Exit Strategy

Jack Reacher's 30th outing has a nice, twisty plot that keeps the reader turning the pages late into the night (or early into the morning, as was my experience). There are a couple of interesting characters I wish had been fleshed out more, and there isn't much in the way of setting, but those are more quibbles in this context; the Reacher novels are all about plot.

My only major complaint is one I've felt for the last few of the novels in this long-running series: Reacher seems to be more violent, with less compunction, than ever before. Granted, the people he kills or completely disables (though it's usually "kills") are bad guys, but Reacher acting as judge, jury and executioner is a bit much, especially when the body count is so show more high. Reacher otherwise seems to have a pretty strong moral code, so it seems odd that he never reflects on the taking of a life. This won't stop me from reading new Reacher novels as they come along, but it is disturbing. show less

The End of 'Reacher Said Nothing'?
A review of the Random House Audio (November 11, 2025) narrated by [author:Scott Brick|44554] and released simultaneously with the Bantam hardcover/eBook.

I have to confess that I often became distracted while listening to this audiobook. Veteran narrator Scott Brick was fine, but the plot bogged down during its investigation stages. The opening was fine and had Reacher doing his usual saving of innocents, in this case from some financial scammers that he overhears in a coffee shop. A case of mistaken identity then draws him into a smuggling conspiracy in which he feels some obligation to assist one of its victims, a fellow veteran.

The main villain is of course mercenary and ruthless and proves it in show more several instances. The final reveal of the conspiracy was both ridiculous and macabre though. There was an enormous amount of time spent on investigating an apparent heist which in the end didn't even seem that important. A further ally joins forces with our duo and the finale becomes a rescue mission, but the comeuppance somehow fell short.

The old Reacher magic was missing in this one even though the plots should be cookie cutter by now. Perhaps it was just too convoluted and complicated for what in the end was an absurd payoff. Lee Child's plots were somehow simpler and more straightforward. Reacher as the Shane / Yojimbo / Man with No Name comes into a corrupt town/situation and saves the innocents and pummels the culprits and then hitchhikes out of town into the sunset. Andrew Child is taking the formula and making it needlessly complex.

Reacher Statistics
Toothbrush mentions = 1, A single mention. Reacher takes inventory of his pockets at one point and mentions his toothbrush, expired passport, ATM card and some cash. There was no line to top my all time favourite from [book:Blue Moon|43903354] (Reacher #24 2019): "Reacher was already packed and ready to go. His toothbrush was in his pocket."

The previous book was a harbinger that change was coming to the standard laconic Reacher response: "Reacher said nothing." [book:In Too Deep|204432624] (Reacher #29 2024) had many instances of "Reacher didn't reply" and other variations.
This book went all the way with 4 "Reacher didn't reply", 1 "Reacher didn't respond", 1 "Reacher didn't answer," 1 "Reacher shook his head," & 1 "He didn't say anything."
There were also several instances of other characters who "didn't reply," "didn't answer," and "didn't speak."
Only towards the very end there was a single instance of "Reacher said nothing," as if in a benediction for the old time fans.

Soundtrack
Reacher attends a concert early in the book where a blues band that he likes is one of the openers. He leaves without listening to the headline act. Later in the story he listens to Junior Wells' Waitin' on the Night Train which you can hear on YouTube here or on Spotify here.

Trivia and Links
It was revealed in the press publicity around [book:The Secret|62983544] (Reacher #28 - 2023) that it was the final collaboration between brothers Lee and Andrew Child in the handover of the continuation series and that Andrew Child had a 4-book contract to write the books solo from then on. Exit Strategy is the 2nd of those.

Andrew Child is interviewed at the Poisoned Pen Press bookstore on the release of Exit Strategy and you can see the interview on their YouTube channel here. show less

Thought I’d never say this but this is undoubtedly the worst of the Reacher novels. I can’t think of one positive thing to say. It’s very poorly plotted, filled with poorly developed characters and, worst of all goes against what his most avid readers have grown to expect over the years, action over dry narrative. I heard Lee Child speak at a university several years ago. When asked if Reacher’s character would ever change he said no. He was giving his readers what they wanted and he wouldn’t change that. Well, Lee, don’t look now but sadly you’ve crossed the line.

