It’s said that the third time is a charm. It’s also said that the number thirteen is unlucky. But for fans of Jack Reacher, thirteen is not only not unlucky, it is a much-welcomed charm. The latest entry (thirteenth, by the way) in Lee Child’s long-running Jack Reacher series, Gone Tomorrow, starts off explosively with Jack on the subway at two o’clock in the morning. There are five other passengers on the train; it’s the typical pastiche of New York, nothing out of the ordinary. But one person in the car catches Reacher’s eye. Susan Mark is that passenger, and she is
exhibiting all of the outward signs of a suicide bomber.
A list of twelve signs are on an Israeli list that Reacher has read, and he’s recognized them all in Susan. He keeps a keen eye on her, looks around the car, and finally intervenes. It’s this incident that sets this thrill-a-minute story in motion. Reacher is the ultimate loner; he trusts no one. He’s being lied to, crossed, and double-crossed, which sends him from New York to Washington D.C., and back to New York, all of it having to do with a link to an incident that happened in Afghanistan in 1983.
After the hot opening, the book goes into a slow burn for about a third of the way, setting up all the background
and developing the characters and the backstory. About midway through, the action picks up hot and heavy in typical Reacher style, and the tension ratchets up to white-knuckle level. The action and narrative are kick into overdrive as the body count rises and the brutality increases; one scene in particular where Jack watches a DVD will stick with you for a long time after you have closed the book or finished listening.
The unabridged version of Gone Tomorrow is twelve discs and runs fourteen and a half hours. Narrator and three-time Audie award-winner Dick Hill is magnificent as always. He brings his usual perfect timing, subtle nuances, accents, and overall skill in bringing the characters to life. Production values on this audio book are high; the audio was crisp and clear, creating the perfect venue for Dick to entertain listeners’ ears with Lee Child’s story. Every Reacher Creature should pick this one up. Jack is back – and that’s a fact!