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Like Jack Reacher – Carter Blake by Author Mason Cross

The English summer which is usually full of bad weather, some days are slightly mild whilst others are absolutely freezing. This is when I kind of think okay lets get a book and stay indoors as going outside isn’t really an option. However the summer that we just had was off the charts, most days we were waking up to the sun, each day was a total surprise. This new-found summer season meant that I was rather busy, mostly with sun bathing and outdoor activities with the family but also sorting out the garden which consisted of watching the grass and then panicking as I watched it disappear into dust!

I saw that the author Mason Cross had tweeted about his latest book on offer for 99p. Yes 99p which is really a freebie in a way. I thought to myself “hey, why not, what is there to lose”. His last books were really, really good and the main character was like Jack Reacher in most ways. See my previous review here

So here we are in late summer reading the book.

The thing about Mason Cross books

I thought I knew what the main character Carter Blake was like from reading the Mason Cross previous books. He seems to be Mr average in appearance but with an intensity and a problem solving mind that helps him achieve his goals, which is to find people that don’t want to be found. Jack Reacher intense but not so brutal, maybe a conscious that keeps him in check when the need arises. In this book Carter Blake is at a loss from the start. Someone has seen their sister, they are sure of it, one glimpse whilst passing on a bus. No big deal you think, the only problem is, their sister died 15 years ago. Blake is asked to find this person. This thing is, he isn’t 100% sure that she is alive either. Carter is stuck, which I quite liked as Mason Cross delivers a real clever plot by using first person writing so that you can feel the anguish and turmoil in Blakes thought process, not fully realising if he is on the right track.

Is this the best Carter Blake book?

For me I think it is. The plot situated in a Mountain area, a small town with locals whereby news travels faster than social media. There is a feeling of Carter being out of place in this back water area where everyone know each other and they don’t take kindly to strangers. The writing is top-notch from Mason Cross, scenes set to entice you into the drama as you realise death has hit this town and people are paranoid. A serial killer could be on the loose, the deaths start to mount up and the police plus Carter Blake don’t seem to be able to find out who is responsible

I found that what was brilliant about this book was the feeling of not knowing who was responsible for the killings. It made me want to keep turning every page until I found out. Usually you have a slight suspicion when you are reading a book about who the baddie really is. It was a bit like Lee Child’s Jack Reacher in that the writing was cleverly done so that each day is named at the start of the chapter and you can feel the tension build until the very last chapter as the days pass.

Is there any Jack Reacher action?

There is some action, mainly gun fights and the odd outside of the bar scuffle. Tense moments between the police and some rogue cops who think that Blake is treading on their toes. Nothing as gruesome as some Jack Reacher books or the Tom Wood novels SEE HERE!

Final thoughts

Without spoiling the plot for you, I was really surprised by how good this book was. Don’t get me wrong, Mason Cross is a brilliant author but for some reason I couldn’t imagine this topping the previous book I had read “A Time To Kill”. Each character is likable, each scene is descriptive, there is enough action for any reader of the Jack Reacher series. I suggest you go and buy it, then like me you will go onto the next book by Mason Cross. I have already ordered the previous book “Don’t Look For Me”. You can buy it HERE!

On a special note, the ending had me shocked, a bit like if you had watched an old movie (one of my favourites) titled “Usual Suspects”, it leaves you looking at the last page saying “WHAT”!!!!!!
Leave me some comments below – what do you think about this book and the Carter Blake series?

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Introducing author – Mason Cross

I got a Waterstones book voucher for my birthday.  So without really thinking I went to my local shop and searched around for a decent crime thriller to read.  I scanned the shelves trying to find something that I thought looked good.  I had read all the Tom Wood (Victor the Assassin) books, the Michael Connolly books were all done, David Baldacci done – oh wait what’s this book.  “The Time to Kill” by Mason Cross, ah now I remember, I had read “The Killing Season” before and thought it was excellent.  I had given the book a rating of 9.2/10 which is a top mark, I do think you will struggle to find another book as good.

Is this book like Jack Reacher?

Well, the main character Carter Blake is a brilliant hero.  He tracks people and finds people that don’t want to be found.  I must admit the logo on the front of the book with a quote from Lee Child saying “My kind of book” did help me decide to buy it.  Carter Blake is a clever guy, has compassion for people, uses his military skills to find people which doesn’t always work out easy and does get him in lots of trouble.  He works solo, half the money up front, half the money once the person has been found.  A loner like Jack Reacher, he can plan ahead, well in advance to see what opportunites will come his way in tricky situations.

