by Lee Child
Part of Jack Reacher, book 12
First published 2008
Jack Reacher walks into Despair, Colorado looking for nothing more than coffee. Within minutes, a deputy lands in the hospital and the town makes it clear he's not welcome. Reacher finds himself kicked back to neighboring Hope, twelve miles down an empty road. But Reacher never backs down from a fight. He teams up with a sharp local cop and sets his sights on Despair's secrets. The town hides a massive industrial compound behind walls, where small planes take mysterious seven-hour flights each night. Military police patrol the area, the kind of soldiers Reacher once led. Two young men have vanished, leaving frightened women waiting for their return. As Reacher digs deeper, he uncovers connections to a distant war claiming American lives by the thousands. The town's wealthy owner tries intimidation while his deputies attempt violence. But Reacher has no fear, no illusions, and nothing to lose. Between his conscience and a corrupt town, something must break.
Genres: adventure, mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, unlikely-allies
Setting: Despair, Colorado, Hope, Colorado
416 pages · Hardcover · Delacorte Press