Two Cantabs written into Reacher history

Could there be more than one Jack Reacher roaming the earth? Paul Evers from Rangiora thinks there is and he reckons it’s him!

“I’m an ex-military loner. Formidable stature; compassionate by nature. Few possessions happily shouldered in my hold-all. Sun on my back, destination — the horizon.”

This is how Paul described himself in his winning entry of Random House’s “Are you Jack Reacher” competition which ran last year. Would be contenders were asked to sum up, in a few words, why they believed they were Jack Reacher and the Random House judges were pretty impressed with Paul’s entry.

The prize was to have Lee Child, Jack Reacher’s creator, name one of his characters after the competition winner in his next Reacher thriller called   THE AFFAIR which is on sale worldwide 29 September 2011. Paul’s name is first mentioned on page 332 with several references thereafter.

Bruce Lindsay, another die-hard Reacher fan, from Christchurch, paid almost $6k at a Koru Care charity auction last year to have his name in the much-anticipated new book. His name is first mentioned on page 231 and, again, with several more references.

Bruce said he was thrilled to win the hotly contested auction item not just because he would get the once-in-a-life time chance to have his name written into Reacher history; but also because the money was going to such a worthy cause.

Kiwis are mad for Reacher, this beloved action hero, gallant and enigmatic loner who makes it his business to set wrongs to right.

In fact, per capita, New Zealand out-sells all other Reacher markets around the globe. Reacher’s deep sense of justice and fairness really seems to

strike a chord with down-to-earth Kiwis and Bruce is no exception: “He’s a big hero of mine. He embodies so many of the values I believe in.”

Random House publicist Jennifer Balle says that although it’s quite a coincidence that both Kiwis are from Canterbury, it’s not surprising because the region is a bit of a stronghold for Reacher fans. Lee Child’s biggest New Zealand event last year was in Christchurch attracting a massive crowd of over 600.

Balle adds: “It’s not unusual for Lee to get character names from his readers – usually at charity fundraisers. When Lee was here last year, he brought the house down at one of his events when he mentioned that a business man had once won a similar naming prize, after fierce bidding. When he went up to see Lee he explained that it was actually going to be a birthday gift for his wife and he was hoping there would be a female character in the book that would have his wife’s name. He then leaned closer to Lee and said: “Could she also have sex with Reacher?”

Lee Child’s 16th Jack Reacher thriller, THE AFFAIR, is a prequel. It’s set in March 1997 ― six months before the events of KILLING FLOOR, Child’s first Reacher thriller, when Jack is still in the army.     

And, ladies, as the book’s title suggests, Jack may also get some action of the romantic kind this time. Bookman Beattie has an advance copy of The Affair which he has devoured with great relish, "it may be the best Reacher novel yet", but not a word about the book is to be written until 29 September. Watch this space.