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Jack Reacher #23.5
The Fourth Man
A Jack Reacher short story
Jack Reacher, ex-military drifter of no fixed abode, is stalked and tracked down by an FBI agent. She tells him that in a house raid in Sydney, Australian law enforcement found a list. There were four people on it, including him. The other three are dead.
Hours later, Reacher is in the air, on his way to Sydney. What was the evil buried twenty-five years ago, that has now resurfaced? Will Reacher be able to find the killers, before they find him?
Jack Reacher, ex-military drifter of no fixed abode, is stalked and tracked down by an FBI agent. She tells him that in a house raid in Sydney, Australian law enforcement found a list. There were four people on it, including him. The other three are dead.
Hours later, Reacher is in the air, on his way to Sydney. What was the evil buried twenty-five years ago, that has now resurfaced? Will Reacher be able to find the killers, before they find him?
24 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2019
912 people are currently reading
10252 people want to read
About the author
Lee Child
447 books34.4k followersLee Child was born October 29th, 1954 in Coventry, England, but spent his formative years in the nearby city of Birmingham. By coincidence he won a scholarship to the same high school that JRR Tolkien had attended. He went to law school in Sheffield, England, and after part-time work in the theater he joined Granada Television in Manchester for what turned out to be an eighteen-year career as a presentation director during British TV's "golden age." During his tenure his company made Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, Prime Suspect, and Cracker. But he was fired in 1995 at the age of 40 as a result of corporate restructuring. Always a voracious reader, he decided to see an opportunity where others might have seen a crisis and bought six dollars' worth of paper and pencils and sat down to write a book, Killing Floor, the first in the Jack Reacher series.
Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment. The first Jack Reacher movie, based on the novel One Shot and starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, was released in December 2012.
Lee has three homes—an apartment in Manhattan, a country house in the south of France, and whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two. In the US he drives a supercharged Jaguar, which was built in Jaguar's Browns Lane plant, thirty yards from the hospital in which he was born.
Lee spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.
Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment. The first Jack Reacher movie, based on the novel One Shot and starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, was released in December 2012.
Lee has three homes—an apartment in Manhattan, a country house in the south of France, and whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two. In the US he drives a supercharged Jaguar, which was built in Jaguar's Browns Lane plant, thirty yards from the hospital in which he was born.
Lee spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
January 10, 2023
The list
An excellent short story. It show Jack at his efficient and deadly best or worst depending on how you look at it.
Jack's past has been unsealed. Now he must deal with it the only way he knows how head on.
Good use of detective skills, tactics and deadly efficiency, that make him a fan faverite and his enemy's worst nightmare.
An excellent short story. It show Jack at his efficient and deadly best or worst depending on how you look at it.
Jack's past has been unsealed. Now he must deal with it the only way he knows how head on.
Good use of detective skills, tactics and deadly efficiency, that make him a fan faverite and his enemy's worst nightmare.
March 11, 2019
Lee Child has been developing his Jack Reacher character for many years, putting the reader through a number of interesting adventures as this man of mystery becomes just a little better understood. In this piece, Reacher hopes to lose himself in the busyness of New York City, but is approached by someone out of the blue. They know his name and past military work, but there is more to the story. Reacher is wanted by the Australian Government, as his photo was found Down Under on an apparent hit list. Not wasting a moment and wanting to know what happened to the other men whose photos appeared in the same envelope, Reacher secures the needed documents and proceeds on a massive trip across the Pacific Ocean. While there, he runs into a handful of unsavoury men, one of whom offers up an interesting clue as to why he might be on a target list. Tied to some of his military work, Reacher’s past and present collide in this great short story that allows the reader (and series fans) to see a little more about this man who thrives on anonymity. What could someone in Australia want with Reacher and how will he be able to slip through the cracks while preventing any ongoing worries? Child is a master storyteller and does not disappoint in this piece that is easily completed over a warm or cold beverage.
While many authors of long and detailed series tend to lose the momentum of their protagonists after a time, Lee Child has been able to keep Jack Reacher from going stale, using a few techniques that series fans know well. With an ever-changing setting, the stories remain poignant and fresh, while also keeping Reacher intriguing. His constant engagement with new people helps the reader learn something unique each time, dazzling the reader that seeks a clearer picture of his life. There is some backstory to be revealed here, though I leave it to the reader to stumble upon it. The story was brief and resolved itself a little too swiftly, though this is surely the dilemma of a short story where Lee Child wants to push his point in a dozen pages or so. Still, it was interesting to see Reacher so far out of his usual elements in stories and able to hold onto that unique approach to the world in all his social interactions. A great addition to the series and it helped satisfy me until the next full-length novel this autumn.
Kudos, Mr. Child, for a great Reacher short. I am eager to see what other adventures you have in store for us fans in the months to come.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
While many authors of long and detailed series tend to lose the momentum of their protagonists after a time, Lee Child has been able to keep Jack Reacher from going stale, using a few techniques that series fans know well. With an ever-changing setting, the stories remain poignant and fresh, while also keeping Reacher intriguing. His constant engagement with new people helps the reader learn something unique each time, dazzling the reader that seeks a clearer picture of his life. There is some backstory to be revealed here, though I leave it to the reader to stumble upon it. The story was brief and resolved itself a little too swiftly, though this is surely the dilemma of a short story where Lee Child wants to push his point in a dozen pages or so. Still, it was interesting to see Reacher so far out of his usual elements in stories and able to hold onto that unique approach to the world in all his social interactions. A great addition to the series and it helped satisfy me until the next full-length novel this autumn.
Kudos, Mr. Child, for a great Reacher short. I am eager to see what other adventures you have in store for us fans in the months to come.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
March 20, 2022
A very brief Jack Reacher novella that highlights why you either enjoy these novels or you don't. This was a enjoyable vignette emphasising Jack's talents and character.
He is informed when tracked down by the FBI, that his photo was one of 4 found in a suspects house in Australia, the other three when tracked down were found to all have been murdered in the last couple of years. Within 24 hours Jack is on his way to Australia nd on arrival realise he is already under surveillance.
Setting a trap is typical of Jack's tactics and as soon as he works out who he is being pursued by he lays the gr0undwork to capture his enemies.
An excellent and enjoyable short story
He is informed when tracked down by the FBI, that his photo was one of 4 found in a suspects house in Australia, the other three when tracked down were found to all have been murdered in the last couple of years. Within 24 hours Jack is on his way to Australia nd on arrival realise he is already under surveillance.
Setting a trap is typical of Jack's tactics and as soon as he works out who he is being pursued by he lays the gr0undwork to capture his enemies.
An excellent and enjoyable short story
November 4, 2025
A short story for a rainy day 😊
January 12, 2019
This is a short story tacked on to the end of Past Tense, supposedly exclusive to the Australia/NZ edition. As with all the other Reacher tidbits, it was over just as I started to get into it, and irrelevant to the main story line, but I liked it anyway.
The FBI track Reacher down in NYC to warn him that a list with four photos has been found in the apartment of an Australian terrorist, three of them have been murdered, and his is the fourth face. Hopping on a plane to solve the problem himself, he arrives in sunny Sydney, and as ever, it doesn’t take long for trouble to find him.
I always prefer the first person Reacher stories as we get more explanation and this was a fun quick read. Now I just want to know when Reacher is coming to New Zealand?
The FBI track Reacher down in NYC to warn him that a list with four photos has been found in the apartment of an Australian terrorist, three of them have been murdered, and his is the fourth face. Hopping on a plane to solve the problem himself, he arrives in sunny Sydney, and as ever, it doesn’t take long for trouble to find him.
I always prefer the first person Reacher stories as we get more explanation and this was a fun quick read. Now I just want to know when Reacher is coming to New Zealand?
May 28, 2020
An amuse-bouche of Reacher goodness. Delicious but very short.
August 23, 2019
I love the Jack Reacher series but the short stories that Lee Child writes are too brief for me to enjoy and leave me wanting more. Maybe that's the idea.
After reading 20+books the character Jack Reacher is very familiar to me and I instantly get into the story, perhaps just as well when the book is only 24 pages long.
There is a lot crammed into this short story but for me a short story is always likely to disappoint, on to a full length book.
After reading 20+books the character Jack Reacher is very familiar to me and I instantly get into the story, perhaps just as well when the book is only 24 pages long.
There is a lot crammed into this short story but for me a short story is always likely to disappoint, on to a full length book.
March 7, 2019
Here's a nice fast paced short story that sees our hero Jack Reacher in New York & Australia, dealing out justice as only he can. It may be a fast read, but it's definitely a satisfying one.
