Killing Floor (Jack Reacher, No. 1)

The story is a riveting one, focusing on Jack's involvement in a crime in a small town in Georgia. Boy, does he make a mistake in deciding to stop off in this little burg, just to find out about a blue singing legend named Blind Blake. But, what a story unfolds. The dialogue is brisk, economical, and very involving! Along with Jack, there are a ton of characters that are so remarkably fleshed out and described, you would think this was a true crime story!

There are scenes of nail-biting action; very graphic and disturbing scenes of violence; and amidst all this some really well-written scenes of sensitivity and poignancy. Jack's meeting with an old lady who once knew the old blues legend is outstanding in its emotional punch! Paul Hubble, the neurotic banker; Roscoe, the beautiful policewoman; Finlay, the chief of detectives; and the evil villains are some of the best written characters in recent mystery fiction.

What is so amazing about this book is the way Lee Child has not only woven a complex murder mystery, but also a chilling tale of greed, madness, and lost loves and lives.

This is an emotional, wrenching debut, and I cannot wait to start in on the rest of this series!

An outstanding piece of fiction!


Lucky Find   May 19, 2006
J. Underwood (Fort Worth, TX)
14 out of 15 found this review helpful

I picked up "Killing Floor" in hardback on the clearance rack at Half Price Books for $1.00 about 7 years ago (good luck finding it now!) I knew nothing of the author and really just needed something to pass the time between Dark Tower installments. Little did I know...

I literally couldn't put this book down from the time I opened it until it was complete. "Killing Floor" has an original plot, contains an interesting "hero", and kept me guessing to the finish.

Since "Killing Floor" I have bought and reads ALL of Lee Child's books, all in hard back and all as soon as they were available, and have never felt cheated.

I was concerned that the books would get boring after several installments (as with James Patterson's books, when you have the same indestructible character over and over, sooner or later you get tired of reading about them). Fortunately, each "Jack Reacher" novel has had a completely original premise, and I haven't gotten bored yet.

I recommend this book wholeheartedly.



Too much shrugging, but don't shrug this book off!   May 20, 1998
hschneid@knox.edu (Galesburg, Illinois)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

50 pages into this book, I called my sister. Why? Because as avid readers, we've made a sacred vow to one another. We have promised to alert one another in the event of an exceptional book. And "Killing Floor" is just that. I did not recommend the book to her. I COMMANDED her to read it. It is supremely entertaining. Thanks to the ride it gave me, I am off to the local bookstore tonight (sorry, Amazon.com, but instant gratification is the one thing you unfortunately cannot provide) to try (probably in vain) to find another book that captivates me as much as "Killing Floor." I also deeply appreciate the fact that, despite its rough edge, this book did not contain one single "f" word. See, Hollywood? IT CAN BE DONE!!!

One, and only one complaint, Mr. Child -- what the heck was with all the shrugging?! It was your book's only distracting element ; unfortunately, I found myself in the midst of adrenaline-laden scenes trying to think of other gestures you could've used. But hey! Your use of the word "the" was pretty heavy, too. :-)

A phenomenal debut. The only reason I did not give the book a ten is that I reserve that rating for books that have moved my soul. A "9" is the highest rating I give a book that I've read for entertainment purposes only.

A recommendation for those who have enjoyed this book: order a copy of "The Day After Tomorrow" by Alan Folsom. It's the only book I can think of that gave me a ride like the one "Killing Floor" did.

Thank you, Amazon, for providing this great service! You've enhanced the reading experience ten-fold.


JACK REACHER -- MY NEW HERO   September 12, 2002
Nancy Martin (Pennsylvania (orig. NY))
11 out of 12 found this review helpful

Even though I read about fifty books a year in the Mystery/Thriller genre, this is my first introduction to Lee Child. He comes highly recommended and I'm now wondering why I waited so long to pick up one of his books.

My immediate thoughts on this author are that I like his writing style. He writes like we speak -- shorter sentences and gets right to the point. My second discovery is his use of surprises. There's nothing I like more than reading a book where I don't know what's going to happen at the end of a chapter. I love having some of those "Oh, No" moments when settling down with a mystery. My third and probably most important reason for liking this book is the main character. Finally, I meet Jack Reacher -- 6'4", 36 years old, a former military policeman and, best of all, he's not a wise-guy. I don't know why most authors think they have to resort to the wise-cracking main character in order to have a successful book. To me, Jack Reacher is a refreshing change.

The setting of this book, Margrave, Georgia, is reminiscent of a Stepford town. Everything is perfect, everything is clean, everyone is happy with their lives....until dead bodies start showing up. Reacher, who just happens to be wandering through Margrave, is immediately considered a suspect simply because he's an outsider. But little does this town know that it's the "insiders" they have to worry about as Reacher sets out to prove his innocence and seeks revenge for the death of someone from his past. And when Reacher sets out to seek revenge, he means it, as he has no problem at all in killing bad people.

In the beginning of the book, he won't know whom to trust and neither will the reader. As the story progresses, however, you will become amazed at Reacher's intelligence and will become attuned to his deciphering of even the smallest clue.

Jack Reacher has now moved right up on top of my list of favorite main characters in a mystery series. I've looked past the fact that he has no problem killing people.

I'm just so glad that this is a series because it means that I get to visit with this pantheon of human pulchritude again and again and again. Next up....Die Trying.