Exit Strategy by Lee Child and Andrew Child, Book Review

~ Veselin

Exit Strategy is book 30 of the series about the retired military police officer Jack Reacher, no middle name. Reacher, a 60-something, overweight, and homeless, is traveling the country with a thin stack of cash, a debit card, and a toothbrush, like a modern version of the hitchhiker Arthur Dent. Exit Strategy is also a book from the Murderbot series by Martha Wells. The two books have many things in common, for example there’s no exit strategy at any part of the plot. Actually, Reacher only has one strategy, which involves using his massive size to crush the bad guys, just like the Murderbot.

Book 29 of the series was called In Too Deep. In my review from 2024, I awarded it with 1* and evaluated the whole series as unreadable, probably thanks to the new writer. I remember being surprised that it had over 4 on Goodreads, a mistake the readers have already corrected. Book 30 currently stands at 3.75, the lowest Jack Reacher has ever received. However, this is probably due to the piling disappointment after several sub-par or disastrous books that might’ve discouraged long-term fans of the series from buying it.

Exit Strategy is readable. Reacher crushes bones in a satisfying way. There are no Russians, no three-letter agencies, world-scattering conspiracies, or disposable femme fatales. The villain is some rich dude. This is already a major improvement. The best stories from the earlier years didn’t have complex plots or multiple espionage tropes either.

Reacher enters a town and finds another retired vet, who is in trouble. He forms a small crew to solve the problem in his way, Karateka style. He is, in a sense, still like the old Steven Seagal. Large, static, not very smart, linear, arrogant, quick with the choices. But the book is readable and offers many things the good Reacher books offered, including an unexpected ending that made sense.

I think, despite being sub-par compared to the books before Andrew Child, this is an okay thriller. I hope the duo keeps positive learnings with their next work. 4/5.

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19 thoughts on “Exit Strategy by Lee Child and Andrew Child, Book Review”

  1. I only ever read the Reacher book. It was a bit too over-the-top macho/brutal for me (plus I’m pretty sure the big conspiracy at the center of the book was based on a very flawed understanding of how money printing actually works). Personally, I prefer the “tough guys” from 1920’s-50’s pulp fiction when I’m in the mood for that kind of story.

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    2. The book you’re talking about is likely Killing Floor, Reacher #1. The essence is true, Reacher there is like Rambo.

      These books are not realistic. Lots of the action moments are nonsense and only exist for the reader to have a satisfying experience.

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      1. That’s the one! After reading it I decided to stick with Dashiell Hammett’s Continental Op and Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe when I was in the mood for cynical tough guys.

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    1. TIL! At least I’ve not stopped reading the series 😀

      Reacher met a girl that was presented as his likely daughter. It was a promising line, finally a person he could care about. I think Lee Child missed the chance to let Reacher grow and settle. It’s been 20-25 years after he left the military police. How does he keep self-identifying as a military vet? Still traveling without luggage. Is he afraid of the washing machine?

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      8. This review comes to mind. What do you think?

        Crash Course – Matthew Reilly

        I’m critical to Lee Child because he made Reacher unpleasant. Reacher was one of my most favorite characters. He’s now Seagal.

        Michael Connelly, for example, having a similar-style main, Harry Bosch, let Harry age. He built other characters, most recently Ballard. He also slipped a few times with exceptionally terrible books but I’d say, top 5 of his works are out of his last 10 books.

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      9. The reason I’m asking is because I want to know what is “normal” for you in a review. I haven’t been following you long enough to judge this, so I thought I’d just flat out ask.

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