October 28, 2021
A fairly typical Jack Reacher story, and probably a good introduction if there's anyone who has not read any of the series, but also for fans to have a good, quick dose of Reacherness.
I think the story is a good encapsulation of everything Reacher. His personality comes through all the way, his willingness to just move on the spur of the moment into danger, his ability to get out of danger when it comes, and his ability to figure out what's going on before it happens.
I think the story is a good encapsulation of everything Reacher. His personality comes through all the way, his willingness to just move on the spur of the moment into danger, his ability to get out of danger when it comes, and his ability to figure out what's going on before it happens.
January 22, 2026
Read again 22 Jun 2026.
Interesting the ebook was originally sold to drum up some interest for the upcoming novel Blue Moon.
I have come across it again as I’m reading Reacher in some kind of published chronological order.
All the elements of a Jack Reacher case but in a smaller package. Like a Happy Meal rather than a deluxe special with extra fries.
Nobody likes a clever clogs, they can be quite irritating and tiresome so theres some benefit of a snippet of a story, like an itch you don’t have time to scratch.
Reacher is NYC one minute and off to Sydney for personal reasons. In between he had been the informed that he is the fourth man. What marks him out from the either three on the list is that he is alive. (because he hasn’t been back to Australia since his army days).
The other three have met with an accident upon landing in Australia. Reacher assimilates the threat, assessing the danger and takes the risk. To confront those who wish him dead.
Of course he has worked all this out even before Lee Child has had the skill to plot his story. However, loner that he is, he does find a friendly agent to outline his thought processing, so the new reader can catch up. I seem to remember the episode briefly mentioned along the way in an earlier story.
A masterful story where gentleman Jack lets the baddies have a chance before he terminates the conversation.
Alludes to an episode in his past hence the implication that although this is a standalone account it does fit in the timeline of what is the life of our favourite ex-military man.
As long as it is just Reacher showing off fans will continue to gobble up these adventures. Heaven forbid that this successful author forgets his place. Having met Lee we should not worry unduly. His feet are grounded and he is a force for good in promoting other promising writers and encouraging their work. Reacher is a dynamic force, never one to hide, but with his own rules of engagement- you might have a 75% kill rate but then you haven’t looked Reacher in the eyes.
Interesting the ebook was originally sold to drum up some interest for the upcoming novel Blue Moon.
I have come across it again as I’m reading Reacher in some kind of published chronological order.
All the elements of a Jack Reacher case but in a smaller package. Like a Happy Meal rather than a deluxe special with extra fries.
Nobody likes a clever clogs, they can be quite irritating and tiresome so theres some benefit of a snippet of a story, like an itch you don’t have time to scratch.
Reacher is NYC one minute and off to Sydney for personal reasons. In between he had been the informed that he is the fourth man. What marks him out from the either three on the list is that he is alive. (because he hasn’t been back to Australia since his army days).
The other three have met with an accident upon landing in Australia. Reacher assimilates the threat, assessing the danger and takes the risk. To confront those who wish him dead.
Of course he has worked all this out even before Lee Child has had the skill to plot his story. However, loner that he is, he does find a friendly agent to outline his thought processing, so the new reader can catch up. I seem to remember the episode briefly mentioned along the way in an earlier story.
A masterful story where gentleman Jack lets the baddies have a chance before he terminates the conversation.
Alludes to an episode in his past hence the implication that although this is a standalone account it does fit in the timeline of what is the life of our favourite ex-military man.
As long as it is just Reacher showing off fans will continue to gobble up these adventures. Heaven forbid that this successful author forgets his place. Having met Lee we should not worry unduly. His feet are grounded and he is a force for good in promoting other promising writers and encouraging their work. Reacher is a dynamic force, never one to hide, but with his own rules of engagement- you might have a 75% kill rate but then you haven’t looked Reacher in the eyes.
March 20, 2019
Now I will say that I have not read as many Jack Reacher books as I should have (after all I do have them all) but I know a number of friends and family who have - and one of the complaints is that they can get a bit predictable. That said I think also reading them through myself I think it is also their strength but we can talk for hours over that theory some other time.
This is a very short story indeed which I think also lends itself to the whole issue of predictability. You see the whole situation, explanation and resolution has to happen in so few pages that it really does feel too short. Now I am not one for justifying padding a book out with a few extra hundred pages for the sake of it (I am sure we all can find books which feel they have done just that). No for me this story really lends itself to a whole new area of stories. After all Reacher would have been stationed over seas - why not have some of those stories set there too (and I am sure I will informed he has done just that).
That said the interaction between the characters was interesting and I would love to see more of it - Lee Child plays Reacher in a very distinctive no-nonsenese style and sometimes that can be grating other times its refreshing, here I think it has the potential to find a third way. Well thats my thoughts gleaned from a short story. Either way I enjoyed it - just wish it was longer
This is a very short story indeed which I think also lends itself to the whole issue of predictability. You see the whole situation, explanation and resolution has to happen in so few pages that it really does feel too short. Now I am not one for justifying padding a book out with a few extra hundred pages for the sake of it (I am sure we all can find books which feel they have done just that). No for me this story really lends itself to a whole new area of stories. After all Reacher would have been stationed over seas - why not have some of those stories set there too (and I am sure I will informed he has done just that).
That said the interaction between the characters was interesting and I would love to see more of it - Lee Child plays Reacher in a very distinctive no-nonsenese style and sometimes that can be grating other times its refreshing, here I think it has the potential to find a third way. Well thats my thoughts gleaned from a short story. Either way I enjoyed it - just wish it was longer
Read
April 1, 2019Short but oh so sweet! I love these little stories because they almost always refer back to previous books in the series. He’s efficient and deadly in this one, and in Australia no less!
May 21, 2019
Only fucking Reacher could make choking a woman's tiny throat seems so fucking cool, what a monster!
March 13, 2019
A very quick read with 24 pages.
Jack Reacher finds out he is on a list, a kill list, which takes him to Australia, for a day !
Quick interesting read.
Four stars.
Jack Reacher finds out he is on a list, a kill list, which takes him to Australia, for a day !
Quick interesting read.
Four stars.
March 8, 2019
Great stuff, read the day after Kindle release
March 11, 2019
Love me some Reacher, but ... I really don't like novellas. The story line was just ramping up and then it was over! Still a fast, fun read.
From the blurb: Jack Reacher, ex-military drifter of no fixed abode, is stalked and tracked down by an FBI agent. She tells him that in a house raid in Sydney, Australian law enforcement found a list. There were four people on it, including him. The other three are dead.
Hours later, Reacher is in the air, on his way to Sydney. What was the evil buried 25 years ago that has now resurfaced?
From the blurb: Jack Reacher, ex-military drifter of no fixed abode, is stalked and tracked down by an FBI agent. She tells him that in a house raid in Sydney, Australian law enforcement found a list. There were four people on it, including him. The other three are dead.
Hours later, Reacher is in the air, on his way to Sydney. What was the evil buried 25 years ago that has now resurfaced?
November 23, 2021
The Fourth Man was a quick, thrilling story following Reacher as he travels to Australia to confront a threat head on.
Jack Reacher is enjoying himself in New York when he's approached by an FBI agent and an Australian counterterrorism specialist. The agents tell him of a raid on a house in Sydney where a list of names is discovered. There were four names on the list including Reacher but the other three men are dead. Immediately after that meeting, Reacher flies to Sydney to confront a threat from twenty-five years ago before he ends up dead.
The Fourth Man was an entertaining story although there isn't a lot to it due to how short it is. Reacher meets with the FBI and flies to Sydney immediately after with all of the action taking place after his arrival. In traditional Reacher style, he confronts the threat head on and leaves chaos in his wake. I wish the story had been slightly longer to add some more substance to it as everything happens in rapid succession. I do think the ending was a bit unrealistic in terms of the lack of consequences, but overall the story was still fun.
Overall The Fourth Man was an enjoyable read that packs a fair amount of action into its' short pages. I would recommend it for fans of the series.
Jack Reacher is enjoying himself in New York when he's approached by an FBI agent and an Australian counterterrorism specialist. The agents tell him of a raid on a house in Sydney where a list of names is discovered. There were four names on the list including Reacher but the other three men are dead. Immediately after that meeting, Reacher flies to Sydney to confront a threat from twenty-five years ago before he ends up dead.
The Fourth Man was an entertaining story although there isn't a lot to it due to how short it is. Reacher meets with the FBI and flies to Sydney immediately after with all of the action taking place after his arrival. In traditional Reacher style, he confronts the threat head on and leaves chaos in his wake. I wish the story had been slightly longer to add some more substance to it as everything happens in rapid succession. I do think the ending was a bit unrealistic in terms of the lack of consequences, but overall the story was still fun.
