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Past Tense
A gripping thriller in the Jack Reacher series, from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author
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Past Tense
Buy Now for ₹659.55
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Narrated by:
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Jeff Harding
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Written by:
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Lee Child
Brought to you by Penguin.
Read by award-winning narrator Jeff Harding.
**NOW A MAJOR PRIME TV SERIES STARRING ALAN RITCHSON**
JACK REACHER NEVER LOOKS BACK . . . UNTIL NOW.
The present can be tense . . .
A young couple trying to get to New York City are stranded at a lonely motel in the middle of nowhere. Before long they're trapped in an ominous game of life and death.
But the past can be worse . . .
Meanwhile, Jack Reacher sets out on an epic road trip across America. He doesn't get far. Deep in the New England woods, he sees a sign to a place he has never been - the town where his father was born. But when he arrives he is told no one named Reacher ever lived there. Now he wonders: who's lying?
As the tension ratchets up and these two stories begin to entwine, the stakes have never been higher for Reacher.
That's for damn sure.
Although the Jack Reacher novels can be listened to in any order, Past Tense is the 23rd in the series.
'There's only one Jack Reacher. Accept no substitutes.' - Mick Herron.
‘Jeff Harding’s [...] narration captures Reacher’s character perfectly [...] you have to savour every minute.’ The Sunday Times
© Lee Child 2018 (P) Penguin Audio 2018
Critic Reviews
I finished it in 2 days
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Great Book
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we still have a great gripping story from Patty and shorty sub story.
i don't understand why do we need such long boring jack reacher hunt for his ancestors.
Patty and shorty i wish i had more story from their end. loved their part
2 stories, one strong, one weak
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Unfortunately, the payoff never quite matches the promise.
The revelations about Reacher's father are interesting and add a welcome layer to the character, but they are too limited to carry the novel. I found myself wanting more—more history, more emotional depth, and a stronger connection between the family mystery and the main plot.
The parallel storyline involving the motel creates suspense in places and delivers a few genuinely unsettling moments, but it often feels disconnected from Reacher's journey. While the book has flashes of classic Lee Child tension, the narrative never develops the relentless momentum that characterizes the series at its best.
Reacher remains an engaging presence, as always, and the audiobook narration is solid throughout. There are moments that remind you why this character has endured for so long. However, when compared with standouts like Tripwire, Without Fail, The Enemy, or 61 Hours, this entry feels more like a detour than a destination.
Not a bad Reacher novel by any means—there are enough intriguing ideas and suspenseful passages to keep listeners engaged—but it ultimately left me wishing the exploration of Reacher's family history had gone much deeper.
A worthwhile listen for devoted fans, though not one I would place among the series' strongest entries.
An Interesting Premise That Never Quite Reaches It
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