in my life, being younger has turned to my advantage and given me something different to contribute.
Was there anything you disagreed on?
LC: Not really. We both knew what we were aiming for.
AC: The opposite, actually. I was always clear where I thought the story should go but didn’t always know how to get there, so having Lee to constantly steer us in the right direction was invaluable.
It’s well known that you both love coffee. Who is the bigger addict?
LC: You know how some folks take a glass of water to bed? Andrew went through a phase of taking a cup of black coffee, so probably he’s the bigger addict, although how his head doesn’t therefore explode is a mystery to me.
AC: I still do that, some nights. If I haven’t had enough coffee during the day I end up with a headache and can’t sleep. A friend once bought me a mug with a diagram of all the veins and arteries in the human body on it with the caption, ‘There’s too much blood in my caffeine system.’ That pretty much sums me up.
Do you have the same favourite Reacher books?
LC: I have a certain quiet pride in some of them, but ultimately my favourite is always the next one, because theoretically it could be the perfect one … but then I worry that if an author was totally satisfied with a book, where’s the motivation for carrying on?
AC: There are two that particularly stand out for me. Killing Floor, because it was the first and I will never forget how I felt after reading the manuscript. The joy of tearing through such a magnificent book. The relief of seeing how great it was, knowing how much was at stake for my brother. And in addition, a sense of connection. The narrative is written in the first person and we don’t learn Reacher’s name for quite some time, but long before it was revealed I thought, I know this guy on a deep, fundamental level. The other book I think is particularly special is Make Me. It has all the ingredients that make us love Reacher – the captivating location, the pervading sense of mystery, the fabulous characters, the intriguing (and particularly disturbing) plot, the propulsive prose, the action, the sense of justice done – but I feel that this time out, the language was even more lyrical and aesthetically satisfying.
How do you hope people will feel when they finish reading this book?
LC: Relieved and satisfied that justice has been done, and that the bad guys got more than just a stern talking-to.
AC: All the above – and wanting more!
What does the future hold for Jack Reacher?
LC: As always, that’s up to the readers. If they want more, we’ll supply it!
AC: With the greatest pleasure!
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TRANSWORLD
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Transworld is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.
First published by Bantam Press in 2020
Copyright © Lee Child and Andrew Child 2020
This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to copyright material, both illustrative and quoted. We apologize for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.
The moral rights of the authors have been asserted
Front cover photographs: figure © Stephen Mulcahey
Background image © Shutterstock
Cover design: www.mulcaheydesign.com
ISBN: 978-1-473-57903-3
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