“61 Hours” by Lee Child (2010)

Review #112
A Jack Reacher Mystery

Jack Reacher is back and in his element, Smalltown, U.S.A. When a tour bus, on which he bummed a ride, skids off the road and crashes, Reacher finds himself in Bolton, S.Dak., a tiny burg with big problems.

This time, the retired military cop has to deal with a hired assassin, a prison breakout, a mob of biker thugs, a secret government installation, a clutch of senior citizen tourists who thought a frigid vacation in South Dakota would save money and a witness who needs protection from a murderous drug lord from Mexico. Just an ordinary day on the job for Reacher and, as always, he displays plenty of daring-do, mental acuity, and good old-fashioned decency.

As usual, Child's writing is superb. Not only is this thriller believable, but the descriptions of the blizzard will make you want to hug your furnaces (a good thing in the heat wave we're having!). Fast paced and exciting! The only thing I didn’t like about this book is the cliffhanger at the end…does Reacher survive this one?