Exit Strategy: A Reacher Novel, Lee Child, Andrew Child, authors; Scott Brick, narrator
Reacher is wandering again. A former soldier, he prefers freedom and to have no home address. He wants no permanence in his life. Thus, he travels from place to place, at will. He carries a toothbrush and lands wherever transportation takes him. He buys what he needs as he needs it, and often gets involved with strangers and helps them out of their mounting and dangerous difficulties.
In this book, Reacher needs a coffee fix. As a result, we find him in a coffee shop where he overhears the conversation of an elderly couple. They are seated with a man they do not realize intends to fleece them of their savings. Reacher follows the man, and later, those show more he is involved with. He neutralizes all of them. He returns their money and saves their nest egg. At first, they are angry with Reacher, a stranger who has just lost them a possible fortune, just for their minimal investment. Then Reacher explains. They thank him, take their money and run.
In this same coffee shop sits a man waiting for a contact who is described as the largest man he will see. Reacher fits the description, so he slips a note into his pocket asking him to meet up with him later and pleads for his help.
Reacher finds the note and chooses to meet him. When Gilmore explains, Reacher tells him that he is not the man the note was really intended for, but he realizes that the man he was looking for is no longer alive. Gilmore works at the Port of Baltimore. He has enormous gambling debts which have come due. There is a heist planned, of a shipment that is due. He is forced to participate because he is being blackmailed. He must do as they say or they will seriously harm his four-year-old nephew. They have already murdered his co-worker. Reacher decides to help him.
After he is able to help Gilmore, he wonders what might be in the shipment that could be so important that bodies are piling up and threats are being made. He decides to stay and continue to investigate. Gilmore decides to assist him. Eventually, they discover that there is a plan afoot to instigate a war between Armenia and Turkey. The man involved, Morgan Strickland, has plans to collect one million dollars for every soldier that falls in combat, past or present. He has deliberately recruited unfit candidates so they will succumb. It is a diabolical scheme, but it is so convoluted, and involves so many characters who are bending the rules, committing murders and thefts, that it gets really confusing. Former military and CIA personnel are involved. It is excessively violent and the threads dart in so many different directions that it does not always seem to make sense.
I found this book to be the least satisfying in the series. All of the characters had questionable character. They all bent the rules, broke the law and committed violent acts. I am at a loss to understand the real plot, and I am not sure that the story ever really comes together. I was relieved when Reacher began to journey again. show less

Exit Strategy is the thirtieth thriller in the Jack Reacher novels and once again this addictive series continues. Some of us, just cannot get enough of Reacher, the all-American hero created and written by a bloke from Coventry.

Reacher is in Baltimore for a concert and needs a new coat, but first he needs coffee, where he sits in the corner watching the door and what else is going on within the coffee shop. He notices that two people are being ripped off by a con artist. A minor distraction which he deals with before moving on.

As he leaves the coffee shop someone brushes past him in the doorway and he feels as if he has just been pickpocketed, but everything is there. When he is about to dump his old coat, he finds a handwritten note show more in his pocket asking for help. He decides to that out of interest he will go and see who wants the help, but not before checking everything out. But he will still go to the concert he came to town for.

What he hears does not impress him and as he leaves there are some gentlemen outside who wish to discuss his intervention from earlier in the day. Reacher does give them the opportunity to walk away. In the end he goes with the person who wants help and whole new world of pain opens up, but not for Reacher.

When Reacher finds out what is happening and how some mad privateer is trying to make a war and money from it, they have crossed the line. Reacher is the avenging angel before he is on his merry way once again.

Reacher is the hero we all want on our side. He bangs heads, kicks butt and takes no prisoners, he does what every reader would love to do, taking names and kicking ass. Reacher reaches more readers than any Booker Prize winner will ever do. show less

This is going to be a short review because I wasted enough time reading the book.

A chance meeting in a Baltimore coffee shop leads Jack Reacher into a plot, which will make millions of dollars for the primary plotter and cost a lot of injuries and lives.

The. plot is Reacher typical trying to stop the bad guys from creating havoc, too much of the book is filled with unnecessary, unrealistic, excessive violence.

I can't believe I'm giving a Jack Reacher book only 2 stars! But since Andrew Child took over, it has become the law of diminishing returns. This novel is terrible - I really disliked it. Terrible characters, terrible plot. And the ultimate sin - boring. Sadly I think my days of reading JR as soon as they come out are over - I probably won't read anymore of the Andrew Child written ones. I do have one Lee Child that I haven't read yet from early in series so that will have to do.