book data
1078 ratings, 3.96 average rating, 187 reviews
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published
May 15th 2007
by Random House
binding
Hardcover-LP, 592 pages
characters
setting
Unknown
isbn
0739327151
(isbn13: 9780739327159)
description
Now on his own for 10 years, Reacher has an ATM card and the clothes on his back—no phone, no ties, and no address—he's a hard man to find. A lone...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 1363)
Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
anyone who likes mysteries and thrillers.
Jesse Holian
Mrs. Ebarvia
Honors World Lit.
November 27, 2007
Bad Luck and Trouble Book Review
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child was the novel I read. This book is the 11th book, the newest one, in a series about a man named Jack Reacher. Some of the other books in this series are The Enemy, The Hard Way, and One Shot. Lee Child has also written many short stories including “Bloodlines”, “The Chopin Manuscript”, and “Death do us Part”. The newest piece o...more
Mrs. Ebarvia
Honors World Lit.
November 27, 2007
Bad Luck and Trouble Book Review
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child was the novel I read. This book is the 11th book, the newest one, in a series about a man named Jack Reacher. Some of the other books in this series are The Enemy, The Hard Way, and One Shot. Lee Child has also written many short stories including “Bloodlines”, “The Chopin Manuscript”, and “Death do us Part”. The newest piece o...more
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Good late night change of pace after reading Austen's archaic prose earlier in evening. According to the massive ad campaign for his newest book, Child seems to be the latest boss of the hard-boiled crime scene, complete with damaged, loner anti-hero hero as protag. Only 30 pgs into it, but so far, so good. The prose is pretty blunt and spare -- more Hammett than Chandler -- but effective.
I stopped reading a few weeks ago,after a 100+ pgs, and haven't felt compelled to retur...more
I stopped reading a few weeks ago,after a 100+ pgs, and haven't felt compelled to retur...more
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Dear god, the sentences get shorter and shorter as this series goes on, and Reacher gets more and more tremendous!! I love the way he tells us so much with so little to go on, and the way that he's always one step ahead - and the reader loves it! (well, I do) I like the author's style but I can imagine it can annoy - but I fell in love with Reacher when he was younger and sassier (weren't we all) and have remained faithful eevr since. Some of the other books have been poor on plot, but this one...more
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recommends it for:
thriller fans
The best Reacher yet, for a couple of reasons:
1. Child teams Reacher up with an appealing group that's almost as bad-ass as he is; and
2. Child wisely gives Reacher some moments of self-doubt and insecurity that humanize him.
Reacher-as-invincible-superman kills all suspense. Reacher-who's-not-afraid-to-die-but-who-wonders-about-the-way-he-lives: awesome.
1. Child teams Reacher up with an appealing group that's almost as bad-ass as he is; and
2. Child wisely gives Reacher some moments of self-doubt and insecurity that humanize him.
Reacher-as-invincible-superman kills all suspense. Reacher-who's-not-afraid-to-die-but-who-wonders-about-the-way-he-lives: awesome.
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Listened to this in the car. It was good because a lot of it was unexpected. It was a bit violet with living people being thrown from heliocopters but I liked the mystery of the story and also the friendship of the characters.
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Read in November, 2008
November selection for mystery readers group
One of the best for a long time...kept me interested from the first chapter, which is something I really need this time of year! The characters are similar to those in "The Camel Club"...a group of excentrics who use their uniqueness to form a group of ex-military pros.
Didn't need to know anything about the characters before (this is part of a series) but makes me want to read more by this author.
Only ne...more
One of the best for a long time...kept me interested from the first chapter, which is something I really need this time of year! The characters are similar to those in "The Camel Club"...a group of excentrics who use their uniqueness to form a group of ex-military pros.
Didn't need to know anything about the characters before (this is part of a series) but makes me want to read more by this author.
Only ne...more
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Read in August, 2008
recommends it for:
Thriller Fans
I got exactly what I expected. Lots of action, a little bit of sex, a few surprises and the good guys and gals won in the end. I wanted something I could easily read between Olympic Events. I got caught up enough, though, to finish it in a couple days.
This effort is slightly better than some of his previous stories and also has Reacher doing a little bit of introspection about his lone wolf life style when he hooks up with 3 buddies from his old unit. He, of course, finally concl...more
This effort is slightly better than some of his previous stories and also has Reacher doing a little bit of introspection about his lone wolf life style when he hooks up with 3 buddies from his old unit. He, of course, finally concl...more
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Read in July, 2008
So Lee Child is a new author to me and I must say that I am greatly impressed. Not only does he write books in a genre that I like (mystery having to do with police work/lawyers/etc), but he also uses really good language, meaning that he hardly ever uses swear words. His only fault is that at least once per book, he has sexual situations involving his main character. It isn't usually graphic, but it is there (but from one person to another, I would much prefer a sex scene than tons of bad la...more
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Read in July, 2008
It is books like this that make me wish there was also a half star option, as I would have rated this 2.5 stars. Overall the book is mediocre. The plot is not especially original, the pacing is often slow and then speeds up only to slow down again...I also thought it was overly long, somewhat bloated--some aggressive editing would have made this a much tighter, better book. Also the author really needs to do is home work, I do not know if he has ever served in the military/DoD, but from this b...more
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Read in May, 2008
In this Jack Reacher novel, Jack is summoned back to the folds of his army team, The Special Investigators, when he receives a message via a deposit in his bank account. One of the team members was murdered and now the remaining members are out to seek revenge.
