Past Tense by Lee Child
Reviewed by: Becky Houghton, Reference Assistant
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Suggested Age: Adult
What the book is about: Walking at a steady speed of 4 miles per hour and occasionally hitching a ride, Jack Reacher begins a late summer journey from Maine to San Diego, CA. At the same time, a young Canadian couple, Shorty Fleck and Patty Sundstrom are relocating from their home in St. Leonard, New Brunswick to Florida via a planned stop in New York City. The couple is driving an ancient, and apparently poorly maintained Honda. Reacher spots a sign at a fork in the road for Laconia, New Hampshire which sparks a memory of his father’s stories of growing up in Laconia. Patty and Shorty experience car trouble and spot a motel sign in the woods approaching Laconia. Lee Child builds a gripping, suspense filled tale from this simple beginning adding detail, humor and a Stephen King-like anticipation into his 22nd novel featuring ex-military MP, Jack Reacher.
My review: I enjoy and have read all 22 Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child. Child has a narrative style that draws me into the thought processes of the characters, especially the main character, Jack Reacher. Suspense builds through the use of detail and unique situations. In Past Tense, Reacher is on a genealogical search with surprising results and unusual adversity. As Reacher would say, “It either works out, or it doesn’t.” I was engrossed by this book and finished it very quickly.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Intriguing, Suspenseful, Frightening
Give This a Try if You Like: Lee Child’s previous novels or the mysteries by Robert Crais.
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.
