Jack Reacher Books in Order

The complete reading order for Lee Child's Jack Reacher series — one of the best-selling thriller series of all time. Jack Reacher is a former U.S. Army Military Police officer who drifts across America, finding trouble and dispending justice.

Our Recommendation: Read in Publication Order Lee Child wrote these books to be read in sequence. While each book stands alone as a complete story, you'll get more out of the series reading them in order. Reacher's character has subtle developments, and later books occasionally reference earlier events.

All 29 Jack Reacher Books in Publication Order

  1. Killing FloorBuy Now 1997
  2. Die TryingBuy Now 1998
  3. TripwireBuy Now 1999
  4. Running BlindBuy Now 2000
  5. Echo BurningBuy Now 2001
  6. Without FailBuy Now 2002
  7. PersuaderBuy Now 2003
  8. The EnemyBuy Now 2004
  9. One ShotBuy Now 2005
  10. The Hard WayBuy Now 2006
  11. Bad Luck and TroubleBuy Now 2007
  12. Nothing to LoseBuy Now 2008
  13. Gone TomorrowBuy Now 2009
  14. 61 HoursBuy Now 2010
  15. Worth Dying ForBuy Now 2010
  16. The AffairBuy Now 2011
  17. A Wanted ManBuy Now 2012
  18. Never Go BackBuy Now 2013
  19. PersonalBuy Now 2014
  20. Make MeBuy Now 2015
  21. Night SchoolBuy Now 2016
  22. The Midnight LineBuy Now 2017
  23. Past TenseBuy Now 2018
  24. Blue MoonBuy Now 2019
  25. The SentinelBuy Now 2020
  26. Better Off DeadBuy Now 2021
  27. No Plan BBuy Now 2022
  28. The SecretBuy Now 2023
  29. In Too DeepBuy Now 2024

Where to Start

Best starting point: Killing Floor (Book 1)

Start at the beginning. Killing Floor introduces Jack Reacher perfectly — he arrives in a small Georgia town, immediately gets arrested for a murder he didn't commit, and has to fight his way to the truth. It's a tight, propulsive thriller that sets the template for the entire series.

Alternative entry point: 61 Hours (Book 14)

If you want to jump into a later book, 61 Hours is one of the highest-rated entries and works well as a standalone. It's a locked-room-style thriller set in a South Dakota blizzard. Just know you'll miss some character context.

Short Stories & Novellas

Lee Child has also written several Jack Reacher short stories, collected in No Middle Name (Buy Now) (2017). These are optional but fun supplements to the main series.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I read Jack Reacher books in order?

Yes, we recommend reading in publication order. While each book works as a standalone thriller, there are character developments and recurring references that reward reading in sequence. Start with Killing Floor (1997).

How many Jack Reacher books are there?

There are 29 Jack Reacher novels as of 2025. The series was started by Lee Child in 1997, and since 2020, Lee Child has co-written the books with his brother Andrew Child, who now writes them solo.

Who writes Jack Reacher now?

Andrew Child (Lee Child's brother) now writes the Jack Reacher books. Lee Child began transitioning the series to Andrew starting with The Sentinel (2020), co-written by both brothers. Andrew Child now writes the series independently.

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