Fine 6th Jack Reacher -- Secret Service thriller !!

We have read the entire Lee Child / Jack Reacher series, so obviously we enjoy these action packed thrillers about nice guy, smart guy, ex-MP Reacher. "Without Fail" is no exception, and a fast start -- a near-miss assassination attempt on Vice President-elect Armstrong -- soon leads the Secret Service to haul in Jack to act as a consultant and help them try to penetrate their security surrounding the veep so that they can plug any loopholes. Using an old Army friend, tough gal Frances Neagley, and teaming up (after hours as well!) with M.E. Froelich, who heads the responsible SS security team, Reacher is soon puzzling over hand delivered messages and video tapes before the more proactive action gets things heated up. That Froelich is an ex-lover of Jack's now deceased brother Joe only adds to the intrigue and gets Jack more involved emotionally than usual. Before it's over, a wild movie-like SUV chase out in Montana snow country finally leads to the real perpetrators. And who will get who in the end?

The Reacher series is loaded with clever plots, non-stop action and thrills. Rarely a dull moment keeps paging turning quickly; and Child's satisfying endings, often involving vigilante justice on the part of our hero to set things straight, rarely fail to please. While the premise of this one seemed a little less plausible than his other novels, Child's inside look at the Secret Service served as a good foil for Reacher. We wouldn't mind seeing more of his sidekick Neagley in future books; and as usual, this story just leaves us anxious for the next Jack Reacher outing!