Short Story Wednesday Review: Eleven Numbers: A Short Story by Lee Child

Eleven Numbers: A Short Story by Lee Child is something far different than one would expect from the author of the legendary Jack Reacher series. Instead, this quick read is all about math and mathematician Nathan Tyler. But, as the publisher synopsis makes clear, spy stuff is also at work here.

 

Despite the advice from the airline, the State Department, and his boss, Nathan Tyler is headed to Russia for a mathematics conference.  Tyler is sure that the Russians value and respect math. He is sure that the conference will an island of calm in a sea of chaos and noise. Besides, he is a man on a mission and operating on a need-to-know basis and other folks do not need to know everything that is in his head.

 

Of course, things go sideways. The questions are twofold. How did they go sideways? Is he going to get home, alive and in one piece?

A pleasant change of pace, Eleven Numbers: A Short Story by Lee Child is a fast moving and fun read. Even if you hated math in school and can’t balance a checkbook to save yourself, like me, you will learn a thing or two about numbers. Especially, eleven very important ones.

 

Recommended.

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Q78zIZ

 

My reading copy came by way of a digital ARC, made available by the publisher, Amazon Original Stories, through NetGalley, after the publication date earlier this month. Good thing to for this reader as the Dallas Public Library System does not carry it.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025