leave, and that’s a personal choice readers can make on their own.

For me, here’s the bigger problem that I perceive we face with Reacher. It’s not so much a change from Lee to Andrew as authors, as much as it is the aging and saturation of Reacher. “In Too Deep” is the 29th Reacher novel. Let me repeat that. The 29th Reacher novel. That’s a lot of books, folks. My problem is really less about Andrew’s style and more about trying to keep Reacher fresh, finding worthy adversaries, and conflict that challenges him both physically and mentally. That’s a lot harder to do after 29 books. Lee Child himself decided he was done after 24 books because he quite honestly ran out of ideas. When readers complain the series has lost something, I tend to think the truth actually lies less with Andrew and more with the fact that having 29 books already published makes it awful hard to maintain momentum and quality.

If that is the case, in addition to taking over a well-loved literary character, the task of coming up with new ideas becomes a tougher task than an easier one for Andrew. To me, that is the real challenge. Keeping Reacher fresh and exciting while not deviating too far from his well-established mythos is a really hard thing to do. It is the same problems that writers face when carrying on the works of authors who have passed away, like Spenser, Jack Ryan, Mitch Rapp, and Lisbeth Salander. Talk about an impossible challenge.

The reality is there’s already a lot of Reacher novels and stories. The good news is that Andrew has been there with Lee since day one of the creation and birth of Reacher. If anyone has a chance of keeping Reacher relevant and worth reading, he’s our best chance. For me, I am going to appreciate the ride as long as I can, because like Reacher, I am aging too. I’m in my 60’s now and reflection has become a bigger part of my life. My thought is, let’s enjoy it while we can.

For me, Andrew is getting better. “In Too Deep” was a solid 3.5 stars read for me (and please don’t get me started on Goodreads not having half-stars).

This book kept me up until the sun was coming up this morning. No, I did not have to return it, and yes, I managed to nibble on some stone fruit and drink a lot of
Diet Coke.
From the outset I was a little curious about how Reacher landed in such trouble
so early in a story. Unlike some of his adventures, where he is presented with
clear rights and wrong, or obvious misfortunes of others, this book started out
a bit differently. It worked out quite well. The assembled characters, both good
and evil, takes us on an incredibly interesting ride. There are some curiosities.
Due to my fear of spoilers, I will not go much into the initial situation that sets
the rest of the story into motion.
The story is different in how several players are misidentified by the
‘People in Charge,’ which is a puzzle in progress.
As in most books, Reachers has a relationship with a woman he’s paired
with, and, like himself, she’s got some issues.
The plot~the criminal enterprise~ is fascinating, and the methods used to
shut the thing down quite interesting.
I see comments about how Reacher should have been unable to do much
because of his injury, well doctored by a medic. I lean more toward the opinion
that the method of stabilizing the wrist with the product used would likely
allow him to do most of what he did with ease. First, he’s Reacher. Second, if the
wrist is completely restricted, he’d be fairly OK. I have recent experience with
this…
The ending worked for me, and now that we are all safe, I will be able to sleep.
My thanks to Delacorte Press, via NetGalley, for the advanced download copy
for review purposes.

DNF.. I tried. I couldn’t get into the plot.

Disappointing entry in the series. Andrew Child takes a very simple McGuffin story and painfully seeks to complicate it by multiplying double and triple crosses between more or less interchangeable characters. And Reacher - of all the cheap ploys - suffers from amnesia that is magically cured at the exact point the story needs it. It gets convoluted without getting particularly thrilling. The amount of expository dialogue is staggering, and prevents the action from getting momentum.
To be clear, I'm a Reacher fan. But not this one.

Jack Reacher is In Too Deep in this latest adventure by Lee Child. I think it was one of the better stories since the author change but I still feel the series has lost something. I enjoyed the story and it's well written as usually. I miss a lot of the humor that was around in the beginning but this story and the characters where good.

Since Andrew took over it just doesn’t feel the same. Gone is the Reacher with witty one liners replaced with long dialogue.

I haven’t liked any of the recent Reacher books and I couldn’t be more disappointed. Reacher used to be charming, witty and very well written. He was complex and fascinating. There’s nothing of him since Andrew Child joined. It’s been one of my favorite series for years but I think it needs to stop. So sad

A new Jack Reacher is always fun. Also with InToo Deep, number 29 in the series. This time, Reacher starts off with some injuries: a concussion and a broken wrist, his right.
But even then, he’s a force to be reckoned with. As always, it’s a fast read with some twists, thought this time, I saw the big surprise coming due to certain hints dropped in the first chapters. Towards the end, the story had a bit of a pulpy feel, so for me, it wasn’t one of the best in the series.

