A Wanted Man

A Jack Reacher Novel

By: Lee Child

Narrated by: Dick Hill

A masterpiece of suspense from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child

Four people in a car, hoping to make Chicago by morning. One man driving, eyes on the road. Another man next to him, telling stories that don’t add up. A woman in the back, silent and worried. And next to her, a huge man with a broken nose, hitching a ride east to Virginia.

An hour behind them, a man lies stabbed to death in an old pumping station. He was seen going in with two others, but he never came out. He has been executed, the knife work professional, the killers vanished. Within minutes, the police are notified. Within hours, the FBI descends, laying claim to the victim without ever saying who he was or why he was there.

All Reacher wanted was a ride to Virginia. All he did was stick out his thumb. But he soon discovers he has hitched more than a ride. He has tied himself to a massive conspiracy that makes him a threat—to both sides at once.

In Lee Child’s white-hot thriller, nothing is what it seems, and nobody is telling the truth. As the tension rises, the twists come fast and furious, keeping readers guessing and gasping until the explosive finale.

Praise for #1 bestselling author Lee Child and his Reacher series

“Child is a superb craftsman of suspense.”—Entertainment Weekly

“The truth about Reacher gets better and better.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“Implausible, irresistible Reacher remains just about the best butt-kicker in thriller-lit.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Like his hero Jack Reacher, Lee Child seems to make no wrong steps.”—Associated Press

“Lee Child [is] the current poster-boy of American crime fiction.”—Los Angeles Times

“Indisputably the best escape artist in this escapist genre.”—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times

“Jack Reacher is much more like the heir to the Op and Marlowe than Spenser ever was.”—Esquire

©2012 Lee Child (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Jack Reacher is much more like the heir to the Op and Marlowe than Spenser ever was." (Esquire)

"Indisputably the best escape artist in this escapist genre." (Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times)

"Lee Child [is] the current poster-boy of American crime fiction." (Los Angeles Times)

I am a Reacher creature.

What did you love best about A Wanted Man?

The story arc over the last 2 books. Plus the Byzantine plot was pure lee child. He is the best!!

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Child's plots are always skin tight. Killing floor started me off and I have every book.

Which scene was your favorite?

The setup to the basic story line. Very believable. Very suspenseful. Great dialogue.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Reacher creatures never cry. Jeez; have you read any of his books?

Any additional comments?

I will NOT go see that little squirt Tom Cruise play Jack Reacher this winter when the film of One Shot comes out. They couldn't have cast a more unbelievable person to play Jack this side of Pee Wee Herman!

The danger of hitchhiking

The book starts off with Jack Reacher standing on the interstate junction waiting for a ride. He is picked up by car with two men and a woman, then the fun begins. The story has lots of tension and twists and turns to the plot. Lee Child adds two strong FBI women to the mix and does a good job switching back and forth the story of what is going on with Reacher and the law enforcement in pursuit. This is a bit different than the last few stories. Dick Hill, of course, did his usual great job. His portrayal of the speech sounds of a person with a broken nose was good. Child had a few phrases he repeated a number of times which was a bit annoying but other than that the book was great. Looking forward to the next book.

Who knew the Midwest had so much going on?

A Wanted Man, Lee Child's 17th Jack Reacher novel is set in Jack's post-Army days. The story begins immediately following Worth Dying For (#15). Jack is hitching his way to Virginia and is picked up by a duo who carjacked and kidnapped a cocktail waitress and recently killed an unidentified individual that the State Department and CIA are tracking. Eventually, Jack is left for "dead" and then placed in protective custody by the FBI over an ongoing "national security" issue. With the help of two other involved FBI agents, Jack rescues a 3rd G-man before resuming his eastward passage.

This installment is a bit uneven in delivery as much of the first half has Reacher in a car with at most, eye blink exchanges with the other hostage. After the car ride, the pace slows even further as Reacher is shuffled off to a holding pen (for his own protection). Plot twists, red herrings, and undercover ringers are then liberally spread throughout the rest of the tale. Jack has little opportunity to display his "Sherlockian" sleuthing skills as well as few instances of his fisticuffs. Only near the end does he get a chance to mix it up with the real "bad" guys. Overall, the pacing and interspersion of action scenes and sleuthing, along with general plot progression is uneven and inhibits story flow.

Dick Hill does an admirable narration with the caveat that Reacher endures a broken nose (from #15) for the entire story forcing Hill to render a nasally Jack that sounds like one long cold and flu commercial. While the range of voices and the narration pace is excellent, the story does drag a bit, especially in the early going.

I still like Child

I love Lee Child's writing, and his observations and asides still enchant. I almost never give a pass to unrealistic situations but somehow when Reacher uncovers byzantine conspiracies and ends up out of touch and out of reach in a Corner of Nowhere despite this being an extremely connected society... I go along. I don't know why I cut Child so much slack. Perhaps it is because I love the "Stranger comes to Town" trope.
I just the author would get back to more grounded situations. The villains were faceless. We never get to know them. That can work, but here it just makes the conflict oddly bloodless despite all the blood.

Oddly David Baldacci's "Zero Day" has been called a Jack Reacher homage, and I find "A Wanted Man" to be weirdly evocative of "Zero Day", and I know that is either a strange coincidence... or a conspriacy!

One final note on action and violence: way way to little. Reacher never even punches someone in the stomach till near the end of the book. I appreciate that he is a detective unraveling a mystery, but he is a very large, very strong detective who knows how to fight dirty. The best fight is the one you walk away from--- unless you're a thriller writer.

Reacher, better than ever.

Really enjoyed the latest Lee Chid Reacher novel. Great story line, lots of twists and turns. Very entertaining.

Good Story, Difficult Narration

So, it's a good story but since the main character has a broken nose throughout the book- it's a tougher listen than normal. So, over all, it's certainly worth the listen. But the advice to the author is simple for any future books: for readers that actually read a book, having a broken nose is fine, but for an audible book- it's a really bad idea!

Not Child's best, but worth listening to.

What made the experience of listening to A Wanted Man the most enjoyable?

An interesting storyline, with several very unexpected twists in the last few chapters. The relationships between the characters are never static.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Wanted Man?

When the characters are revealed for who they are and for whom they work; the denoument. (Especially the "cocktail waitress.")

Have you listened to any of Dick Hill’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

His performances are among my favorite; he is the voice of Jack Reacher. In this particular reading, though, I found Reacher's voice (speaking through his broken nose) to be annoying. Although it was true to the storyline, it was grating.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I choose my books specifically NOT to be read all in one sitting. They are what makes a frequent seven hour drive bearable.

Any additional comments?

I frequently make my seven-hour drive during what many would consider to be nocturnal hours. Listening to a good audiobook is what keeps me awake.

It just kept on going...

What did you like best about A Wanted Man? What did you like least?

I enjoy the way Dick HIll reads, but this story just kept dragging on, and on. In the end I was left feeling - really, that's it?

Very Slow

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Not the Best of lee Child...still Reacher is Reacher

What was most disappointing about Lee Child’s story?

The Plot was very hard to follow

Have you listened to any of Dick Hill’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Ive listened to dozens...he is one of the best

Did A Wanted Man inspire you to do anything?

Look for the net Vince Flyn thriller...

Not Child's Best

Would you consider the audio edition of A Wanted Man to be better than the print version?

Audio for me is better since being blind print books are worthless.

Would you recommend A Wanted Man to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend it for those who already enjoy Child's work, but not as a first time Child reading selection.

What does Dick Hill bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator is quite good, and I greatly enjoy listening to him.

Any additional comments?

I love this series, but sadly Wanted just didn't have the same riveting plot I've come to expect from the author. It just seemed like he was putting out another novel, instead of really putting his all into it like prior books.