Better Off Dead cover art

Better Off Dead

Jack Reacher, Book 26

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Better Off Dead

By: Lee Child, Andrew Child
Narrated by: Jeff Harding
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Read by award-winning narrator Jeff Harding.

**NOW A MAJOR PRIME TV SERIES STARRING ALAN RITCHSON**

Reacher never backs down from a problem.

And he's about to find a big one, on a deserted Arizona road, where a Jeep has crashed into the only tree for miles around. Under the merciless desert sun, nothing is as it seems.

Minutes later Reacher is heading into the nearby border town, a backwater that has seen better days. Next to him is Michaela Fenton, an army veteran turned FBI agent, who is trying to find her twin brother. He might have got mixed up with some dangerous people.

And Reacher might just need to pay them a visit.

Their leader has burrowed his influence deep into the town. Just to get in and meet the mysterious Dendoncker, Reacher is going to have to achieve the impossible.

To get answers will be even harder. There are people in this hostile, empty place who would rather die than reveal their secrets.

But then, if Reacher is coming after you, you might be better off dead.

Although the Jack Reacher novels can be listened to in any order, Better Off Dead is the 26th ausiobook in the internationally popular series.

‘Jeff Harding’s [...] narration captures Reacher’s character perfectly [...] you have to savour every minute.’ The Sunday Times

©2021 Lee Child, Andrew Child (P)2021 Penguin Audio
Amateur Sleuths Crime Thrillers Fiction Mystery Thriller Thriller & Suspense Detective Exciting Scary Suspense

What listeners say about Better Off Dead

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

Action galore

The child’s as a duo certainly speed things up
No more eternal waffling to fill pages but excitement from start to finish
Reacher must going through coffee withdrawals as he is not drinking his brew on every 3.page
Keep it up
I enjoyed it

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A path well trodden

Have enjoyed the series for many years but Better Off Dead was just too predictable. Might be time for Reacher to enjoy a mid life upgrade.

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Different but good

i enjoyed this one, after 26 odd books we don't need the Reacher history. I think he only ate pizza and beans the whole book too, you can tell it's changing though. I found the narration quiet harsh but that's could just be that I'm from a different country.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Terrible narration

Typical Reacher storyline, but I couldn’t get past the terrible narration - it’s just so bad!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Jeff Harding….the best there is

Jeff’s performance to me is the quintessential personification of Reacher. Somehow I just find listening to him strangely comforting. I’ve listened to all of his Reacher readings 3 times! Can’t stop!

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Good read

No way to tell how much input Andrew had but hopefully alot and we'll be able to have Reacher carry on agelessly into the future.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Another fun packed adventure of Jack reacher full of action and well narrated

We thoroughly enjoyed this rendition of yet another Jack reacher adventure into the world of subterfuge and violence. The store is well in your rated and made easy listening for long distance driving

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great to have another book!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The only criticism I'd have is the speed it wrapped up. It felt like a rushed end, but everything resolved itself as expected.

Enjoy the ride.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Not the best, but still good

The story seemed a bit off and the introduction of the terrorist and flashing back to Reachers truck bomb incident in his past was a bit of a stretch even for a hero type fiction series, I can stomach him finding issues and trouble at each new twin, but to run into the man who built the bomb that should have killed him all those years ago cmon!

The fact this one was all told in first person, is a huge change of tac for the series and I'm not sure if Reacher purists will enjoy it.

That said Reacher does what Reacher does in his very distinctive way, and Jeff Harding tells the story in a voice and tone that is unmistakable.
These audio books wouldn't be teacher without Jeff Harding narration and anyone complaining about that clearly hasn't listened to the entire series.

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Reacher, bombs and first fights - 3 from 3

I have always enjoyed the Lee Child Reacher books because I know there will be some good action, a girl, and a decent story. Better Off Dead is the same and as good as all of them.

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