I finally got around to reading The Secret by Lee (and Andrew) Child, one that had been sitting in my ever-growing stack of TBRs for longer than I’d like to admit. While I’ve really enjoyed the Reacher novels in the past, this one didn’t grab me quite the same way.
The pacing felt slower than the usual breakneck stride I’ve come to expect from Reacher. Instead of following him as he bulldozes through obstacles, the story leaned more into procedure, which sometimes made it feel like it was moving at half speed. That said, the murdering sisters did their part to keep things lively whenever they showed up, and the plot itself was solid.
Reacher himself felt a little different here, but I think that’s intentional. This book is set earlier in his career, before he fully became the Reacher we know. It was interesting to see a slightly less polished version of the character, even if it didn’t completely hit the same adrenaline high as others in the series.
Overall, The Secret was a good read, just not as fast-moving or edge-of-your-seat as some of the other Reacher novels I’ve enjoyed. I give it a 4 out of 5.
