Warning: Spoilers for Amazon’s Reacher season 3 below!
Summary
With some detective work, I think I can predict which book Amazon’sReacherseason 4 will cover. I had such a good time with the first season of Amazon’s adaptation that I sought out some of Lee Child’s books. Seeing asReacherseason 1 adapted the first novelKilling Floor, that’s where I began too. Child’s work is a pulpy fusion of traditional detective novels with ’80s action movies, with Jack Reacher himself feeling like a fusion of Jessica Fletcher’s deductive brain and Dolph Lundgren’s body.
Just like the Amazon series, I’m jumping around when it comes to the order ofChild’sJack Reachernovels. For instance, I followedKilling FloorwithPast Tense, the 23rd book in the series. The benefit to Child’s work is they can be read in basically any order, though there are easter eggs for longtime readers.The upcomingReacherseason 3will adapt novel seven,Persuader,where the title avenger goes undercover for the DEA. A big chunk of the story is a cat-and-mouse game, where Reacher has to think on his feet to keep his shaky cover intact.
Reacher Season 3 Covering Persuader Makes Me Think Personal Will Be Adapted Next
Jack Reacher’s 19th novel would be the logical follow-up to Persuader
Kohl’s death and the impact it left on the title character makes me thinkReacherseason 4 will adaptPersonalnext, which is the 19th book.
Reacher isn’t undertakingPersuader’smission out of the goodness of his heart. Instead, he’s seeking revenge on a man he thought he’d killed a decade before named Quinn, who mutilated and murdered an Army colleague of Reacher’s named Kohl. Her death has haunted Jack since, and he believes this operation will lead him right to Quinn. Of theReacherbooks I’ve read so far,Persuaderis my favorite, as Child takes a simple story and milks every drop of tension from it.
Kohl’s death and the impact it left on the title character makes me thinkReacherseason 4 will adaptPersonalnext, which is the 19th book. This sees the Army calling out to Reacher for help bringing down a sniper targeting the President of France.Personalisn’t necessarily the highest-rated novel, but it’s well-regarded among the fanbase and I found it an addictive read.Personalreveals Kohl’s death still lingers with Reacher, especially as his new partner Casey Nice reminds him of her.
Amazon’s show is a little more interconnected than Child’s books, as seen byFinlay’s unexpected cameo duringReacherseason 2.Personalisn’t a direct sequel toPersuader, but I felt that evoking the memory of Kohl gave the 19th novel more weightand resonance. That’s whyPersonalwould be a solid choice for season 4, as it can continue some of the themes explored inReacher’sthird season while focusing on a new story.
Despite not appearing in thePersuaderbook, Reacher’s pal Neagley (Maria Sten) will return for season 3.
Bad Luck and Trouble(2007)
Reacher: Season 3(2025)
Persuader(2003)
The controversy over Tom Cruise’s casting asJack Reacherin the 2012 movie still rages in certain sections of the fanbase. Still, time has been kind to the Christopher McQuarrie film, which felt like a modern take on the 1970s thrillers the likes of Clint Eastwood or Charles Bronson used to front. The movie used Child’s ninth novelOne Shotas its source, andI was delighted by theReacherseason 2 easter egg that implied the events ofOne Shothappened offscreenbetween series.
Why Tom Cruise Was Cast As Jack Reacher (Despite His Size)
The casting of Tom Cruise in 2012’s Jack Reacher was controversial as barely resembled the book character; here’s why this choice was made.
Personalis similar toOne Shotin several ways, with both involving Reacher investigating a case involving a military sniper he has a history with. I very much doubtReacherwould ever re-adaptOne Shotsince that’s a no-win situation. It would reignite the Cruise controversy again while comparing his Jack Reacher to Ritchson’s take. However,adaptingPersonalwould let the showrunners do their version ofOne Shot. They could even combine elements from the two stories, possibly makingOne Shot’sJames Barr intoPersonal’svillain.
Personal Would Shake Up Reacher’s Formula In Two Big Ways
Reacher could use a holiday
Most of theReacherbooks keep the character on American soil, butPersonalis an international outing, where Reacher flies to both Paris and Londonduring his hunt. I found the London chapters the highlight since they put Reacher completely out of his comfort zone. It freshened up Child’s formula, and it would be wise forReacherseason 4 to keep audiences on their toes. Another nice touch is that Reacher’s relationship with Casey is purely platonic.
Most of the Jack Reacher novels feature some kind of love interest for the main character -Persuaderincluded - but it’s nice thatPersonaldidn’t need to force one.
It’s more of a mentor/mentee relationship, with the two forming an oddly touching friendship. I doubt Reacher would have even thought of Casey in romantic terms either, due to her resemblance to Kohl. Most of theJack Reachernovels feature some kind of love interest for the main character -Persuaderincluded - but it’s nice thatPersonaldidn’t need to force one. I wouldn’t put money onReacherseason 4 adaptingPersonal- but I wouldn’t advise anyone against that bet either.
Reacher
Cast
Reacher follows Jack Reacher, a former military police investigator, as he navigates civilian life. Without a phone and carrying minimal belongings, Reacher drifts across the country, experiencing the nation he once served, and encounters intriguing challenges along the way.
