Some Notable Characters

Susan Duffy is a DEA agent in Persuader. She is Reacher’s accomplice throughout the novel, and they have a brief relationship.

Zachary Beck: suspected of smuggling drugs under the pretext of trading in rugs

Richard Beck: Zachary’s son. Reacher and his accomplices used a ploy to gain the confidence of the family and lead him to his residence. After being rescued, a frightened Richard places his trust in Reacher and asks him to take him back home.

Elizabeth Beck: Zachary Beck’s wife, who becomes an ally to Reacher, sort of.

Duke: One of Beck’s henchmen.

Teresa Daniel / Judge: A DEA agent who had disappeared while investigating Zachary Beck.

Francis Xavier Quinn: a former Military Intelligence agent who, ten years before, had brutally mutilated and murdered Reacher’s colleague Dominique Kohl. Reacher had assumed he had killed Quinn at their last encounter but found that to be incorrect after running into Quinn in public. It is ten years later and Quinn is Zachary Beck’s boss in a lucrative criminal enterprise.

Dominique Kohl: She was a Sergeant First Class on the way up and assigned to Reacher’s unit when he was a Captain in the Army. She appears in Persuader, where Reacher remembers the events that led to her death ten years earlier. Kohl is mentioned again in Personal, when Reacher partners with a woman who reminds him of Kohl.

Paulie: The brutal and intimidating head of security for Zachary Beck. One of the many men Quinn has deployed at Beck’s house.

And there there was a maid, a cook, and a few others. One guy from Susan’s team was particularly helpful to Reacher, I’m forgetting his name. Nice fella.

 

Some Memorable Lines

People live, and then they die, and as long as they do both things properly, there’s nothing much to regret.

Review

Lee Child’s “Persuader,” the seventh installment in the Jack Reacher series, throws our favorite ex-military policeman into a whirlwind of vengeance, hidden agendas, and a past he thought he’d buried. This fast-paced thriller delves into themes of justice, loyalty, and the complexities of moral grey areas.

A Ghost from the Past

Reacher’s world is turned upside down when he witnesses a brutal kidnapping attempt on a college campus. Driven by his unwavering sense of right and wrong, he intervenes, only to have a chaotic shootout result in the death of a police officer. Reacher disappears, leaving behind a trail of confusion and a single thought: “Francis Xavier Quinn is alive.”

Haunted by a Name

Quinn was a monster, a former military police officer who personified cruelty during their time in the service. Learning of his supposed demise years ago, Reacher finds himself consumed by the news that Quinn might still be breathing. This revelation sets him on a path to uncover the truth, leading him to Boston and a tangled web of secrets.

An Uneasy Alliance

Reacher finds himself reluctantly allied with Susan Duffy, an FBI agent with a personal stake in bringing down Quinn. Their partnership is one of convenience, fueled by a shared desire for justice. Sandman’s knowledge of the situation proves invaluable as Reacher infiltrates a high-security compound where Quinn is believed to be hiding.

As Reacher navigates the treacherous waters of the compound, he uncovers a sinister plot involving a corrupt organization, illegal activities, and a hidden agenda. The lines between friend and foe become blurred, forcing Reacher to question his assumptions and rely on his razor-sharp instincts to survive.

The Price of Retribution

Reacher’s relentless pursuit of Quinn leads to a series of thrilling confrontations, testing his physical and mental prowess. The climax is a brutal display of violence, a stark reminder of the consequences of vengeance and the burden of taking the law into your own hands.

Review

“Persuader” is more than just a thrilling ride. It delves into the complexities of pursuing justice. Reacher’s actions, motivated by a personal vendetta, raise questions about the limits of self-determination and the true meaning of justice within a flawed system.

For fans of the series, “Persuader” offers a glimpse into a younger, perhaps even rawer Jack Reacher. His emotional turmoil and the weight of the past add a layer of depth to his character. The ending leaves some loose ends, hinting at future consequences for Reacher’s actions.

“Persuader” is a gripping addition to the Jack Reacher saga. It offers a healthy dose of action, suspense, and a thought-provoking exploration of justice. While it might be even more impactful for those familiar with Reacher’s backstory, the novel is still an entertaining read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller with a complex protagonist.

Parting Thoughts

A while back, I was watching a clip of “Reacher season 2”, and read a comment that Reacher is unstoppable murdered. While reading the first chapter of this book, I agreed with the comment wholeheartedly. Of course, the next few chapters explain why he killed the people he killed, but the feeling persists.

The third season is said to be based on this book. I would want to watch who plays Paulie. He was one heck of a villian, kinda reminded me of the villian in Iron Man 2, the giant guy who kept chewing a toothpick or somethin’?

Anyway, another fast and engaging as usual.