What is the book about?

The book starts with someone on the run, being chased by professional assassins.  You know the person being chased is also a professionsal but you are not sure why they are being chased and if they survive.

The plot then goes back and forth in time, current day with Carter Blake choosing his new job and seeing how to find the missing person.  Then going back to a time when Carter had a girlfriend and worked for certain under the radar government projects.

What sets the book off plot wise is the clever way Mason Cross writes from the different perspective of Carter and the person he is trying to track.  Then we realise some background tension, that his old under the radar projects are coming back to haunt him, with a specific request to shoot and kill.  Can Carter Blake escape from the best trackers in the world, the people who he used to work for intent on taking him out.  Can he finish the job that he has been contracted to do?  The detail with which Mason Cross writes is brilliant.  We learn about the various team characters that Carter worked for within the past, we also find out about the new head of the secret unit he used to work for and why she feels compelled to shut Mason down.

Is there any Jack Reacher action?

The plot flies by at speed.   Mason Cross uses the plot and speed of writing to crank up the pace as you need to know if Carter will survive.  As we are in the World Cup season and England are doing very well, I thought that I would struggle to read this book unless it had lots of action.  Well I can say there was lots of action, clever twists as Carter has to navigate through surving enemy after enemy.  I didn’t have lots of confidence in Carter staying alive, as he hasn’t the same fighting skills that Jack Reacher has.  He can fight, use weapons and talk his way out of situations, the only thing is these people who are after him are trained and know all the tricks in the book to try and capture him.

Final thoughts

Without spoiling the plot for you, I just generally thought this was an excellent book to read.  I like the Jason Bourne films and did think that this has a similar thread to the movies, explosive action and twists a plenty.

From the very first page I was gripped, I wanted to know about Carter Blake’s history and the project that he worked for. Why was the main agency trying to kill him and what had happened back when he did the projects.  If you are looking for an amazing read that will only take you a couple of days to read then I suggest this book is for you.

 

Have a look at my other reviews of books that are like Mason Cross, here!  Let me know what you think in the comments box below.

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Books like Jack Reacher review – HERE and GONE

I’m going to level with you. This book is not like Jack Reacher, it’s not my normal type of book to read but it is a crime thriller book with lots and lots of suspense and mystery. You may ask “so why did you read this book” and to be honest, I was just searching through Amazon looking for a great thriller book with good reviews.

I have read all the Jack Reacher books and decided to order Jack Reacher books from the beginning of the series book 1 to go through them again.

This book had good reviews and the basic references from my top authors Lee Child and Greg Hurwitz made me think this could be a brilliant read.  So if you do like any of the Jack Reacher books then this could be for you.

What’s the plot?

Now this is what has got my attention, from the first page you realise a young woman is running away from someone, with her two children in an old car. We don’t know what she is running from but is really scared, she is also avoiding the police which makes you think that maybe she might not be the hero we think.

Back of book

Audra has finally left her abusive husband. She’s taken the family car and her young children, Sean and Louise, are buckled up in the back. This is their chance for a fresh start.

Audra keeps to the country roads to avoid attention. She’s looking for a safe place to stay for the night when she spots something in her rear-view mirror. A police car is following her and the lights are flickering. Blue and red.

As Audra pulls over she is intensely aware of how isolated they are. Her perfect escape is about to turn into a nightmare beyond her imagining. . .

Dark secrets and a heart-pounding race to reveal the truth lie at the heart of this page-turning thriller.

Full of dark secrets and heart-pounding twists, Here and Gone is the ultimate page-turner.

Is this anything like a Jack Reacher book?

As with all the Lee Child books, the writing style of Haylen Beck is very similar in defining the scenery, the short sentence tension but also the crafting of characters that make you either despise them or champion them. Like the Jack Reacher books, you have a craving to finish the book as soon as you pick it up, you really want to see what happens to Audra. There is also a character that gets introduced during the book who has a similar disposition to Jack Reacher, tough guy, ready for action and a real conviction to protect the innocent. I really liked this additional character as it then started to spill over into more of a book like the Lee Child novels which as you know I am a fan of.

