10 Jack Reacher Books That Should Be a Season of Reacher

So far, five out of Lee Child’s 29 Jack Reacher novels have been turned into films or TV shows. The two movies starring Tom Cruise were based on “One Shot” (the ninth book) and “Never Go Back” (the 18th book). When the series moved to television on Prime Video, it began with the first book, “Killing Floor”, which is still a favorite among many Jack Reacher fans. Since then, the Prime Video series has adapted the 11th book, “Bad Luck and Trouble”, one of the more personal stories in the saga; and most recently, “Persuader”, the seventh book, which is considered one of the more adaptable ones in the series.

The fourth season of Reacher has been officially set as an adaptation of the 13th book in the series, titled Gone Tomorrow. As for future seasons, several options are on the table, some being more suitable than others. It’s wise to steer clear of the two stories that have already been featured in the Tom Cruise movies, leaving us with a selection of the remaining books ideal for television production.

1) Die Trying (Book 2)

In Die Trying, Jack Reacher finds himself and FBI Special Agent Holly Johnson, who coincidentally is the daughter of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the goddaughter of the President of the United States, abducted. Their kidnapping is linked to Johnson’s high-profile connections, with Reacher just happening to be in the wrong spot at the wrong moment, aiding an unknown woman (Johnson) who was having trouble with her crutches.

In Montana, a radical secessionist group, which happens to have captured the pair, is a militia with aspirations of breaking away from the United States. They aim to use Johnson as a bargaining chip. Trapped within their fortified compound, they’re kept alive, but just barely. The tense atmosphere suggests that this makeshift home will soon erupt into conflict. In essence, this story could easily be a thrilling installment of the Reacher series, filled with dramatic moments to keep viewers on edge. Ritchson himself has expressed his fondness for Die Trying as his favorite book in the saga, so it’s likely that this tale will appear at some point or another.

2) Tripwire (Book 3)

In some outstanding Reacher tales, aspects of his past are skillfully incorporated. For example, the main adversary in “Persuader” and “Reacher Season 3“, Xavier Quinn, as well as the character from “Tripwire“, General Leon Garber, who is also a key figure in the second book mentioned. This technique is not limited to these stories alone.

Between the occurrences of “Die Trying” and “Tripwire,” General Garber passes away. Now, his daughter Jodie Garber, who is an attorney, hires a private investigator in an attempt to locate Reacher. However, the private investigator fails to find Reacher, but instead, it’s Reacher who discovers the private investigator’s corpse. Jodie Garber seeks assistance from Reacher as she aims to understand her father’s last assignment. Unfortunately, this endeavor catches the eye of a war criminal with unresolved grudges.

3) Running Blind (Book 4)

Reacher’s Elevated Risks

In this season of Reacher, the danger levels for the main character surge beyond the norm. Two of his former Army comrades are discovered deceased in their bathtubs, with no traces of a knife or gunshot wounds. What’s peculiar is that their tubs have been filled with Army-issued camouflage paint. This suggests they were killed in an unusual manner by a large man who was well-acquainted with them both, a description fitting Reacher perfectly.

The mistaken identity plot wouldn’t continue throughout the entire season because another woman was murdered while Reacher was in custody. However, when he gets involved in the investigation, it becomes one of the most unexpected and fascinating mysteries in the show’s history. Many shows have tackled serial killers, but if executed with the unique style of Reacher, it could be one of the best seasons for this show. In fact, “Running Blind” is one of the standout novels from the series.

4) Without Fail (Book 6)

Though Frances Neagley has not been a frequent character across the Jack Reacher novels, she’s consistently accompanied him in the series entitled “Reacher“. In fact, she’s slated to star in her own separate series. Consequently, if “Without Fail” were to be adapted for screen, it would only seem logical for her to feature prominently in the season, as she plays a significant role in the book.

In this scenario, Jack Reacher is summoned by Mary Ellen Froelich, a Secret Service agent, to aid her in averting an assassination attempt on the Vice President. This isn’t just a drill; the Vice President and his security detail have been receiving progressively ominous and menacing letters. The urgency is palpable, and soon enough, Reacher and Neagley will be tasked with unmasking the letter writer.

