The Affair

Jack Reacher, Book 16

By: Lee Child

Narrated by: Jeff Harding

Brought to you by Penguin.

Read by award-winning narrator Jeff Harding.

**NOW A MAJOR PRIME TV SERIES STARRING ALAN RITCHSON**

March 1997. A woman has her throat cut behind a bar in Mississippi.

Just down the road is a big army base. Is the murderer a local guy - or is he a soldier?

Jack Reacher, still a major in the military police, is sent in undercover.

The county sheriff is a former U.S. Marine - and a stunningly beautiful woman. Her investigation is going nowhere. Is the Pentagon stonewalling her? Or is she trying not to find the killer?

Set just six months before the opening of Killing Floor, The Affair marks a turning point in Reacher's career.

If he does what the army wants, will he be able to live with himself? And if he doesn't, will the army be able to live with him?

Although the Jack Reacher novels can be listened to in any order, The Affair is 16th in the series.

'There's only one Jack Reacher. Accept no substitutes.' Mick Herron

‘Jeff Harding’s [...] narration captures Reacher’s character perfectly [...] you have to savour every minute.’ The Sunday Times

©2011 Lee Child (P)2011 Penguin Audio

Jack against bureaucratic malfunction.

If you could sum up The Affair in three words, what would they be?

Fearless, violent, right.

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

As a non-American, who loves America, the covering up Washington scandal riddled politician is the stuff of legacy. Jack and the district tortured beauty, sorts out all sorts of political malignancies. The fun is, it is not done with diplomacy, but something a lot more primordial.

Which scene was your favorite?

The local brainless duo walks up to Reacher in a tone of dissonance, Guess the outcome? I was playing air-vigilanty while listening.

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

Too true. Dishes not washed, owner unhappy.

Riveting reading when commuting daily

What made the experience of listening to The Affair the most enjoyable?

Suspense gripped me from the first line when the scene is set for the eventual confrontation between Reacher and Colonel Franklin. What also kept the read enjoyable was that the suspect seemed obvious until everything is brought to light in an enthralling climax.

What other book might you compare The Affair to and why?

Lee Child's The Visitor because the perpetrator worked for the FBI, an arm of state security, as Colonel Franklin worked for the military in The Affair. .

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

Jeff Harding, being american, brings strength to the Reacher character and makes him believably american even though Reacher grew up on different army bases all around the world.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The deep social divide between rich and poor and perception of justice in communities on either side of the tracks moved me throughout the story.

Any additional comments?

The gruesome way the women were murdered in the story may outrage sensitive listeners, but the message is that power hunger can be very cruel and must be seen in that context. The passion scenes only spice up the story and nothing more as there is clearly no future commitment.

My 14th Jack Reacher novel & I rate it in my Top 5

What made the experience of listening to The Affair the most enjoyable?

It was nice to go back in time to Reacher's final days in the Army and the story being told in the 1st person was interesting.The opening is a little bit too descriptive for my liking but the pace picks up quickly and ~12 hoursof listening passed in a flash. The last 90 minutes had me absolutely hooked. I also really enjoy Jeff Harding as narrator ... my favourite by far.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Because this particular book is told in the first person there can really only be one favourite character .. .Reacher himself. Otherwise, I always love it when Neagley pops up in the story line and her bit part in this novel doesn't disappoint.

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

Jeff Harding knows when and how to pause. He is articulate and I like that his volume is pretty much normalised throughout ... no whispering or yelling. He easily communicates a faster pace when necessary and I love that I can't really hear him breathing. His voice reminds me very much of Jack Nicholson but with absolute clarity.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

My tag line for a movie of this book would be "Apple from the tree" as in "The apple does not fall far from the tree" or to quote Friedrich Nietzscheas "What was silent in the father speaks in the son, and often I found in the son the unveiled secret of the father."

Any additional comments?

Great book. Great listen.

I love Jack Reacher read by Jeff Harding.

I love Jack Reacher read by Jeff Harding. His voice and pace bring Reacher to life.

Not so good

I have listened to around 3 lee child books. This one is my least favorite of all of them. I like the reacher character a lot, so I kept returning to lee child books thinking that it would be worth my time. I gave 3 stars only because I completed it. If you never any reacher novel before then start with "one shot". If you want something better than "One Shot" this one is certainly not for you

Another great Jack Reacher novel

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

Great story, and good to hear a story from Jack Reacher's background in the army

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

He's a excellent narrator, does an amazing job of all of the different voices. You can tell who the character is just from the way he speaks for them. Even does women's voices well.

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

Definitely. Trouble was, sleep got in the way, so couldn't listen to it all in one go.

Any additional comments?

The Jack Reacher series is awesome, and this is as good all as the others I have listened to. If you like Reacher, you will like this one.

Spoken in the first person, as if narrated by Reacher, which was a nice change from the normal third person style, helps you to get a good feel for him.

Very annoyed.

The audio book was great. However, I bitterly resent being forced to write a review in order to access the rest of my library. If I don't want to write a review, that should be my own business. I have paid a lot for these books, and I expect access on my iPad whenever I want. However, I find that the review pop up allows no access to my books unless I review. Stop it, or its one star reviews from me!

If this was my only Reacher book..

I would own no more if this was the first I had read, this was the same formula but it felt loose.

A Great Reacher Transition Tale

Story was good but really liked how it finished. Gives insight into Jack's transition for investigator to over qualified Hobo.