Final Thoughts

I read this book within two days, it might not seem fast for some people but for me the time just seemed to whiz by, I can only put the comparison to a film I watched a while back. The film was only a 90 minutes long but keeps you with your hand in your mouth due to the tension that is built. The film is called “Breakdown” and stars Kurt Russell. This is also about a couple who have a car breakdown then when a helpful lorry driver comes along to help he takes the wife to the nearest town so they can call for help. Whilst Kurt Russell is waiting for help to come and his wife, time just floats on by, no help and no wife. He then works out how to fix his car (it’s just a dodgy wire) chases down the lorry driver who proceeds to tell him he doesn’t know who he is or his wife and has never met them in his life. Cue tension, killings, did I mention tension and lots of what has happened. You can buy the film here!

 

 

 

So this book is on the same wave length as this film – so if you like the film, like the sense of tension and the idea that you don’t know what is going to happen within a great plot, then buy this book now.

BUY HERE AND GONE NOW HERE!

If you like books like Jack Reacher then I would recommend this book which you can also see the rating on this page

 

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Introducing Evan Smoak and author Gregg Hurwitz

It was one of those days, you know, you’ve had them before. You’ve finished your latest book series after the Christmas period, you’ve had a short gap of not reading anything for a couple of weeks. Then the cravings start hitting, I NEED to read a decent book, especially at night before bed, something to look forward to as the nights get dark so quickly.

The next day, into the bookshop I go, I have a quick flick through the usual authors I know of, nope nothing new there, I spot a few others on the discount shelf (always looking for a bargain), nope nothing there worthy of attention. Then I have a quick “click and check” of some books, you know the method, check the back of a book, google the title and see what some reviews say. This is such a painful process as I only have 30 minutes lunch break and I HAVE to do this method currently as there are not many websites like www.bookslikejackreacher.co.uk which help you quickly find something that is decent.

After 20 minutes of my lunch break gone, I stumble upon an author called “Greg Hurwitz”. I thought, I recognise that surname from a book I’d bought before, which I thought was okay when I had read it. The book in front of me was titled “Orphan X” and to be honest looked okay but the main thing that I noticed on the front of the book was a quote from LEE CHILD stating that the book was “Outstanding in every way”

What happened next?

Yes you guessed it, I went and bought the book. It was quite funny though, as when I got home I realised that the author who I thought sounded the same, was in fact someone else entirely called Anthony Horowitz and the book was called “Trigger Mortis” which you could BUY HERE!

“Oh no” I thought had it all gone wrong, got the wrong author, perhaps read the wrong reviews, it’s probably not a book like Jack Reacher surely. Have I wasted my hard-earned cash??

Go on tell us….

I was greatly surprised to find out that this book is one of the best books like Jack Reacher out there currently. I’ve been introduced to a totally refreshing character named “Evan Smoak” who like Jack Reacher is a loner but again has an amazing set of skills to combat the bad guys. The plot is brilliant, Evan Smoak is a person who senses great victory in helping people who are in danger. He does this by leaving people that he has saved from harm with a phone number that they can pass onto anyone (only one) person they meet who is also in desperate need.

What I love about this plot is that you sense something bad is going to happen all the way through, it’s much too easy for Evan to go through life and not have any harm come his way. What would be the point in that, him helping people and strolling around, no one wants to read this. As you read more about his background, you realise that not all is as it seems and Evan is in great, great danger.

Is this as good as a Lee Child book?

As with all comparisons, it is hard to compare the two characters Jack Reacher and Evan Smoak. I can only say that for me, Evan Smoak is like a younger brother to Jack Reacher. He can handle himself, has the usual eye for detail and investigative skills, the main difference is that he is up to date with the latest technology to aid him. Evan has such an amazing set of skills from, knowing all the time if something is wrong in a situation to checking online databases and hacking into various systems to help him in the search for people.

Greg Hurwitz has created a great character who interacts with other people in his apartment block, and again, the detail that goes into painting the picture about the protection Evan has installed into his own apartment is incredible.

Final thoughts

I included Evan Smoak in my characters in books like jack reacher as he is such a brilliant read and hero that I think people who read Lee Child novels will absolutely love. He always seems to be out of danger and then the plot is flipped so that you can’t see a way out for him. I really do like the idea of the interaction of a man made human weapon, engaging with the public in his apartment block. These scenes really give a sense of the caring side of an assassin and it does help the reader to relate to the story a lot more.

I say buy this book now, you will not be disappointed at all!

Let me know what you think, when you have read the book in the comments below.

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Latest Jack Reacher book -The Midnight Line

The level of excitement and anticipation when you buy the latest Jack Reacher book is so high that you have to take a moment before you start to open the pages. This latest book from Lee Child is Jack Reacher book number 22. As with all

the previous books we start, Lee Child draws you in right from the start. Be prepared for another case of reading right into the night through to the early hours of the morning.

For those who are new to this site, read on and find out about this next Lee Child book in one of the greatest crime series thriller novels. Jack Reacher is back with a bang!

The thing about Jack Reacher books

We think we know all Jack Reacher by now, book number 22 and surely he isn’t going to change.

Well well well, after reading this book and remembering the first Jack Reacher book (Killing Floor). I can safely say that Jack Reacher has changed just ever so slightly. From hard core cool guy that gets the job done in a jiffy, obviously with intelligence and charm. This Jack Reacher is slightly shall I say, more thoughtful and has a softer approach to the people around him, unlike many Jack Reacher books. Some of the plot deals with addiction, self-worth and loyalty, this allows us the opportunity to see Jack Reacher’s compassion just enough to realise he is maybe getting softer with age.

Is this the best Jack Reacher book?

As with all Lee Child books, we keep expecting the latest Jack Reacher book to be better than the previous one. For me this latest Jack Reacher book is better than number 21 (Night School). I didn’t particularly like Night School, as we were transported back in time to see where Jack Reacher came from and what happened to him when he was younger. I prefer the now, the present Jack Reacher character, dealing with the bad guys in style and winning the mini war for the people who can’t defend themselves.

If you are like me, then this book is one of the better ones. Not the best Jack Reacher book but one that you will enjoy reading. You may find that over the years you have come to appreciate Lee Child books more and more as during the down time between his latest book, you go off in the hunt for something similar. I have very rarely come across anything that comes as close to gripping me in the way that Lee Child Jack Reacher books do. This has made me appreciate his writing style more and more, even when some of the books are not quite up to scratch I still can sit back in the knowledge that I have still had a good read by this brilliant author.

Plot of Jack Reacher Number 22

The most important part of a Lee Child Jack Reacher book is the start. The first few pages when you see where Jack Reacher is located, hear about where he has been and find out where he is drifting to. In this book, Jack Reacher takes an aimless stroll past a pawn shop in a small Midwestern town. In the window he sees a West Point class ring from 2005. It’s tiny. It’s a woman cadet’s graduation present to herself. Why would she give it up? Reacher’s a West Pointer too, and he knows what she went through to get it. So starts the mystery of the seller, the reason why the ring was stolen, what Jack Reacher has to go through to solve this mystery.

Is there any Jack Reacher action?

For me this is what makes the books standout. The writing description of the fights really engages with the reader and makes you feel as if you were in the fight scene itself. The Midnight Line doesn’t disappoint as Jack Reacher gets himself into a few situations that you could imagine in any Jack Reacher movie. One worthy of a mention is the fight with some bikers that gets you on the edge of your seat with all the writing descriptions of punches, elbows and head locks to name but a few.

I felt really intrigued with the story as I couldn’t work out where the plot was going to take you. I liked the idea of Reacher teaming up with a private detective, trying to solve the mystery of the ring meant that there was some great dialogue. Reacher the get it done guy and the detective being bound by the rules and red tape of the law. Themes of addiction and self-worth are touched on throughout the book, which for me really sets a compassionate tone which maybe a lot of Lee Child Jack Reacher books don’t really have.

Final thoughts

Without spoiling the plot for you, I just generally thought this was a good book. It only took me two days to complete it, as most of the last Jack Reacher book series have done. It could have had more action, probably less description of the surroundings but having said that this is what Lee Child does. The ending is again left open for book number 23 (who knows when Lee Child will stop) which I for one am happy about. My only concern would be that as Reacher gets older, Lee Child either has to go backwards doing prequels or turn him into an old guy like The Equalizer

Either of these scenarios don’t really appeal to me or probably most of the Jack Reacher audience. My theory is that maybe within the next two books Lee Child will introduce another character who is younger and works alongside Jack Reacher. This Character will then start to take on the new franchise going forward but bringing in a new generation of readers.

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks so that saying goes but knowing Lee Child books the way that I do, I wouldn’t put it past Lee Child to do a new book series with a woman cast in the main lead!

I’ll leave that thought with you for now………

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Stephen Leather – Takedown book review

Wow, just started reading this new book from Stephen Leather and already I’m hooked….

