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    The Midnight Line: A Jack Reacher Novel
    The Midnight Line: A Jack Reacher Novel
    The Midnight Line: A Jack Reacher Novel
    Audiobook (abridged)7 hoursJack Reacher

    The Midnight Line: A Jack Reacher Novel

    Written by Lee Child

    Narrated by Dick Hill

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Don’t miss the hit streaming series Reacher! 

    “A perfect example of Lee Child’s talent . . . This is not just a good story; it is a story with a purpose and a message.”—Huffington Post

    Reacher takes a stroll through a small Wisconsin town and sees a class ring in a pawn shop window: West Point 2005. A tough year to graduate: Iraq, then Afghanistan. The ring is tiny, for a woman, and it has her initials engraved on the inside. Reacher wonders what unlucky circumstance made her give up something she earned over four hard years. He decides to find out. And find the woman. And return her ring. Why not?

    So begins a harrowing journey that takes Reacher through the upper Midwest, from a lowlife bar on the sad side of small town to a dirt-blown crossroads in the middle of nowhere, encountering bikers, cops, crooks, muscle, and a missing persons PI who wears a suit and a tie in the Wyoming wilderness.

    The deeper Reacher digs, and the more he learns, the more dangerous the terrain becomes. Turns out the ring was just a small link in a far darker chain. Powerful forces are guarding a vast criminal enterprise. Some lines should never be crossed. But then, neither should Reacher.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
    Release dateNov 7, 2017
    ISBN9780525501060
    Author

    Lee Child

    Adrian Muller is one of the co-founders of CrimeFest, the international crime fiction convention.

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    Reviews for The Midnight Line

    4/5

    612 ratings60 reviews

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    • 4/5

      Jan 20, 2025

      Another solid story from Lee Child, but this, I think, is noticeably different from the ones I have previously read. And I also believe it is different in the way that all the various characters intersect as the story moves forward. All characters are well-developed and fit their parts. The downside of the story is that the themes are really depressing.

      In my last Jack Reacher review, I praised the British authors unerring details found throughout his books; either through a lot of research, just a really smart guy, or both. I'm sure there were a few suspect bits that gave me pause, but I soon forgot them. This time, however, I remembered! No Rook (Corvus frugilegus) in America, wrong continent! Gotcha Lee!

      **********

      [Reacher] "moved on, slow and cautious. He stopped a foot short of the corner and listened hard. Heard nothing except silence, and the tiniest eddy of breeze through the trees, and the caw of a rook far in the distance. No breathing. no movement, no creak of wood. Nothing at all."
    • 5/5

      Nov 18, 2024

      Just Brilliant!

      The Midnight Line is another winning Jack Reacher thriller. Somehow Lee Child makes every Reacher story a gripping page turner. He is certainly the best thriller writer at this moment in time.

      Reacher has just got off the bus to stretch his legs, on yet another long bus journey. He is looking in the various shop windows when he comes across a pawnbroker’s shop where he notices a West Point graduation ring. Even though he asks plenty of questions the owner does not possess the answers. It is clear that the ring belonged to a female graduate, who will have had to work even harder than the men to graduate. Reacher as a graduate of West Point, buys the ring and sets out to reunite the ring with the owner. From his sources he finds that the owner originates from Rapid City, South Dakota.

      After wrangling more information, he requires Reacher begins his journey to Laramie and Mule Crossing, Wyoming. Now he has somewhere to be and unbeknown to Reacher there are people intent on making sure he does not reach the destination or the owner of the ring. In fact they would like Reacher dead, they just have not informed him as yet.

      As Reacher reaches his destination and begins his search for the missing former officer, he stumbles across someone else looking for the same person. When the sister turns up things become far more difficult. The more Reacher digs the more he discovers about America’s opioid crisis and the problems it is leaving in its wake.

      There is the involvement of the DEA who are not making a very good job of their on-going investigation. It seems that the DEA are on a wild goose chase of their own making. While Reacher focuses on finding the owner of the ring. He also understands the reasons why the owner of the ring may not actually want to be found. There is clearly a reason why the owner who had been awarded a Purple Heart may not want to be found and certainly not by her sister. Though Reacher is very happy to help both.

      While the investigation is ongoing there are plenty of people who do not want Reacher to succeed and will do everything, they can, to stop him. There is also a small matter that he needs to take care of in Rapid City, and he will settle that score. There is nothing like the vengeance and the power of Reacher angry and a few people will find out that it is not best to underestimate him.

