#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Family secrets come back to haunt Jack Reacher in this electrifying thriller from “a superb craftsman of suspense” (Entertainment Weekly). Jack Reacher hits the pavement and sticks out his thumb. He plans to follow the sun on an epic trip across America, from Maine to California. He doesn’t get far. On a country road deep in the New England woods, he sees a sign to … the New England woods, he sees a sign to a place he has never been: the town where his father was born. He thinks, What’s one extra day? He takes the detour.
At the same moment, in the same isolated area, a car breaks down. Two young Canadians had been on their way to New York City to sell a treasure. Now they’re stranded at a lonely motel in the middle of nowhere. The owners seem almost too friendly. It’s a strange place, but it’s all there is.
The next morning, in the city clerk’s office, Reacher asks about the old family home. He’s told no one named Reacher ever lived in town. He’s always known his father left and never returned, but now Reacher wonders, Was he ever there in the first place?
As Reacher explores his father’s life, and as the Canadians face lethal dangers, strands of different stories begin to merge. Then Reacher makes a shocking discovery: The present can be tough, but the past can be tense . . . and deadly.
Don’t miss a sneak peek of Lee Child’s novel Blue Moon in the back of the book.
Praise for Past Tense
“Child is one writer who should never be taken for granted.”—The New York Times Book Review
“[Lee Child] shows no signs of slowing down. . . . Reacher is a man for whom the phrase moral compass was invented: His code determines his direction. . . . You need Jack Reacher.”—The Atlantic
“Superb . . . Child neatly interweaves multiple narratives, ratchets up the suspense (the reveal of the motel plot is delicious), and delivers a powerful, satisfying denouement. Fans will enjoy learning more of this enduring character’s roots, and Child’s spare prose continues to set a very high bar.”—Publishers Weekly (boxed and starred review)
“Another first-class entry in a series that continues to set the gold standard for aspiring thriller authors.”—Booklist (starred review)
“With his usual flair for succinctness and eye for detail, Child creates another rollicking Reacher road trip that will please fans and newcomers alike.”—Library Journal (starred review)
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not as good as original reacher books
While I enjoyed learning more about his family, this was longer and slower than the average Jack Reacher story. The last third of the book made the wait worth it.
All of his books are great. This one included.
Predictable. Uninteresting. Not much action and no mystery.
All Jack teacher books are great reads. I have read the entire collection.
Another great Lee Child Jack Reacher story. Love his books!
As with all Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels, this one doesn’t disappoint!! I have read and listened to all books in series.
Classic Jack Reacher!
My husband and I listened to this as an audio book on our recent road trip. We have always liked the Jack Reacher movies and decided why not listen to an audio book about this character. This was, as always, an action-packed story with some of the best tongue-in-cheek lines to help break up the tension. I really liked the story because it gives the reader some insight into Jack Reacher’s family history. This is a well written story with great character development and scene settings. I could picture the scenes in my mind’s eye. The author wrote in a way that made me empathetic with the main characters. Terrific story!
I like everything about Reacher story’s. They are easy reading keep you wanting to read more and can’t wait to see what he is going to get into next. Need more like Reacher.
If you haven’t read all of the Jack Reacher Books by Lee Child, you have missed one of the items on your “Should Be Done During One’s Lifetime” list.
Standard Reacher, but still a good read.
Lee Child’s PAST TENSE #23 in the Jack Reacher series follows our badass hero as he starts a cross country journey from Maine to California. Jack’s adventure starts with a detour to the New England town where his father grew up. His path parallels the path of a young Canadian couple whose car breaks down in the middle of Nowhere New England. While Jack is researching his dad’s past, Shorty and Patty (the Canadian couple) find shelter at a newly renovated motel in the middle of nowhere. Their shelter becomes their prison. The fun begins when Patty’s and Shorty’s path collides with Reacher’s quest. Good read.
I love all things Jack Reacher. I’m always bummed when I finish a book and can’t wait for the next one.
Lee Childs writes the same book over and over again. (In the same way Ian Fleming did a few decades ago.) But he does it with great plot twists, and a protagonist that is compelling.
Jack Reacher is perfectly willing to beat someone if it aids a victim or stops evil. If you approve of that idea, then this whole series will be a delightful long journey of great entertainment.
really good plot, as usual.
This whole series is fun.
I have read, and enjoyed most of Lee Child’s books, but the most recent have not been up to his standard. He is still writing well, but lacks that little something that used to make his books really fantastic. On the other hand his younger brother is writing even better than Lee, when he started.
Superior author
I won a copy of Past Tense by Lee Child in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks to Goodreads, the publisher and the author for this opportunity to read and post an honest review.
Despite the number of books that I have read, this is my first one by Lee Child. While it is the 23rd book in the Jack Reacher series it worked for as a standalone. There are two story lines that eventually merge together. Jack is hitchhiking from Maine to California when he sees a sign for a town in New Hampshire where his father lived as a child. He decides to check it out and see if he can find his father’s previous home. The second story line deals with a couple going from Canada to New York. They are having car trouble and end up in an out-of-the-way independent motel.
The book is very well written and the main characters are clever, questioning and complex. The antagonists in this book are organized, self-confident and manipulative. The first part of the book is the set-up, then the action starts and builds to culmination that has some surprises in it.
There are a lot of different topics covered in the novel including family history, environmental contamination, birdwatching, murder, assault, census records, romance and much more. It is difficult to say much more without spoilers.
The story lines were fascinating and eventually became riveting. I finished the last 50% of the novel in one sitting. I do recommend this to others that enjoy the genre. I look forward to reading other books in this series.