Book Review | Die Trying | Lee Child

Die Trying (Jack Reacher #2)

In a Chicago suburb, a dentist is met in his office parking lot by three men and ordered into the trunk of his Lexus. On a downtown sidewalk, Jack Reacher and an unknown woman are abducted in broad daylight by two men – practiced and confident – who stop them at gunpoint and hustle them into the same sedan. Then Reacher and the woman are switched into a second vehicle and hauled away, leaving the dentist bound and gagged inside his car with the woman’s abandoned possessions, two gallons of gasoline. . . and a burning match. The FBI is desperate to rescue the woman, a Special Agent from the Chicago office, because the FBI always – always – takes care of its own, and because this woman is not just another agent. Reacher and the woman join forces, against seemingly hopeless odds, to outwit their captors and escape. But the FBI thinks Jack is one of the kidnappers – and when they close in, the Bureau snipers will be shooting to kill.

About Author

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.

Die Trying: Jack Reacher’s Most Claustrophobic Adventure Yet

Recap

In Die Trying, Jack Reacher witnesses a kidnapping attempt, decides to intervene (as he does), and—naturally—ends up captured himself. What follows is a journey across the country to his captors’ headquarters, where Reacher finds himself entangled in a world of extremist militias and hidden motives, leading to a series of revelations that complicate everything.

Review

Pace and Length – Overly Long and Slow

For a thriller, Die Trying is surprisingly slow. The lengthy journey to the captors’ base eats up a good portion of the book, and the plot takes its sweet time before any real action starts. While Lee Child usually keeps his pacing tight, here it felt like the suspense was stretched thin. Even when the stakes were high, I found myself waiting (and waiting) for things to pick up.

Tour of American Geography

As expected with Lee Child, there’s a solid dose of American geography packed in. True to his style, we get a gritty sense of the landscape Reacher and his captors move through, painted with Child’s meticulous detail. This would usually be a nice layer to Reacher’s usual solo treks, but here it became more of a scenic detour. Still, if you’re into the whole “learn the geography while you read” experience, you’ll enjoy it.

The Militia Group – Tough but Repetitive

The militia antagonists in this story are no joke—hardcore, relentless, and willing to go to absurd lengths. They make a strong entrance, and for a while, they add genuine tension. But after a while, their stunts start to feel formulaic. They’re badass, yes, but they lack the creativity or unpredictability needed to keep the story’s tension alive. It was like watching them go through the motions rather than showing any real threat to Reacher. Their secret “weapon” was mentioned repeatedly but the final reveal wasn’t that great.

Hello, claustrophobia!

This book will give you claustrophobia if you didn’t have it already. One of the toughest scenes to get through is when Reacher is forced to navigate through a network of cramped, rat-infested tunnels as he plots his escape. Child’s writing makes the reader feel every inch of the suffocating darkness, the damp walls pressing close, and the almost paralyzing tightness of the space. Reacher’s struggle to push forward, combined with the stench and the sight of scurrying rats, adds a visceral intensity to the experience, making the escape feel nightmarishly real. It’s one of those rare reading moments that makes you feel physically uncomfortable, capturing the raw fear of confinement and helplessness in a way that sticks with you well after you put the book down.

Reacher with a Sidekick – Not the Lone Wolf This Time

Unlike his usual lone-wolf style, Reacher has a partner to rely on in this one. In fact, he’s kind of glad he’s not tackling it alone. For someone who normally prides himself on handling everything solo, it’s refreshing to see him admit he actually appreciates the backup. It adds a rare moment of vulnerability, though it might not thrill readers who prefer their Reacher taking on the world all on his own.

Final Thoughts

Good but Not Great.

I can’t say I’m a fan of this one, even if it’s only Reacher’s second adventure. The book felt padded with unnecessary drama, and the extremist setting seemed a bit too heavy-handed. It reminded me of Zeroland by Ibn-e-Safi, with its remote, hostile landscape, but without the fast pace that kept that novel engaging. There were interesting moments, sure, but they got bogged down in a story that felt like it was trying to do too much without quite hitting the mark.

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Until next time, happy reading!

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Shabana Mukhtar

The Other Me Unfolded