      This is another brilliant Reacher thriller that keeps you gripped from beginning to the end.
    • 3/5

      Aug 9, 2024

      Jack Reacher is an impressive looking man who is six-foot five inches tall and weighs two hundred fifty pounds. He is a former MP, and has great respect for the men and women who sacrificed their lives and, in some cases, their physical and mental health, to keep America safe. A West Point graduate himself, he spots a West Point ring in a Wisconsin pawnshop and reasons that, because of its size, it belongs to a woman. He decides to trace the ring's provenance, find the owner, and return it to her. If this sounds like a far-fetched premise, you'll have to live with it, because Child's books are not noted for their realism. Reacher is a loner and a wanderer; a taciturn individual who hitchhikes and travels by bus from state to state; carries little more than a toothbrush and a passport; and occasionally spend a few days with a woman he will likely never see again.

      In Lee Child's "The Midnight Line," Reacher joins forces with a private investigator and a gorgeous thirty-five year old woman looking for her missing twin, and encounters a host of miscreants along the way. Adding to the implausible nature of this yarn, the Superintendent of West Point gives Reacher information over the phone to aid in his investigation. As usual, our hero uses both brains and brawn to fend off attacks and plan his strategy. He engages into bloody fistfights with various assailants and never permits anyone from law enforcement to interfere with his mission.

      This is not one of Child's most sterling efforts. The book is slow moving, with staccato sentences ("Jack Reacher. No middle name. Retired military police.") that grate on one's nerves, little forward momentum, and a plot that feels as if it is pasted together with Elmer's Glue. The only aspect of the book that comes alive is the tragic tale of Serena Rose Sanderson, the owner of the aforementioned ring who put in five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Her heart-rending story drives home the horrors of combat and the terrible suffering that severely wounded veterans face when they leave the army. Events play out predictably, since Reacher is rarely wrong, his confederates follow his lead as if were still an active duty officer, and after he cleans up the messes he encounters, off he goes to his next port of call. In some ways, he is a modern-day Lone Ranger.
    • 4/5

      Jan 23, 2024

      I came across this novel while browsing through latest thrillers in a bookstore while on a vacation. I like Jack Reacher, his approach to things and relentless urge to do right thing even if that puts him into the pretty bad spot.

      This story starts with Reacher being on a little bit downside. He is contemplating his actions after woman - he was obviously very much into - leaves him because she is not into long term relations (which is funny because Reacher is also rather single-night-affair-only person too). Story between Reacher and the woman seems to be linked to some of the previous novels I am not familiar with, will need to track that one down. So Reacher is feeling downbeat and suddenly comes across something that takes him by complete surprise - a ring that he knows how hard it is to gain.... and he finds it in a pawn shop.

      So for no other reason than to force himself to do something meaningful (instead of thinking about the girl that left him) Reacher starts the search for the ring owner because he recons owner must be in some serious issues if ring got pawned. And considering the ring owner and Reacher most definitely share a lot, he feels like he is helping an old estranged friend.

      And so story begins.

      I liked it, a lot. Not for a story alone but because we see Reacher in a different light even for a relatively short time during his quest. He is no longer just wagabond walking across the country for no specific reason. He is a man who tasted something that he liked but that he lost and he cannot figure out why (although he understands the reasoning). Being a person who never backed off from anything he understands that life goes on and that he cannot change much. But he needs to vent frustration so badly he embarks on a quest of helping unknown person.

      And when he vents his frustration that means bad guys gonna fly around like they were kicked by a mule.

      That is why I like the character so much - he is paladin-like character. He wanders the world trying to avoid conflict and just observe the people. But as it happens bad things are something he encounters all the time and when that happens he jumps readily in to right things up.

      One of the reviewers said Reacher acts like an old man in this novel. I have to agree, he acts with certain level of seriousness that shows his age and life experience. I could not but see him as Clint Eastwood-like character coming across bad guys and teasing them to make his day.

      Highly recommended for all thriller fans.
    • 3/5

      Nov 22, 2023

      Pretty interesting edition of Reacher
    • 3/5

      Oct 31, 2023

      I'm really disappointed by THE MIDNIGHT LINE by Lee Child. Perhaps the author spoiled me all these years with his Reacher stories, but the books of late do not compare to his earlier works. In fact, this one just dragged on and on. Action in the story was minimal and it is probable that somebody other than Lee Child wrote this story. I haven't joined others on the bandwagon yet to no longer read this author's books. I know that the last couple have disappointed me - and I've read them all to date. I'll give him one more chance. If you are a follower from the beginning, you might want to pass this one up.
    • 4/5

