It Really Was The Hard Way...

Remember when I told you that I had learned lots and lots of useful information by reading the Reacher series by Lee Child?  I even gave us some "Reacher" advice on how to keep our mouths shut and let others fill the silence.  We struggled at the beginning of the lesson, but I think over time I've seen noticeable improvements from all of us...or at least from me.  I've become a master of not speaking.  Ya, right!  I know that's not true, so you can stop laughing now.

The Hard Way by Lee Child takes place mostly in New York with a short little visit to England.  New York!  Have I told you that I'm going there this month?  I am. I can't wait!  Why, you ask?  I'm going to New York because that's where you go when you're obsessed with a fictional character named Jack Reacher and you're dying for a chance to meet Lee Child.  Book signings are my new favorite thing (ugh, that sounds so Oprah-ish)!  And as you all know, I'm obsessed with my man Jack! So it's only appropriate that Mr. Child be the very first author that I'm planning a vacation around.  My husband, unfortunately, thinks I've lost my mind.   He'll get over it...until we head to Chicago next year to see Andrew Grant, and make a stop in Boston to see...well, this list could go on for days.  Consider it my way of showing appreciation for their willingness to write books just for me.  That's what they're doing, right?

Reacher's in New York doing his usual thing; sitting alone at a cafe in New York and people  watching. While sipping his usual espresso (can't we just call this coffee?), Reacher notices a man get in a Mercedes and drive away.   Doesn't sound like much, but that car just happens to be full of ransom money and the person paying it wants information from Reacher.  Long story short, Reacher gets recruited by Edward Lane, a leader of an incredibly hard-core group of mercenaries.  The job is to help track the man that has kidnapped Lane's wife and step-daughter.  It's a kidnapping in New York that leads us to England.  Or... is it?  In the story you'll read about a woman who blames Lane for her sister's death, meet a beautiful green-eyed private investigator, learn about Reacher's gift to tell time, read horrible tales of torture, and watch Reacher make mistakes.  Mistakes?   I know, I was pretty shocked myself.  It just means he has to work a little harder at solving the crime.  But don't worry ladies, he figures it all out in the end. 

I have to say that the most disturbing paragraph I read had me running to the bathroom to make sure my ears were perfectly shaped.  I was relieved to see that they were, but totally beside myself when I noticed that the left ear was just a tad bit lower than the right.  A flaw that became clearly visible today when I went to try on some new glasses.   Note to self:  wear your contacts to the Lee Child book signing.  Do not use reading glasses to send tweets to your Twitter family in front of Mr Child.  Do not tuck your hair behind your ears...he may notice your flaw!   Learning that Jack Reacher notices flaws in women was really difficult for me.  You can find the paragraph at the top of page 280.  All this time I've been doubling my workouts to look extra Reacher worthy for my trip to New York only to find out my ears knocked me off the Reacher Worthy Status Chart I've developed for myself.  Learning that I'm not Reacher worthy, was a lesson  learned...the hard way.  Sniff, sniff!  Hmm, I wonder if my beautiful eyes will make up for my ears being lopsided? 

Well, this is my review of book ten in the Reacher series.  I'll be starting Opposing Energies by J.W. Collier tonight.  He is a new author from Seattle that I found on Twitter.  Really kind and very positive.  Twitter-  where would I be without it?  Probably doing the dishes.  The first two readers at work who come to my desk and can tell me what the useful "Reacher" advice I gave in a previous post is; gets a surprise.  It's better than a book.  Kind of...