For Jack Reacher, the car that finally stopped that
Nebraska night meant that Reacher was finally going to be able to move along on
his quest to see a woman in Virginia. Wintertime in Nebraska does not mean warm
weather. Reacher was glad to get out of the cold. Especially as it had already
been a long day and his busted nose was still bothering him pretty good.
When he climbed into the backseat of the car next to
the woman it didn’t take long for him to realize something was off about the
group. All three were dressed identically in black pants and blue denim shirts.
What they say they are doing and what they are doing are clearly two different
things. The men identify themselves as Alan King and Don McQueen. They do the
majority of the talking while the woman, Karen Delfuenso, keeps her mouth shut.
The guys continue to talk too much and start making
minor slipups. Things that might not be obvious to others, but errors the
former Army Military Policeman notices. Before long, Reacher figures out that
nearly everything they have said is a lie. What he has yet to figure out is
what they do, the role of the woman, and why the group keeps hitting police
roadblocks set up on the interstate.
The latest in the series finds Reacher in the middle
of a mess that moves across Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas. Stuck in the center of
the country he isn’t going further towards his goal of getting to Virginia if
things don’t get cleared up. Worse yet, as a suspect or a material witness depending
on which person from what agency is talking, he might just vanish by way of the
Patriot Act if some have their way.
Another good one in the series this novel features a
more analytical and distant Reacher than the last several books. This is
depicted through the use of internal monologue as well as in his dialogue with
others. The wide distance between him and others is always there as is his
often stated main goal of getting to Virginia.
Shifting in point of view from Reacher to many other
characters involved in this drama, the focus is building suspense. Since
readers know beforehand that Reacher won’t die, otherwise the series would end,
it becomes obvious that others will die. They do and in two cases it is rather disappointing
that things were resolved in that way.
Ultimately, A Wanted Man: A Jack Reacher Novel
is another good one in the series. Relying on his intellect and his physical abilities/skills
along with a little help from temporary companions, Reacher achieves a sort of
justice. He again manages to survive events only a little worse for wear. After
all, he has a woman waiting on him in Virginia.
A
Wanted Man: A Jack Reacher Novel
Lee
Child
Delacorte
Press (imprint of Random House)
September
11, 2012
ISBN#
978-0-385-34433-3
Hardback
416
Pages
$28.00
ARC provided by Shelf Awareness in exchange for my
objective review. Shelf Awareness is offering readers a chance to win a copy of
the book via their latest contest widget at left. Shelf Awareness is solely responsible
for their contest.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2012
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2 comments:
You have me curios about why the three are dressed the same!
Morgan Mandel
;))
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