Jack Reacher Books in Order

The Jack Reacher series is a thriller series written by Lee Child and later co-authored by Andrew Child, following a former U.S. Army Military Police officer who travels across the United States and steps in when he encounters people in serious trouble.

For a complete list of books by Lee Child, see Lee Child Books in Order.
For a complete list of books by Andrew Child, see Andrew Child Books in Order.

Latest Jack Reacher Books

Exit Strategy
Exit Strategy (November 2025)

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Jack Reacher Series (Books in Order)

Reading Order

  1. Killing Floor ( #1), 1997
  2. Die Trying (#2), 1998
  3. Tripwire (#3), 1999
  4. The Visitor (#4), 2000 (also titled Running Blind)
  5. Echo Burning (#5), 2001
  6. Without Fail (#6), 2002
  7. Persuader (#7), 2003
  8. The Enemy (#8), 2004
  9. One Shot (#9), 2005
  10. The Hard Way (#10), 2006
  11. Bad Luck And Trouble (#11), 2007
  12. Nothing To Lose (#12), 2007
  13. Gone Tomorrow (#13), 2009
  14. 61 Hours (#14), 2010
  15. Worth Dying For (#15), 2010
  16. Second Son (#15.5), 2011
  17. The Affair (#16), 2011
  18. Deep Down (#16.5), 2012
  19. A Wanted Man (#17), 2012
  20. High Heat (#17.5), 2013
  21. Never Go Back (#18), 2013
  22. Not a Drill (#18.5), 2014
  23. Personal (#19), 2014
  24. Good and Valuable Consideration (#19.1), 2014 (with Joseph Finder)
  25. Small Wars (#19.5), 2015
  26. Make Me (#20), 2015
  27. Night School (#21), 2016
  28. The Midnight Line (#22), 2017
  29. James Penney’s New Identity (#12.5), 2017
  30. Too Much Time (#22.3), 2018
  31. Faking a Murderer (#22.4), 2018
  32. The Christmas Scorpion (#22.5), 2018
  33. Past Tense (#23), 2018
  34. The Fourth Man (#23.5), 2019
  35. Cleaning the Gold (#23.6), 2019 (with Karin Slaughter)
  36. Blue Moon (#24), 2019
  37. The Sentinel (#25), 2020
  38. Better Off Dead (#26), 2021
  39. No Plan B (#27), 2022
  40. The Secret (#28), 2023
  41. New Kid in Town (#28.5), 2024
  42. In Too Deep (#29), 2024
  43. Exit Strategy (#30), 2025
  44. Chain Reaction (#31), 2026

Reading notes:

  • The list above shows the Jack Reacher novels, short stories and crossovers in publication order. Most books can be read as standalones and you don’t have to follow the order strictly.
  • Several stories take place earlier in Reacher’s career, before Killing Floor, for example Second Son, High Heat, Deep Down, Small Wars, The Enemy, Night School, The Affair, The Secret and other short stories that look back at his army days. If you enjoy origin-style stories, you can read those as background either before or after the main novels.

Who is Jack Reacher?

Jack Reacher is a former U.S. Army Military Police major who lives a nomadic lifestyle with almost no possessions, traveling across the United States without a permanent home.

He is often described as very tall (around 6’5″), heavily built, with a rugged appearance. Wherever he goes he tends to get involved in dangerous situations, where he either helps law enforcement or acts on his own when he encounters serious injustice, including times when he himself is accused of a crime.

Story Arcs Within the Jack Reacher Series

Although most Jack Reacher books stand alone, there is a notable four-book arc that follows a single thread in more detail:

  • 61 Hours
  • Worth Dying For
  • A Wanted Man
  • Never Go Back

These four novels follow Reacher’s journey as he tries to reach the headquarters of his old unit in Virginia and eventually confronts events from his past in Never Go Back. Readers who enjoy a stronger sense of continuity often choose to read these four in order.

Other Books Featuring Jack Reacher

  • Good and Valuable Consideration: Jack Reacher vs. Nick Heller – a crossover short story co-written with Joseph Finder, originally published in the anthology Face Off, where Reacher encounters private investigator Nick Heller in Boston.
  • Cleaning the Gold – a crossover novella co-written with Karin Slaughter, bringing Reacher together with Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Will Trent on a case linked to an old murder at Fort Knox.
  • New Kid in Town: A Jack Reacher Story – a 2024 short story by Andrew Child, originally part of the Hotel California anthology, following Reacher as he hitchhikes through rural Texas and intervenes when he uncovers a local criminal hiding in a small town.

These short stories are not required for following the main series, but they offer extra cases and character engagement for readers who want more stories set in the Jack Reacher universe.

Where to Start with the Jack Reacher Series

  • Best starting point: Killing Floor – the first published Jack Reacher novel and the book that introduces Reacher’s life as an ex-military drifter arriving in a small Georgia town where he quickly runs into serious trouble.
  • If you enjoy origin stories set earlier in his career: You can also start with one of the “prequel” stories that look back at Reacher’s army years and earlier life, such as The Enemy, Night School, The Affair or short stories like Second Son and High Heat. These take place before Killing Floor in Reacher’s personal timeline but were published later.
  • If you just want to try a recent book: The newer co-authored novels like The Sentinel, No Plan B, The Secret, In Too Deep or Exit Strategy work as standalones. You’ll miss a few callbacks, but you can comfortably start with any of them and go backwards or forwards in the series from there.

Related Lee Child / Andrew Child Series

  • Lee Child Books in Order – complete bibliography of Lee Child, including all Jack Reacher novels, short stories and related works.
  • Andrew Child Books in Order – complete list of thrillers written by Andrew Child (also published as Andrew Grant), including his work co-authoring the Jack Reacher novels.

Edited by

Marika

Founder of Mystery Sequels, a reference site focused on listing mystery and thriller books in the correct reading order. I maintain and update the site’s bibliographies as new titles are released, ensuring accuracy and consistency across author and series pages.
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25 Comments

  1. I have read and then listened to every Reacher book in existence. Most of them at least twice or more.

    I thought it odd that Tom Cruise was selected for Reacher (he must have a really good agent) but he did a O.K. job of it even if he isn’t 6’5″ weighing 250 lbs.

    I think the Amazon Series of Reacher is spectacular, I just wish they would put out more of them and faster.

  2. My husband and I have read all but the last 3 Jack Reacher books and I am taking “Better off Dead” on holiday with me tomorrow. Was disappointed to see short, Tom Cruise, trying to imitate Jack Reacher in the films. Should have been at least someone who was the same height and stature. Glad that you and Andrew are still keeping Jack going.

  3. I do enjoy the books, having read quite a few I would like to make a couple of comments, I worry about his diet, just burgers and chips! he needs to take care he does’nt get scurvey! More fruit and salads required.
    Must have a bladder of iron as he never seems to go to the w/c. unless of coure he ‘pees’ in those long showers he takes?

  4. I’m going back to pick up the books I missed chronologically. I haven’t been disappointed in any of the books.
    Tom Cruise cannot do Reacher justice. the new Netflix version is spot on as far as I’m concerned.
    Casting Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher is perfection! Now when I read the books, I picture Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher and hope they continue this series for years into the future!!

  5. Unlike most of the comments herein, I like the Tom Cruise movies even if he doesn’t fit the description in the novels. The new guy playing Reacher in the Netflix series is certainly more physically similar to the character and he’s not bad but he doesn’t really have the screen presence to make the series shine. For anyone looking for another great series with some similarities to the Reacher novels, consider reading The Gray Man series by Mark Greaney.

  6. I am reading all the books again from the beginning, Jack Reacher is the man.

  7. I’m reaching out in hopes that Lee Andrew or jack can connect with me on the reaper message the storyline and I have much much more to feed tons of journals poems and story’s with some children books I am north of the story from the message in jack repers character that would love to have another to join me so I can assist in the stories I’ve written created and invented most by true experience I’ve lived through I’ve overcome addiction from 14-40 and overcome trauma and PTSD I have many more great ideas and wisdom to explore just need an outlet I can stream the message through thank you for your time and hope to hear soon much love Danielle

  8. Reading all the books now. Glad you don’t have to read them in order. I always visualize Tom cruise while reading them. I like the movies especially Rosamond Pike. Keep them coming?!

    1. I love all of the Reacher books but the casting of Tom Cruise for the movies was ridiculous. No matter how good an actor TC is he cannot be a 6′ 5″ brick sh*thouse. It should have been someone like Dwayne Johnson, imo. Maybe there could be a reboot of the films?

      1. I’m going back to pick up the books I missed chronologically. I haven’t been disappointed in any of the books.
        Tom Cruise cannot do Reacher justice. the new Netflix version is spot on as far as I’m concerned.
        Casting Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher is perfection! Now when I read the books, I picture Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher and hope they continue this series for years into the future!!

  9. Running Blind is recommended as a first read best book, but is not listed as a published book?

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