The Hard Way (Jack Reacher 10) | Paperback

I bought this on spec and was hugely surprised - this was my introduction to the character of Jack Reacher, and what a thoroughly entertaining read it was.

Hard-boiled dialogue, a charismatic central character and a story which managed to throw up some explosive set-pieces, despite being a quite straightforward "missing person" thriller.

The characterisation of ex-military personnel is first-rate and believable, but the actions of all concerned seem very natural and not forced.

A nice streak of dark humour runs through the dialogue too - this was a terrific read, and led me to read the rest of the Reacher novels. I would definitely recommend it.

A friend recommended this to me, saying it was an intriguing thriller. I was neither intrigued nor thrilled. I guessed the ending half way through and found it to be cliched and two dimensional. The only upside is that it is a quick and easy read.