Jack Reacher, the central character of novel, is a charming and smart ‘James Bond’ hero – but he is also ruthless in his pursuit of justice – and you just might be better off dead than have him coming after you.

This is the second Child brothers’ collaboration and starts in a backwater town on the Mexican and American border, the last town where Michaela Fenton, an army veteran turned FBI agent, received an encrypted cry for help from her twin brother. A dramatic sequence of events finds Jack stepping up to assist Michaela find her brother.

It’s here the plot begins to twist as Jack finds himself embroiled in an evil underworld where all his and Michaela’s opponents would rather die than give up their secrets. What are they so afraid of? Drawing on a superhuman strength, instinct and courage, Jack finds himself racing against the clock to escape death and defeat the villains.

Better Off Dead keeps you on a razor edge, right to the satisfactory end. A great holiday or weekend read.

Reviewed by Karen Williams

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Bestselling author Lee Child