The Secret: Jack Reacher, Book 28

Product Information

It’s 1992 and the Cold War is still thawing. Eight respected scientists have been found dead across the United States, involved in unique accidents that the police have deemed non-issues. While many would find it hard to connect the dots, those deep within the Pentagon know these scientists and what they did for the Americans at the height of the Cold War. Bridgeman glanced at his left leg. The call button was where the nurse had left it, lying on the sheet between his thigh and the safety rail. His hand darted toward it. It was a fluid movement. Smooth. Fast. But the woman was faster. She snatched the button then dropped it, leaving it dangling on its wire, almost to the floor, well out of Bridgeman’s reach. The Secret” is a fast, entertaining read, but not the “gripping thriller” its promotional materials promise. His mission is to uncover the truth. Fast. The question is: will Reacher bring the bad guys to justice the official way . . . or his way? Another shot of his daughter and granddaughter, on foot this time, halfway across a crosswalk. The picture had been taken through a car windshield.

In many of these books, Reacher is a large figure with an eagle’s sense of justice who roams the country and gets into situations that require a hero. There are others, like THE SECRET, in which Reacher is called upon by his own government to help clean up a potentially deadly mess. This latest effort is set in 1992, which makes some of the post-Cold War rumblings more significant than they would be in the present day.This was maybe a so-so Reacher as he was not always centre stage in the narrative. It did at least make a change from the standard drifter Reacher template where he stumbles into some dastardly criminal conspiracy and has to rescue various innocents or even entire towns with his vigilante ways and means. The woman with the clip on her finger lowered herself into the visitor’s chair next to the window. The woman on the left of the bed waited a moment then looked at Bridgeman and said, ‘We apologize. We didn’t mean to startle you. We’re not here to hurt you. We just need to talk.’ Meanwhile, more murders are being committed at the hands of these ruthless assassins, who sort of remind me of Bambi and Thumper from the James Bond classic DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. When talk of Russian involvement in the 1969 case becomes a thing, Reacher and company get their hands on a former Soviet who provides some much-needed information concerning the identity of that eighth member.

Bridgeman’s heart was no longer racing. Now it felt like it was full of sludge. Like it didn’t have the strength to force his blood into his arteries. He couldn’t answer. It would mean breaking his oath. He had sworn to never reveal a single detail. They all had, twenty-three years before, when it became clear what they had done. And the missing name belonged to the flakiest of the group. Better for everyone if it remained off the list. The woman said, ‘We have two questions. That’s all. Answer them honestly and you’ll never see us again. I promise.’ She held it out for Bridgeman to take. It showed a gloved hand holding a copy of the Tribune next to a window. Bridgeman could read the date on the newspaper. Tuesday, 7 April 1992. It was that day’s edition. Then he saw two figures through the glass. A woman and a child. A little girl. Even though they were facing away from the camera Bridgeman had no doubt who they were. Or where they were. It was his daughter and granddaughter. In the home he had bought them in Evanston, after his wife died. Bridgeman was channelling all his energy into trying to breathe. It was only a name that the woman wanted. What harm could come from telling her? Plenty, he knew.

As to the good, it’s well and clearly written, fairly fast-paced, and contains some interesting information, especially about tradecraft. While the plot is a little disjointed (especially considering the first quarter has Reacher investigating a crime that has nothing to do with the rest of the story), for the most part, it held my attention. And it was fun to revisit the technology of the early 1990s when we all relied on faxes, corded telephones, and newspapers to get our information. Also, for those who enjoy Reacher’s pugilism, there are a number of well-described fight scenes.

Once he understands the rules of this forced assignment, Reacher decides its time to find a connection between the victims and who’s hunting them down, as well as rallying his fellow task force members to figure out why this is all happening. And to make matters worse, Reacher is getting the sense that someone in the government above their level is somehow involved and hiding key information… Information that could get them killed… That being said, we, as readers, must come to terms with understanding that Andrew is not Lee and cannot be Lee. He is his own writer. For example, nobody will ever be James Bond in my mind, but Sean Connery. He was the first, the best, and the model every other Bond is compared to. Most cannot come close to his greatness. However, everything considered, Daniel Craig did pretty dang good in his own version and I am enjoying his take on the character. He’s not Connery, but he’s much better than the others. Bridgeman had been in the hospital for a month. Long enough to grow used to its rhythms and routines. He knew it was time for the afternoon lull. A break from getting poked and prodded and being made to get up and move around and stretch. No one was going to bother him for another three hours, minimum. So he could read. Watch TV. Listen to music. Gaze out of the window at the sliver of lake that was visible between the next pair of skyscrapers. There is an October 23, 2023 interview with Andrew Child about The Secret by Barbara Peters at the Poisoned Pen Bookstore's YouTube channel which you can watch here. First 1/3 of the book is a sub-plot but not really a sub-plot because it's just an entirely irrelevant tangent about another crime that does nothing to develop characters or plot. Doesn't give any insights to people or events referenced later in his story line in previous books. Doesn't tie into the main plot whatsoever. Just "here's a bunch of words about an uninteresting story so I can satisfy my quota to the publisher for this year's book." Insulting waste of time to legions of readers / listeners who pay for any book in this series.First question. You’re meeting with a journalist the day after tomorrow. Where is the information you’re planning to give her?’ The woman said, ‘Bonus question. What happens tomorrow? Or the next day? Is the driver drunk? Do his brakes fail?’

His mission is to uncover the truth. The question will Reacher bring the bad guys to justice the official way . . . or his way? Readers are already privy to the fact that Stamoran had something to do with the tragic events that took place in India when thousands of innocent lives were claimed due to the mishandling of chemical weapons. The seven members of that team are now on a hit list kept by Veronica and Roberta, who also insist on learning the name of the notorious eighth individual who was really pulling the strings.

Pre-order:

Reacher said nothing.' count = 10. I was getting concerned when there had been only 2 of these in the first half of the book, but the count went up significantly in the 2nd half. His mission is to uncover the truth. The question is: will Reacher bring the bad guys to justice the official way . . . or his way?