Child's fifth novel, Echo Burning, was extremely entertaining, despite the serious nature of its subject - corruption, political and moral. It is a border story, reminding me of stories written by Cormac McCarthy. As Jack Reacher and Carmen Greer travel hundreds of miles between solitary towns in Texas, you will feel the vastness of Texas, and the precarious isolation of the characters. Hence, throughout the narrative, there is an eldritch and onimous feeling that permeates the pages similar to what you might have felt when reading or watching No Country For Old Men. Rusty is the matriach, and Sloop, Bobby, Eugene, and Hack are the good old boys. Rusty, Sloop, and Bobby represent "old white Texans" with "big money" from oil..."from way back." They live in Echo County in a large, convoluted Red House, where everything had been painted red - walls, ceilings, floors, and furniture. There is rising conflict and corruption, especially here on the border, where anything can happen, where there is lawlessness, and murder, where people take matter into their own hands. Child has perfected the character of Jack Reacher, who had become the avenging angel, correcting and punishing those who transgress the law.