Killing Floor
ISBN: 9780553505405
Description
Margrave has just had its first homicide in thirty years. Jack Reacher is the only stranger in town, so the murder is pinned on him. As nasty secrets leak out and the body count mounts, only one thing is for sure: They picked the wrong guy to take the fall.
Reviewed on 8th July 2010
This book introduces Jack Reacher, a former military policeman who is enjoying his freedom, wandering around America, when he is unexpectedly arrested for a murder he didn't commit. Reacher joins the investigation as things get personal.
Child sets the tone well at the start of the book, introducing Reacher and his background in a way that feels completely natural. The reader immediately gets a grasp of who Reacher is and how he works. The other characters are also well described and distinctive, and the location is set up to give the reader an excellent picture of how things lie.
There are some things that frustrated me though. At least three of the fairly major plot points I could see coming a mile off - and as the entire narrative is in the first person it seems implausible that the protagonist would not think the same. There were other things though that I didn't see coming, and on reflection realised that the clues had been there, although I think there are a few red herrings too.
Overall, the book is a little on the violent side, although it's described fairly quickly and doesn't go into too many gory details. One or two parts are a little too extreme though. It's a good read which starts well, droops a little, and then picks up again towards the end. I may just pick up the sequel.
