50 Must-Read 50 Beta
← The Must-Read 50
Cover of Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee ChildBad Luck and Trouble
Modern · Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

Bad Luck and Trouble

by Lee Child
2007 · 477 pages · Fiction
65.3Must-Read
Score Modern
Critics' pick
≈ 12 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Someone is hunting down an elite team of former army investigators one by one, and Jack Reacher is pulled out of his wandering life to find out who.

Why it's worth reading

It was an Anthony Award finalist. It's a fast Reacher thriller.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of The Midnight Line by Lee ChildThe Midnight Line
The Midnight LineLee Child
Cover of Gone Tomorrow by Lee ChildGone Tomorrow
Gone TomorrowLee Child
Cover of The Day of the Jackal by Frederick ForsythThe Day of the Jackal
The Day of the JackalFrederick Forsyth

Good to know

You can read Reacher books in any order.

By the numbers

65.3Must-Read Score
  • Readers55 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics18 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller26 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Anthony Award finalist (2008)

Reads as

Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Lee Child

Cover of Worth Dying For by Lee ChildWorth Dying For
Worth Dying ForLee Child
Cover of Gone Tomorrow by Lee ChildGone Tomorrow
Gone TomorrowLee Child
Cover of The Affair by Lee ChildThe Affair
The AffairLee Child
Cover of 61 Hours by Lee Child61 Hours
61 HoursLee Child

If you like this, read next

Cover of Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden KeefeSay Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern IrelandPatrick Radden Keefe
Cover of Verity by Colleen HooverVerity
VerityColleen Hoover
Cover of Gone Girl by Gillian FlynnGone Girl
Gone GirlGillian Flynn
Cover of The Martian by Andy WeirThe Martian
The MartianAndy Weir
Cover of 2666 by Roberto Bolaño2666
2666Roberto Bolaño
Cover of Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirGideon the Ninth
Gideon the NinthTamsyn Muir

Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,648 rankedBooks of the 2000sTop 25 · 514 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 504 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 325 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 246 ranked

Quick answers

Is Bad Luck and Trouble worth reading?

Yes. It was an Anthony Award finalist. It ranks #1,952 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.3 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Bad Luck and Trouble about?

Someone is hunting down an elite team of former army investigators one by one, and Jack Reacher is pulled out of his wandering life to find out who.

How long does it take to read Bad Luck and Trouble?

About 12 hours (477 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Bad Luck and Trouble?

If you liked it, try The Midnight Line by Lee Child, Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child or The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth.