Bulletproof Jack

Hunt for Reacher #19

by Diane Capri

Go ahead. Shoot the messenger. See what happens.

USA Today Bestselling Series! The next gripping Hunt for Jack Reacher Thriller from Diane Capri!

“Make some coffee. You’ll read all night.” Lee Child

Reacher sent a messenger. They stopped him with two bullets.

An unidentified man breaches all security and is executed by a skilled assassin on FBI Special Agent Kim Otto‘s doorstep. In his pockets she finds an advanced encrypted cell phone. Nothing else.

Kim arranges to extract the body and removes it to a private morgue for secret autopsy. None of the man’s biometrics match the databases. His identity remains concealed.

With nothing else to go on, questions multiply. Kim absolutely needs to know.

Who was this guy? Why was he trying to reach her? Who killed to stop him? What will they do next?

As the bodies pile up, Kim’s search leads her to Jack Reacher’s former lover in Lee Child’s Make Me. Michelle Chang knows Reacher well enough to be reliable, but Chang’s explanations are cryptic. When Kim presses harder for intel, Chang bolts.

The deadly investigation leads Kim from Detroit to Canada’s treacherous Niagara Falls region where expert killers and powerful government agents are not bulletproof—but Jack Reacher is.

Lee Child Gives Diane Capri Two Thumbs Up!
"Full of thrills and tension, but smart and human, too. Kim Otto is a great, great character – I love her." —Lee Child, #1 World Wide Bestselling Author of Jack Reacher Thrillers including The Killing Floor, Never Go Back, and Better Off Dead.

The Hunt for Jack Reacher series enthralls fans of John Grisham, Lee Child, David Baldacci, Michael Connelly, Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner, and

"Diane writes like the maestro of the jigsaw puzzle. Sit back in your favorite easy chair, pour a glass of crisp white wine, and enter her devilishly clever world." —David Hagberg, New York Times Bestselling Author of Kirk McGarvey Thrillers

"Expertise shines on every page." —Margaret Maron, Edgar, Anthony, Agatha and Macavity Award Winning MWA Past President and MWA Grand Master

Readers Love the Hunt for Jack Reacher Series and Diane

"All Child fans should give it a try!"

Award winning New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author DIANE CAPRI Does It Again in another Blockbuster Hunt for Jack Reacher Series Novel

Genres: Thriller, Crime

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2023

About the author

Bestselling author Diane Capri is a recovering lawyer. She’s a snowbird who divides her time between Florida and Michigan. An active member of Mystery Writers of America, Author’s Guild, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime, she loves to hear from readers and is hard at work on her next novel.

Connect with her online:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/@DianeCapri
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Diane-...

Here’s the Long version, if you’re looking for more info:

#1 Amazon Bestselling Author Diane Capri’s work is what the #1 worldwide publishing phenomenon Lee Child calls “Full of thrills and tension, but smart and human, too.” Margaret Maron, Edgar, Anthony, Agatha and Macavity Award-winning MWA Past President, says: “Expertise shines on every page.” And Library Journal raves: “….offers tense legal drama with courtroom overtones, twisty plots, and loads of atmosphere. Recommended.”

Diane’s new Jess Kimball series kicked off with Fatal Distraction, opening as the #3 Bestselling Legal Thriller, behind John Grisham. Diane’s new Hunt for Jack Reacher series began with Don’t Know Jack, which garnered #1 Bestseller spots on Mystery, Hard-boiled Mystery, Police Procedural, Women Sleuths, and Legal Thriller lists both in the U.S. and U.K. Don’t Know Jack was followed by two bestselling short stories in the Hunt for Jack Reacher series, Jack in a Box and Jack and Kill. Diane’s Judge Wilhelmina Carson mysteries were praised by Romantic Times and garnered the coveted “Top Pick.” Diane’s savvy, spunky character, attorney Jennifer Lane, stars in her own romantic suspense series, which kicks off with Annabelle’s Attack.

Diane is the past Executive Vice President of International Thriller Writers, past member of the Board of the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, and active in Sisters in Crime and other writing organizations. She comes to writing after a successful legal career and is married to her college sweetheart. She loves her nomadic snowbird existence preferring perpetual summer migrating from Florida to Michigan each year.

Diane says she writes mystery and suspense for the same reason she reads: to find out what happens, why people do what they do, and how to bring justice to an unjust world.Her books are translated in twenty territories. Diane loves to hear from readers. Contact her at: DianeCapri.com/Contact to receive notice of new releases, subscribe to Diane’s blog, or simply connect with her.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I am always excited to see a new Lee Child novel, my eagerness is just as high when Diane Capri writers another of her Hunt for Reacher books. Capri weaves a great story, working loosely through one of Child’s novels that pertain to the nomad’s various adventures. With the FBI searching for Reacher, they will take any possible lead, hoping to make face-to-face contact, all in an effort to interview him for a project they have been trying to complete. Another great novel that shows all the abilities Capri has in her arsenal.

