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It all began with a bit of hitchhiking near the Canadian border, eh. Reacher stumbles upon a group of hikers who are keen to trek through a forested area of northern Maine. He agrees to their hospitality all the way to town, though makes no plans to join them on their four-day jaunt. When he learns from the townspeople that the hiking trail has been closed, at both ends, his interest is raised. When he sees the Humvees heading into town and the MPs exerting their presence, he has to get a little more involved. What could be on that path that has the US Military so intrigued as to scramble up into the middle of nowhere? And where have his two hiking acquaintances gone, with the trail closed and their ride no due for a few more days? All is revealed, though the answers may leave readers with more questions to pose. Child does a great job with this short story, giving Reacher fans a little more to enjoy as they wait for the next full-length novel.

While little character development came from this brief glimpse into a Reacher adventure, some of his well-known sleuthing skills came to the forefront. He always remains so calm as he lays out his keen arguments and hypotheses, which can make the stories all the more enjoyable. While I know some authors have used their short stories as bridges or teasers for the upcoming novels, Child tends to stick to the belief that each book should be readable as though it is the first one a potential fan might read and enjoy enough to devour the entire series. Stand-alone novels (and short stories) are good ways to show an author's ability to compartmentalise, though I have often found myself scouring the story to see if some minor character, mentioned in passing, does make a larger contribution in later tales.

Kudos, Mr. Child for this interesting an Canadian-filled short story. Bring on your next major work, if you please.