Overall The Fourth Man was an enjoyable read that packs a fair amount of action into its' short pages. I would recommend it for fans of the series.
January 24, 2021
Another excellent Jack Reacher short story that was a thrill to read. Reacher is approached on the street by an FBI agent who takes him back to headquarters for questioning, leading to a transatlantic flight and a quick flurry of action.
I particularly liked the description of Reacher's hand strength/size:
'I grabbed her by the throat. And squeezed. It was a small throat, but not tiny. But a very big hand. She was gone in a couple of minutes.'
For some reason, I'm always on the lookout for these descriptors of Reacher's size.
I particularly liked the description of Reacher's hand strength/size:
'I grabbed her by the throat. And squeezed. It was a small throat, but not tiny. But a very big hand. She was gone in a couple of minutes.'
For some reason, I'm always on the lookout for these descriptors of Reacher's size.
March 14, 2019
Nothing more than a screen play for an ambush scene in a B grade movie.
July 24, 2021
another fantastic short story of jack reacher , once again i loved every page
March 16, 2019
I almost always enjoy the Reacher books. This is no exception. Funny little short story where he actually spends some money on a longer trip not involving hitchhiking.
March 11, 2019
I'll be honest - though I am a total Reacher creature I didn't really enjoy the last short story I read. Nonetheless I bought this one and I am so glad I did. It was violent, very violent but for a short half an hour read it was very satisfying and a little bit of Jack to keep me going until the Blue Moon release.
April 12, 2019
Jack Reacher in a short story. People are dying in Australia. In fact, there are four people on a list and three have been killed. Reacher is the fourth. In a too quick story, Reacher solves and ends the danger.
March 25, 2019
Waaaay too short.
July 28, 2024
Interesting short story
March 8, 2019
It's become habitual that a Reacher short story is issued in order to prepare the market for the next full length book. I would suspect this is no longer strictly necessary because I would have thought the point has been reached where the biggest problem is keeping the shelves filled, but I'm not going to complain about extra Reacher.
Here a little bit of the past comes back to haunt Reacher, when he finds himself on a hit list related to his time carrying out a sanctioned police action in the former Yugoslavia. As you'd expect there is a chance to show that he is well versed in investigation and deduction, and that he is capable of hyper-violence at any given time.
Decent entertainment, if a little short, but it really isn't sensible to complain that a short story is too short.
Here a little bit of the past comes back to haunt Reacher, when he finds himself on a hit list related to his time carrying out a sanctioned police action in the former Yugoslavia. As you'd expect there is a chance to show that he is well versed in investigation and deduction, and that he is capable of hyper-violence at any given time.
Decent entertainment, if a little short, but it really isn't sensible to complain that a short story is too short.
March 7, 2019
Reacher - short and sweet
“Short and sweet”, not words usually used to describe Jack Reacher (who is on my ‘list’, btw). The problem with these short stories is that they feel like a teaser and leave me wanting more. I read this story in ten minutes. Like a McVities ginger nut, it went down well with my brew, but didn’t quite fill the [Reacher-sized] hole in my belly. Moar plz.
“Short and sweet”, not words usually used to describe Jack Reacher (who is on my ‘list’, btw). The problem with these short stories is that they feel like a teaser and leave me wanting more. I read this story in ten minutes. Like a McVities ginger nut, it went down well with my brew, but didn’t quite fill the [Reacher-sized] hole in my belly. Moar plz.
March 14, 2019
Short, uninteresting read, presenting Reacher as arrogant murderer.
Seems like Lee Child has a thing for ex-Yugoslavian people, presenting them in his usual, unflattering manner.
Story lacks even superficial investigative work, and shows lack of knowledge of South European culture.
1. Dragan is not a female name, only male.
2. The only tribal area in ex-Yugoslavia was Montenegro.
I could've done without reading it.
Seems like Lee Child has a thing for ex-Yugoslavian people, presenting them in his usual, unflattering manner.
Story lacks even superficial investigative work, and shows lack of knowledge of South European culture.
1. Dragan is not a female name, only male.
2. The only tribal area in ex-Yugoslavia was Montenegro.
I could've done without reading it.
March 10, 2019
Review to follow!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews