Kirkus Style Review

Child, Lee. Never Go Back: A Jack Reacher Novel. New York: Delecorte, 2013. Print. $28.00.

Reacher goes back to the headquarters of the 110thMP to meet Susan the new CO and finds a man as CO. Reacher is promptly re-enlisted, threatened with two criminal allegations, breaks Susan out of jail, and is pursued by civil and army law enforcement all the way to California.

Reacher spoke with Major Susan Turner by phone when he was in Bolton, South Dakota and needed information.  He was captivated by her voice.  He arrives at the old headquarters in order to ask her out to dinner.  The action starts right away when Reacher is met with one surprise after another.  The newest new CO is Lt. Col. Morgan who re-enlists Reacher without his consent and informs him that he is under criminal and civil investigation for killing one Juan Rodriquez and for failure to provide child support for the child he had with Susan Dayton.  Reacher doesn’t remember either one of these people nor does he know about any offspring. When Reacher is taken to his motel he is met by two army men who call him a disgrace to the unit, threaten to beat him up, and urge him to go AWOL and never come back.  Reacher is tempted but he wants dinner with Susan.  He learns what information he can from his two lawyers; break Major Susan Turner out of jail, and flies to California in order to learn the truth about Rodriquez and Dayton.  Turns out that this isn’t about Reacher at all.  Susan stumbled into a drug smuggling operation from Afghanistan to the USA that is being run by men in higher offices of the US government.  She was arrested and Reacher was encouraged to go away in order to put Susan off their trail.

Reacher figures out who is behind the arrests and false accusations.  He learns that he still has friends in the Army.  He gets to know Susan better.  Justice, Reacher style, is meted out upon the bad guys. Child gives us another action packed Reacher story.