The Hard Way

August 7, 2006
Ex-army MP Jack Reacher is contracted by Edward Lane, the leader of a mercenary company, to track and recover Lane's kidnapped wife and daughter. But while Reacher is adept at finding people, this time he's got his work cut out for him, for in this case, the client seems to be just as suspect as the criminal. Hill narrates with a crisp, midrange baritone which effectively, if not spectacularly, conveys Child's prose. For the most part, Hill speaks naturally and clearly, but at times, he seems to exaggerate his enunciation, which results in some stilted passages. He doesn't alter his style much when shifting between dialogue and description, and so conversations are sometimes not as engaging as they could be. While Child's prose reads fine on the page, Hill's interpretation of it seems a bit too smug, which makes even the hero a bit unlikable. Hill's adequate performance will likely be sufficient for the casual audiobook listener but not for connoisseurs. Simultaneous release with the Delacorte hardcover (Reviews, Mar. 27).

Jack Reacher, the enigmatic crime crusader, loves to right a wrong and leaves a trail of defeated, and often destroyed, foes in his wake. Narrator Dick Hill is totally in sync with Reacher's modus operandi and delivers this latest episode, set in New York City, with his customary hard-driving pace and sharp dialogue. The kidnapping of Edward Lane's wife seems straightforward enough, but as the ransom demands escalate into the multiple millions, Lane's soldier-for-hire enterprise shows more than a few cracks. Conversations among a roomful of men present a definite challenge to any narrator, but Hill barely misses a beat. His British accents might give some momentary pause, but Hill delivers with spirit, pace, and suspense. What more could listeners ask for in this intriguing Reacher adventure? R.F.W. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine