Reacher is traveling the East Coast when he is approached by a Secret Service agent (female and very attractive, of course) who needs a favor. "I want to hire you to assassinate the Vice President of the United States."

What Agent M. E. Froelich really wants to know is whether her team’s protection measures are adequate. Without even breaking a sweat, Reacher proves that he could easily penetrate their security. Froelich then reveals that the vice president has been receiving anonymous threats and enlists Reacher’s help to uncover the source. Since Froelich had a romantic history with Reacher’s murdered older brother, also a Secret Service agent, he agrees to help. It also gives him an opportunity to work with a former military colleague (also female and attractive, natch) Frances Neagley.

From swank parties to a Washington DC soup kitchen to small town Wyoming, Reacher trails a pair of vengeful, amoral and very skilled killers.

Lee Child’s books contain a brilliant mix of fast paced action and a mesmerizing main character that appeals to both men and women. Wisely, Child keeps a lot of Reacher’s background under wraps, revealing a few more snippets in every book. While the plots are always interesting and usually lead to a nail-biting climax, it’s Jack Reacher who makes the books so readable. He’s the man you’d want with you in a crisis: brave, strong, smart and sexy.

In the series, Reacher has traveled the US, from Key West to Texas, to Chicago to DC to New York City. British born author Child excels at portraying the American landscape. Without Fail’s stirring finale is in snow-covered mountains of Wyoming.

Jack Reacher is an action hero for the 21st century. Move over Lucas Davenport and Harry Bosch. Reacher has all their smarts with no emotional baggage other than wanderlust. (At least none revealed so far.) If forced to pick my current favorite thriller author I wouldn’t even hesitate - without fail, it’s Lee Child.

--Dede Anderson