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Jack Reacher Omnibus: Killing Floor Die Trying
Two bestsellers featuring Jack Reacher, an ex-military cop of no fixed abode, a righter of wrongs – the perfect action hero:
KILLING FLOOR
Jack Reacher jumps off a bus and walks fourteen miles down a country road into Margrave, Georgia. An arbitrary decision he's about to regret.
Reacher is the only stranger in town on the day they have had their first homicide in thirty years.
The cops arrest Reacher and the police chief turns eyewitness to place him at the scene.
As nasty secrets leak out, and the body count mounts, one thing is for sure.
They picked the wrong guy to take the fall.
DIE TRYING
Jack Reacher, alone, strolling nowhere.
A Chicago street in bright sunshine. A young woman, struggling on crutches. He offers her a steadying arm.
And turns to see a handgun aimed at his stomach.
Chained in a dark van racing across America, Reacher doesn't know why they've been kidnapped.
The woman claims to be FBI. She's certainly tough enough.
But at their remote destination, will raw courage be enough to overcome the hopeless odds?
KILLING FLOOR
Jack Reacher jumps off a bus and walks fourteen miles down a country road into Margrave, Georgia. An arbitrary decision he's about to regret.
Reacher is the only stranger in town on the day they have had their first homicide in thirty years.
The cops arrest Reacher and the police chief turns eyewitness to place him at the scene.
As nasty secrets leak out, and the body count mounts, one thing is for sure.
They picked the wrong guy to take the fall.
DIE TRYING
Jack Reacher, alone, strolling nowhere.
A Chicago street in bright sunshine. A young woman, struggling on crutches. He offers her a steadying arm.
And turns to see a handgun aimed at his stomach.
Chained in a dark van racing across America, Reacher doesn't know why they've been kidnapped.
The woman claims to be FBI. She's certainly tough enough.
But at their remote destination, will raw courage be enough to overcome the hopeless odds?
768 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
24 people are currently reading
968 people want to read
About the author
Lee Child
442 books34.3k followersLee Child was born October 29th, 1954 in Coventry, England, but spent his formative years in the nearby city of Birmingham. By coincidence he won a scholarship to the same high school that JRR Tolkien had attended. He went to law school in Sheffield, England, and after part-time work in the theater he joined Granada Television in Manchester for what turned out to be an eighteen-year career as a presentation director during British TV's "golden age." During his tenure his company made Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, Prime Suspect, and Cracker. But he was fired in 1995 at the age of 40 as a result of corporate restructuring. Always a voracious reader, he decided to see an opportunity where others might have seen a crisis and bought six dollars' worth of paper and pencils and sat down to write a book, Killing Floor, the first in the Jack Reacher series.
Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment. The first Jack Reacher movie, based on the novel One Shot and starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, was released in December 2012.
Lee has three homes—an apartment in Manhattan, a country house in the south of France, and whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two. In the US he drives a supercharged Jaguar, which was built in Jaguar's Browns Lane plant, thirty yards from the hospital in which he was born.
Lee spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.
Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment. The first Jack Reacher movie, based on the novel One Shot and starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, was released in December 2012.
Lee has three homes—an apartment in Manhattan, a country house in the south of France, and whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two. In the US he drives a supercharged Jaguar, which was built in Jaguar's Browns Lane plant, thirty yards from the hospital in which he was born.
Lee spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 16, 2013
I never want to like Jack Reacher novels, but I just always, always do. Lee Child is a clever writer, a really clever writer. You can tell he's studied the art of this business and ticked all the boxes he set out to tick. Sometimes that does make his writing a little cold. His own voice is really totally absent, and as Reacher can be a little bit two-dimensional at times, that can leave the narrative, well, just a touch flat. But he really does the characters very well, especially the female leads. Maybe that's why women are so mad for this series. We know that Reacher is completely unreal, but the female characters are a little more believable.
I really wish other thriller/action writers would learn from Childs.
I really wish other thriller/action writers would learn from Childs.
May 23, 2015
I had already read The Killing Floor.
This is for Die Trying.
Since it was the second book of the Jack Reacher series, he was a little less in charge than most of the other books. Although he ultimately saves the day, it showed some vulnerabilities. Some of the story was a little far out there but many of these type of stories are. I liked a lot. And you can see Lee Child forming the character as his stories develop and grow, as does the character.
This is for Die Trying.
Since it was the second book of the Jack Reacher series, he was a little less in charge than most of the other books. Although he ultimately saves the day, it showed some vulnerabilities. Some of the story was a little far out there but many of these type of stories are. I liked a lot. And you can see Lee Child forming the character as his stories develop and grow, as does the character.
March 30, 2014
Nice book. After seeing the movie, I imagine Jack Reacher played by Bruce Willis more than Tom Cruise...
Nice, fast paced; hero is a FICTION hero, but that is good to see sometimes.
Nice, fast paced; hero is a FICTION hero, but that is good to see sometimes.
July 14, 2025
1. Killing Floor ⭐⭐⭐
Jack Reacher is a hard man. One might liken him to a literate Rambo — not only adept at neutralising five or six henchmen simultaneously (with, one imagines, a minimum of fuss), but also fully capable of calculating what two plus two equals, sans perspiration. Whether he is conversant in differential calculus remains an open question, but let us not be unreasonable in our expectations.
Reacher belongs to that peculiar literary dinosaur bestowed upon us by bygone decades — eras in which physical confrontation was not a last resort, but the default method of conflict resolution. In this respect, the novel functions adequately. Our titular hero arrives in a small town for no other reason than that he happened to glance at his fellow passenger’s map while on a bus, recalled that a blind African-American guitarist had died there many decades prior (yes, you read that correctly), and decided, on a whim, to alight.
By the very next day, he finds himself arrested as a suspect in a murder investigation. Before he can properly process what’s happening, he’s entangled neck-deep in a conspiracy of suitably murky proportions. Reacting in the only fashion permitted by the robust masculinity of the era from which he has seemingly been exhumed, Reacher proceeds to wreak havoc — an understatement of magnificent proportions. One might go so far as to say that everything except the Earth’s core receives a thorough beating at his hands.
Eventually — SPOILER ALERT — it emerges that the murder he was accused of relates to the death of his own brother, a development of which he was entirely unaware. He hadn’t seen his brother in years, nor had any inkling that he had passed through the town in question.
In due course, Reacher resolves the case, eliminates all nefarious elements with characteristic efficiency, parts ways with the stunningly attractive police officer he had, of course, seduced through the sheer force of his manliness, and departs in pursuit of further adventures (one suspects they will be similarly bruising for all involved).
2. Die Trying ⭐⭐
Jack Reacher is such a paragon of masculinity that ingesting his perspiration will result in immediate chest hair growth — whether one happens to be a man, a woman, a child, a dolphin, a goldfish, or indeed an extraterrestrial lifeform.
Jack Reacher is so ineffably manly that simply beholding him causes immediate moisture between the legs, even if one is wrestling legend Hulk Hogan himself.
The bogeyman, when retiring to bed, tucks his head beneath the covers — for fear of Jack Reacher.
Such is Reacher’s prowess with firearms that he can, with his back turned and armed with an extraordinarily powerful weapon, fire a bullet that circumnavigates the globe and strikes you precisely in both testicles.
Reacher harbours a dream: that one day, every Jewish dentist might react to the theft of his car without subsequently being discovered charred to a crisp in the vehicle’s boot. (Read the book; it will all become clear.)
Jack Reacher is the ultimate operative: he breakfasts on Jason Bourne, lunches on James Bond, and by supper belches up a Rambo-Schwarzenegger hybrid. And yet... he is unemployed.
For reasons one can only attribute to fate’s perverse sense of humour, every time Reacher meanders peacefully through the American heartland, a deranged conspiracy rears its head. Said conspirators inevitably commit the fatal error of confronting him physically — often via a few backhanded slaps. A choice that proves, without exception, to be terminal.
Because after an initial moment of non-bewilderment — Jack Reacher, of course, never suffers from confusion — he calmly assesses the situation (to such detail that he might deduce the number of cows once owned by the grandmother of the kidnappers’ driver based solely on the limp of the deputy commander), grows incensed, and retaliates. Viciously. He returns to the conspirators their teeth to chew on and blow bubbles with.
Despite initially failing to realise that a very-much-alive (though not for long) dentist is bound and gagged in the boot of the car used to abduct him and an FBI agent with a mangled knee, Reacher’s heightened senses soon kick in. What follows is a transformation of the landscape into a kind of Yucatán-post-meteor-impact, Krakatoa-post-eruption, Greek-economy-post-2009 scenario. You grasp the gist.
In this particular tale, a handful of dangerously delusional imbeciles have decided to secede from the United States and establish a new, independent nation — somewhere in Montana (not Hannah). They’ve set up a “colony” of some hundred individuals (including women and children), and claim readiness for any contingency. Or, rather, some contingencies — for one cannot go far with fifty indifferent followers, even if armed with scavenged rifles, ill-gotten cash, and delusions drawn from pseudo-constitutional reinterpretations and conspiracy websites involving the UN, the World Bank, and some vaguely Illuminati-adjacent bogey.
Their leaders are, naturally, either profoundly unhinged or have undergone elective cranial surgery in which their brains were replaced with strawberry jelly. And, naturally, they blunder fatally by targeting Jack Reacher.
SPOILER ALERT: The ending is, of course, foreordained. Reacher fires bullets through skulls from ten light-years away while dangling from helicopters, demolishes pickup trucks with dynamite, and puts a definitive end to the budding micro-republic.
One lingering mystery: why do these laughable separatists consider the goddaughter of the President of the United States so vitally important? I confess I never understood. Should someone be able to elucidate, I shall doff my hat — and allow Jack Reacher to shoot a hole clean through it from six kilometres away, blindfolded.
Overall, the novel is not entirely dreadful. The first half — before the plot begins to unravel in all its overstretched absurdity — is, arguably, quite engaging. Later, it starts to drag. But if your tastes lean towards action-driven testosterone escapism, replete with meticulous gun descriptions, bullet calibres, and rugged lone-wolf logic, you will likely find it satisfying.
If, on the other hand, your brain weighs more than 600 grams, perhaps... not so much.
Jack Reacher is a hard man. One might liken him to a literate Rambo — not only adept at neutralising five or six henchmen simultaneously (with, one imagines, a minimum of fuss), but also fully capable of calculating what two plus two equals, sans perspiration. Whether he is conversant in differential calculus remains an open question, but let us not be unreasonable in our expectations.
Reacher belongs to that peculiar literary dinosaur bestowed upon us by bygone decades — eras in which physical confrontation was not a last resort, but the default method of conflict resolution. In this respect, the novel functions adequately. Our titular hero arrives in a small town for no other reason than that he happened to glance at his fellow passenger’s map while on a bus, recalled that a blind African-American guitarist had died there many decades prior (yes, you read that correctly), and decided, on a whim, to alight.
By the very next day, he finds himself arrested as a suspect in a murder investigation. Before he can properly process what’s happening, he’s entangled neck-deep in a conspiracy of suitably murky proportions. Reacting in the only fashion permitted by the robust masculinity of the era from which he has seemingly been exhumed, Reacher proceeds to wreak havoc — an understatement of magnificent proportions. One might go so far as to say that everything except the Earth’s core receives a thorough beating at his hands.
Eventually — SPOILER ALERT — it emerges that the murder he was accused of relates to the death of his own brother, a development of which he was entirely unaware. He hadn’t seen his brother in years, nor had any inkling that he had passed through the town in question.
In due course, Reacher resolves the case, eliminates all nefarious elements with characteristic efficiency, parts ways with the stunningly attractive police officer he had, of course, seduced through the sheer force of his manliness, and departs in pursuit of further adventures (one suspects they will be similarly bruising for all involved).
2. Die Trying ⭐⭐
Jack Reacher is such a paragon of masculinity that ingesting his perspiration will result in immediate chest hair growth — whether one happens to be a man, a woman, a child, a dolphin, a goldfish, or indeed an extraterrestrial lifeform.
Jack Reacher is so ineffably manly that simply beholding him causes immediate moisture between the legs, even if one is wrestling legend Hulk Hogan himself.
The bogeyman, when retiring to bed, tucks his head beneath the covers — for fear of Jack Reacher.
Such is Reacher’s prowess with firearms that he can, with his back turned and armed with an extraordinarily powerful weapon, fire a bullet that circumnavigates the globe and strikes you precisely in both testicles.
Reacher harbours a dream: that one day, every Jewish dentist might react to the theft of his car without subsequently being discovered charred to a crisp in the vehicle’s boot. (Read the book; it will all become clear.)
Jack Reacher is the ultimate operative: he breakfasts on Jason Bourne, lunches on James Bond, and by supper belches up a Rambo-Schwarzenegger hybrid. And yet... he is unemployed.
For reasons one can only attribute to fate’s perverse sense of humour, every time Reacher meanders peacefully through the American heartland, a deranged conspiracy rears its head. Said conspirators inevitably commit the fatal error of confronting him physically — often via a few backhanded slaps. A choice that proves, without exception, to be terminal.
Because after an initial moment of non-bewilderment — Jack Reacher, of course, never suffers from confusion — he calmly assesses the situation (to such detail that he might deduce the number of cows once owned by the grandmother of the kidnappers’ driver based solely on the limp of the deputy commander), grows incensed, and retaliates. Viciously. He returns to the conspirators their teeth to chew on and blow bubbles with.
Despite initially failing to realise that a very-much-alive (though not for long) dentist is bound and gagged in the boot of the car used to abduct him and an FBI agent with a mangled knee, Reacher’s heightened senses soon kick in. What follows is a transformation of the landscape into a kind of Yucatán-post-meteor-impact, Krakatoa-post-eruption, Greek-economy-post-2009 scenario. You grasp the gist.
