Chain Reaction by Lee Child and Andrew Child (Audiobook)

 

A face from Reacher's past tracks him down. General Susan Turner is in charge of the army's new investigation unit. One of her team has been murdered under unusual circumstances. Not knowing who she can trust, she needs someone outside the army to help her investigate.

Having just finished the disappointing Exit Strategy by Lee Child and Andrew Child, I was pleased to receive a review copy of the audiobook Chain Reaction, book 31 in the Jack Reacher series. After being underwhelmed by book 30, I obviously approached this one with a little trepidation. I needn't have worried, as it was immensely better, one of the better Reacher books of recent years. This is the first Reacher book I've listened to, and while I enjoyed this version, the narrator didn't work for me, but that is personal preference. Maybe I expected Reacher to sound like Alan Ritchson.

From the very opening, the story will appeal to long-term fans of the series. For anyone new to the series, it gives a quick introduction to Jack Reacher; a wanderer who goes where he wants, when he wants, and has no social media or cell phone. The problem is how do you track down someone with no fixed address? 

The narrative is pacey, avoiding the overly descriptive prose that really didn't work well in the previous book. There are lots of villains for Reacher to deal with, and the vast majority of them are dispatched swiftly, in the Reacher-style we are familiar with. Reacher uses his insight into human nature, honed through his years as an army MP, and his situational awareness, to great effect. At one point, Reacher is aided by one of the best characters that has cropped up in the books, an elderly Chinese acupuncturist. Her observational skills give Reacher a run for his money.

We have a clear picture early on of whom the villains are, but what is difficult to figure out is what they are trying to hide. As the conclusion approached and everything fell into place, the nefarious reason behind the deaths of so many people became glaringly obvious.

Chain Reaction by Lee Child and Andrew Child will be published on 20th October 2026 in hardback, ebook, and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a review copy.

Author Details

Lee Child is one of the world’s leading thriller writers. He was born in Coventry, raised in Birmingham, and now lives in New York. It is said one of his novels featuring his hero Jack Reacher is sold somewhere in the world every nine seconds. His books consistently achieve the number-one slot on bestseller lists around the world and have sold over one hundred million copies. Two blockbusting Jack Reacher movies have been made so far. He is the recipient of many awards, most recently Author of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards. He was appointed CBE in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Andrew Child is a British thriller novelist. Under the name Andrew Grant, he is the author of nine acclaimed thrillers. Since 2020, he has collaborated with his brother, Lee Child, continuing the legacy of one of the world’s most iconic thriller heroes. He lives on a wildlife preserve in Wyoming with his wife, the novelist Tasha Alexander.