Jack Reacher Reading Order
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Killing Floor | 1997 | Buy |
| Die Trying | 1998 | Buy |
| Tripwire | 1999 | Buy |
| Running Blind | 2000 | Buy |
| Echo Burning | 2001 | Buy |
| Without Fail | 2002 | Buy |
| Persuader | 2003 | Buy |
| The Enemy | 2004 | Buy |
| One Shot | 2005 | Buy |
| The Hard Way | 2006 | Buy |
| Bad Luck and Trouble | 2007 | Buy |
| Nothing to Lose | 2008 | Buy |
| Gone Tomorrow | 2009 | Buy |
| 61 Hours | 2010 | Buy |
| Worth Dying For | 2010 | Buy |
| The Affair | 2011 | Buy |
| A Wanted Man | 2012 | Buy |
| Never Go Back | 2013 | Buy |
| Personal | 2014 | Buy |
| Make Me | 2015 | Buy |
| Night School | 2016 | Buy |
| The Midnight Line | 2017 | Buy |
| Past Tense | 2018 | Buy |
| Blue Moon | 2019 | Buy |
| The Sentinel | 2020 | Buy |
| Better Off Dead | 2021 | Buy |
| No Plan B | 2022 | Buy |
| The Secret | 2023 | Buy |
| In Too Deep | 2024 | Buy |
| Exit Strategy | 2025 | Buy |
Lee Child was born Jim Grant in Coventry, England, in 1954. He worked in television for 18 years before being laid off in 1995. Rather than look for another TV job, he bought some paper and started writing. The result was Killing Floor, which introduced Jack Reacher to readers in 1997.
The character caught on immediately. Reacher is an ex-military policeman who wanders America with nothing but a folding toothbrush and the clothes on his back. He gets into situations, solves problems using his fists and his brain, then moves on. Child writes one Reacher novel per year, each one hitting the bestseller lists on release.
Child’s writing style is distinctive: short sentences, sparse description, and a focus on physical detail. He famously writes without an outline, discovering the plot as he goes. This approach gives his books an unpredictable quality that keeps readers guessing.
The series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide. Two Tom Cruise films adapted the books in 2012 and 2016, though fans debated whether the 5'7" actor could play the 6'5" Reacher. Amazon’s 2022 TV adaptation cast Alan Ritchson, whose physical presence better matches the character.
In 2020, Child began co-writing with his brother Andrew. The transition was gradual, with Andrew taking increasing responsibility for each book. As of 2025, Andrew Child writes the series solo, continuing the story Lee started nearly three decades ago.