New York City. Two in the morning. A subway car heading uptown. Jack Reacher, plus five other passengers. Four are okay. The fifth isn’t. And if you think Reacher isn’t going to get involved . . . then you don’t know Jack.

Susan Mark, the fifth passenger, had a big secret, and her plain little life was being watched in Washington, and California, and Afghanistan—by dozens of people with one thing in common: They’re all lying to Reacher. A little. A lot. Or just enough to get him killed. A race has begun through the streets of Manhattan, a maze crowded with violent, skilled soldiers on all sides of a shadow war. For Jack Reacher, a man who trusts no one and likes it that way, the finish line comes when you finally get face-to-face and look your worst enemy in the eye.

How was it?

I’ve been reading the Jack Reacher series in the most chaotic way possible, Book 1, then 11, and now 13. Why? I’m reading whichever book is about to be adapted for the Reacher television series. The funny thing is, even out of order, the character always feels consistent. Props to Lee Child, outside of Reacher getting a little older and technology slowly catching up, you never feel like you’ve missed a step. Reacher is Reacher. Always.

That said, Gone Tomorrow took me a few false starts before I got into it. Maybe that’s on me, the same thing was happening with the last couple of books I’ve read. But once I was in, I was hooked. The story moves with a smart, tightly wound pacing. It’s a riveting thriller, and the way it keeps dropping little breadcrumbs makes you lean in further and further.

It feels more serious, weaving in references to real global military history and geopolitical intrigue. That added layer of realism works, especially since the book’s main theme is all about trust. Who’s a friend, who’s an enemy, and how quickly that line can change. Reacher doesn’t trust many, and in Gone Tomorrow, that instinct gets tested again and again.

Without spoiling anything, some excellent callbacks and twists really elevate the story. I caught myself grinning at a few of them. And now? I’m extremely interested in how they’re going to adapt this book for season 4 of Reacher on Prime Video. The book is built on paranoia, misdirection, and people playing both sides, exactly the kind of stuff that could translate into a very tense TV season.

In the end, Gone Tomorrow might not have the same light, pulpy feel as some earlier Reacher adventures, but it’s gripping, layered, and absolutely worth the ride.

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