Product Description

Jack Reacher is six foot five and dangerous, adrift in the hellish heat of Texas, moving like a shark in the water, and looking for a lift through the vast empty landscape. A Cadillac stops. A ride, but with a hitch. A pretty young woman, alone. Her husband's in jail. When he comes out, he's going to kill her. Her family's hostile, she can't trust the cops, and lawyers won't help. Reacher is her last option. Will this be the first time he says no - to a lady in distress?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1299 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 571 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
There was a time when a US-set crime novel by a British writer (such as James Hadley Chase's No Orchids For Miss Blandish) could get away with a certain carelessness in local detail. Not any more. Since the Englishman Lee Child began writing his superbly authentic novels, few readers on either side of the Atlantic would accept anything other than the gritty authenticity of books such as Child's latest, Echo Burning. He prides himself on the plausibility of his settings and characters, and actually has a more striking sense of the American landscape that many native writers. He never allows the reader to forget just where his hero Jack Reacher is, what he's feeling, smelling, seeing. And Reacher has slowly but surely become one of the most fully rounded protagonists in thriller fiction. It's hardly surprising that the novels have been optioned for filming; what is surprising is the fact that it hasn't happened before.

Jack finds himself suffering the intense heat of a Texas summer, and (leaving behind a messy situation) hardly worries about the dangers of who will pick him up when he hitches a ride. But it's a beautiful young rich girl driving a Cadillac who gives Jack a lift. Carmen tells him she has a little girl who is being observed by unseen and sinister forces. And her brutal, abusive jailed husband is more than likely to kill her when he gets out. It's obviously highly inadvisable for Jack to travel to Carmen's remote ranch in Echo County and become involved in her problems, but (needless to say) he does just that. And he's soon encountering lies, lust and prejudice, with untrustworthy cops and lawyers absolutely no help. Jack finally realises that there is only one way to resolve this lethal situation.

As always with Child, the narrative rattles along with real élan, and the sultry characterisation keeps everything ruthlessly on track. --Barry Forshaw

Review
Since Child began his series of gritty, involving thrillers such as Killing Floor, Die Trying and Tripwire, he has slowly built a reputation as one of the most reliable practitioners of the genre. The authenticity of the US setting in books is doubly impressive given that Child is English. That authenticity extends to the characters, perfectly realized against a menacing American landscape, and his hero Jack Reacher has inexorably become one of the most distinctive protagonists around. This time, Reacher is grimly enduring the intense heat of a Texas summer, and has decided to find what fate has to offer in other towns. He's not too concerned about who will pick him up when he hitches a ride. It turns out to be a seductive young woman, obviously wealthy, driving a Cadillac. The girl, Carmen, tells him she has a little daughter who is being pursued by sinister, unidentified men. And her abusive husband is in jail, and likely to kill her when he gets out. So it's a bad idea for Jack to travel to Carmen's lonely ranch in Echo County and get mixed up in her troubles, but (of course) that's just what he does. And before long he's up against deception, violence and some dangerous sexual situations, with crooked cops and shifty lawyers making his life even more complicated. This novel exerts its grip within pages, and Child's ex-military cop hero is as winning as ever - even if he continues to show bad judgment. Another winner from an accomplished author. (Kirkus UK)

Sunday Telegraph
'Plenty of twists and plenty of excitement...another real page-turner'

Customer Reviews

This is one of Reachers best adventures
Great plot, great action and suspense as Lee Child delivers again, fantastic read you will not be let down with this one.

Reacher at his best !!
This is the 6th book of Lee Child's that I have read - and I have yet to be disappointed. He writes well, weaves a good, solid story with rich characters and environments. Fortunately, he avoids the pitfalls of other adventure novelists who are so caught up in their desire to show their knowledge - they tack on an extra 100 pages of 'dressing' that really doesn't impact the story. Also - while there's plenty of action - it's realistic, not fantastic. While Jack Reacher may be slightly larger than life - he's also human, broodingly so at times - but intelligent.

In this story - Jack is again cruising the country when he is brought into a conflict in Texas with a woman, an unusual family and a town that feels very real and familiar. While he initially tries to avoid being brought into the woman's drama - his curiosity and empathy outweigh his caution - and he is dragged into a serpentine situation, watching over a family, a little girl and dealing with very protective 'friends'. Suspected wife abuse, an investigative reporter and the politics of Texas are all brought in - mixed with a little intrigue of a third party who takes an interest in Jack and his activities.

I won't detail any more than that - as I encourage the reader to dig in. Like all of his books I've read - this one starts quickly, moves along steadily and keeps you interested from the beginning to the end - throwing a few surprises in along the way, it is difficult to find great reads in this genre but when Child is on form then they are brill, try the `Soft Target` novels by Conrad Jones, excellent reading..back to the review . Pick this one up - you won't regret it!

Great thriller
Jack Reacher is my absolute hero,and the author never lets me down.A different twist-less blood than some of his tales but he kept me guessing to the end. Clever! It has more of a detective story to it- who is lying? -who is behind the kidnap plan? and I really was gripped. He is un-putdownable.