      Mar 7, 2023

      This installment of Jack Reacher’s journeys chronicles the physical and mental pain of soldiers that return home broken and scarred for life. After finding a woman’s pawned ring from West Point—his old alma mater—Reacher launches a quest to return it to the owner. He finds Serena Rose Sanderson, a wounded veteran—hooked on opioids and living off the grid in rural Wyoming. With the help of a retired FBI agent turned private eye and Rose’s twin sister, they crack a fentanyl ring and return Rose to her sister’s care. This book was not as exciting as some of the previous Reacher stories but continues the myth of the bigger-than-life man that is Jack Reacher. It was interesting enough to keep me reading to the end, where Jack heads out into middle America toward another adventure.
    • 3/5

      Mar 5, 2022

      The Midnight Line: A Jack Reacher Novel is a book story that wanders. The story goes on and on. It is about a serious problem--the opioid crisis in the United States. There are characters in the story who have serious injuries from their injuries in the armed forces. Three stars were awarded in this book, as it was just too long.
    • 5/5

      Nov 30, 2021

      Another amazing Jack Reacher book! Highly recommend!
    • 3/5

      Jun 24, 2021

      underwhelming
    • 4/5

      Jun 2, 2021

      Enjoyable new Jack Reacher story. No enormous surprises, still fun to read.
    • 5/5

      May 5, 2021

      I gotta throw out... Sheriff Connelly. I am a big fan of Longmire the tv show and books by Craig Johnson. Time frame... but Lucian? before Walt?
    • 5/5

      Feb 20, 2021

      Jack Reacher returns in this book. In a pawn shop in a small Wisconsin town, he finds a West Point class ring. Determined to find the owner of the ring, he follows clues through the upper mid-west to Wyoming to the middle of nowhere. As he goes, he meets some very unsavory characters and reveals a vast criminal enterprise.
    • 4/5

      Sep 13, 2020

      Still good. After all these years.
    • 4/5

      Aug 3, 2020

      Solid Reacher installment
    • 5/5

      Jul 2, 2020

      Jack Reacher sees a tiny West Point class ring in the window of a local pawn shop. A West Point graduate himself, he knows just how hard it was to earn and wonders why the owner had to pawn this precious item. He becomes even more intrigued when he examines it and finds it belongs to a female cadet. There are no clues other than her initials – SRS. Reacher buys the ring and then back traces it to “find out the story”. Of course, there will be mischief and mayhem across several states as Reacher polishes up the skills he used as an Army investigator.

      I was not a fan of the last Reacher novel, Night School. I hoped this new book would return Reacher to the formula that has worked so well for over twenty novels and has now moved into the movie realm. Well, he's back baby! Long time fans will welcome the Jack Reacher they've come to know and love over the last twenty years.

      The plot is very timely and there are several unexpected surprises. Child pays tribute to wounded vets and the problems they encounter after they return from multiple tours of duty, but he never becomes preachy or vectors into political criticisms. Midnight Line is a great story with interesting characters. My one complaint might be that the secondary characters are not fully developed but, let's face it, we read the book for the only character that matters.....Reacher himself. If you are already a fan, don't hesitate to pick up a book that returns to the old formula, a classic hero who lives his solitary life on his own terms and views life through his own sense of morality.
    • 5/5

      Jun 5, 2020

      I honestly can't tell if this was a superior Reacher or if it was just good and I'm lulled into love by the Reacher, the plot and the voice of Dick Hill. It doesn't matter to me. I really enjoyed this book a lot. Plus I appreciated the dip into drug addiction from the attraction side. It was just a good, entertaining and interesting read. I do love a good Jack Reacher story.
    • 4/5

      Apr 27, 2020

      a solid read, exposing the opioid crisis for what it is. I've read Reacher 1 and 22. I'll be reading more. Didn't disappoint, sometimes you have to take them to the cleaners....
    • 4/5

      Feb 16, 2020

      Jack Reacher buys a 2005 woman's West Point class ring in a Rapid City South Dakota pawn shop. He decides to track the rings owner down and return the ring. After all, this is what Reacher does-help those less fortunate or in trouble. His journey takes him to Wisconsin, Wyoming, and back to Rapid City to the shady laundromat owner who is the head of an Opioid trafficking network. Another good Lee Child read.
    • 4/5

      Nov 4, 2019

      Solid but routine Jack Reacher novel.

      Here, Reacher notices a West Point class ring in a pawn shop and that triggers his curiosity as to why the owner would've parted with such an earned, hard-to-come-by token. This leads him search for the owner, which leads to the discovery of a pretty interesting crime ring that I won't spoil here.