In this particular tale, a handful of dangerously delusional imbeciles have decided to secede from the United States and establish a new, independent nation — somewhere in Montana (not Hannah). They’ve set up a “colony” of some hundred individuals (including women and children), and claim readiness for any contingency. Or, rather, some contingencies — for one cannot go far with fifty indifferent followers, even if armed with scavenged rifles, ill-gotten cash, and delusions drawn from pseudo-constitutional reinterpretations and conspiracy websites involving the UN, the World Bank, and some vaguely Illuminati-adjacent bogey.
Their leaders are, naturally, either profoundly unhinged or have undergone elective cranial surgery in which their brains were replaced with strawberry jelly. And, naturally, they blunder fatally by targeting Jack Reacher.
SPOILER ALERT: The ending is, of course, foreordained. Reacher fires bullets through skulls from ten light-years away while dangling from helicopters, demolishes pickup trucks with dynamite, and puts a definitive end to the budding micro-republic.
One lingering mystery: why do these laughable separatists consider the goddaughter of the President of the United States so vitally important? I confess I never understood. Should someone be able to elucidate, I shall doff my hat — and allow Jack Reacher to shoot a hole clean through it from six kilometres away, blindfolded.
Overall, the novel is not entirely dreadful. The first half — before the plot begins to unravel in all its overstretched absurdity — is, arguably, quite engaging. Later, it starts to drag. But if your tastes lean towards action-driven testosterone escapism, replete with meticulous gun descriptions, bullet calibres, and rugged lone-wolf logic, you will likely find it satisfying.
If, on the other hand, your brain weighs more than 600 grams, perhaps... not so much.
October 20, 2015
The Jack Reacher books are far from being the greatest literature on the planet, but they work well as guilty pleasures.
I admit, I have more than a couple of issues with the writing yet the stories are always entertaining and always make up for it. They are the kinds of books I have no wish to admitting I enjoy, yet I cannot deny the fact that I do enjoy the Jack Reacher novels.
I admit, I have more than a couple of issues with the writing yet the stories are always entertaining and always make up for it. They are the kinds of books I have no wish to admitting I enjoy, yet I cannot deny the fact that I do enjoy the Jack Reacher novels.
May 21, 2015
Jack Reacher is a "man's" man who can pretty much get out of any situation, no matter how bizarre. Nevertheless I enjoy reading these books. The character (and storylines) have improved since these early days. Good, escapist fun.
November 15, 2013
Haven't seen the Jack Reacher movie yet, but thought I'd read the book. Excellent! Can't wait to read the other ones.
March 27, 2014
Good one but little predictable in the end
September 4, 2015
This character is awsm, I am going to read rest of them. Even better than the movie.
May 1, 2015
It was easy to read, fast paced and enjoyable.
June 5, 2015
Easy reading, liked the first book better than the second.
January 12, 2018
#1 -- Reread June 2017 (audio book) -- I love the Jack Reacher books! So much so that I'm reading them again lol. I so enjoy listening to the audio for this series and love that they use the same voice actor (Dick Hill) for all of the books thus far. I enjoyed most things about this book and the one or two things I didn't were easily overlooked. So much o that at the moment I can't remember what they are. I remember thinking during the last disc 'why didn't he just do this?' but I can't remember now what I wanted him to do, so I qualify that as a keeper. :)
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July 2014 (hard copy) -- Good book.
#2 -- Pretty good.
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July 2014 (hard copy) -- Good book.
#2 -- Pretty good.
June 7, 2017
Hooked me from the start!
August 7, 2018
Very detailed and graphic. I am unfamiliar with the world of deceit and killing, but the author kept me intrigued.
November 27, 2018
Plenty of action. Quite unbeleivable. Fun
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2012
mmmmm, same formula. Gave 3 instead of 2 as the detail and intricacy of the plot was good. I read the whole thing on the plane home from the UK so was entertaining enough. I hope that the next 'Reacher' novel is not as predictable.....
April 9, 2012
I read these about two years ago and was quite pleased worth a read in my opinion
Read
July 23, 2012I really enjoyed this book. His knowledge of how people react, their timing, etc. I had a hard time trying to figure out how Jack Reacher would do next!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2013
Awesome book.
January 5, 2014
had read a lot kingdoms late works of Lee child. . decided to start at the beginning. . thanks in part to my friend Jody janczac ori! glad I read them. . well continue.
May 31, 2015
Another exciting Jack Reacher 'adventure'. I now know a lot more about counterfeiting, currencies and banking concepts than I ever thought I'd need to know. ;-)
November 16, 2014
Gripping !!
May 1, 2015
Love this series. Exciting, on the edge of your seat action. winner!
August 6, 2016
Pacey, good read... Made me realize that Jack Reacher's physique in book is not even remotely matching the Jack Reacher's in movies :p
May 12, 2015
#2 in the Jack Reacher series. Although it's not great literature, it is a good read for its type.
December 11, 2023
Great books
October 1, 2023
I Love reading Lee Child books I can't get enough of Jack Reacher
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews