Book Reviews and More: Exit Strategy - Lee Child and Andrew Child

Wednesday, 14 January 2026

Exit Strategy - Lee Child and Andrew Child - Jack Reacher Book 30

Exit Strategy
Jack Reacher Book 30
Lee Child

Andrew Child (Andrew Grant)

Bantam Books
Penguin Random House Canada
ISBN 9780593725849

eISBN 9780593725856

ASIN B0DTWYFBHC

Exit Strategy - Lee Child and Andrew Child - Jack Reacher Book 30 UK Cover

A few years back I fell in love with the Reacher stories. I picked book 24 up for my dad for Christmas, read the back and got myself the eBook. I ended up reading one a week until I had read all the novels and published short stories. I have read some of the related series by other authors, and love the TV show. This one took me a while to get to, work and family life were both very busy and I knew if I started I would not want to put it down. I was correct in that assumption. But I am getting ahead of myself.

This is the sicth novel in the series that is a collaborative effort from Lee and Andrew Child. A few years ago I read the first 24 Jack Reacher novels, and also the Jack Reacher short stories, novellas and crossovers. In fact, I had to make sure I read other books in between. After I read the first two that they co-wrote I read the 9 previously written by Andrew. And now I eagerly await the fall release of a new novel written by the two of them to continue the saga of Jack Reacher. Like the Epic of Gilgamesh, the story of Reacher is an epic tale that now spans decades. And Reacher has more adventure in most of the stories than some people have in a lifetime. And this sicth offering by the brothers has some interesting twists. Let us get back to this specific story.

The description of this offering in the Reacher series states:

“Jack Reacher will make three stops today. Not all of them were planned for.

First—a Baltimore coffee shop. A seat in the corner, facing the door. Black coffee, two refills, no messing around. A minor interruption from two of the customers, but nothing he can’t deal with swiftly. As he leaves, a young guy brushes against him in the doorway. Instinctively Reacher checks the pocket holding his cash and passport. There’s no problem. Nothing is missing.

Second—a store to buy a coat. Nothing fancy. Something he can ditch when he heads to warmer climates. Large enough to fit a man the size of a bank vault. As he pulls out his cash, he finds something new in his pocket. A handwritten note. A desperate plea for help.

Third—wherever this bend in the road takes him. Impressed by the guy’s technique and intrigued by the message, Reacher makes it his mission to find out more …”

Reacher’s plans that day were to replenish the coffee in his system, pick up a coat, catch a concert then a bus out of town. That is not the way things happened. And two very different plots both end up with Reacher as a key factor. Who knew Baltimore could play backdrop to such a mystery. This story is a little more mystery and far less head on action than some of the other stories. Reacher upsets a local crime boss and gets caught up in case of some people wanting to do the right thing but using the wrong methods. Reacher’s lizard brain is sparking and he can’t just walk away. It’s not his nature. Once something has Reacher’s attention he sees it through to the end.

This story is book 30 and I believe it would fall in that order chronologically, based on the injury. I still prefer the UK covers to the North American ones.

This is a good story from the Child brothers. But it just feels like something was kind of missing. If it had been an action story about almost any other character I would have loved it, I just expect more from Reacher and the Child brothers. It is not my least favourite in the series, not even close. If you are a fan of Reacher either from the books or TV show give it a read. It was a good read for just after New Years. This is a good book in an entertaining series!