61 Hours: A Reacher Novel (Jack Reacher Novels) by Lee Child

 

Wrong place, wrong time, right man.

This was the first book that I have read from the Lee Child’s “Jack Reacher” series. I was concerned about it being the 14th in the series but I was hooked early. This book is able to stand on its own, all the back story is given to the reader as needed. There are no references to events from previous books that aren’t explained almost immediately. I was a little confused by the ending but maybe all the books end this way. Sort of a Sopranos fade to black style ending but it didn’t lessen the experience of reading the book.

It opens with a bus load of retirees and Reacher being stranded by a snowstorm in a small South Dakota town. Mix in a abandoned military installation, motorcycle gangs, prison unrest, a drug lord and a few other mysterious or unsavory characters and you have a delightful blend of murder, mayhem and action. It was a fun read and has inspired me to add the rest of the series to my “To Read” list.

Dear American Airlines by Jonathan Miles

 

Imagine being stranded in an airport on the eve of your daughter’s wedding, you know, the one that you haven’t seen since she was little and it appears you may not get to see her again anytime soon. It’s your second and possibly last chance at a relationship with her. What would you do? You could complain to the nearest airline representative who is stuck in the same airport you are or you could write a letter of complaint to the corporate offices. Do you stick to the relative facts or do you provide some background so that the airline knows how important getting to this event on time is? Well, Benjamin R. Ford decided to write a letter and give all the details whether relevant or not. What follows is a 180 page dissertation/rant on life, love, happiness and dysfunctionality. It runs the gamut from humor and satire to somber and heartbreaking. Take this book on your next flight, you’ll need it.