The Recurring Cast
Character · Reacher and his family · 31 books

Jack Reacher

Former US Army military police major who drifts across America · Lee Child

Jack Reacher is a former major in the US Army’s military police who left the service and now drifts across America with a folding toothbrush, cash and no fixed address. Six foot five, fiercely observant and guided by a strict private sense of justice, he cannot walk away when he sees someone being wronged. Some books are prequels set during his army career.

Spoiler-free profile written for The Recurring Cast.

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Character facts

First appearance
Killing Floor (1997)
Latest appearance
Chain Reaction (2026)
Books
31 (31 as lead)
Series
Jack Reacher
Author
Lee Child
Circle
Reacher and his family

Where to meet Jack Reacher

Jack Reacher first appears in Killing Floor (1997), as the lead, book 1 of the Jack Reacher series.

Buy Killing Floor

Every book with Jack Reacher

In publication order, with the size of their role in each.

  1. 1997LKilling Floorlead · Jack ReacherArrives in Margrave, GeorgiaBuy
  2. 1998LDie Tryinglead · Jack ReacherBuy
  3. 1999LTripwirelead · Jack ReacherBuy
  4. 2000LRunning Blindlead · Jack ReacherBuy
  5. 2001LEcho Burninglead · Jack ReacherBuy
  6. 2002LWithout Faillead · Jack ReacherBuy
  7. 2003LPersuaderlead · Jack ReacherBuy
  8. 2004LThe Enemylead · Jack ReacherSet in 1990, while he is still in the armyBuy
  9. 2005LOne Shotlead · Jack ReacherBuy
  10. 2006LThe Hard Waylead · Jack ReacherBuy
  11. 2007LBad Luck and Troublelead · Jack ReacherBuy
  12. 2008LNothing to Loselead · Jack ReacherBuy
  13. 2009LGone Tomorrowlead · Jack ReacherBuy
  14. 2010L61 Hourslead · Jack ReacherBuy
  15. 2010LWorth Dying Forlead · Jack ReacherBuy
  16. 2011LThe Affairlead · Jack ReacherHis last case in uniform, in 1997Buy
  17. 2012LA Wanted Manlead · Jack ReacherBuy
  18. 2013LNever Go Backlead · Jack ReacherBuy
  19. 2014LPersonallead · Jack ReacherBuy
  20. 2015LMake Melead · Jack ReacherBuy
  21. 2016LNight Schoollead · Jack ReacherSet in 1996, while he is still in the armyBuy
  22. 2017LThe Midnight Linelead · Jack ReacherBuy
  23. 2018LPast Tenselead · Jack ReacherVisits his father’s home townBuy
  24. 2019LBlue Moonlead · Jack ReacherBuy
  25. 2020LThe Sentinellead · Jack ReacherBuy
  26. 2021LBetter Off Deadlead · Jack ReacherBuy
  27. 2022LNo Plan Blead · Jack ReacherBuy
  28. 2023LThe Secretlead · Jack ReacherBuy
  29. 2024LIn Too Deeplead · Jack ReacherBuy
  30. 2025LExit Strategylead · Jack ReacherBuy
  31. 2026LChain Reactionlead · Jack ReacherBuy

Appears most often with

CharacterBooks together
Frances NeagleyFormer sergeant in Reacher’s military police unit3
Jodie GarberLeon Garber’s daughter2
Joe ReacherJack’s older brother, a Treasury investigator2
Leon GarberReacher’s former commanding officer2
Susan TurnerMajor commanding Reacher’s old unit2