This time no Spider Shepherd but long term ally Lex Harper. This book is so far gritty, engaging and the plot is amazing. A British Special Forces operative goes rogue! Queue lots of action, double crossing, twists and turns plus lots of fights.

Just like Lee Child books where you start one page at 11pm, look again at the clock and its 1am and you have read 5 chapters. You just want to know whats going to happen after every page turned.

Books like Jack Reacher recommend this book

Synopsis

When a British Special Forces soldier goes rogue, carrying out an attack at a US army base in Syria leading to the death of two men, ex-MI5 controller Charlotte Button is hired to work out what his plan is and to take him down before he can carry it out.

Charlotte puts her best man on the case – hitman Lex Harper. It’s up to Lex to assemble a crack team and get to the soldier before he carries out what could be a massive terrorist attack. But Charlotte might require Lex’s help with a more personal problem too . . .

As ex-MI5, Charlotte holds information on thousands of the agency’s dirty operations, and keeps a store of those secrets in three flash drives hidden in separate safety deposit vaults. Now someone is taking extraordinary measures to recover the secrets through Hatton Garden-style robberies. So far two vaults have been raided, and two flash drives have gone. If the third is stolen, Charlotte’s life will be in jeopardy. While it’s down to Lex to prevent a potential terrorist attack on British soil, Charlotte must work out who is after her and what they want.

Just to update, finished the book and wow, loved it.  Really different style to Spider Shepherd as Lex Harper hasn’t got the same moral character but he gets the  job done more efficiently.  Would definitely read this if you have finished the last Lee Child book and are waiting for the latest Jack Reacher book.

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About Books Like Jack Reacher

WELCOME

You’re here!  A huge welcome to my site.  I hope you enjoy looking through my information and I look forward to connecting with you.

WHAT?

I love reading books.  I just enjoy getting into a new series and following that character throughout each story.  One of my all time favourite authors is Lee Child.  The way that he writes the Jack Reacher series had me hooked when I first borrowed book number 11 – (Bad Luck and Trouble) from the inlaws.  Since then I have read the rest of the Jack Reacher series.  Every single November I get a little annoyed that I have finished the latest book and have to wait another year for the next Lee Child new release!

WHY?

This site has been designed to help people who like me want to know what other great crime and thriller books are out there.  Similar books that have the type of Jack Reacher storylines, which keep you hooked in and help you immerse yourself in their fictional world.

I read them, review them and recommend them to you so you don’t have to waste your time searching for books only to find that they are not all they are cracked up to be.  Honest reviews on here by me, who is passionate about reading and want other people to enjoy this hobby as much as I do.  If you are looking for a book like Jack Reacher then we are the place for you.

HELP?

Imagine the time saved not having to look through book shops or websites and scrolling along reviews to see if the book you are looking at is any good.  Imagine the satisfaction of reading a book and leaving your own comment on this site to tell us your views.  Imagine not having to wait until your favourite author has written another new book, here you can find out the books to read in between your favourite authors new releases.

GOAL?

I want to get more people reading and to inform people of the best crime thriller books out there!  If you love Jack Reacher we provide other books series to read so that you are never bored whilst waiting for the next Lee Child novel.  Lots of people ask me about the books that are like Jack Reacher, this website is the place to be to find out other main characters that are like Jack Reacher.

If you ever need a hand or have any questions, feel free to leave them below and I will be more than happy to help you out.

All the best,

Glenford

www.bookslikejackreacher.com

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David Baldacci – The Fix book review

Jack Reacher Alternatives

Looking for a brilliant book like Lee Child?  Then look no further than this good read by well known author by David Baldacci.

The book titled “The Fix” is brilliant, even though I had lots of work on, I read this book within a week. The book really does draw you in with each page,  the main character is so intriguing that you are never sure how the plot is going to play out.

From the first few pages where a murder happens in front of both the FBI headquarters and main character Amos Decker, right until the end we wanted to know why, why, why and who, who, who!!

Like Jack Reacher – Amos Decker

Amos Decker is a complex character as we discussed on the previous post, he is always thinking ahead of the situation that he is in but also find himself quite disturbed due to his medical condition.  Not quite a male hero character who beats the bad guys physically, more of a geek who can look after himself, but will outwit anyone he comes up against.

Like Jack Reacher, Amos has a problem solving mind, such a great skill set when trying to solve murders.  How he solves this crime with all the twists and turns you wouldn’t even expect, make this book such a brilliant read.

We recommend this book for all who like Jack Reacher – Score 9/10.  BUY IT HERE!