5) The Hard Way (Book 10)

As a movie enthusiast, I’d put it like this: In the realm of “Reacher”, the quality of a season can often hinge on how wicked its main adversary turns out to be. With Edward Lane in “The Hard Way”, they might have just created one of the most formidable and malicious antagonists yet! The plot unfolds with Reacher finding himself compelled to cross paths with Lane, following an incident where someone makes off with one of Lane’s Mercedes while he was at a coffee shop. It transpires that Lane’s wife, Kate, has been abducted, and the thief is connected to the same group responsible for her kidnapping.

Lane hasn’t only experienced one instance of his wife being abducted; his late sister-in-law Anne, who was the first wife, had been kidnapped before she was found dead. Anne believed Lane was responsible for her kidnap as he has a volatile temper and tends to act aggressively when things don’t go according to plan. She now suspects that Lane might be repeating this history. However, it is later discovered that this abduction is authentic, but in an unusual manner.

6) Nothing to Lose (Book 12)

Nothing to Lose” is one of several books in the series where Reacher, a solitary hero on a quest, finds himself embedded within an entire town controlled by unscrupulous characters (or groups). This sprawling plot line fits perfectly with this type of protagonist.

The book encompasses all the necessary elements to create an exceptional season of the series Reacher. A soldier from the Army on the run from a clandestine military group, a crooked judge, a man gone missing, and a recycling facility acting as a cover for illegal military experiments – it promises to be captivating.

7) 61 Hours (Book 14)

61 Hours could transform into an engaging arc for the Reacher series, as it unfolds in a chilly South Dakota hamlet, where the story commences with the bus that Reacher is traveling on skidding off-road just shy of a careening vehicle.

Initially, those in power in the town assume that Reacher is a hired gun intended to eliminate a key witness for an impending trial. However, this is not the case, and it’s possible that the actual assassin has already entered the town’s protective boundaries, hidden within the frosty confines.

8) Worth Dying For (Book 15)

The Jack Reacher series excels in both intimate storytelling and when Reacher confronts a powerful group. Essentially, “Worth Dying For” follows this pattern, but rather than a large government organization with an endless supply of resources, it’s a notorious redneck family, the Duncan clan, who amassed their wealth through human trafficking, particularly young women, and have effectively taken control of their small hometown in Nebraska as a result.

Worth Dying For” is engaging as it slowly reveals the central enigma of an unsolved missing persons case from a quarter-century ago. Additionally, the Duncan family presents a despicable challenge for Jack Reacher, making it enjoyable to watch him dismantle them systematically.

9) The Affair (Book 16)

The story unfolds six months before the incidents depicted in Killing Floor, which served as the basis for the first season of Reacher. If they decide to adapt it, Ritchson might undergo some digital age-reduction (his physical changes between Season 1 and Season 2 are almost comparable to Sylvester Stallone’s transformation between the initial two Rambo films).

Overall, this content is suitable for a complete television season, featuring Jack Reacher in the military, probing a mystery linked to an Army base. It offers intriguing internal struggles that could be explored further. While there’s less action than anticipated given the premise of Reacher confronting an Army base, it promises engaging material regardless.

10) The Midnight Line (Book 22)

In the later Jack Reacher novels, particularly those co-written by Lee and Andrew Child starting from book 25, “The Sentinel,” it appears that the quality isn’t as high as the earlier books. From the 19th novel, “Personal,” it seems the stories either make large jumps that don’t work well or revisit familiar territories with less and less success. However, there is an exception: “The Midnight Line,” which begins in a straightforward and endearing manner as Reacher tries to return a West Point Graduation ring.

In the usual style of Jack Reacher novels, this one, titled “The Midnight Line“, doesn’t follow the typical pattern of Reacher brutally dismantling criminal operations. Instead, it delves deeply into the human impact of opioids, making it a compelling narrative rather than an action-packed thriller. Despite its lack of high-octane action scenes, it could potentially make for a powerful TV series.

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2025-06-19 20:45