The story follows an undercover FBI agent who has infiltrated a group of art thieves. He plans to leave the group with a young woman who serves as the hacker. They decide to make money by blackmailing wealthy individuals and big companies. The hacker stumbles upon a highly sensitive report on the state of American nuclear missiles, which they believe could make them very rich, as foreign countries would pay handsomely for this information. However, the FBI won’t stop searching for the man if he defects, so he plans to fake his own death.

His bad luck is that, on the night he chooses to execute his plan, Jack Reacher gets into the car of his intended victim—a gang member of about the same age. The agent continues with his plan and chases the car down a dangerous mountain road, ultimately causing a crash. In the wreck, Reacher is injured and unconscious, while the other man dies. The agent calls his associates, who take Reacher and the dead man back to their headquarters. The FBI agent then plants his DNA and fingerprints in the car. His plan might have worked, but he didn’t count on Reacher.

Reacher wakes up, handcuffed to a large metal table, but it doesn’t take long for him to overpower one of the men who comes to interrogate him. He leaves the man unconscious, but while trying to escape the house, he encounters the FBI agent, who helps him get away and find a doctor for his broken wrist. The agent needs some muscle to access the gang’s loot, so he sets Reacher up in a motel, instructing him to lay low. Naturally, that’s not what Reacher has in mind; he starts investigating.

Soon after, he’s joined by a young woman—a police detective on suspension for obsessively pursuing her father’s killer, a big guy from the gang who bears a resemblance to Reacher. From there, events pick up speed. Reacher contacts an FBI acquaintance, who helps him close in on the gang, and we’re only halfway through the book!

The FBI team is too late, except for one, all the gang members have escaped, setting the stage for a chase. It takes Reacher a while to realize that the dead man isn’t the FBI agent. However the agent and the hacker are killed by the big guy, who escapes to the Bahamas with all the gold. Reacher and the young detective follow, leading to a final showdown as Reacher takes down the bad guys one by one.

In Too Deep, written by Lee Child and Andrew Child, is the twenty-ninth installment in the Jack Reacher series. The expected publication date for the book is October 22, 2024.

Reacher awakens in the dark, restrained and in pain, with no idea where he is or how he got there. He later learns that he had been a passenger in an automobile accident, but he had no recollection how he came to be in the car to begin with. Reacher finds himself in the midst of a band of criminals, and he needs to quickly figure out what had led to the accident, what the group is planning, and how he can stop their nefarious plans.

I have been a longtime fan of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series. When Andrew Child took over the writing, I was initially appalled; the Reacher portrayed in the co-authored books was not the same character I had followed for so long. I decided to try one more, with In Too Deep, and I am glad that I did.

The Reacher found in this latest book is closer to the character I grew to love and continually follow. The writing is certainly different. This book especially feels a bit more confused than usual, and the beginning is different than older Reacher books. While reading In Too Deep, I sort of felt like I had been dropped into the middle of the story, having missed the first part. But I wonder if this is intentional; Reacher received a head injury, leaving him confused and unable to remember the first part of the story himself. So, although In Too Deep is different, I found that it nonetheless works.

In Too Deep is not my favorite Reacher book; however, it is probably my favorite Andrew Child Reacher book. I am happy to have the “normal” Reacher back and look forward to his next adventure.

RECOMMENDED

I’ve been a longtime fan of Reacher, so when I got my hands on an ARC of the latest book, I was beyond excited. It’s been a few years since I last read one, not because I’ve lost touch with the series—after all, each book stands alone, and they often mix up the timelines—but just because life got in the way. I’ve always loved Reacher’s no-nonsense, drifter lifestyle, even if he never settles down. He’s still one of my favorite characters.

This time around, though, the story took me by surprise. Reacher’s lost his memory, which threw me off a bit. I wasn’t used to seeing him in such a vulnerable position, needing help from someone else. It felt strange, but at the same time, it added a new layer to his character. Despite his confusion, he’s still the Reacher I know and love—tough, resourceful, and always managing to save the day. Of course, there were plenty of twists I didn’t see coming, which kept me on my toes.

Even with these new dynamics, I still found myself totally immersed. It’s different, but in a good way. Having the chance to read it early just reminded me why Reacher has always been one of my favorites.

Another very solid entry into the Jack Reacher series. My only issue is that I’m up to date and so begins the wait to next years :( flip side being next years is number 30!!