list jack reacher books - ACTION THRILLERS LIKE JACK REACHER

October 7, 2018April 27, 2026

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?

April 17, 2018April 27, 2026

John Grisham Thriller

I hadn’t read a John Grisham book for a while, so whilst waiting for the latest Jack Reacher book I thought I would delve back into one of my previous favourite authors. I got the book off a family member who had already finished reading it and suggested that I take a look as they knew it might be something I would enjoy.

Once I started to read the book, I did wonder why I had not read any of the John Grisham novels for a while. As with any of the good authors like Lee Child, John Grisham really does create good plots and characters that entice you into the book within a matter of minutes.

Are John Grisham books any good?

I personally think that John Grisham writes some of the best crime thriller books around at the moment. The books have enough mystery and suspense to keep any Jack Reacher fan happy. I remember one of the books that I got for my birthday back in 2013 called the “Litigators”, I couldn’t put it down. Needless to say the family were not happy on when I didn’t really interact with them during the day as my nose was in the book for the whole of my Birthday. If you love legal, mystery books with lots of suspense, you would have to look at this book to start off with.

Back of book

David Zinc has it all: Big firm, big salary, life in the lawyer’s fast lane.

Until the day he snaps and throws it all away.

Leaving the world of corporate law far behind, he talks himself into a new job with Finley & Figg. A self-styled ’boutique’ firm with only two partners, Oscar Finley and Wally Figg are ambulance-chasing street lawyers who hustle nickel-and-dime cases, dreaming of landing the big win.

For all his Harvard Law Degree and five years with Chicago’s top firm, Zinc has never entered a courtroom, never helped a client who really needed a lawyer, never handled a gun.

All that is about to change.

The very clever writing of John Grisham really outlines the smallness of the firm that is portrayed here and the way that they take on a larger firm who are using high class professional lawyers is a great sight to behold. There are elements of the Erin Brokovic movie in this storyline, but the small firm are not “Holy than thou” as they have a few shall we say behind the scenes illegal moments that surprise you.

You can buy in my opinion one of the best crime thriller books that John Grisham has written by clicking HERE.

What about the Whistler book?

I must admit this booked started off well with brilliant characters that you wanted to get to know more about and a great plot situation that seemed like it was really going to grip you in the first few chapters. The book starts with Lacy Stoltz, an investigator for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct. She is looking into an alleged corrupt judge, which I think has a slight twist in the plot as this is something that isn’t usually investigated. We all expect judges to be clean and true in their role. John Grisham as with all great mystery books, lets us look at a judicial system in a whole different light. Can a judge be corrupt and who does the investigating of a judge? Good questions are asked in this book.

I do think that as the book went on, something happens to one of the main characters, I’m not going to spoil the plot but I do think it really sets the book back in terms of pace and atmosphere. Once this incident happens the whole book sorts of slows down and then comes towards an amicable conclusion.

Would you recommend this book?

There is a great female lead character in this book, who is strong and really sets the tone of book from the out set. If you have cravings for the gap in between the next new Jack Reacher book then I would seriously recommend this book to use as a filler. Even with the plot slowing down at the end, this book is still a great read. Go to my buy the book here page to get this book at a low price.

For those of you that would like to get into the John Grisham series then look here to add some more to the collection.

I also would recommend that you pre order the latest book from Lee Child as it will soon come round for November. Order the latest Jack Reacher book titled “Past Tense” HERE NOW!

Conclusion

I’m going to be slightly controversial here, as I do like the John Grisham books, hopefully I’ve pointed this out to you. The only thing that is missing, for me, is the action man the hard core fights and tension. With a crime thriller book I want to be tense, I want to be surrounded by mystery, I want to route for the underdog and be urging to finish the book as soon as possible.

I can’t say that I do that with many of the John Grisham books, to me they are good reads, nice books, crime thriller, yes in a NICE way. Are they like Jack Reacher novels, not really, very descriptive and fun to read but if you like Jack Reacher and Lee Child then I would go for the Michael Connelly books. The “Lincoln Lawyer” book which was made into a film, is gritty, action packed and still had the legal courtroom drama, if that is what you are after.

So to finish, YES go and look at the John Grisham books as they are good reads, but as a Jack Reacher fan, and I am promoting books like Jack Reacher. Then keep in mind the Micheal Connelly books which are some of the best crime thriller books written ever.
I’ll leave that thought with you for now………

Let me know what you think in the comment box.

March 5, 2018April 27, 2026

Was Tom Cruise the right person to play Jack Reacher?

Hopefully by now you have watched at least one of the Jack Reacher films either at the cinema or on DVD. I watched both films at the cinema and to be honest I was slightly concerned that the big screen films wouldn’t be anywhere near the same feel as the Lee Child Novels.

I was pleasantly surprised with the first movie as the subject matter of a sniper killing people and Jack trying to solve who the murderer was had enough suspense to keep you interested even after reading the book.

The main debate……

The issue that won’t go away with the Jack Reacher novels is the fact that Tom Cruise has been cast as the main character. For me when I first heard this I thought that it was a joke as when you read the books, Jack Reacher is approximately 6ft 5″ and 250 pounds in weight. So Jack Reacher is a big bloke, capable of taking on 5 people or more in a fist fight, someone who is noticed and in books described as a powerful force. When I think of Tom Cruise I didn’t think he would match up to this character, in height and weight also with the intimidating nature of Jack Reacher.

There have been a lot of complaints by avid Jack Reacher readers alike and non Reacher fans moaning that casting someone like Tom Cruise has made the franchise less appealing. The very fact that many avid readers have now got an ideal picture in their heads about who Jack Reacher should be does create a problem for Lee Child.

What were the options?

There were a few different actors who could have played the role of Jack Reacher, some who maybe in my opinion could have provided the look or fit that many readers wanted. The main question for me though would have been even thought they look the part, can they act like Reacher.

Top of my list would be Hugh Jackman, he has the height can beef up and can act as well. I think after seeing him in the new Logan film made me realise he could easily have been the Jack Reacher we wanted. Have a look at the film and you can see elements of Jack Reacher as the aging Wolverine. Buy it here.

Dywane Johnson is the new up and coming action movie star. After making a career in WWE he is now a credible actor. He obviously has the physical presence of Jack Reacher, my only concern would be his acting as most of his films he portrays comical characters.
Liam Neeson is a well known actor who has been in so many different films, currently working in a lot of films that have the who done it feel. For me Liam is slightly too old physically to play Jack Reacher but could easily play and aging Jack Reacher towards the end of the series. He is also able to fight and look convincing doing it.

Verdict

I must admit, Tom Cruise was not the actor for me, not just due to the size or physical presence that he brings. The main issue for me was that he is involved in so many other films franchises, one of them being Mission Impossible as Ethan Hunt and this can get you really confused as to who he is playing when you watch the Jack Reacher movie. If, it was someone else who hasn’t got this franchise then you would probably be more forgiving of mismatch in physicality.

The one thing that Tom Cruise does bring to the role however if pure Hollywood star quality. This could be the physical force that Lee Child was after, someone who on the big screen takes Jack Reacher into a whole other market that other people who have never heard of the Lee Child book series can get hooked into.

I think it came down to yes I can get someone to look like Tom Cruise and Yes someone who is physically imposing, but for Lee Child he probably wanted someone who could act. As an actor Tom Cruise is outstanding and hopefully we will see a third film which in reality brings Jack Reacher to a bigger audience with Mr Cruise being in it.

Let me known what you think, is Tom Cruise the right or wrong person, comments below.

February 22, 2018April 27, 2026

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