Overview

After making his debut in 1997’s The Killing Floor, Jack Reacher has quickly become one of the most popular—and most enduring—fictional heroes to emerge in the past half century. Now, his creator tells the stories behind the stories. These are the origin tales of all of the Reacher novels written solely by Lee Child, chock full of colorful anecdotes and intriguing inspirations. One by one, they expand upon each novel and place it in the context not only of the author’s life, but of the world outside the books. And taken together, they chart the rise of an action icon, from 1999’s The Killing Floor to 2019’s Blue Moon. An afterword by crime fiction expert and bookseller Otto Penzler considers the importance of the character and novels in the canon of contemporary crime fiction. In addition to the essays, this collection also includes an original Reacher short story—the first new Reacher appearance entirely written by Lee Child since 2019. Entertaining and enlightening, Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories is a must-read for fans of the Jack Reacher series and a capstone to any collection of this excellent author.

Full Product Details

9781613167069

Table of Contents

Reviews

""Need a Lee Child/Reacher fix? Of course you do . . . This book is perfect for rabid fans and unabashed addicts—like me."" -- James Patterson ""Whip-smart, gripping and chock-full of wit and charm, just like the author himself."" -- Karin Slaughter, No.1 bestselling author of the Will Trent series ""A fascinating look at the brilliant mind that created the iconic Jack Reacher. Both inspiring and instructive, this is a must-read for both readers and writers."" -- Tess Gerritsen, bestselling author of the Martini Club series ""Essential reading for all Reacher fans."" -- Steve Cavanagh, bestselling author of Fifty Fifty and Thirteen ""A terrific accompaniment to the books, and answers so many questions."" -- Joanne Harris, bestselling author of Chocolat

""Need a Lee Child/Reacher fix? Of course you do . . . This book is perfect for rabid fans and unabashed addicts—like me."" -- James Patterson ""Whip-smart, gripping and chock-full of wit and charm, just like the author himself."" -- Karin Slaughter, No.1 bestselling author of the Will Trent series ""A fascinating look at the brilliant mind that created the iconic Jack Reacher. Both inspiring and instructive, this is a must-read for both readers and writers."" -- Tess Gerritsen, bestselling author of the Martini Club series ""Essential reading for all Reacher fans."" -- Steve Cavanagh, bestselling author of Fifty Fifty and Thirteen ""A terrific accompaniment to the books, and answers so many questions."" -- Joanne Harris, bestselling author of Chocolat ""The most informative and entertaining book I’ve read so far in 2025."" -- Shots Magazine

Author Information

Lee Child was born on October 29, 1954, in Coventry, England, but spent his formative years in the nearby city of Birmingham. By coincidence he won a scholarship to the same high school that JRR Tolkien had attended. He went to law school in Sheffield, England, and after part-time work in the theater he joined Granada Television in Manchester for what turned out to be an eighteen-year career as a presentation director during British TV’s “golden age.” During his tenure his company made Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, Prime Suspect, and Cracker. But he was fired in 1995 at the age of forty as a result of corporate restructuring. Always a voracious reader, he decided to see an opportunity where others might have seen a crisis and bought six dollars’ worth of paper and pencils and sat down to write a book, Killing Floor, the first in the Jack Reacher series.

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