FBI Special Agent Kim Otto has long been on the hunt for Jack Reacher, Settling down one night in her apartment, she hears a thump, only to discover a man dead on her doorstep. What could have been a freak accident is soon deemed a murder, for reasons as yet unknown.

Special Agent Otto finds only an encrypted cell phone on the victim. She is intrigued but is still mystified. Arranging for a secret autopsy at a private morgue, Special Agent Otto tries to learn anything she can about the man. He has no biometrics and no apparent footprint in any identification database to which she has access. It is as though he is a ghost. The questions mount and the answers remain elusive.

When more bodies emerge, Special Agent Otto is still baffled about what is going on. She discovers a lead in the form of a former lover of Jack Reacher, one Michelle Chang. While Otto is sure this might be something on which she can build, Chang bolts as soon as the questions get too personal. All Otto knows is that Reacher sent this man to warn her about a secret weapon that has fallen into the wrong hands, It could make things very problematic, should it be activated.

Special Agent Otto follows what little she knows and this leads her to the heart of Canada, where the killer may be planning to use the weapon. With Reacher and Chang only step away, Special Agent Otto hopes to stop whatever is happening and speak to Reacher at the same time. However, nothing seems to go as it ought to and this only exacerbates the drama Otto faces in her hunt for Reacher. Capri does well with this piece and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

I have long enjoyed this series, which could have something to do with how much joy the Jack Reacher series brings me. Crafted with Reacher facts within the larger narrative, Capri builds her stories with just the right amount of excitement and some dazzling developments. The momentum increases until the reader can no longer sit still, captivated by what is about to happen. With the hunt for Jack Reacher ongoing, there is no end in sight for the series.

Character development is strong for the piece, which never seems to dissipate the more novels emerge. Reacher is always in the shadows, so there is little to learn about him. Special Agent Otto finds herself on the hunt, leaving little backstory or personal growth from emerging at any one time. There are great characters to make their presence known and who provide strong flavouring for the overall piece. I love meeting new and recurring characters for all to enjoy, as the story builds and the hunt intensifies.

The plot twists are great and keep me wondering what is about to happen. With a great deal of the action taking place in Canada, it allowed me to cross-check many of the facts and locations that Capri chose to use in the piece. It is a nice change to have something develop outside the realm of small-town America and into the aCanadian heartland. I am also eager to see where things are headed and what Jack Reacher will do next, as Special Agent Otto tries in vain to track him down once more.

Kudos,. Madam Capri, for a great novel that leaves little to the imagination.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is another good read in the Hunt for Jack Reacher Series. Over the last few years I have read all of the Jack Reacher stories and all of the Hunt for Jack Reacher stories as well. This will be the 53th. It is a good read. And the next in this series have already been announced. This is the twelfth I have read since that initial binge read. First I read the 29 Jack Reacher Novels and short stories by Lee Child, and now Lee and Andrew Child. And then I read all the books in this series. This is the sixteenth novel in the Hunt for Reacher Series, and the nineteenth story featuring Otto. Otto still does not have a replacement partner on this assignment. But she does have support from Finlay and one of his top operatives, Travis Russell
And he has access to all of Finlay’s resources. She still has Gaspar in the wings helping out as much as he can. He may not trust Finlay or Russell but is helping them this time. The source book for this volume was Lee Child’s Make Me. The description of this volume is:

"Go ahead. Shoot the messenger. See what happens.

Reacher sent a messenger. They stopped him with two bullets.

An unidentified man breaches all security and is executed by a skilled assassin on FBI Special Agent Kim Otto‘s doorstep. In his pockets she finds an advanced encrypted cell phone. Nothing else.

Kim arranges to extract the body and removes it to a private morgue for secret autopsy. None of the man’s biometrics match the databases. His identity remains concealed.

With nothing else to go on, questions multiply. Kim absolutely needs to know.

Who was this guy? Why was he trying to reach her? Who killed to stop him? What will they do next?

As the bodies pile up, Kim’s search leads her to Jack Reacher’s former lover in Lee Child’s Make Me. Michelle Chang knows Reacher well enough to be reliable, but Chang’s explanations are cryptic. When Kim presses harder for intel, Chang bolts.

The deadly investigation leads Kim from Detroit to Canada’s treacherous Niagara Falls region where expert killers and powerful government agents are not bulletproof—but Jack Reacher is.”

The cast of characters in this story is:

Carlos Gaspar
Charles Cooper
Lamont Finlay
Travis Russell
Derrick Braxton
Nigel Morin
Lucas Stuart
Liam Stuart
Ace Fox
Ashley Westwood
Michelle Chang
Audrey Ruston
Ira Krause
and
Jack Reacher

The quote from Make Me that start this story off is:

““We can’t fight thirty people,” Chang said.
Reacher said nothing.
We can’t fight thirty people.
To which Reacher’s natural response was: Why the hell not?
It was in his DNA.
Like breathing.
He was an instinctive brawler.
His greatest strength, and his greatest weakness.”

Hearing a thump and finding a dead man on her doorstep was not how Otto planned for the rest of her evening to go. She has a few options for how to deal with this and instead of calling cooper, reaches out to Finlay. Soon she is on the move and back and forth across the border to Niagara Falls Canada couple of times. And the body count just keeps growing and almost all of them have id with an acronym. Who can she trust and what is Reacher up to this time.

Currently the Child brothers are releasing about 1 Reacher novel a year, and Capri is publishing 2. This one released about half way through the gap between Reacher novels. So it helps to help fans tied over. This story is a little slower than some others and has a lower body count. It is another good story in an excellent series. These books always leave you desperate for the next instalment in the series. Capri has again done a wonderful job in leading us on the hunt for Jack Reacher. And with each offering we get to know both Otto and Reacher better.

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bulletproof Jack is another great hunt for Reacher adventure by Diane Capri. Agent Otto winds up in yet another strange case as she finds a man shot to death outside her apartment. This leads to a wild chase into Canada and a massive body count. Capris books are as always a great addition in the Reacher universe and she writes all books in this series with as a sort of companion to one of the originals by Lee Child. I always have a good time reading these books and can really recommend them.

[John Kuvakas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Agent Kim Otto is at home in Detroit, hoping to get some sorely needed rest while on her whirlwind search for Jack Reacher. She hears a dull thump at her door, highly unusual given the high level of security in her high rise. As she opens the door, a body tumbles into her apartment, shot twice through the head, no id, nothing on the individual other than an electronic key card. How did he get there? What was he doing? Even more importantly, who shot him, and where are they now?
So begins an incredible dive into non-stop action and intrigue. Most of the now familiar cast is there, with a few new faces showing up, like Finley’s right-hand man Russel. Can Otto trust him the way she does Gaspar? Should she? How much does Cooper know about all this? And does any of it have anything to do with Reacher? Agent Otto is flying a little blind and involved in her most complex set of circumstances yet.
Meanwhile, Diane Capri is weaving a seductive plot, one that rises high and dives with exhilarating speed. As all the action occurs, more layers of the onion are peeled back, leading to a step-by-step better understanding of the players and what makes them tick. This is not just a series, it is an epic tale, well told and always leaving you eager for the next installment.
I was provided a pre-publication copy in exchange for an objective review. This is it. I’m breathlessly waiting for the next installment.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Kim Otto adventure is a lot different that the previous stories. When a man is shot dead at the doorstep of her secure apartment home, Kim calls on Finley for help. She decides to stay away from Cooper this time. Finley helps immediately and sends his assistant Russell to work with her, and the adventure begins. As always in Kim Otto stories, hints of Jack Reacher pop up her and there and seem to push Kim toward her goal, even though she really doesn’t know what the goal is, until she finds that she is searching for a missing scientist and his drone invention. The drone appears to be a highly coveted invention, and the scientist is the genius brother of the dead man. When more bodies pile up, assorted assassins, private detectives, politicians and their minions, and a possible war, get in Otto’s way, the story becomes extremely complicated. Lots of new characters, including one from a previous Jack Reacher story, but we still get to enjoy Gaspar and his many talents. Considerable twists and turns, and the story is once again highly recommended for all readers, even if you haven’t ever read a previous Kim Otto story. It was definitely hard to put this one down until the very end.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story by Diane Capri in the search for Jack Reacher. Much action and many characters to keep the reader on their toes trying to figure out who the "bad guys" really are. A body is found at the door of Kim Otto and she's determined to find his identity and the reason he was killed. Thus begins her involvement in a high tech drone that will be used in subversive activities. Jack Reacher remains elusive but she seems to be on his heels as he gives her clues to help her in her search for the builder of the drone and all those involved. What makes this story interesting also, are the high government officials that are involved. A super read!

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those too-good-to-put-aside reads. Capri nailed a fast-paced engagement back and forth across the US/Canadian border with style and ease.

I think removing the time stamps on the shift of the story has been a nice touch. One of those instances, 15 min passed with a conversation that would've easily taken 3 minutes to complete.

That Reacher knew about the item that was the backstory of this book is a reach; he's not proven to be tech-savvy to date.

However, Reacher Season 2, shows two different sides to the character, simply because a grown-ass man in 2023 not able to navigate a smartphone seems completely unbelievable.

[Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hunt With a New Twist!! Truly Magnificent!


Bulletproof Jack from Diane Capri's hunt for Reacher's saga is awash with new characters to engage the reader's interest as Otto is embroiled in someone else's plot to do something she can't discern. She still has Gaspar and Finley for support but whether Jack is bulletproof or not, many others aren't and there doesn't seem to be an end game she can find. She isn't even sure if Jack is involved. Fantastic twists all the way to the last paragraph to keep the reader turning the pages to find the same answers Otto seeks. A great new approach!

[Phil Calkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Madness simply madness!

I wrote a scorching, abbreviated review directly on Diane’s site, which has probably been removed. Too bad. I still stand by it word for word which is why titled this piece: Madness, Simply Madness. This story if you can call it that is pure craziness‼️ Nothing makes sense…absolutely nothing. I’m sure Reacher’s creator is in mental disarray himself. Lee, how could you ever have allowed this to happen???
Phil Calkins

[Carianne Carleo-Evangelist · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the recent books in the series, although the number of characters and sedans in this made it a little too hard to follow. Russel was a much better partner than any since Gaspar, and I'm glad the latter made a cameo. Crazy to realize how short a time period over which these stories are happening. Light, fun read.

We found out about Ruston, Nigel and the unidentified operatives in the Gorge, but what about those in the sedan Russel had to stash?

[carl clause · Rating 5 out of 5]

CC1

As always Diana an excellent Otto and Reacher story. This was a little better as she followed the dead guy then picked up the rest of the story. Great she was able to keep Cooper out . Russell really helped her out big. Bot the underlying question where did Liam end up? Can't for next chapter. 10 stars plus!!!! Thanks , Carl Clause

a little better

[Wayne Bilow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yep Diane has done it again. Otto goes to Canada. Since I’m from Canada I could relate to all the locations. Kim and a new partner for this one tries to figure out who and why someone gets murdered on her front doorstep. Reacher sort of sets it all up for Kim to solve the problem. This is one of Capri’s best ones and your darn sure I’m going to read the next on.

[Gil Hofheimer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jack Reacher

The plot was intriguing but it was difficult to stay compelled. This book did very little to make me enthusiastic about future Jack Reacher books. I’ve read other Child’s (Reacher) books that I enjoyed much more!

[Harold Backus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The hunt continues even though Kim’s new partner has other objectives. So Gaspar becomes her “always “ dependable resource. Reacher is actively involving Otto from the sidelines.
I enjoyed this book, as I have all of Capri’s earlier novels. I was not disappointed!

[Joseph Mastin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What’s Jack’s Game?

He is there, and he’s not…

Lots of twists and turns, with many questions about the players…

Will Russel be back?

[Dee Eolin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the first books in this series….but this one was just boring.

[Jim Rudolph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reacher fans rejoice!

Reacher fans rejoice!
All the “Hunt for Jack Reacher “ series are great reads and #20 is no exception! So get reading!

[Mailmanr5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading this series but it is frustrating not to have any conclusions with them.

[Faye Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as Mr. Lee Childs. I would not buy another book about Jack Reacher from this author.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series is getting SOOOO close! Both the overlap and the new...can't wait for the next (final?!) book!

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book in the Very goodHunt for Jack Reacher Series,

[Jerry Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Otto gets a knock at the door that leads her and temporary second, Finlay’s Secret Servcie Agent Russell, over a barrel in Niagara Falls area. Reacher is so close.

[Linda Look · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who are the good guys

Very confusing, too many people who worked for too many government agencies. Too long tough to finish this book. I rate this a 4..0

[Cynthia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will stick with reading the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child.

[Mel Brannen · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF p. 266. Didn’t hold my attention. Had to take a couple day break during my mom’s visit. Picked it back up and had no idea what had happened for 266 pages.

[Andy Zeeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's ok.

Nice story, but too many bumps in the road, too many detours and too much unnecessary fluff in the storyline. Worth a try, but not my cup of tea.

[Rodrigo Emilio Dinardi Ojeda]

Excellent book

Hits all the points
Makes you just want to get the next book right away
Can't wait for the next book

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Capri’s “Bulletproof Jack” is not as interesting as all the previous tales. There’s entirely too much individual internalized storytelling including characters praising their own brilliance just prior to their unexpected death. Bulletproof Jack includes characters from Child’s “Make Me” but there’s no other connection. A dead body ends up on Otto’s “secure” doorstep; Flint gets rid of it & sends his secret service bodyguard, Russell, to help Kim figure out what’s happening. They end up at Niagara Falls chasing a murderer & looking for an evil scientist who built a deadly WMD. Otto & Russell are playing catch-up the entire story with Reacher leading the way.