Here we are at book #27 and it's another fun read. Jack Reacher is larger than life and is a magnet for finding trouble all over the country. This time it's Colorado to Mississippi when he witnesses a murder that everyone else sees as a tragic accident. From there to anther death - is there a connection to a major conspiracy? Is there really any other kind in a Jack Reacher novel? Of course not. Just settle down in a comfy spot, set reality aside and enjoy the show. The bad guys are really bad and Jack Reacher will save the day. No Plan B delivered, in spades.
My thanks to the publisher Delacorte and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Fast-paced thrills!

The Reacher series is continuing to keep up its pace with action-packed drama, mystery, and this time, two sub-plots to keep things interesting. All 3 plots lead to Winson, to the Minerva correctional facility, a privatized prison with questionable ethics.

Reacher finds himself on the wrong side of the Minerva team when he witnesses a murder. Of course as former military police, he can't just let it slide by without righting the wrong. In this case, that means following a path from Gerrandsville, CO to Winson to track down and punish those responsible. He doesn't know that two other people are also heading to Winson, one to find a lost relative and the other bent on revenge.

This is a book that moves along, and is well-written. The Reacher character is a bit more edgy, a bit more violent, but that could be due to the addition of Andrew Child to the writing team. The series is still strong so I expect more books to follow.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

No Plan B is the newest Jack Reacher thriller. There are four separate plot lines in the book that do converge at the end in a relatively satisfying conclusion. Reacher is his usual bad dude self, getting involved in a nefarious situation involving a prison in Mississippi. Along the way he has a woman helper and finds a runaway boy, and these characters help move the plot along. I enjoy the way Reacher can fight his way out of any situation single handedly, no matter how many bad guys he encounters. I have noticed, however, that since Lee Child has been writing with his brother Andrew that Reacher has gotten more and more violent. Maybe it's reflecting the real world but I liked Reacher a little more gentle. I still enjoy the closely woven plots and the triumph of the good guys so I will keep reading.

Reacher witnesses the the death of a woman and soon learns that it was listed as a suicide. When a second death occurs and is ruled an accident Reacher knows there is killer out there getting away with murder. Not one to sit on the sidelines he knows he must figure out who the killer is before others end up dead. What Reacher doesn't know is that is more to these deaths than even he could have come up with. He soon becomes a target for the killer and must do all that he can.to not only stay alive but bring justice for those who are gone. Does Reacher have it in him to bring a killer to his knees or will he be on the losing end this time? Love the Reacher novels and they only get better with time. An iconic character that will leave you wanting more in the best possible way.

I have read all of the Jack Reacher novels and loved them. However, this one fell flat for me. With Andrew taking over the writing o feel like Reacher takes on a subtlety different tone. Some of the details and character traits just don’t ring consistent. The story felt to me very drawn out and then truckloads of information at the end. It just wasn’t the same quality story I have come to love from the Reacher series.

Published by Delacorte Press on October 25, 2022

How do you know a Reacher novel was written by the son rather than the father? The sentence “That was for sure” appears multiple times when Andrew Child writes the novel. I doubt that’s a sentence his father would ever use. And while Andrew tries to emulate his father’s style — sentence fragments, lots of “Maybe this. Maybe that.” — Lee Child builds a natural rhythm into the prose that his son fails to capture.

No Plan B gives the reader a main plot and two subplots. The main plot involves a private prison in Mississippi and a ship that mysteriously lurks just out outside US territorial waters. The prison is about to release an innocent inmate with great fanfare as proof of its respect for justice and civil rights. The corporate executives who run the prison are worried that Reacher will disturb the ceremony after, in a distant location, he witnesses a murder and glimpses the contents of an envelope that relate to the mysterious crimes for which the prison is a front. Before Reacher begins his trip to Mississippi to right whatever wrongs he can uncover, a woman who was close to a second murder victim decides to drive him there. Watchful prison employees are staged along likely travel routes in anticipation of Reacher’s arrival, but the reader knows that Reacher will defeat them all, usually with a single punch.

The first subplot involves a kid whose evil foster parents neglect him. He runs away. Naturally, his destination is the prison. Naturally, he will encounter Reacher as he travels, but only after proving that he’s a plucky kid who can survive the theft of his backpack and money. No novel featuring a kid at a bus terminal would be complete without an attempt to kidnap the kid and sell him into slavery. Trite much?

The second subplot features a guy named Emerson who is seeking revenge for his son’s death. The death connects to the prison, although Emerson isn’t aware of that connection until he burns a couple of people alive while searching for someone to hold responsible for his son’s fate. The subplot feels like filler, added only to satisfy the need for a second subplot and gratuitous gore. The reader is evidently not meant to feel sympathy for Emerson because his methods are too extreme. Reacher comes close to crossing the extremist line, although he can usually claim he’s acting in self-defense when he maims or kills the bad guys. Well, except for the bad guy he kills for no good reason near the end of the novel. This is shortly before he tells another character, “I’m not going to kill anyone in cold blood.” Yeah, not unless he’s in a killing mood, anyway.

The message of certain tough guy novels is that size and strength are more important than moral courage. Reacher novels have always flirted with that message, but Andrew brings it to the forefront.

The mysterious criminal scheme operated from the prison is common in thrillers but almost neveroccurs in the real world. It’s a fallback for writers who can’t devise an original crime. The notion that a major corporation would operate the scheme undetected, even in the cesspool of corruption that is Mississippi, is just too nonsensical to work as a credible thriller plot.

Reacher needs to break into and out of a prison as the story winds down. His ability to do so is implausible, but such is the nature of the modern thriller. Implausibility is one thing; the complete absence of credibility is another. There is nothing credible about Reacher’s consistent ability to knock out his opponents with a single blow, sometimes with a mere twitch of his body. Yet it is the ridiculous criminal scheme operated in the prison that cheats thriller fans out of the opportunity to suspend disbelief. A close second on the credibility scale is the corporation’s fear of Reacher who, as far as its executives know, is a drifter with no reason in the world to look for trouble in Mississippi.

Fans of tough guy fiction who value toughness more than strong plotting might enjoy No Plan B. Fans of Lee Child might be frustrated that books “co-written” with Andrew Child come across as factory fiction. The book has good pace and a fair amount of action, but little else of merit.

RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS

I’m thrilled to say No Plan B is classic Reacher. The wrong man at the wrong place at the wrong time. At least for the bad guys because Reacher is the right man to handle any job! This time around Reacher witnesses a murder being framed as an ‘accident’. Naturally Reacher can’t resist looking into it, which leads him down a rabbit hole that takes him cross country in an attempt to find out what kind of hinky business is being carried out at the prisons run by the Minerva corporation. No Plan B features a complex story with a lot of moving pieces and a lot of satisfying action. This is classic Reacher, with Jack having to employ both his brains as well as braun to take the bad guys down. The writing at times feels a little rough but overall it's a blast. 4.5 stars. Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review an eARC of No Plan B.

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This was a well-written, very entertaining book. It was fast-paced, intricately plotted and attention-grabbing. The action was nonstop and I didn't want to put it down, though I felt there were a few places that I felt did not make sense or fit the character's typical behavior, and parts of the plot were extremely complicated. This book can be read as a standalone story, though it is part of the Jack Reacher series. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books in this series.

When Andrew Grant, who uses the pseudonym Andrew Child, took over writing the Jack Reacher books from his brother Jim (Lee Child), I admit I was worried. I loved the first twenty-four books in the series, and when a beloved series changes hands the readers always worry. I am glad to report that Jack Reacher is as wonderful as ever, and so is this book.

"No Plan B" is a typical Reacher novel. Jack is bumming around, this time in Colorado, when something attracts his attention. In this case it is the murder of a woman whom Jack sees pushed into the path of a bus, although another witness claims she committed suicide. Jack deals himself in, and the plot thickens. This is the pleasure of a Jack Reacher novel. Yes, there is sometimes a need for a willing suspension of disbelief, but who cares?

This is the third Andrew Child Jack Reacher book, and it is his strongest so far. It follows the Reacher formula seamlessly, and was engrossing and fun to read. Full of tension, and Reacher's internal calmness, this entry in the Reacher canon is well worth your time.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Okay, first I have to say.....no plan b is pretty much Reacher's credo.....and that's why we love him!

I became hooked on Jack Reacher's adventures through life many years ago, how many? This is #27 and I've read them all. Reacher is the everyman's superhero. He lives on the road, moving from town to town to town, only stopping when someone needs his help. Lee Child first wrote of Reacher in 1997. Since then, he has grown into a legend, good or bad depends on which side you or on. Lots of action that happens at break neck speed, with one event launching the battle right into the next one.

I often recommend Jack Reacher books to anyone who asks, and many who don't. When my uncles decided I need to read their Westerns, they had to read my Jack Reacher books. We all won. If you've not read any of this series, you have 27 excellent books to read now.....you better get busy.

Some women love a Hallmark movie. I love a Jack Reacher adventure. This stop has Reacher tackling some really despicable people and had me intrigued until the last chapter. I loved the addition of a young innocent teenager and would have loved more interactions with him and Reacher. Maybe it is time for Reacher to have a protege! But I will always be ready for Reachers next adventure.

Even though this is the 27th book in the series (and 3rd collaboration between the Child brothers), this book can be read as a stand-alone. Relentless pacing, big action sequences, and a masterfully plotted adventure that sets the beloved drifter on a collision course with another powerful antagonist.

No Plan B has all the staples we’ve come to appreciate in a Jack Reacher story: a small-town(or towns in this book) with dark secrets, Reacher, naturally, will apply brutal reason and force to find his way into the depths of the small town’s corruption. Most Reacher stories focus on Reacher, the victims, and the bad guys, but this one has two additional side-plots: a teenage boy runs away from his foster home in L.A. to reunite with his imprisoned father; and an arsonist wants vengeance for his son’s mysterious death.

It's a fast-paced, fun adventure that all Reacher fans will enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Lee and Andrew Child for a copy of No Plan B in exchange of an honest review.

No Plan B by Lee Child, Andrew Child is a highly recommended action thriller and the 27th novel in the Jack Reacher series.

Jack Reacher is passing through Gerrardsville, Colorado, when he sees a man stealthily push a woman under the wheels of a moving bus. He is the only witness who saw the complete view of the murder and the killer taking the woman's purse. The death is ruled a suicide, but, Reacher, being who he his, chased the killer down and now he is a target. When urge to not get involved, he doesn't care. He is going to find out why the woman was murdered and who is responsible. The problem is that those responsible don't truly understand the talents of Reacher and think any threat he poses can easily be eliminated.

Adding to the main story line which follows Reacher's quest for justice, there are two other subplots. In one, a 15-year-old boy runs away from his foster home in L.A. after learning from his dying birth mother the identity of his father. The second one is a father, who is also an arsonist, is seeking vengeance for his son’s death.

This thriller moves along at a rapid pace, with plenty of complications and twists along the way. Readers of the series know there will be violence as Reacher dispenses justice and stops the bad guys. Reacher should be a known character by this time, along with his physique, background, and determination to right wrongs and bring justice to whatever situation he encounters. You might have to suspend disbelief, but No Plan B, the latest addition to the series, will be read for the action movie plot, clever fight scenes, and escapism.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Random House via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

another satisfying read in the Jack Reacher series. Fast paced and engaging. It does follow the Jack Reacher "formula" yet does not feel formulaic. Action driven and satisfying, I look forward to the next installment.

The best parts of a Jack Reacher novel are always when he faces adversaries that demand he capitulate in some way and he refuses; in the face of overwhelming odds, he reigns supreme. It never really matters if the bad guy’s weapon of choice is a gun, fist, data point or car door. Reacher will have the perfect response and will deliver it with precision. The rest of the story is just filler. In NO PLAN B the plot is about average for the series, with some nice twists by the end, yet more convoluted than necessary. For fans of the series, this will be a pleasure to read. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

No one thought Jack Reacher could visit Colorado without something happening. While on the sidewalk, Reacher observed a male push a woman into the street. That woman got hit by a bus. That male reached under the bus, grabbed her purse, put it in a trash bag, and left the scene. Reacher and a few other witnesses were interviewed but Reacher was the only one who saw the male push the victim. The other "witnesses" saw something else and the police believed those other "witnesses." No Plan B was an exciting fast-paced read.

I am a Jack Reacher fan and happily read the 27th in the continuing series. Reacher witnesses a women getting pushed in the way of a bus and someone steals her purse. When the death is ruled a suicide he knows something isn’t adding up. That death leads to him to discover the death of a male friend of hers that she was supposed to meet. Hannah, ex-wife of the dead man, teams with Reacher to figure out what is behind the conspiracy. The journey takes them from Colorado to Mississippi meeting henchman along the way.

Reacher is an ex-military MP, who lives a drifter life. He prefers to use his fists, head and feet but will use a gun when pressed. There is a lot of violence in these stories but only mild cursing and seldom intimacy. Andrew Child is taking over writing the series from his brother and I believe this is his third book. I sometimes miss the old Reacher that would map out the fight and the physics behind in his head before it taking a swing. But I like Andrew’s newer Reacher who is more likely to partner with someone and even use a cel-phone. There are a couple of storylines that lead to a twisting ending. And I appreciate the big bad isn’t a vague villain like a drug cartel.

Highly recommend to Reacher readers. If you’re new to the character this book can be read as a stand alone as there are no connections with previous books and contacts. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"No Plan B" by Andrew Child is full of intrigue!

Reacher's journey starts in Gerrardsville, Colorado where he witnesses a woman being pushed under a bus, and a man in a hoodie took her purse and left the scene. Another "reliable" (non-drifter) eyewitness said she lunged into the bus, a definite suicide. The police took his word and close the case. Reacher knew what he saw being a former MP, he's not letting this go. Reacher meets Hannah who recently lost someone close where both deaths seem to connect.

Reacher and Hannah formed an alliance to find out the truth. A father in Chicago loses his son. A fifteen-year-old foster boy from Los Angeles searching for his dad. Everyone heads to Winson, Mississippi.

I guess I was being very cocky, I thought I figured it out at 20%. Haha, wrong!! I should've seen it coming though, but it was better this way.

This is full of action and intrigue and can be read as a standalone. I think this is the best Andrew Child yet. I squirm at a certain scene...brutal, but Reacher is still my hero.💓

“The drifter from Colorado. Reacher. He was trying to come here.”

“On the surface everything looked normal, but he knew there was something wrong. He just didn’t know what. Yet.”

“Maybe it’s time we switched to Plan B.”

Another solid outing from our favorite vigilante drifter. I’m getting a little more used to Andrew Child’s writing style which was noticeably different in the last book, Better Off Dead. While there are a few times Andrew Child unnecessary overly describes a scene/location, he reins it in more in Plan B thankfully. So this makes it read more like a Lee Child written Jack Reacher book.

Reacher is in his element again, at the right place at the right time (or maybe the wrong place at the wrong time). He goes out of his way to bring the bad guys to justice while knocking many, many people unconscious. I enjoyed that one of the people he knocks out was named Wade!

What made this Reacher book a little unique was there were several storylines merging together. We see Reacher, of course, but also the storyline of Jed, a teenage runaway. We also see a few storylines of the bad guys which was cool. So there are definitely a lot of sections of this book where you do not know what is happening or how it relates. But with experienced authors, you know they will get you to the finish line with all answers revealed. And they do. And as always, looking forward to the next Reacher book next year.

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I will leave a review on Amazon and B&N on Oct. 25th

I have not read any of the Reacher books before, so wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this author. I would have to say he would not fall into the category of favorite authors. Sadly I did not connect with this book or character at all. I don't mind violence in books, for me I have to wonder what so many people see in this character and author. Having said that I would still suggest it to others that enjoy this author or series, because I know not eveyone enjoys the same writing styles.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.