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Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories
After making his debut in The Killing Floor, Jack Reacher has quickly become one of the most popular―and most enduring―fictional heroes to emerge in the past half century. Now, his creator tells the stories behind the stories.
These are the origin tales of all of the Reacher novels written solely by Lee Child, chock full of colorful anecdotes and intriguing inspirations. One by one, they expand upon each novel and place it in the context not only of the author's life, but of the world outside the books. And taken together, they chart the rise of an action icon, from 1997's The Killing Floor to 2019's Blue Moon. An afterword by crime fiction expert and bookseller Otto Penzler considers the importance of the character and novels in the canon of contemporary crime fiction.
In addition to the essays, this collection also includes an original Reacher short story―the first new Reacher appearance entirely written by Lee Child since 2019. Entertaining and enlightening, The Stories Behind the Stories is a must-listen for fans of the Jack Reacher series and a capstone to any collection of this excellent author.
These are the origin tales of all of the Reacher novels written solely by Lee Child, chock full of colorful anecdotes and intriguing inspirations. One by one, they expand upon each novel and place it in the context not only of the author's life, but of the world outside the books. And taken together, they chart the rise of an action icon, from 1997's The Killing Floor to 2019's Blue Moon. An afterword by crime fiction expert and bookseller Otto Penzler considers the importance of the character and novels in the canon of contemporary crime fiction.
In addition to the essays, this collection also includes an original Reacher short story―the first new Reacher appearance entirely written by Lee Child since 2019. Entertaining and enlightening, The Stories Behind the Stories is a must-listen for fans of the Jack Reacher series and a capstone to any collection of this excellent author.
Library Binding
First published August 14, 2025
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About the author
Lee Child
444 books34.5k 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 - 30 of 244 reviews
September 26, 2025
Consider the title of the book. “Reacher – The stories behind the stories.” Question being, is this truly a story about one of the most famous fictional characters around, or is it a version of Child’s memoir of what was going on for him behind-the-scenes for each of the stories he wrote about Reacher?
If anyone was looking for more Reacher in short stories, this is not the place to find it. Except at the end, when Child introduces a new short story featuring Reacher. Yes, just one story. That is it.
The truth is, that this book is really all about Child, and where he was, what he was doing, and how life was for him at the time he was writing the Reacher character, between 1997 – 2019.
He even shares this in his introduction when he states…
“…I decided to…do what I wish more authors would do: to set down a plain and quotidian record of the who, why, what, where, and when, like a career diary.”
And, whether or not he deemed it was going to be “very interesting” or not, his words not mine, this is what the publisher supported with its promotion and publication of this book. You can read about this in the ‘Afterword’ by publisher, bookstore owner, Otto Penzler.
So, would it have been more appropriate to re-name this book? Maybe then it would be clearer to potential readers the true intention was not so much the headlining of Reacher, but more insights into Child, his creator. Or, was it just my fault for not reading the description on the book cover prior to checking it out from my local library? (To be fair to myself, I didn’t see the book cover until the book came in for me to check-out. I just ordered it from my library because I saw the title, “Reacher.”)
For those who are interested in Child, this makes for an easy-to-read recap adventure into an author’s life during the time of his writing Reacher stories.
And, for those who miss Child as the lone author of Reacher stories (he has been co-writing with his brother, Andrew Grant since 2020), there is that one, I mentioned earlier, which is titled, ‘A Better Place.’ It arrives at about page 193 in the hardcover version of this book and covers 21 pages. If you are looking for typical Reacher here – hitchhiker, fighter, implementer of justice; you found him.
3.5 stars
If anyone was looking for more Reacher in short stories, this is not the place to find it. Except at the end, when Child introduces a new short story featuring Reacher. Yes, just one story. That is it.
The truth is, that this book is really all about Child, and where he was, what he was doing, and how life was for him at the time he was writing the Reacher character, between 1997 – 2019.
He even shares this in his introduction when he states…
“…I decided to…do what I wish more authors would do: to set down a plain and quotidian record of the who, why, what, where, and when, like a career diary.”
And, whether or not he deemed it was going to be “very interesting” or not, his words not mine, this is what the publisher supported with its promotion and publication of this book. You can read about this in the ‘Afterword’ by publisher, bookstore owner, Otto Penzler.
So, would it have been more appropriate to re-name this book? Maybe then it would be clearer to potential readers the true intention was not so much the headlining of Reacher, but more insights into Child, his creator. Or, was it just my fault for not reading the description on the book cover prior to checking it out from my local library? (To be fair to myself, I didn’t see the book cover until the book came in for me to check-out. I just ordered it from my library because I saw the title, “Reacher.”)
For those who are interested in Child, this makes for an easy-to-read recap adventure into an author’s life during the time of his writing Reacher stories.
And, for those who miss Child as the lone author of Reacher stories (he has been co-writing with his brother, Andrew Grant since 2020), there is that one, I mentioned earlier, which is titled, ‘A Better Place.’ It arrives at about page 193 in the hardcover version of this book and covers 21 pages. If you are looking for typical Reacher here – hitchhiker, fighter, implementer of justice; you found him.
3.5 stars
February 16, 2026
"On Monday September 5th, 1994, at home, at the dining room table, I sat down to write. An hour later, I gave the first chapter [of the first 'Jack Reacher' book] to my wife. I asked 'Should I continue?' 'Yes,' she said, 'I like it.'" -- this could be the start of something big, on page 2
Author Lee Child - the pen name of James Grant - casually recounts what spurred him on to create his long-running and durable series with Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories. At 190 pages - but covering the initial 24 books - it's not an especially in-depth look or examination from the debut Killing Floor (1997) up to Blue Moon (2019), nor it does cover those seven subsequent entries co-written by his younger brother Andrew. (The remaining twenty pages is the inclusion of a new Jack Reacher short story - titled 'A Better Place' - which was okay, but not necessarily essential reading.) When Child describes losing his TV studio job at age forty and turning to writing as 'plan B,' and those early years of hoping for success in this new career venture, there was a certain relatability factor with tapping into all-too-real adult fears. However, when he later casually mentions owning houses / properties on multiple continents, tooling around in a vintage Jaguar, and jet-setting across the globe on book tours and/or vacations said established accessibility hit the proverbial brick wall.
Author Lee Child - the pen name of James Grant - casually recounts what spurred him on to create his long-running and durable series with Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories. At 190 pages - but covering the initial 24 books - it's not an especially in-depth look or examination from the debut Killing Floor (1997) up to Blue Moon (2019), nor it does cover those seven subsequent entries co-written by his younger brother Andrew. (The remaining twenty pages is the inclusion of a new Jack Reacher short story - titled 'A Better Place' - which was okay, but not necessarily essential reading.) When Child describes losing his TV studio job at age forty and turning to writing as 'plan B,' and those early years of hoping for success in this new career venture, there was a certain relatability factor with tapping into all-too-real adult fears. However, when he later casually mentions owning houses / properties on multiple continents, tooling around in a vintage Jaguar, and jet-setting across the globe on book tours and/or vacations said established accessibility hit the proverbial brick wall.
June 25, 2025
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Lee Child, Penzler Publishers, and Mysterious Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
For someone who has long enjoyed the Jack Reacher series, I was intrigued to be offered this short piece that pulls the curtain back on the character and the book series Lee Child created. This tome gives Child a chance to provide context with how his stories came to be, as well as some of the influences that helped shape his ideas. Child provides great insight and is perfect for Reacher fans, as well as those who love seeing how story ideas come to fruition.
After being released from his job in the mid-90s, Lee Child knew that he'd need to find something new to put food on the table. He went home and pulled out a stubby pencil, which he put to paper one day. His ideas flowed out and before long, Child had the first chapter of a book, which his wife thought needed more and encouraged him to keep writing. This was the beginning of his debut novel, Killing Floor, the kernel of the Reacher series that is now overtaking the thriller world.
Lee Child has taken to offering some context on how he came to write many of his bestselling pieces, as well as the outside influences that brought him insight. Readers who are familiar with the Jack Reacher collection will surely find something intriguing about this piece, as it not only offers up Child's ideas, but also some of the more humorous aspects of creativity. Child does so in an easy to understand way, while never holding back.
I have long enjoyed Jack Reacher and the numerous antics in which he has found himself. Lee Child does well at providing context and insight, not only to his writing, but the other things he had going on throughout the process. Child offers wonderful vignettes and explains himself in a way that the reader can enjoy without feeling too bogged down. Readers who are familiar with the series will know that unpredictability is the predictable, which is a theme that emerges in this piece. A wonderfully created tome that had me flipping pages from start to finish!
Kudos, Mr. Child, for this great behind-the-scenes look at things.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
For someone who has long enjoyed the Jack Reacher series, I was intrigued to be offered this short piece that pulls the curtain back on the character and the book series Lee Child created. This tome gives Child a chance to provide context with how his stories came to be, as well as some of the influences that helped shape his ideas. Child provides great insight and is perfect for Reacher fans, as well as those who love seeing how story ideas come to fruition.
After being released from his job in the mid-90s, Lee Child knew that he'd need to find something new to put food on the table. He went home and pulled out a stubby pencil, which he put to paper one day. His ideas flowed out and before long, Child had the first chapter of a book, which his wife thought needed more and encouraged him to keep writing. This was the beginning of his debut novel, Killing Floor, the kernel of the Reacher series that is now overtaking the thriller world.
Lee Child has taken to offering some context on how he came to write many of his bestselling pieces, as well as the outside influences that brought him insight. Readers who are familiar with the Jack Reacher collection will surely find something intriguing about this piece, as it not only offers up Child's ideas, but also some of the more humorous aspects of creativity. Child does so in an easy to understand way, while never holding back.
I have long enjoyed Jack Reacher and the numerous antics in which he has found himself. Lee Child does well at providing context and insight, not only to his writing, but the other things he had going on throughout the process. Child offers wonderful vignettes and explains himself in a way that the reader can enjoy without feeling too bogged down. Readers who are familiar with the series will know that unpredictability is the predictable, which is a theme that emerges in this piece. A wonderfully created tome that had me flipping pages from start to finish!
Kudos, Mr. Child, for this great behind-the-scenes look at things.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
September 11, 2025
Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories by Lee Child, narrated by Jeff Harding and author himself, feels like autobiography, or foreword to each book. It’s not about Jack Reacher, but about Lee Child, how each novel came to be and a glimpse into what was happening in his life at the time. The structure is simple: each year, one chapter, one Reacher book—told without giving away spoilers.
Thank you to HighBridge via NetGalley and ARC. This is my honest opinion.
Thank you to HighBridge via NetGalley and ARC. This is my honest opinion.
September 27, 2025
Lee Child hasn’t published one of his own “Reacher” novels since 2019, after handing his bestselling series off to his brother Andrew. However, that hasn’t stopped him from being heavily involved with his internationally well-known character, both helping out with the popular Amazon streaming show and providing his brother feedback on the current novels.
First and foremost, this is not a work of fiction. Other than the short story “A Better Place” added in at the end (probably to add enough material to sell this work as a short novel rather than the novella length it really is, as well as to entice the reader with something new from Reacher’s creator).
Second, and more important, this is a work of non-fiction that Lee Child and Otto Penzler, owner of the Mysterious Press bookstore in New York and publisher of the same name, created to please the hardcore fans of both Reacher and his creator. Penzler tried for years to convince Child to let him publish a limited collector’s edition of the Reacher novels, and finally Child agreed to it. Penzler decided to push his luck and ask Child to write a new forward for each of the books. One that would add value and make each edition even more special for the hardcore fans by revealing literary and personal insights that went into the creation, plotting and writing each of the books.
The good news is that Child agreed to writing those forwards and purposely chose to turn the introductions into his own writer’s diary of not only what he was thinking, but also what was going on in his life during the writing of his novels. For me, this was a good decision and more than better approach. As much as I was interested and mesmerized by the behind the creative literary stories (I loved them), the addition of his personal life, happenings, and events, added an additional layer of quality and depth to the reading experience. It’s one thing to have read the Reacher novels for almost the last 30 years (and what a great adventure it has been), but now looking back and reflecting over them in this reflective reunion amplifies that emotional connection.
The result is this book, which is made up of (1) a new introduction from Child, (2) the 24 new forwards that he wrote for each of the limited-edition novels, (3) a new original Reacher short story, titled “A Better Place”, and (4) an afterward from the publisher, Otto Prenzler.
For me, this book is a perfect bookend to go with the other two non-fiction books that Andy Martin wrote with Lee Child - “Reacher Said Nothing: Lee Child and the Making of Make Me” and “With Child” – which all together cover pretty much all of Child’s life, his creation of the Reacher character, writing history and approach, and the phenomenal publishing history that made him an international bestselling author that walked away on his own terms. These three books provide all of the behind the scenes, key events, motivating factors, and writer’s secrets that you would ever want to know about Lee Child.
However, having said that, this book is not for everyone. Not everyone wants to know how the candy is made and the secret recipes that create it. Some people just want to enjoy the taste of the candy and that is satisfaction enough. If that is the case for you, then you may want to pass on this one.
As for me, I am very grateful that Penzler got Child to write these new introductions for each of his 24 Reacher novels, from the first – “The Killing Floor” – all the way to the last “Blue Moon”. I love hearing the thoughts on a writer’s creative process, especially when it involves a series and iconic character like Reacher that will more than likely stand the test of time in the world of literary fiction. This book allowed me to step behind the curtain and connect with one my favorite writers. It was sentimental and reflective for me. Enough said.
In closing, I share my personal thank you to Lee Child for opening up and sharing part of your writing and personal experiences, and a second thank you to Otto Penzler for sharing them with the public, which allowed me the chance to read them while being priced out of the limited collector’s editions. It left me feeling lucky and blessed.
As for a Goodreads rating, even though this is not a cohesive book, but more of a collection of essays, I will go with a 4 out of 5 stars for sentimental reasons.
First and foremost, this is not a work of fiction. Other than the short story “A Better Place” added in at the end (probably to add enough material to sell this work as a short novel rather than the novella length it really is, as well as to entice the reader with something new from Reacher’s creator).
Second, and more important, this is a work of non-fiction that Lee Child and Otto Penzler, owner of the Mysterious Press bookstore in New York and publisher of the same name, created to please the hardcore fans of both Reacher and his creator. Penzler tried for years to convince Child to let him publish a limited collector’s edition of the Reacher novels, and finally Child agreed to it. Penzler decided to push his luck and ask Child to write a new forward for each of the books. One that would add value and make each edition even more special for the hardcore fans by revealing literary and personal insights that went into the creation, plotting and writing each of the books.
The good news is that Child agreed to writing those forwards and purposely chose to turn the introductions into his own writer’s diary of not only what he was thinking, but also what was going on in his life during the writing of his novels. For me, this was a good decision and more than better approach. As much as I was interested and mesmerized by the behind the creative literary stories (I loved them), the addition of his personal life, happenings, and events, added an additional layer of quality and depth to the reading experience. It’s one thing to have read the Reacher novels for almost the last 30 years (and what a great adventure it has been), but now looking back and reflecting over them in this reflective reunion amplifies that emotional connection.
The result is this book, which is made up of (1) a new introduction from Child, (2) the 24 new forwards that he wrote for each of the limited-edition novels, (3) a new original Reacher short story, titled “A Better Place”, and (4) an afterward from the publisher, Otto Prenzler.
For me, this book is a perfect bookend to go with the other two non-fiction books that Andy Martin wrote with Lee Child - “Reacher Said Nothing: Lee Child and the Making of Make Me” and “With Child” – which all together cover pretty much all of Child’s life, his creation of the Reacher character, writing history and approach, and the phenomenal publishing history that made him an international bestselling author that walked away on his own terms. These three books provide all of the behind the scenes, key events, motivating factors, and writer’s secrets that you would ever want to know about Lee Child.
However, having said that, this book is not for everyone. Not everyone wants to know how the candy is made and the secret recipes that create it. Some people just want to enjoy the taste of the candy and that is satisfaction enough. If that is the case for you, then you may want to pass on this one.
As for me, I am very grateful that Penzler got Child to write these new introductions for each of his 24 Reacher novels, from the first – “The Killing Floor” – all the way to the last “Blue Moon”. I love hearing the thoughts on a writer’s creative process, especially when it involves a series and iconic character like Reacher that will more than likely stand the test of time in the world of literary fiction. This book allowed me to step behind the curtain and connect with one my favorite writers. It was sentimental and reflective for me. Enough said.
In closing, I share my personal thank you to Lee Child for opening up and sharing part of your writing and personal experiences, and a second thank you to Otto Penzler for sharing them with the public, which allowed me the chance to read them while being priced out of the limited collector’s editions. It left me feeling lucky and blessed.
As for a Goodreads rating, even though this is not a cohesive book, but more of a collection of essays, I will go with a 4 out of 5 stars for sentimental reasons.
September 22, 2025
4 Stars for Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories (audiobook) by Lee Child read by the author.
I’m starting to really get into this series and then I realized that there’s actually a book about the series by the author. It was really interesting to find out where these stories come from. It’s just fascinating to hear how Lee Child sits down on the first of September and starts writing longhand. He has no notes or outline, he just keeps writing to see where the story takes him. It was also interesting to hear what was going on in the author’s life as he wrote it. I also got an idea of where the series is headed and what I have to look forward to down the road in the series.
I’m starting to really get into this series and then I realized that there’s actually a book about the series by the author. It was really interesting to find out where these stories come from. It’s just fascinating to hear how Lee Child sits down on the first of September and starts writing longhand. He has no notes or outline, he just keeps writing to see where the story takes him. It was also interesting to hear what was going on in the author’s life as he wrote it. I also got an idea of where the series is headed and what I have to look forward to down the road in the series.
October 13, 2025
This book is a collection of 24 recently written introductions to the first 24 novels in the Jack Reacher series (i.e. the ones solely written by Lee Child (real name Jim Grant) before the continuing series co-written with his brother Andrew Grant). These were for a limited edition (just one hundred copies per title) of leather bound volumes to be produced by the author's friend Otto Penzler, owner of The Mysterious Bookshop in midtown Manhattan.
As someone who has followed the entire series since the debut "Killing Floor", I found the introductions very informative despite knowing some of the details before: e.g. the first book was written in pencil after the author knew he would soon lose his job as production director at Granada TV, that his main literary inspiration was the "Travis McGee" novels of John D. MacDonald, he is the oldest of four sons, is married with one daughter and a big Blues fan.
The most fascinating part for me was finding our what inspired individual novels: from magazine articles to overheard conversations and even personal experiences. As an added bonus, at the end is an afterword by the aforementioned Otto Penzler about his love for the series and then a previously unpublished Reacher short story.
I'd say this was a must-read for all fans of the Reacher series without them having to shell out a small fortune for all the luxury volumes.
As someone who has followed the entire series since the debut "Killing Floor", I found the introductions very informative despite knowing some of the details before: e.g. the first book was written in pencil after the author knew he would soon lose his job as production director at Granada TV, that his main literary inspiration was the "Travis McGee" novels of John D. MacDonald, he is the oldest of four sons, is married with one daughter and a big Blues fan.
The most fascinating part for me was finding our what inspired individual novels: from magazine articles to overheard conversations and even personal experiences. As an added bonus, at the end is an afterword by the aforementioned Otto Penzler about his love for the series and then a previously unpublished Reacher short story.
I'd say this was a must-read for all fans of the Reacher series without them having to shell out a small fortune for all the luxury volumes.
November 4, 2025
I purchased a hardback from Thrift books which was a very good price. I enjoyed this so much but then I have read all his books and enjoyed most of them. It is a fun read.
February 8, 2026
A nonfiction [mostly] entry to the Jack Reacher universe, along with a new short story. For the completist. Lee Child was asked by Otto Penzler to write introductions for special editions [126 copies only] of each of his first 24 Reacher books. Starting with book 25 the Reacher books are cowritten with his brother. These introductions talk of what Child was doing and where he was when each book was written. It also discusses how he came up with each plot. Mildly interesting.
October 12, 2025
Lee Child’s history behind his writings plus a “way too short” short story.
September 24, 2025
This is a high quality audio perfect for reacher fans. Listening to it I can see that this is not necessary something that needed to be done , its original inclusion as an introduction in each book in a selected print run is much more credible and would work better. This gave a kind of history of the writing process rather than the backstory of the beloved character etc. I really enjoyed the short story at the end and this could work as a collection of new stories but this was so more about Lee and how he writes than the character. That said its a quick listen that gives insight into the author would like it to be more about the character than him. Perfect for true fans and also could see spin off of short stories working well. Reacher is a much loved character so there is defo a market here and its good to see an author giving something extra to all this fans rather than a select few. Thank you netgallery, author, publisher and narrator
October 13, 2025
This is a Non Fiction book about Lee Child writing the Reacher series and the movie/TV show. I enjoyed reading this book, and I enjoyed getting how he wrote the series.
September 6, 2025
So this was not exactly what I expected. Although it did allude to that in the preview…
This is NOT a Reacher book. Instead, it is basically a behind-the-scenes look at how Lee Child came about writing each of the books! And, if you are a Reacher Fan like I am, you will definitely enjoy this one!
Just know that it is not a Reacher Novel, so you won't be disappointed…
That being said, I didn’t realize that Lee Child was originally from the UK, but then moved to NY!
We were virtual neighbors!
I also enjoyed reading about his writing process, and HOW he became a writer to start with!
Funny, because that was not his original dream, but, it seems to have worked out for him! 😊
And, where would all of us readers be without the tough, strong, pillar of a man… Jack Reacher?
Love his books! Love his story. Love Jack Reacher!
4 bold stars for me!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟
#Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories by @LeeChild. Narrated nicely by the author and @JeffHarding.
*** THIS HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED YET!!! LOOK 👀 FOR IT SOON. RELEASE DATE IS 9/9/25!! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HighBridgeAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
This is NOT a Reacher book. Instead, it is basically a behind-the-scenes look at how Lee Child came about writing each of the books! And, if you are a Reacher Fan like I am, you will definitely enjoy this one!
Just know that it is not a Reacher Novel, so you won't be disappointed…
That being said, I didn’t realize that Lee Child was originally from the UK, but then moved to NY!
We were virtual neighbors!
I also enjoyed reading about his writing process, and HOW he became a writer to start with!
Funny, because that was not his original dream, but, it seems to have worked out for him! 😊
And, where would all of us readers be without the tough, strong, pillar of a man… Jack Reacher?
Love his books! Love his story. Love Jack Reacher!
4 bold stars for me!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟
#Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories by @LeeChild. Narrated nicely by the author and @JeffHarding.
*** THIS HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED YET!!! LOOK 👀 FOR IT SOON. RELEASE DATE IS 9/9/25!! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HighBridgeAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
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December 12, 2025l'm not going to give this a rating as other than a short Reacher story at the end it's more of a documentary. A chapter on each of Lee Child's Reacher books describing his thoughts and process of writing them.
December 10, 2025
This book is a collection of introductions Child wrote for prestige limited-edition versions of his books, and they typically touch on what sparked the idea for the book, his living situation at the time, and a glimpse at his writing approach. The early essays are exceptionally brief and repetitive, while over time he becomes more expansive (though still repetitive; these essays are meant to be stand-alone).
We learn that instead of plotting or outlining his books in advance Child writes as he goes, apparently literally needing to finish one sentence before starting the next. We learn that he names characters after winners of charity auctions, and will even let your character's namesake have sex with Reacher if you pay enough. We learn that he is exceptionally wealthy, able to go on extravagant vacations and trips, a huge Yankees fan, and dismissive of "amateur readers" who don't like his books. He's actually quite elitist, desiring the approval of academics (leading to his letting one watch him write a book, which sounds like a Monty Python sketch) and ignoring those of us who think some of his later work is pedestrian and uninspired.
Much of what a fan wants to know is ignored in this collection. We read a little about his involvement with the Tom Cruise movies, though he doesn't write anything particularly interesting about them. Since the last essay is for Blue Moon, we don't learn why he began collaborating with his brother on the new books. The book includes "an original Reacher short story--the first new Reacher appearance entirely written by Lee Child since 2019" with no mention of the new arrangement (the story, by the way, is pedestrian and uninspired). There's no mention of the TV show. This collection includes the book essays and a short story, nothing else to provide greater context or consider Reacher in a larger way (which would have required more effort).
The essay for Blue Moon ironically includes this passage: "I really didn't want to offer a substandard product. I didn't want my readers to feel upset as I had [when his favorite writers "seemed to have gotten bored or lazy or tired"]. My instinct was to quite while I was ahead, and leave them wanting more." Apparently this concept didn't apply to collecting previously-published dashed-off essays and charging $27 for them.
We learn that instead of plotting or outlining his books in advance Child writes as he goes, apparently literally needing to finish one sentence before starting the next. We learn that he names characters after winners of charity auctions, and will even let your character's namesake have sex with Reacher if you pay enough. We learn that he is exceptionally wealthy, able to go on extravagant vacations and trips, a huge Yankees fan, and dismissive of "amateur readers" who don't like his books. He's actually quite elitist, desiring the approval of academics (leading to his letting one watch him write a book, which sounds like a Monty Python sketch) and ignoring those of us who think some of his later work is pedestrian and uninspired.
Much of what a fan wants to know is ignored in this collection. We read a little about his involvement with the Tom Cruise movies, though he doesn't write anything particularly interesting about them. Since the last essay is for Blue Moon, we don't learn why he began collaborating with his brother on the new books. The book includes "an original Reacher short story--the first new Reacher appearance entirely written by Lee Child since 2019" with no mention of the new arrangement (the story, by the way, is pedestrian and uninspired). There's no mention of the TV show. This collection includes the book essays and a short story, nothing else to provide greater context or consider Reacher in a larger way (which would have required more effort).
The essay for Blue Moon ironically includes this passage: "I really didn't want to offer a substandard product. I didn't want my readers to feel upset as I had [when his favorite writers "seemed to have gotten bored or lazy or tired"]. My instinct was to quite while I was ahead, and leave them wanting more." Apparently this concept didn't apply to collecting previously-published dashed-off essays and charging $27 for them.
September 15, 2025
I really enjoyed reading about Lee Child’s journey creating all of the Reacher books and how his personal experiences helped shape the stories and Reacher.
November 25, 2025
Essential reading for every Jack Reacher fan. A fascinating look at what went on behind the scenes as Lee Child came up with each novel. (Plus a bonus brand-new Reacher short story.)
September 27, 2025
Not exactly what I expected. This book is a collection of new forewords that Lee Child has written for a limited edition reprinting of all of his Jack Reacher novels. They’re a semi interesting look at what was going on in his life during each book’s creation and publication. But I’m glad that I borrowed it from the library. There’s really little of much interest here except how Child uses his well deserved wealth to buy various properties. But the new Reacher short story at the end was fun.
October 14, 2025
If you are a "Reacher creature" like me, a constant reader of Lee Child's great series, you put aside whatever you are reading and jump in to a new Child book as soon as it is released. Jack Reacher is a premier character and Child is an awesome story teller.
A New York City bookseller who helped put Lee on the map and later became good friends wanted to release the Reacher tales in a set of signed, leather bound editions and asked Lee for an intro to each tale. Lee provided not just the "story behind the story" but integrated his own life into the development of each tale. Lee's writing method is also fascinating, no outline, just a couple of simple ideas and one sentence leads to the next. He started each one on September 1st, and tried to stay a year ahead of his contractual obligations. Some interesting insights into the industry, the development and trends in e-books, and other tidbits his readers will find interesting are included.
He romps around on book tours, buys homes in England, France, New York City and ultimately Wyoming. He may be a Brit, but he sure does a great job portraying America and a great American hero.
Interesting side note. Know why first books are not usually featured as book signings at local book stores? Nobody knows the author! They only show up after he is successful. I have signed copies of a couple of his works, along with other favorites like Stephen King, Michael Connelly, and John Grisham. I've met and chatted with King and Connelly and thanked them for some great reading experiences. Sorry I never got a chance to meet Lee - would like meeting him more after this slender but meaningful volume!
A New York City bookseller who helped put Lee on the map and later became good friends wanted to release the Reacher tales in a set of signed, leather bound editions and asked Lee for an intro to each tale. Lee provided not just the "story behind the story" but integrated his own life into the development of each tale. Lee's writing method is also fascinating, no outline, just a couple of simple ideas and one sentence leads to the next. He started each one on September 1st, and tried to stay a year ahead of his contractual obligations. Some interesting insights into the industry, the development and trends in e-books, and other tidbits his readers will find interesting are included.
He romps around on book tours, buys homes in England, France, New York City and ultimately Wyoming. He may be a Brit, but he sure does a great job portraying America and a great American hero.
Interesting side note. Know why first books are not usually featured as book signings at local book stores? Nobody knows the author! They only show up after he is successful. I have signed copies of a couple of his works, along with other favorites like Stephen King, Michael Connelly, and John Grisham. I've met and chatted with King and Connelly and thanked them for some great reading experiences. Sorry I never got a chance to meet Lee - would like meeting him more after this slender but meaningful volume!
September 19, 2025
I thought I was reading an episode of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous"
October 5, 2025
An interesting look book by book of the Jack Reacher stories, the inspiration for each one or the events shaping author Lee Child’s mind. An enjoyable read with a new short story at the end.
October 27, 2025
Only a Reacher fanatic would enjoy this repetitive group of 'forewords'
February 26, 2026
Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories was an excellent look into the making of the Jack Reacher books.
After the release of The Killing Floor in 1997, Jack Reacher quickly became one of the world's most popular fictional heroes. Now his creator is detailing the stories and life circumstances that led to each of the novels. These essays cover through Blue Moon, the twenty-forth book in the series released in 2019. Also included is A Better Place, a new Jack Reacher short story written by the original creator.
The Jack Reacher series has been one of my favorite thriller series for over a decade so I was excited when I saw the author put together a book detailing how each book came about. Each essay focused on one book at a time with minor references to the others in relation to what was being released as he was writing the current book. There were also frequent references to what was going on in the author's personal life and how that influenced his writing. It was interesting to learn that Lee Child doesn't plot out his books ahead of time and most of the time, he goes into the book with very little idea of what it's going to be about. I was also interested to learn he writes the book in order as you would read it as that's an unusual way of writing a book from what I understand. Ultimately I enjoyed getting to learn more about how each book was created and it has me interested in reading the books again to see if I can catch some of the references mentioned.
A Better Place opens with Reacher at a barbeque place in rural Alabama looking for a ride to continue his journey. He quickly discovers there isn't much traffic in the area leaving him with a long walk ahead of him. This was a fun story that was classic Reacher and I thoroughly enjoyed it. He runs into people he wants to help and people he wants to stop as most of his adventures go. I know exactly what to expect from Reacher's brand of justice and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. There wasn't much new in here but it was still a fun story.
Overall Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories was a great read and I would highly recommend it to fans of the series.
After the release of The Killing Floor in 1997, Jack Reacher quickly became one of the world's most popular fictional heroes. Now his creator is detailing the stories and life circumstances that led to each of the novels. These essays cover through Blue Moon, the twenty-forth book in the series released in 2019. Also included is A Better Place, a new Jack Reacher short story written by the original creator.
The Jack Reacher series has been one of my favorite thriller series for over a decade so I was excited when I saw the author put together a book detailing how each book came about. Each essay focused on one book at a time with minor references to the others in relation to what was being released as he was writing the current book. There were also frequent references to what was going on in the author's personal life and how that influenced his writing. It was interesting to learn that Lee Child doesn't plot out his books ahead of time and most of the time, he goes into the book with very little idea of what it's going to be about. I was also interested to learn he writes the book in order as you would read it as that's an unusual way of writing a book from what I understand. Ultimately I enjoyed getting to learn more about how each book was created and it has me interested in reading the books again to see if I can catch some of the references mentioned.
A Better Place opens with Reacher at a barbeque place in rural Alabama looking for a ride to continue his journey. He quickly discovers there isn't much traffic in the area leaving him with a long walk ahead of him. This was a fun story that was classic Reacher and I thoroughly enjoyed it. He runs into people he wants to help and people he wants to stop as most of his adventures go. I know exactly what to expect from Reacher's brand of justice and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. There wasn't much new in here but it was still a fun story.
Overall Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories was a great read and I would highly recommend it to fans of the series.
