Die Trying" by Lee Child"

[TexasProgresive]

It was my intention that this be spoiler free while giving a picture of the book and main characters. Some of what I wrote would be revealed in reading the novel, but I don't think that qualifies as spoilers. There is quite enough twists, turns and action to grab the reader.

This is the 2nd of Child's Jack Reacher series. It is a great read with intertwined subplots that draw nourishment from the main plot. The action is superb carried out by well developed characters. Throw in some partial and complete red herrings and you have Die Trying.

Jack Reacher is a decorated ex U.S.Army military police major. He grew up in a military family that like most moved a lot. His military career was more of the same. Reacher an American had little experience of America. When he resigned he began taking in the country, never staying in any one place very long. He seems to stumble into trouble more often then not. Reacher is remarkable physically and mentally.

Holly Johnson is an FBI agent in Chicago. She has torn her ACL playing soccer. She is personally connected to people high in the military and the government. She and bystander Reacher get caught up in a plot to take down the U.S. government.

Beau Borkin like Reacher is larger than life. A 400 pound charismatic sociopath who has drawn a group of easily lead people in an extremely remote area. He has grievances against the government and the resources to cause real damage.

This is post Ruby Ridge and Mt. Carmel (Waco), so the government is reluctant to get into another big imbroglio that would fuel the mindset of certain groups who we are all too familiar with today.

In most novels the character development of bad guys is rather 2 dimensional, but Child does a great job on Borkin and his underlings. There is even a woman with a very small part that conveys her deep emotions in her couple of bits of dialogue.

I have only read 2 Reacher novels. The other is well on in the series. Yes there is a pattern that Child follows in his novels, but that doesn't detract from the stories.

Good plots, good characters, good dialogues and a theme that ultimately feels right. What's not to like.