Book Review - Echo Burning by Lee Child
Category Book Reviews
Boy, I sure like the Jack Reacher series. The latest one I read in my trek to get up-to-date is Echo Burning by Lee Child. And as with all the rest, it's another great installment.
Reacher is doing what he's always doing at the start of his books... wandering the country with no place to be and no agenda in mind. He's in Texas, minding his own business, when he's picked up by Carmen Greer, a stunning woman who looks like she has it pretty easy. But the story she tells is far different. She's locked in an abusive marriage, she is hated by her in-laws for being Hispanic, and she has virtually nothing of her own (regardless of the millions her husband has as part of the family fortune). Her only bright spot is her daughter, but it's also the reason she can't up and walk away. Her husband is serving time for tax evasion, and it's been the best part of her marriage. But he's getting out early, and she's looking for someone who will "do away" with her problem. That latest someone is Reacher. While he's killed as part of his former life as a military MP, he can't do a cold-blooded murder. But the more he learns, the deeper he gets drawn into the conflict. What complicates the issue is that her story appears to be built on one lie after another, and Jack has to separate reality from fantasy. When the husband gets home from prison and is shot in the bedroom within hours of arriving, Carmen is arrested for murder. Jack should just walk away, but there's that small part of him that still believes her, and he can't leave until he is convinced of the truth...
This is another solid job of writing and story-telling by Child. The lines between truth and fiction, while starting out with sharp edges, becomes increasingly blurred until there is no line. The "victim" story becomes harder and harder to swallow, and the "bad guy" story appears to be diametrically opposite to what the victim painted. While I expected plot twists, I really had no way to tell where Child would end up with this one. As such, I probably ended up committing some social family faux pas while I snuck off to keep reading and discover the outcome. It was that good...
Boy, I sure like the Jack Reacher series. The latest one I read in my trek to get up-to-date is Echo Burning by Lee Child. And as with all the rest, it's another great installment.
Reacher is doing what he's always doing at the start of his books... wandering the country with no place to be and no agenda in mind. He's in Texas, minding his own business, when he's picked up by Carmen Greer, a stunning woman who looks like she has it pretty easy. But the story she tells is far different. She's locked in an abusive marriage, she is hated by her in-laws for being Hispanic, and she has virtually nothing of her own (regardless of the millions her husband has as part of the family fortune). Her only bright spot is her daughter, but it's also the reason she can't up and walk away. Her husband is serving time for tax evasion, and it's been the best part of her marriage. But he's getting out early, and she's looking for someone who will "do away" with her problem. That latest someone is Reacher. While he's killed as part of his former life as a military MP, he can't do a cold-blooded murder. But the more he learns, the deeper he gets drawn into the conflict. What complicates the issue is that her story appears to be built on one lie after another, and Jack has to separate reality from fantasy. When the husband gets home from prison and is shot in the bedroom within hours of arriving, Carmen is arrested for murder. Jack should just walk away, but there's that small part of him that still believes her, and he can't leave until he is convinced of the truth...
This is another solid job of writing and story-telling by Child. The lines between truth and fiction, while starting out with sharp edges, becomes increasingly blurred until there is no line. The "victim" story becomes harder and harder to swallow, and the "bad guy" story appears to be diametrically opposite to what the victim painted. While I expected plot twists, I really had no way to tell where Child would end up with this one. As such, I probably ended up committing some social family faux pas while I snuck off to keep reading and discover the outcome. It was that good...
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Comments
he has another character in another series that reminds me a great deal of Reacher - though not as enjoyable to read. Rucka's female lead is much better so far. Skip
Posted by Skip At 06:37:03 On 03/01/2006 | - Website - |
Posted by Duffbert At 07:11:03 On 03/01/2006 | - Website - |