The Visitor by Lee Child — Reviewed by Guy Portman
After beating up a pair of protection-money-collecting gang members outside a restaurant in New York, Jack Reacher is interrogated by the FBI. The questioning soon turns to the subject of two murdered, ex-army women, who were found dead in the bath, immersed in camouflage paint. It was Reacher who dealt with their cases of sexual harassment during his days in the military police. The criminal profiling team have surmised that the perpetrator was someone just like Reacher. When a third victim is discovered our protagonist is coerced into joining the investigation. Can the killer be stopped, or will they strike again?
The cast of characters include the main character’s lawyer love interest Jodie, an attractive blonde agent called Harper, and the uptight lead profiler Alison Lamarr.
This, the fourth book in the Jack Reacher series, is a third person thriller novel boasting a sinister subject matter and an ever-intriguing protagonist with a dry sense of humour. The ending is rather far-fetched, even preposterous, but it is unpredictable, at least in this reader’s opinion. Many reviewers have stated otherwise.
The Visitor is replete with detailed technical analysis and analytical descriptions. Whilst this is an effective approach, there are instances where it slows the action. Another criticism is that Reacher often reaches conclusions, but we are not informed until later. However, overall this is an entertaining read. The Visitor was released under the title Running Blind in the United States.
