Reacher, but a bit different... - Rated 
Nothing will top Lee Child's first novel "Killing Floor" for originality, however, "Bad Luck and Trouble" is still an enjoyable read.
Jack Reacher is back but rather than the standard formula of Jack alone against the bad guys, he finds help from his former army buddies in the Military Police. They think along the same lines as he does and yet they have their own individual strengths. They've all done well in comparison to Reacher, but there are times of reflection when they wonder if they really are better off than Reacher. Unfortunately, with so many people involved, character development is thin. A bit of dramatic tension between the protagonists might have been considered but it is still very much a 'them and us' plotline.
A very good Reacher novel, but not a great Reacher novel.
Feeling tired - Rated 
I've enjoyed the Reacher novels, some more, some less, but this one feels tired. The very smart protagonists make some very dumb assumptions in order to get the plot working, and IIRC Reacher's facination with numbers is suddenly added in for not good reason whatsoever. And no [X] would need remotely that many [Y]s (nound removed for spoiler purposes). Child needs to start writing some stand alones in order to try out new tricks that he can then import back to the Reacher format.
The Best Yet - Rated 
I have read all the Jack Reacher novels, some several times as Lee Child has built a character that is credible (even to an ex-army man) and able to give us the ultimate male dream - no ties drifting!
Bad Luck and Trouble hits the Reacher aficianado like it was ordained to happen. Although Jack has worked with his team before, in this book they come together like the "Seven Samurai" each adding to a strong fast-moving plot with an admixture of agendas and sub-plots derived from strong characters. The pace is as usual warp speed with all the twists that we have come to expect from Child. I finished the novel in one sitting, exhausted and happy.
Does this guy ever do slow? Perhaps next time. keep em coming.
Oh Dear! - Rated 
I've been a devotee of the jack reacher series for a while and own all the books, however i have felt that the last one 'The Hard Way' and this one, have not been as sharp as the others in the series. Maybe Mr Child would benefit from taking some time out from the character and doing something else, as the characterisation and plots are getting a bit thin.
One of my favourites from the series... - Rated
Now having fought, plotted and cooly calculated his way through 11 always-enjoyable books, still carrying little more than pocket change and a toothbrush, it's not unreasonable to start looking for signs of cracks in the Jack Reacher series. After being slightly disappointed with "The Hard Way" I did start to wonder whether Child was running out of exciting situations in which to throw Reacher in at the deep end.
Whilst I see there are a few middling reviews here, I found "Bad Luck and Trouble" one of the most entertaining Reacher novels. It's tightly plotted, wonderfully tense and frequently very exciting.
Whilst I'd be disappointed if it became a habit, having Reacher working as part of a team on this occasion is a clever plot device implemented by Child. It does a handy job of reminding us just how much of an outsider Reacher is. He thinks a great deal in the novel as to whether his minimalstic lifestyle is really the right choice, with his old friends round him who seem comfortable in their relative wealth and materialism. But of course it's really a devise used to make sure we all get a timely remember just what it is about Reacher we loved in the first place.
Child is still my favourite thriller writer, and this is a cracking read. Highly recommended.
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