Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
New York : Jove Books, 2009.
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:Jack Reacher races to solve the perfect crime in the fourth novel in Lee Child�??s New York Times bestselling series. Across the country, women are being murdered, victims of a disciplined and clever killer who leaves no trace evidence, no fatal wounds, no signs of struggle, and no clues to an apparent motive. They are, truly, perfect crimes. In fact, there�??s only one thing that links the victims. Each one of the women knew Jack Reacher�??and it�??s got him ru
User reviews
LibraryThing member jwals
Jack is taken into custody by the FBI after several women are murdered, all with a connection not just to the army, but also to Jack Reacher.
All of them had filed sexual harassment charges against a superior, won their case and left the army. Jack had been the investigating officer in each case.
The
The book is longer than it should be with too much description of no real benefit to the story.
When Jack explained the whole thing, it was implausible with gaping holes.
I found this a tedious and wearing book. Fortunately Lee Child has written more and better books since.
Best I could do for this is two stars.
All of them had filed sexual harassment charges against a superior, won their case and left the army. Jack had been the investigating officer in each case.
The
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FBI had Jack under 24 hour surveillance when the third murder was committed so they know it’s not him, but he fits the profile. So they ask him to help, he’s reluctant, they use blackmail/ threats, until Jack agrees to co-operate. The book is longer than it should be with too much description of no real benefit to the story.
When Jack explained the whole thing, it was implausible with gaping holes.
I found this a tedious and wearing book. Fortunately Lee Child has written more and better books since.
Best I could do for this is two stars.
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LibraryThing member edwardsgt
An early Jack Reacher, only three years out of the army and recruited by the FBI to help with the puzzling murders of ex-army women. Several twists in the plot before the perpetrator is revealed, although the modus operandi, becomes fairly obvious early on. Not a top drawer Reacher but still a cut
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above many other authors. Show Less
LibraryThing member amberwitch
The usual Reacher full speed action story without a boring moment. The plot was kind contrieved though, and the villain very not-so-probable.
LibraryThing member unrequitedlibrarian
Tone of language: Poetic and atmospheric
Characters: Fiercely independent and in conflict with one another
Plot twists: Bizarre murders require much rethinking to solve
Pace: The FBI's large resources speed up the investigation.
Values: People should do what they really want
Sexuality: Undercurrents of
Background research: Street fighting tactics
Ending: The powerless will always be powerless.
Offensive to any group: Hypnotists
Target audience: Men
Flaws: Hypnosis doesn't work the way it is portrayed. It can't make people do what they don't want to do.
Characters: Fiercely independent and in conflict with one another
Plot twists: Bizarre murders require much rethinking to solve
Pace: The FBI's large resources speed up the investigation.
Values: People should do what they really want
Sexuality: Undercurrents of
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animal magnetism and an actual kissBackground research: Street fighting tactics
Ending: The powerless will always be powerless.
Offensive to any group: Hypnotists
Target audience: Men
Flaws: Hypnosis doesn't work the way it is portrayed. It can't make people do what they don't want to do.
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LibraryThing member swl
Much better than the only other LC book I've read. I don't entirely "get" Reacher, and I'm not sure I should have to read the whole series in order to understand him. It's a tough job, but I think every book in a series has to adequately present the characters.
What I liked best about the book:
What I didn't like: Harper. Come on, another really hot woman with a badge, who falls for the hero? And rarely wears a bra? If this is a gift to the male readership, I guess I get it, but it doesn't say much for their sophistication.
I hear LC is a really nice guy and champion of new writers, so I'll keep reading him for that reason alone.
What I liked best about the book:
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Reacher's longing to be "free" again, on the road, unencumbered. This was so well described, and interesting, that it made up for some of the lapses into boring type. Also, the battle with the FBI, which Reacher wins with style. And last, the tension reached all the way through the book; while I had a feeling who the bad guy was, it wasn't obvious, and it kept the pages turning.What I didn't like: Harper. Come on, another really hot woman with a badge, who falls for the hero? And rarely wears a bra? If this is a gift to the male readership, I guess I get it, but it doesn't say much for their sophistication.
I hear LC is a really nice guy and champion of new writers, so I'll keep reading him for that reason alone.
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LibraryThing member MSWallack
Although I'm not usually a fan of mysteries, I've always been a sucker for a good (really good) serial killer novel. In Running Blind, Lee Child combines an inventive serial killer novel with a great, non-traditional character in Jack Reacher. Maybe I've just read too many of these, but I was able
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to guess several of the "payoffs" way too early, but it was still fun watching the characters get work there way to the solution. I also enjoyed the way that Child managed to carefully address the open plot elements from Tripwire. Show Less
LibraryThing member AlmondJoy
Ex-MP Jack Reacher is forced to help the FBI catch a killer targeting women who had filed sexual harassment charges while they were serving in the Army. Fourth in a series--the best one yet! Likeable protagonist. Fast-paced with a good story line.
LibraryThing member reading_fox
Jack's on form again. Unlike many of the others this is actually a sequel to Tripwire, and although it isn't necessary to read that first, it will probably help a bit. Jodie features again.
An inability to let a personal contact suffer injustice, leads to the FBI (in a very contrived and somewhat
The intersersed details from the killers POV don't really work, though they have been carefully crafted not to reavel the identity. Jack relations with the FBI are also somewhat unlikely but the fast paced writing allows for a certain suspension of disbelief that carries it along nicely. This isn't the best fo the JR novels but it's still a worthy read. Jack's musings on the direction of his relationship with Jodie and his new house in Garrison help develop him a bit more as a character.
An inability to let a personal contact suffer injustice, leads to the FBI (in a very contrived and somewhat
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unbelivable manner) gaining his assistance in a hunt for a bizarre serial killer. Jack isn't really motivated to assist, but as he gradually gets to know some of the other potential targets he realises this is an equally worthy cause. But the killer is very very smart, leaving a crime scene with no evidence at all, not even an apparent method of death. The ending is surprisingly unviolent for a JR novel, with a sudden revelation of the killer's identity and a fairly contrived rounding up of the loose ends.The intersersed details from the killers POV don't really work, though they have been carefully crafted not to reavel the identity. Jack relations with the FBI are also somewhat unlikely but the fast paced writing allows for a certain suspension of disbelief that carries it along nicely. This isn't the best fo the JR novels but it's still a worthy read. Jack's musings on the direction of his relationship with Jodie and his new house in Garrison help develop him a bit more as a character.
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LibraryThing member Aloel
In Jack Reacher, Lee Child has created an epic hero: tough, taciturn, yet vulnerable. His first three Reacher novels, Killing Floor, Die Trying and Tripwire, were published to great acclaim; Killing Floor was recently awarded the Anthony Award in America for the Best First Novel, and Die Trying was
It's tough being a high-flying woman in the Army. Very tough. When Sergeant Amy Callan and Lieutenant Caroline Cook are found dead in their own homes—in baths filled with Army-issue camouflage paint, their bodies completely unmarked—Jack Reacher is under suspicion. He knew them both—and he knows that they both left the Army under dubious circumstances, both victims of sexual harassment. A former U.S. military policeman, a loner and a drifter, he matches the psychological profile prepared by the FBI, and is arrested by ambitious Special Agent, Julia Lamarr.
But when the body of another woman, Sergeant Lorraine Stanley, is discovered, killed with similar precision, Reacher is released. Everyone fears there is a serial killer on the loose. But the FBI have strong persuasive powers, and before long Reacher finds himself heavily involved in the murder investigation. What have these women got in common and why is someone out to do them harm?
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selected as a Thumping Good Read by W.H. Smith in the U.K. Lee was also cited as one of the current hot talents in crime writing by Mark Timlin at the crime writers' festival, Dead On Deansgate.It's tough being a high-flying woman in the Army. Very tough. When Sergeant Amy Callan and Lieutenant Caroline Cook are found dead in their own homes—in baths filled with Army-issue camouflage paint, their bodies completely unmarked—Jack Reacher is under suspicion. He knew them both—and he knows that they both left the Army under dubious circumstances, both victims of sexual harassment. A former U.S. military policeman, a loner and a drifter, he matches the psychological profile prepared by the FBI, and is arrested by ambitious Special Agent, Julia Lamarr.
But when the body of another woman, Sergeant Lorraine Stanley, is discovered, killed with similar precision, Reacher is released. Everyone fears there is a serial killer on the loose. But the FBI have strong persuasive powers, and before long Reacher finds himself heavily involved in the murder investigation. What have these women got in common and why is someone out to do them harm?
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LibraryThing member Reacherfan
Oh man, what a great read! It seems that women are being killed. They all die the same way, in their bathtub, and the tub is filled with Olive green paint, and the paint is up to the women's neck. They all have that in common. But that's not all, all of the women knew a man named Jack Reacher.
As
If you start this ride, I can promise you, you'll like it.
As
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the story unfolds, all of them were in the army, and all had something happen to them. I don't want to say what, because I don't want to spoil anything, but trust me, this is a great read. There's a killer out there, and Reacher is in the killers way, and the killer isn't pleased. If you start this ride, I can promise you, you'll like it.
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LibraryThing member Alinea
Before Lee Child's Jack Reacher became a wanderer, stumbling into desperate situations and sorting them out with his two fists and sharp brain, he used his skill for the US Army's military police. When he is accused of a series of killings--women who left the army after sexual harassment
"As a rule, the Bureau and the military don't get along too well."
"Well, there's a big surprise. Who the hell do you guys gel along with."
..."You know how it is. Military hates the Bureau, the Bureau hates CIA, everybody hates everybody else...So we need a go-between."
Reacher shrugged.
"I don't know anybody like that. I've been out too long."
Lee Child's remorselessly perverse ingenuity is working overtime in this, his fourth book, though like most great puzzles or tricks, his secrets depend a little heavily on mere misdirection. A book this driven by the central character's laconic aggression ought not to be quite as smart as this is, or quite as likeable--Lee Child's clever formula is to make that paradox work.
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proceedings found with their hearts stopped in baths full of camouflage paint--he has to use his skills to clear his name, and to do the Army and FBI's work for them. The near-impossible perfection of Reacher's physique and brain are met here by a puzzle that almost meets the same standard of perfection--the reason he is suspected is simply that perfect detectives are handy patsies for perfect murders, and Reacher is, besides, a man whom those in authority find making them itch..."As a rule, the Bureau and the military don't get along too well."
"Well, there's a big surprise. Who the hell do you guys gel along with."
..."You know how it is. Military hates the Bureau, the Bureau hates CIA, everybody hates everybody else...So we need a go-between."
Reacher shrugged.
"I don't know anybody like that. I've been out too long."
Lee Child's remorselessly perverse ingenuity is working overtime in this, his fourth book, though like most great puzzles or tricks, his secrets depend a little heavily on mere misdirection. A book this driven by the central character's laconic aggression ought not to be quite as smart as this is, or quite as likeable--Lee Child's clever formula is to make that paradox work.
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LibraryThing member literateowl
Where was I when this guy was writing dozens of thrillers? Quick easy reading but good fun. A bright and amusing grade 12 boy recommended this author. J.Reacher is easily as good J.Ryan or D.Pitt. Check his series out.
LibraryThing member librisissimo
Substance: Fast-moving mystery, imaginative murderer, reasonably satisfactory conclusion. Either you like Jack Reacher or you don't. One obligatory sex scene that even the author didn't care much about. FBI agents were more irrational than one would expect, to fit the plot, but their ruthlessness
Style: Guy-stuff, way too much minute-by-minute detail, like a tv script transcribed.
Four hours, read straight through, because if I put these things down I forget what's going on.
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is probably accurate.Style: Guy-stuff, way too much minute-by-minute detail, like a tv script transcribed.
Four hours, read straight through, because if I put these things down I forget what's going on.
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LibraryThing member pamplemousse
Another in the Jack Reacher series. This time, our hero gets mixed up in an FBI nvestigation into serial killings. Marred by a somewhat silly premise which I can't mention without spoiling the plot -- but this still rates as a well-paced thriller. Good for a wet Sunday.
LibraryThing member shazjhb
Did not realize it was an earlier novel
LibraryThing member Maaike15274
Tension builds up nice, but the plot was completely unbelievable.
LibraryThing member Smiler69
In book 4 of the Jack Reacher series, a serial killer seems to target women who have formerly worked in the army and won cases for sexual abuse. Reacher is strong-armed by the FBI to help them find the killer, presumably because he fits psychological profiling, then because of his army connections,
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and just to make sure he plays along nicely, a direct threat is made concerning the well-being of his girlfriend Jodie. Finding the killer is no mean feat; there are no clues whatsoever left on the immaculate murder scenes, and nothing indicating the way in which the women have died. But there is of course a signature left behind: the women are all found nude in their own bathtubs, which are filled to the brim with army-issue green paint. Meanwhile, on the personal front, Reacher is finding home ownership too constraining and longs to hit the road again, while a gorgeous FBI agent assigned to escort him might prove too hot to resist. I'm not too keen on reading stories about serial killers, and it took me a while to steel myself for this one, but I needn't have. Once again, Child delivers pure entertainment that is almost impossible to put down. Show Less
LibraryThing member losloper
Sergeant Amy Callan and Lieutenant Caroline Cook have a lot in common. High-flying army career women, both are victims of sexual harassment from their superiors; both are forced to resign from the service.
And now they're both dead.
Their unmarked bodies are discovered in their own homes, naked, in
Jack Reacher, a former US military cop, is a smart guy, a loner and a drifter, as tough as they come. He knew both victims. For Agent-in-Charge Nelson Blake and his team he's the perfect match. They're sure only Reacher has the answers to their burning questions: how did these women die? And why?
And now they're both dead.
Their unmarked bodies are discovered in their own homes, naked, in
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baths filled with army-issue camouflage paint. Expert FBI psychological profilers start to hunt for a serial murderer, a smart guy with a score to settle, a loner, an army man, a ruthless vigilante known to them both. Jack Reacher, a former US military cop, is a smart guy, a loner and a drifter, as tough as they come. He knew both victims. For Agent-in-Charge Nelson Blake and his team he's the perfect match. They're sure only Reacher has the answers to their burning questions: how did these women die? And why?
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LibraryThing member Randall.Hansen
This fourth book in Lee Child's Jack Reacher series is the best since the first one -- perhaps in some ways the best I have read so far. In this book, our hero Reacher uses much more of his previous military training and knowledge and less violence to solve his latest mystery. Even better, this
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novel includes some nice twists to keep the reader on edge -- trying to solve the mystery right along with Reacher. Very enjoyable -- full of action and adventure. And for me personally, since Reacher visits Spokane, it brought the story a bit closer to home! Show Less
LibraryThing member SunnySD
Someone's murdering sexual harassment victims, and FBI profiler Julia Lamarr stands by her conviction - Reacher fits the profile. Except he knows he didn't do it. So does the FBI, but unless he works fast they're going to hang the mess on him. And if he doesn't help, they'll turn his girlfriend's
Suspected the who, but not the how. And poor Reacher and that house.... lol!
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name over to a vicious thug. Good thing Reacher's no stranger to rocks and hard places. Home ownership, now... that's a different story.Suspected the who, but not the how. And poor Reacher and that house.... lol!
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LibraryThing member bcrowl399
I always like the Jack Reacher stories and this one was no exception. A nice romantic interest for Jack.
LibraryThing member ecw0647
Why this was also published as The Visitor is beyond me. Jack has been targeted by the FBI's behavioral science unit – I love several of Jack's comments regarding this speculative agency and its worth, its best profiler has a degree in andscape gardening -- as being a likely serial killer. It
The killer is supremely clever. All the victims are found in their bathtubs, naked, and completely submerged in army camouflage paint. They didn't drown, weren't stabbed or shot, and bore no marks or bruises There is no forensic evidence to determine how the women were killed and the only link seems to be that they are ex-army and had filed sexual harassment charges against a superior officer. This is a very good who-done-it that focuses on physical evidence and hard investigative work to determine the identity of the killer.
The ex-9/11 FBI of this book is not that of Efram Zimbalist, Jr. They will stop at nothing, blackmail, threats of torture, illegal activities, and just plain stupid stuff to get their way. I hope the author doesn't know something we don't know, although clearly Ashcroft would love this amoral, the-ends-justfies-the-means agency. Reacher is fleshed out much more as a viable character, a good investigator who has no time for silly psychological profiling (remember how wrong the FBI profiles were of the sniper in Maryland.)
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seems severeal women from his past have been murdered. All of them had filed sexual harassment charges against a superior and Jack had been an investigating office while in the army. Using his investigative skills and knowledge of the army, Jack establishes his alibi, and then reluctantly agrees to help investigate the murders.The killer is supremely clever. All the victims are found in their bathtubs, naked, and completely submerged in army camouflage paint. They didn't drown, weren't stabbed or shot, and bore no marks or bruises There is no forensic evidence to determine how the women were killed and the only link seems to be that they are ex-army and had filed sexual harassment charges against a superior officer. This is a very good who-done-it that focuses on physical evidence and hard investigative work to determine the identity of the killer.
The ex-9/11 FBI of this book is not that of Efram Zimbalist, Jr. They will stop at nothing, blackmail, threats of torture, illegal activities, and just plain stupid stuff to get their way. I hope the author doesn't know something we don't know, although clearly Ashcroft would love this amoral, the-ends-justfies-the-means agency. Reacher is fleshed out much more as a viable character, a good investigator who has no time for silly psychological profiling (remember how wrong the FBI profiles were of the sniper in Maryland.)
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LibraryThing member gogglemiss
When you haven't read a Jack Reacher in a long time, you realise what an enigma he is, and I felt I understood him more
Cracking read, a page turner if ever there was one, and a twist at the end.
Mustn't leave it so long, next time.
Cracking read, a page turner if ever there was one, and a twist at the end.
Mustn't leave it so long, next time.
LibraryThing member AliceAnna
Seriously, it took me almost two years to read this book. Mainly because I've been too busy with the equivalent of two jobs to be able to read very much, but it just really wasn't as good to me as the first couple. Jack Reacher just should not have a girlfriend which, I suppose, was the point of
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the book since the focus was on how he didn't handle being tied down very well. But the character and books work better when he's footloose and fance free. Show Less
LibraryThing member harpua
A buddy of mine has become a big fan of Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels. I've read a few up to this point and while they've been good, too me, they've not been anything special. This novel changed it for me. This was a great novel, starts off quick and just keeps going from there. Not much down
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time at all in this one. This one was a good mystery with plenty of thrills and action. I did have this one figured out about halfway through, but then towards the end I wasn’t so sure of myself. Turns out I was right, but what a fun ride to get there. Most of Child’s books while dealing with Jack, can be read in any order. This might be a good one to start off with to get a good feel for his novels. Finished this one in two days and enjoyed it all the way. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2002)
Barry Award (Nominee — Novel — 2001)
Language
Original publication date
2000-07-17
Physical description
506 p.; 19 inches
ISBN
0515143502 / 9780515143508