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Original poster

Having Lee Child withdrawal symptoms - help!

39 replies

DottyDot · 14/07/2010 08:55

So I discovered Lee Child (Jack Reacher novels) by accident a couple of months ago and love them - have now read them all and am desperately looking for a replacement!

I know they're trashy but alongside my more worthy reading (obviously...) I do like a good pacey thriller - can anyone recommend anything Lee Child-ish? In the meantime I'm sadly counting down for his next one due out in September...

OP posts:
inthesticks · 14/07/2010 16:37

I love Lee Child as well. I started to work my way through them all but I have now rationed myself to reading one or two a year. I've nearly caught up though.

I've never found anything really similar, I do read a lot of crime fiction and although I quite enjoy Peter Robinson , pacy it's not.
Matt Hilton is promoted as being like Lee Child. I read "Dead Men's Dust" and found it a little too gory.
I've enjoyed some of the more recent Harlen Coben such as "No Second Chance".

You might also like Patrick Lennon, Alex Gray, Michael Ridpath, Duncan Falconer

mattellie · 14/07/2010 14:01

Hi Dotty, I?m a massive Lee Child fan too, so FWIW the only author I find consistently on a par with Child is Harlen Coben.

Otherwise I mostly agree what what others have said:

Do give Michael Connelly another go

John Connelly is excellent but usually has a slightly supernatural element to his thrillers

James Patterson?s Alex Cross books are great; some of his others less so (much less so!)

Have a look too at Chelsea Cain (very gruesome), Tom Cain (no relation), Martyn Waites and Linwood Barclay.

suiledonne · 14/07/2010 13:57

Dottydot Looks like we have similar taste. I really like Douglas Coupland too.

I liked Eleanor Rigby, Girlfriend in a Coma, Miss Wyoming and All Families are Psychotic.

Enjoy your reading!

suiledonne · 14/07/2010 13:57

Dottydot Looks like we have similar taste. I really like Douglas Coupland too.

I liked Eleanor Rigby, Girlfriend in a Coma, Miss Wyoming and All Families are Psychotic.

sammac · 14/07/2010 11:34

Can I add Jeffrey Deaver on the list too- just finished a really good one called The Bodies Left Behind.

Also David Baldacci- 1/2 price in WH Smith book of the week.

Going to the library later to pick up 2 I've ordered just out in hardback and I can't remember which ones- looking forward to the surprise!

Original poster
DottyDot · 14/07/2010 11:25

Marvellous - have ordered The Monkey's Raincoat to come to our library and wonderful on-line system is showing I've got 3 Douglas Coupland books to pick up (my other obsession ) so I'll be OK for a few days...!

OP posts:
Original poster
DottyDot · 14/07/2010 11:12

thanks all! Yes, I think I need something very Reacher-esque to keep me going, so will definitely try Robert Crais.

I had a look on Amazon and remembered I tried the first Harry Bosch (Michael Connelly) but couldn't get on with it - can't remember why now though. I recently joined our library and with ds's just about being at the age where I can grab 20 mins reading every now and then, I need a book to grab me right at the beginning and if it doesn't, then back to the library it goes...

The first Lee Child book I read was Gone Tomorrow - bought it for a train journey to London and it was finished before I got home again. Fab.

OP posts:
MyNeighbourTotoro · 14/07/2010 10:44

I second Rober Crais.

ZacharyQuack · 14/07/2010 09:46

Robert Crais - Elvis Cole series (Joe Pike is very Reacheresque)
Dennis Lehane - Kenzie/Gennaro series - start with A Drink Before the War
John Connolly
Michael Connelly
John Sandford - Prey series and new Virgil Flowers series

suiledonne · 14/07/2010 09:37

I love Lee Child thrillers too - my guilty reading pleasure. I have to have the newest one as soon as it comes out. Needless to say September can't come quickly enough.

I've struggled to find anything similar.

I like Peter Robinson but tried to read one straight after the last Reacher book and found it incredibly slow although I have enjoyed others.

I was given a PJ Tracy thriller at Christmas and it was ok - similar fast pace to Lee Child but not as good IMHO. There are 3 or 4 of those so they might help fill the gap.

MrsSnaplegs · 14/07/2010 09:25

Jonathan Kellerman, Faye Kellerman, James Patterson, Karin Slaughter (cracking name!), Tess Gerritson, Kathy Reichs, Karen Rose, Harlen Coben.

All good thrillers.

Peter Robinson ok

Patrick Robinson - excellent but very Naval orientated if uyou like that sort of thing!

Clive Cussler - worth starting with the beginning of the Dirk Pitt series

hope thatis ok - have read all of these authors full collections (book addict) and very few duff books in there

Original poster
DottyDot · 14/07/2010 09:19

Harry Bosch novels - right will have a look - thank you!

Sigh. Can't believe how sad I am that I'm missing my Jack Reacher fix already (took the last one back to the library yesterday ).

I've got out a couple by Peter Robinson, but haven't started them yet - do you know if he's any good?

I'm a book whore and need at least a few in the house on the go at any one time so get distressed if there aren't any I know are going to be brilliant

OP posts:
Mumsnut · 14/07/2010 08:57

Michael Connelly (the harry Bosch novels)

BecauseImWorthIt · 14/07/2010 08:56