"Life can be hard and dangerous; those seeking happiness may find sorrow." Unknown source

Once more, Reacher arrives at a destination where trouble and someone in a hopeless situation, asks for his help.

In this tenth episode of the Jack Reacher saga, Reacher is enjoying his coffee at an outdoor restaurant in New York. From his many years as a Marine, Military Police officer, he is fully observant of his surroundings. He spots a man cross his line of vision, get into t a Mercedes and drive away.

The next night, Reacher is back at the spot when a military looking man with a British accent, asks if he'd noticed anything the previous night. Reacher tells him about the man but states that he only saw the man's back and his car. Hearing this, the man requests Reacher to accompany him to see Edward Lane.

Lane lives at the Dakota House in New York and states that his wife, Kate, and her daughter, Jade, have been kidnapped. He tells Reacher that what he observed the night before was the man with the ransom money leaving the pickup. Lane also informs Reacher that this also happened five years before. Lane's first wife, Anne, was kidnapped but when he went to the FBI, Anne was killed. That's his reason for not wanting the police involved this time.

Even though Lane is accompanied by a group of former military men, it's obvious to Reacher that they lack investigative skills. Therefore, being a former investigator in the Marines and the hero of the oppressed, he offers to help.

The investigation proceeds slowly as the kidnappers call and increase their demand. Later, Reacher is able to be on his own and he arranges to meet with the FBI agent who was in charge of the case when Lane's first wife was killed.

The agent, Lauren Pauling, still feels guilty about Anne's death. However, Reacher sees that he can trust her and so they work together to solve the case.

This is a fast moving, constantly suspenseful story, complete with plot twists, deception and action packed adventure. Reacher, as always, is one of the most courageous, dependable, and resourceful characters in fiction.