      There's not much action in this one but a pretty fair bit of detective work that as usual, relies on Jack's (and other's) intuition and deducement skills.
    • 4/5

      Aug 13, 2019

      This is my first Jack Reacher book of the series. Interesting read. The beginning of the setting is not very logical, and the book has James Bond gone rogue flavor to it. Only the main characters (two in this book) have well developed personality, other characters are very flat and descriptive. Very convoluted plot at times.
    • 4/5

      Apr 1, 2019

      My wife is an avid fan of Lee Child and Jack Reacher. I also like these books but I can only take so much of his life style so I read him intermittently. This book is a bit different. If you write several dozen books with the same protagonist, you need to find new twists and this one certainly had those. I enjoyed it and am glad to say I will be up to another Reacher novel in the near future.
    • 5/5

      Mar 20, 2019

      I really enjoyed the starting premise of this story with the finding of a female West Point Ring. The mystery to locate the owner and the underlying tones of drugs for good or bad are covered well. I've enjoyed all the Jack Reacher Novels and this one has been great. I'm finding it hard to put down.
    • 4/5

      Feb 27, 2019

      Very readable Reacher, as always.
    • 3/5

      Jan 20, 2019

      Another Jack Reacher story, and I wonder how Reacher survives without a car and change of clothes. He seems to be a glorified hobo. Jack Reacher and Walt Longmire stand as characters from a lost time and place. Each man wanders the United States righting wrongs for the common man. Jack searches for a female West Point graduate when he finds her class ring in a pawn shop. A Midnight Line outlines the drug trade and the ills of the users and the wealth of the sellers. As usual, Lee Child points the finger at the government and their lack of control within departments. The story provides intrigue but lacks the intense setting and characterization of other writers.
    • 4/5

      Jan 20, 2019

      More than any other thriller writer I can think of, Lee Child seems determined to stretch himself. The 22 novels in the Jack Reacher series cover a dozen different thriller sub-genres, and at least 3 or 4 count (in my book) as flat-out experiments. Some work better than others, and reasonable people will disagree over which ones are which, but having watched a lot of thriller writers go stale and repetitive (hey there, Jack Higgins!), I give Child all the credit in the world for working to avoid that.

      The Midnight Line is absolutely an experiment, and having read it I'm pretty sure I could reverse-engineer the specific challenges that Child set for himself in writing it. That he met those challenges, and produced a good book in the process, speaks volumes about his skill as a writer.

      It's hard to say more without giving away parts of the story that shouldn't be given away up front, but here's one example of what I mean:

      Virtually the entire story takes place in South Dakota and Wyoming: enormous states with very low population density and road layouts characteristic of much of the Mountain West. In The Midnight Line Child has the characters actually deal with those geographic realities: The tactical implications of enormously long, ruler-straight roads . . . the complexity of interpreting locals' time-and-distance estimates . . . the way you route-plan and navigate in a state that's mostly open space . . . and the welcome-to-the-West reality of 3-hour drives for routine errands.

      And damned if he doesn't pull it off. The geometry of Wyoming and South Dakota are, in the end, like a character in the book.

      What's even more impressive is that Child has at least four other aspects of the story where he's making himself play (more or less) by real-world rules, with no for-the-sake-of-the-story mulligans . . . and he handles them just as well.

      That said, there's a cost: The pacing, the use of violence, and the way Reacher interacts with the problem at hand are all atypical for the series . . . and I can see longtime fans feeling like it plays a bit flat. I don't know that I'd want to read three more like this, but done once, and done well, it was thrilling.
    • 3/5

      Jan 13, 2019

      A disappointing addition to a series that seems to have lost some of its fizz. I have long enjoyed the Reacher series, but the last couple have not really grabbed me. This story had almost no suspense with the conclusion a forgone conclusion for about the last 300 pages. The conflict was not particularly well fleshed out and the traditional farcical elements are even more unbelievable. In the end, I also just didn't care about the characters. I think it may be time to let Reacher walk off into the sunset...
    • 3/5

      Nov 24, 2018

      Probably my least favourite. It was ok, but it even got a bit boring in the middle and got put down for a couple of days. I think the Lee Child may need to write about a different subject for a while, as his writing felt a little forced, 22 books about one character is a stretch for most authors.
    • 2/5

      Nov 23, 2018

      When Lee Child resorts to padding the narrative with lots of driving (especially in the empty Midwest) – Reacher is often a passenger since he doesn’t like driving – the flow bogs down and the story becomes tedious. Similar reaction to Child's A Wanted Man. In comparison, his Gone Tomorrow is mostly in a city, opens in a subway, and has a nice pace.
    • 4/5

      Oct 26, 2018

      Synopsis: Reacher discovers a West Point class ring in a pawn shop. He sets out to find the owner and determine if there is anything he can do to help and to return the ring. He discovers a dope ring and a murder.
      Review: Interesting story, but the ending left me a bit unsettled. What finally happened to the woman whose ring he returned?