Past Tense, Lee Child
Past Tense, Lee Child
165 Rating(s)
List: $15.00 | Sale: $10.50
Club: $7.50

Past Tense
A Jack Reacher Novel

Author: Lee Child

Narrator: Scott Brick

Abridged: 6 hr 29 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/05/2018


Synopsis

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Don’t miss the hit streaming series Reacher! 

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 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.

About Lee Child

English Author Jim Grant (Pen Name) “Lee Child”, was born in 1954 in Coventry, England UK. His most notable writings are the Jack Reacher series novels. Beginning with his first novel, Killing Floor, each of his work follows a former American military policeman, Jack Reacher who wanders throughout the United States.

Grant (Child) studied law at the University of Sheffield, but knew he had no intention of practicing law. After graduating, he worked in commercial television. He worked in that venue until 1995. A fun fact is that he chose Reacher for his main characters name, because he himself is tall and his wife once said, “If this “writing thing” does not work out, you could always be a Reacher in a supermarket.” Grant (Child) describes his books as revenge stories-“somebody does a very bad thing, and Reacher takes revenge.” In 2012, his novel “One Shot”, was adapted into a film called “Jack Reacher”, starring Tom Cruise.


Reviews

Goodreads review by James on April 21, 2022

I'm beginning to feel sorry for Jack Reacher. The poor guy can't even begin to take a trip somewhere without immediately running into a problem that demands his attention and derails his travel plans. The opening of this book finds Jack in Maine. With colder weather coming on, he decides to travel c......more

Goodreads review by kartik on November 07, 2018

Past Tense is an okayish Jack Reacher. I never felt drawn into it unlike the earlier ones in the series. This could be due to Jack Reacher outstaying his welcome - there are only so many plots available given the context or it could be that with every story, Jack Reacher becomes more and more like a......more


Quotes

“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)

“Cerebral . . . One doesn’t want Mr. Child’s storytelling to end. . . . Get your copy soon before Past Tense sells out. Then enjoy the ride.”New York Journal of Books
 
“The way everything winds up for all the participants shows a satisfying generosity of storytelling spirit.”Kirkus Reviews

Praise for the Jack Reacher series

“The truth about Reacher gets better and better. . . . This series [is] utterly addictive.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“Jack Reacher is today’s James Bond, a thriller hero we can’t get enough of. I read every one as soon as it appears.”—Ken Follett

“Reacher is the stuff of myth. . . . One of this century’s most original, tantalizing pop-fiction heroes.”—The Washington Post

“I’m a fan.”—James Patterson
 
“The Reacher novels are easily the best thriller series going.”—NPR

“Reacher is a man for whom the phrase moral compass was invented: His code determines his direction. . . . You need Jack Reacher.”The Atlantic
 
“I pick up Jack Reacher when I’m in the mood for someone big to solve my problems.”—Patricia Cornwell
 
“[A] feverishly thrilling series . . . You can always count on furious action.”Miami Herald