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Book Review By Xinrou Tan
One Shot by Lee Child

Jack Reacher, the main character, an ex-military police, who served in the Army for fourteen years, is a loner, a weapons specialist, and an awfully professional investigator.

One day, one place, five shots, five dead, one motive, one sniper. James Barr, also a retired military personnel, got arrested for the murders. Evidence against him was crystal clear, but he would not defend himself, he would not talk, except to say, "Get Jack Reacher for me."

In the meantime, Jack Reacher was enjoying the sunshine in Florida. He was soon tracked down and with reluctance, he decided to go down and help James Barr.

Unknown to everyone, Barr has had a history of opening fire on a military group and killing a few. Reacher thinks this is unrelated to the present, but he cannot be too sure, because evidence against him this time is just too overwhelming.

In fact, it is too perfect that Reacher finally realizes there is a glitch somewhere in the case. Following that small tingling instinct of his, the case led to the mutilated, mysterious Russian, Zec, and his henchmen, who were pulling the strings behind the crime.


Plot & Themes
Tone of story - very upbeat
How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story:
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 90%
Special suspect? - chronically deranged person
Misc. Murder Plotlets - Proving innocence of very obvious suspect - Big focus on forensic evidence - Big focus on autopsies
Kind of investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
descript. of violence and chases - 30 %
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 %
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Race

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status:
Eccentric: Yes
The antagonists are: - gangs
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
United States Yes
City? Yes
City: - New York
Misc setting - fort/military installation

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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