How do writers think of such excruciatingly carefully plotted tales set in unfamiliar contexts, such as secret FBI actions, ex-army groups, spies within spy rings etc?
I assume that these must be close to real settings, or else they cannot sound so genuine. Well then, an ex-army gang gathers to avenge the killings of some members of this closely knit group with its own distinct call : You do not mess with the secret investigators.
With the precision of a surgeon, Child’s character Reacher and his friends Neagley, O’Donell and Dixon work together to trace the sequence of events and are riveting in their accuracy, insight and sharp thinking. Each action of theirs is a mystery till the eventuality becomes clear and we breathe out a ‘Aha, so that was it!’.
The story of revenge is intricate, complex and mysterious. At the same time, if one thought these were characteristics of old world tales of revenge, rest assured, this is one story of the present, cool, hip and of the eyebrow arching kind.
It’s whetted up my hunger for more of Lee Child’s and Reacher...I’m told this is one of the eleven military thrillers. I come, Child, just give me time to read Margaret Laurence’s ‘The Stone Angel’, probably as far removed from your kind of tale in its literary richness and storyline. But Reacher , you bet I shall be back for more of you.