#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER &; Family secrets come back to haunt Jack Reacher in this electrifying thriller from &;a superb craftsman of suspense&; (Entertainment Weekly).
Jack Reacher hits the pavement and sticks out his thumb. He plans to follow the sun on an epic trip across America, from Maine to California. He doesn&;t get far. On a country road deep in the New England woods, he sees a sign to a place he has never been: the town where his father was born. He thinks, What&;s one extra day? He takes the detour.
At the same moment, in the same isolated area, a car breaks down. Two young Canadians had been on their way to New York City to sell a treasure. Now they&;re stranded at a lonely motel in the middle of nowhere. The owners seem almost too friendly. It&;s a strange place, but it&;s all there is.
The next morning, in the city clerk&;s office, Reacher asks about the old family home. He&;s told no one named Reacher ever lived in town. He&;s always known his father left and never returned, but now Reacher wonders, Was he ever there in the first place?
As Reacher explores his father&;s life, and as the Canadians face lethal dangers, strands of different stories begin to merge. Then Reacher makes a shocking discovery: The present can be tough, but the past can be tense . . . and deadly.
Praise for Past Tense
&;Child is one writer who should never be taken for granted.&;&;The New York Times Book Review
&;[ Lee Child] shows no signs of slowing down. . . . Reacher is a man for whom the phrase moral compass was invented: His code determines his direction. . . . You need Jack Reacher.&;&;The Atlantic
&;Superb . . . Child neatly interweaves multiple narratives, ratchets up the suspense (the reveal of the motel plot is delicious), and delivers a powerful, satisfying denouement. Fans will enjoy learning more of this enduring character&;s roots, and Child&;s spare prose continues to set a very high bar.&;&;Publishers Weekly (boxed and starred review)
&;Another first-class entry in a series that continues to set the gold standard for aspiring thriller authors.&;&;Booklist (starred review)
&;With his usual flair for succinctness and eye for detail, Child creates another rollicking Reacher road trip that will please fans and newcomers alike.&;&;Library Journal (starred review)
