6 Thriller Books Better Than Reacher

Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books and Prime Video’s adaptation of the same have established Reacher as one of the best crime thriller franchises out there. However, quite a few standalone crime thriller novels and book series from the genre are as good as Jack Reacher, if not better. While not all of these books have TV or movie adaptations, they deserve to be read by every Reacher fan.

With each new season, Prime Video’s Reacher has adapted a new Jack Reacher book. In its upcoming installment, Reacher season 4, the series will pick one of Lee Child’s best books, Gone Tomorrow. This suggests that even after three seasons, the Prime Video detective series will only get better.

However, since Reacher season 4 and the upcoming Neagley spin-off show do not have confirmed release dates, many viewers must be looking for similar crime thriller books to fill the gap. Fortunately, readers have a long line of crime thriller novels to choose from that are arguably even better than Reacher.

Kurt Wallander by Henning Mankell

Henning Mankell’s Kurt Wallander books are significantly different from Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels. They are slow, bleak, and less action-oriented, with heavy focus on grounded police work and more introspective criminal storytelling. Unlike the Jack Reacher books that thrive on spectacle and tightly engineered action set pieces, the Wallander novels prioritize realism.

Mankell’s novels also accurately capture the emotional cost of investigating violent crime, which prevents it from unfolding at the same breakneck pace as Lee Child’s stories. While its character-driven noir and emphasis on social commentary may not be for everyone, readers who enjoy the more cerebral Jack Reacher books will love Henning Mankell’s books.

Slough House by Mick Herron

Slough House is yet another incredible book series that has received a worthy small-screen adaptation. Unlike Reacher and Bosch, Slough House is not a police procedural. It focuses on River Cartwright and his fellow humiliated MI5 agents, who are forced into low-level, bureaucratic work after being relegated. In terms of storytelling, Slough House and its Apple TV adaptation, Slow Horses, lack the straightforward crime thriller rhythm that drives Reacher.

However, the franchise does not seem to need any of that, as it thrives on bleak institutional humor and serialized espionage. Mick Herron’s brilliance as a writer truly comes to light when one commits to reading several installments of his book series instead of merely focusing on their self-contained story beats.

Detective Harry Hole by Jo Nesbø

Ronald Plante/Netflix

Similar to the Jack Reacher novels, Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole books were first picked for the big screen by Hollywood. Unfortunately, despite having a star-studded cast, the adaptation, titled The Snowman, was panned by critics and struggled to leave its mark at the box office. Just like Reacher, the Detective Harry Hole books, too, were adapted for the small-screen, which proved to be far better than the movie adaptation.

The Netflix adaptation of the fifth Harry Hole novel, The Devil’s Star, seems to perfectly capture what makes the Jo Nesbø books stand out. Its central detective is a deeply flawed yet relatable investigator who struggles to fight his own inner demons as he obsessively solves murder mysteries. The show and the books also have supernatural underpinnings that almost seem reminiscent of True Detective season 1.

While only time will tell whether the Netflix show will last beyond season 1, crime thriller fans must certainly read the original Harry Hole books.

Harry Bosch by Michael Connelly

The Bosch franchise has almost become synonymous with Titus Welliver because of how brilliantly he played Harry Bosch in the long-running series. However, even before Welliver played the detective character, the original Michael Connelly book series earned immense acclaim for their procedural drama and gritty realism.

Unlike the Jack Reacher books, the Harry Bosch books and the show benefit from the fact that they do not keep changing their primary location. For the most part of their run, they unfold in the sun-soaked landscapes of LA, almost making a character out of the City of Angels. The franchise also keeps evolving and reinventing its formula, instead of merely portraying the titular detective as an invincible force of vigilante justice.

Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz

The Orphan X book series focuses on a former black-ops assassin, Evan Smoak, who uses his military experience and lethal skills to protect desperate people. Similar to Jack Reacher, Smoak operates as a highly capable lone operator who steps into dangerous situations where conventional law enforcement can’t effectively intervene.

However, what makes his endeavors even more immersive is the realism with which Hurwitz captures his high-tech prep and tactical logic in each mission. Interestingly, a TV adaptation of the Orphan X book series is also currently in the works. If executed well, the upcoming show could be as good as Prime Video’s Reacher.

The Day Of The Jackal by Frederick Forsyth

Frederick Forsyth’s The Day of the Jackal almost serves as the foundational text for many crime thrillers, including Jack Reacher. The book was among the first to focus less on its main spy character’s identity and more on his intricate methodologies and purpose. Put simple, instead of unfolding the character’s “who,” the book shed light on his “how” and “why.”

The Day of Jackal was first adapted for the big screens in 1973. The film was not a critical hit but also performed well at the box office. In 2024, a more modern take on the original novel landed on Peacock, which also performed well enough to get renewed for another season. While The Day of the Jackal is not as popular as Reacher, it is arguably better in more ways than one.

Reacher

8/10

Release Date

February 3, 2022