As with the previous Jack Reacher novel I read, the plot is quite predictable. Child seems to reuse a lot of the same techniques. Everything always comes down to the last attempt or the last minute, but you know Reacher isn'...more
As with the previous Jack Reacher novel I read, the plot is quite predictable. Child seems to reuse a lot of the same techniques. Everything always comes down to the last attempt or the last minute, but you know Reacher isn'...more
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Jack Reacher is back, and this time it's personal - and really, really good. If you are new to the series, this book will work because each book works quite well on its own, and if you've read them all, you will love this book because you finally get some of Reacher's back story. Reacher hooks up with some of the select military group that's been hinted at in previous novels. This time we get the real deal, meet all the characters and really learn what makes Jack tick. A mysterious deposit i...more
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Read in June, 2007
I listened to the audiobook from Audible.com
At least I think I did. It must not have been very memorable. I kind of recognize the story from the publishers description, but otherwise it is not memorable.
Narrator: Dick Hill
Publisher: Random House Audio, 2007
Length: 12 hours and 41 min.
Publisher's Summary
A decade postmilitary, Jack Reacher has an ATM card and the clothes on his back - no phone, no ties, and no address. But now a woman fr...more
At least I think I did. It must not have been very memorable. I kind of recognize the story from the publishers description, but otherwise it is not memorable.
Narrator: Dick Hill
Publisher: Random House Audio, 2007
Length: 12 hours and 41 min.
Publisher's Summary
A decade postmilitary, Jack Reacher has an ATM card and the clothes on his back - no phone, no ties, and no address. But now a woman fr...more
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Read in May, 2007
BAD LUCK AND TROUBLE (Unlicensed Investigator, Jack Reacher, Los Angeles, Cont) – G+
Child, Lee - 11th in series
Bantam Press, 2007, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780593057018
First Sentence: The man was called Calvin Franz and the helicopter was a Bell 222.
*** Former military police investigator, Jack Reacher is in Seattle when he receives a 10-30 call from one of his former team of military investigators. A 10-30 is an urgent request for assistance. He arrives in Los Angel...more
Child, Lee - 11th in series
Bantam Press, 2007, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780593057018
First Sentence: The man was called Calvin Franz and the helicopter was a Bell 222.
*** Former military police investigator, Jack Reacher is in Seattle when he receives a 10-30 call from one of his former team of military investigators. A 10-30 is an urgent request for assistance. He arrives in Los Angel...more
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Read in December, 2008
recommended to Jane by:
Kathy Pattersonrecommends it for: Those who like action thrillers
Great book! Jack Reacher is a great character and adding his old "team members" to the plot makes for an interesting story! Lee Child's books are always well written! Jack receives a coded message that one of his old team members is in trouble. Jack discovers one of them is dead and the other members come together to find out who is eliminating them one by one. Definitely a page turner.
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in May, 2008
Ok, I'm embarrassed to be reading this, a little, but there are times when you want a book to just be pablum, a book that does not make you think, a book that just exercises your imagination by taking your mind someplace else, an escape. In fact, reading is great for that, and this book is fitting the bill so far. Mindless, escapist, interesting enough to keep turning pages.
That said, the plot starter is pretty weak: A member of an old army unit dies so two other members of his unit...more
That said, the plot starter is pretty weak: A member of an old army unit dies so two other members of his unit...more
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Read in June, 2008
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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Child jumped the shark with Running Blind, and each Reacher novel has struggled to regain that delicious balance between God's Warrior and Sam Spade. This one is a rather silly High Noonish, cartoonish take on the one man against the town motif. Reacher's encounter with wounded vets stands out as an example of Child at his best, and deserves a story of its own.
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Read in December, 2008
Jack Reacher reunites with his Special Investigations Unit buddies to solve the death of one of their own in this installment of the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. Reacher is his usual likable self, especially the way that Child portrays him as a tech newbie with fierce old-timey math skills. The one hitch in this tale is the opening sequence, which was eeriely familar, though I couldn't place the reference.
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Every once in awhile when I am in the mood, I'll read a thriller. Usually I'll go to the experts here at the bookstore where I work, and say, "Waddayagot?" The last time I did this, they gave me Bad Luck & Trouble. This is the kind of book that, if you think too hard about it, you'll realize how silly it all is, but if you suspend your disbelief enough, you'll have a rollicking good time. It begins as a friend from Jack Reacher's old army unit shows up dead, and it's time to get th...more
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Read in December, 2008
Well, this was my first Jack Reacher (main character) novel in an extensive series. I have to say I wasn't impressed by either the characters, story, or writing, which all came as a surprise because I've read works by Child's sometime partner, Preston, and he is quite good.
I guess there are people who like this character (because of the popularity of the books), but he didn't really appeal to me.
I guess there are people who like this character (because of the popularity of the books), but he didn't really appeal to me.
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