Nothing to Lose

Initially, when listening to Lee Child's latest Jack Reacher novel, it seems as if narrator Dick Hill is speaking too slowly and without sufficient emotion. It only takes a few minutes, however, to appreciate the effectiveness of his performance, which quickly draws the listener into Child's gripping story. Like Hill's performance, Child's story seems superficial at first--it is the tale of two Colorado towns, Hope and Despair. But the lack of subtlety in the town names is outweighed by the depth of Child's story and characters. Reacher is an intriguing mix of brawn, brains, and bravado whose personality is enhanced by Hill's presentation. Hill also brings the book's other characters to life with verve, particularly Police Officer Vaughan, of Hope, and Mr. Thurman, the owner of the factory--and everything else--in Despair. D.J.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine