Here’s the thing: If you’re already missing Reacher following the second season finale and want to get your fill by reading the original book series, you might need to dedicate some proper time to the popular fiction franchise.
James Grant, writing under the pen name Lee Child, has spent the past few decades building up the Reacher thriller literary universe. He’s been writing these books since the 1990s, with a new installment available every year.
In fact, the next Reacher novel is set to come out in October 2024, meaning newcomers to the franchise are hopping in just at the right time. So, want to figure out how many books you’ll need to read to catch up with all of Reacher before fall 2024? Here’s what you need to know.
How many Reacher books are there? Answered
In total, there are 28 Jack Reacher novels currently available—plus a collection of short stories. The 29th novel, In Too Deep, releases on Oct. 21, 2024. Child has published a new Reacher book every year since 1997, with 2010 receiving two Jack Reacher works: 61 Hours and Worth Dying For.
Originally, Reacher novels would release sometime around the spring, but Child’s annual publication schedule switched over to the fall in the 2010s. Since 2019, new Reacher books have been published in late October, right before Halloween, certainly in preparation for Christmas.
The Jack Reacher thriller novels gained renewed interest after Amazon Prime Video debuted its 2022 series Reacher, with Alan Ritchson of Fast X and Titans in the titular role. Like Child’s book series, Jack Reacher is a former Army cop who finds himself in strange, tense, and action-packed circumstances while roaming the States.
The Amazon series certainly has a lot to work with, given there are nearly 30 Reacher novels out in some shape or form. Expect more on the way, for the record; Child has earned $3 billion from his books over the years, according to The Telegraph.
(feature image: Amazon Prime Video)
