Friday 5 April 2019

The Fourth Man - Lee Child - Jack Reacher Book 23.5

The Fourth Man
Jack Reacher Book 23.5
Lee Child
Penguin Random House Canada
Transworld Digital
Audio ISBN 9781473568846
eISBN 9781473567023
ASIN B07K2NLRDB


First this book, this eBook, this short story is at the time of this writing not available in north America. You Can find it overseas. I have an account in multiple regions just because of instances like this. Second if you can get your hand on it – it is a great Short Story! According to the specs it comes in at 24 pages. And it is a tightly written little story.

As is often the case the story begins with Reacher walking down the street. But this time a woman saddles up to him and states: ‘I know who you are.’, in fact the story begins with these words:

“I was walking south, with the traffic, on Fifth Avenue in New York City, on the right-hand sidewalk, on the block before the Empire State, when a complete stranger put her hand on my arm and said, ‘I know who you are.’”

And from that beginning springs an excellent little story. She does indeed know many things about Reacher. She is an FBI special Agent. It appears that an Australian agency found an envelope with four photos in it. The other three men are dead. Now they want to ask Reacher about what the cause might be. Reacher decides to take matters into his own hands. And within hours is on a flight to Sydney to finish a task from 25 years ago.

The Jack Reacher short stories are very different than the novels. They always pack a lot of punch. Sometimes literally and sometimes figuratively. But of the 13 short stories I have read to date this is one of the best. The story is a blast and takes place over barely 2 days depending on how you consider the travel around the world. 

An excellent little story. A fun addition to the Reacher canon of work. And leave it open to a return trip down under. Will be interesting to see where it goes from her. But no matter where Reacher ends up next I am certain it will be another great read! 

Books by Lee Child:
Jack Reacher Books Publishing Order:

Killing Floor
Die Trying
Tripwire
The Visitor /Running Blind
Echo Burning
Without Fail
Persuader
The Enemy
One Shot
The Hard Way
Bad Luck and Trouble
Nothing to Lose
Gone Tomorrow
61 Hours
Worth Dying For
The Affair
A Wanted Man
Never Go Back
Personal
Make Me
Night School
The Midnight Line
Past Tense
Blue Moon

The Sentinel Jack Reacher's Rules
...

Reacher Short Stories and Novella’s:
No Middle Name – Complete Collected Short Stories

Stories in No Middle Name Collection:
Too Much Time
Second Son
Deep Down
Guy Walks into A Bar
James Penney’s New Identity
High Heat
Everyone Talks
Not A Drill
Small Wars
Maybe They Have A Tradition

No Room At The Motel
The Picture of the Lonely Diner

Other Short Stories:
The Fourth Man
The Christmas Scorpion
...
Faking a Murderer with Kathy Reichs
Cleaning the Gold with Karin Slaughter
Good and Valuable Consideration with Joseph Finder
...

Other Books by Lee Child
The Hero
Jack Reacher: A Mysterious Profile
...


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