December 30, 2025
I buy Jack Reacher books when they come out, but I (correctly) felt this one would be stretching that habit a little too far. So I waited a few weeks for the Portsmouth (NH) Public Library's copy to show up on the shelves.
It's short, a mere 221 pages, including a new Reacher 23-page short story. In which Jack manages to help a damsel in distress, beat up a bunch of lowlifes, and solve a minor mystery. Not a major literary milestone, but a decent amount of fun.
The remainder of the book is Lee Child's 24 "introductions" to collector's editions of his Lee-only novels, written between 1997 and 2019. (Novels since then are credited to Lee and brother Andrew.) Those collector's editions were limited to 100 copies, "bound in marbled boards, leather spines stamped in gold", and if you have to ask how much, you probably couldn't afford 'em. But it was nice of Lee Child and his publisher (Otto Penzler of Mysterious Press) to make the intros available.
Whether you find the introductions interesting … depends on what you might find interesting. I found Child's description of the writing process, his inspirations, his brushes with show biz, to be pretty good. Details on where he was living, his book tours? Not so much.
I was a Reacher latecomer, only starting the series with #1, Killing Floor, in 2009. But I quickly caught up, reading only one title out of order, a paperback of A Wanted Man bought in the Kansas City International Airport, because I'm phobic about getting caught on a plane without anything to read. I also report on the books I read (like this one, duh) at my blog and at Goodreads; I found it useful to review my reports in parallel with Child's intros.
Child does not, unfortunately, deal with Reacher's near-settling down with Jodie Garber in the early books. I've always been curious about her getting put in the series' memory hole! No insights on that here. Maybe in one of the future books?
September 15, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for providing me with an ALC.
I initially requested this thinking that it was another Reacher novel but this was a pleasant surprise. I've only read one of the Jack Reacher novels so far (Killing Floor) so I didn't catch all the references made. But I really enjoyed seeing the author's thought process while writing -- especially such a long series. It was nice how each book was given its own chapter and the real life context and that with respect to the previous books were revealed. Some tidbits about Lee Child's life were also dropped along the way, making it even more fun. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who's a fan of the Jack Reacher series and wants to know more about the behind the scenes working of the books.
Lee Child narrating this book himself definitely added a great touch to the book and the narration itself was brilliant. Would definitely recommend the audiobook.
I initially requested this thinking that it was another Reacher novel but this was a pleasant surprise. I've only read one of the Jack Reacher novels so far (Killing Floor) so I didn't catch all the references made. But I really enjoyed seeing the author's thought process while writing -- especially such a long series. It was nice how each book was given its own chapter and the real life context and that with respect to the previous books were revealed. Some tidbits about Lee Child's life were also dropped along the way, making it even more fun. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who's a fan of the Jack Reacher series and wants to know more about the behind the scenes working of the books.
Lee Child narrating this book himself definitely added a great touch to the book and the narration itself was brilliant. Would definitely recommend the audiobook.
August 25, 2025
This is not a fiction book of the Reacher series. Fans of the Reacher series by Lee Childs will find this interesting. This book is a compilation of the author’s notes from 1999-2019 on his writing process, how the ideas for each book came about, how some characters got named, what was going on in the author’s life and in the world at the time of the different books. It’s a very quick read and I found it somewhat interesting since I’ve read a lot of Reacher books but it truly didn’t give me a whole lot of insight other than he writes as he goes and is good at it. I give the book 3 stars out of 5 - not a great read but a nice look into how the writer approaches his craft.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on September 9, 2025.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on September 9, 2025.
November 8, 2025
(3 1/2). I was a Reacher Creature. When Lee Child exclusively wrote these books, I was always waiting impatiently for the next installment. I saw Lee Child speak about 12 years ago, he was hip, fun, very smart. A great speaker, this book is like listening to him once again. Really entertaining and insightful. The short story at the end is just classic Reacher, the best. I am so sorry Lee has given up this franchise, the new version is not up to the old. But this book is. most definitely. Good stuff.
December 31, 2025
Should have been a short listen, but it didn’t seem to be. I love Jack Reacher books, usually read one in the summer. This was a collection of Lee Child’s Forwards for each book. I thought it would be more about Reacher, who he was, how the character was created, Child’s experience with the military, etc. it was not that at all. Child is extremely lucky in his successes with writing. Audio book was narrated by him.
February 10, 2026
For Jack Reacher fans, this work is self-expplanatory. Includes the whose and wherefores as to how and when each of Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels was written in the first place. (If you are not presently a fan of either Jack Reacher or Lee Child, this combination bio-bibliography may most certainly help to change your mind.)
September 18, 2025
I did the audio book on this and I really liked hearing Lee Child talk about his books and how he came to be an author in the first place. If you are a Reacher fan this is a must read(or listen), you will like it.
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