Lee Child does more with a small cast than just about any writer I can think of. "Without Fail" has that austere, sparse feel that enables the reader to know all the principle characters quite well.
Reacher is just a magnificent lead character...a loner, a superbly self-confident avenging arch angel, an idealist with an incorruptible set of ethics...more a presence than a character.
With no fixed address and traveling lightly, he becomes a Lone Ranger transplanted in to the 21st century...riding off into the sunset when his mission is accomplished. In "Without Fail" he does (at least temporarily) acquire a couple of Tontos.
Impossible to put down, a nifty insider's glimpse of the Secret Service, crisp action, high intensity plot...do not miss "Without Fail." It is Lee Child's best until the next one.
Writing in the spare, tight prose that has become synonymous with Reacher's character--this man who owns almost nothing, lives anywhere, but is not emotionally unencumbered--the plot builds in pitch until it hits a crescendo, literally in the middle of nowhere. Reacher and his associate, Frances Neagley, (former military associate he has called upon for assistance on this job) work together like the proverbial well-oiled machine, and it is pure pleasure to witness how they think, how they deduce, how they calculate odds, risks, plans of action.
The author allows the behavior of the primary characters to reveal their inner lives, rather than wasting precious narrative time (and flow) on attempts to explain them from the outside-in. Final words, a half-written letter, the touch of one hand on another all have great import as a result.
This is a fine book. Most highly recommended.
This time around, M. E. Froelich asks Jack to help her protect the Vice President elect of the United States, Brook Armstrong. Froelich is in charge of the Secret Service detail that is assigned to keep Armstrong safe as he travels around the country. Of late, Armstrong has received a series of threatening letters from an anonymous source. Froelich was in love with Jack's late brother, Joe Reacher, who died tragically in the line of duty, and she knows that Jack is a terrific investigator with a sharp mind and unerring instincts. Froelich wants to be certain that there are no gaps in the security that she is providing for Armstrong and she believes that Reacher is the man who can help her. He agrees and he brings on board a former military associate, a woman named Frances Neagley, who is now a security consultant in Chicago. Neagley is as well trained and as sharp as Jack himself, and she and Jack make a great team.
Reacher and Neagley put their heads together to answer some tough questions. Who is threatening Brook Armstrong and why? Does someone have a personal vendetta against the Vice President elect? Or is the perpetrator a disgruntled individual who has a grudge against the Secret Service or perhaps against Froelich herself? Reacher and Neagley call upon all of their considerable investigative resources as they consult with representatives of both the Secret Service and the FBI to track down the killer or killers before they carry out their threats. During the investigation, Froelich and Reacher find that they are attracted to one another. This adds another complication to an already tense situation.
Child's novel is fast-paced and entertaining. As always, his details about firearms and investigative procedure add authenticity and background color to the plot. The characters are all finely drawn, and Reacher has never been so commanding and astute as he is in "Without Fail." The denouement of the book is both surprising and unpredictable. In every way, "Without Fail" delivers the goods. It is an action-packed thriller that will have you turning pages quickly to see how the situation will play out. If you are not yet a fan of Jack Reacher and Lee Child, don?t be surprised if you soon join the ranks of those who are.