29 Years Later, Lee Child Officially Steps Away From Writing Jack Reacher [Exclusive]
After 29 years writing Jack Reacher novels, Lee Child says he has finished handing over the series to his younger brother, Andrew Child. The change marks the end of Lee’s direct role in creating new Reacher stories, while the franchise continues under Andrew’s independent authorship.
Lee and Andrew began collaborating on *The Sentinel* in 2020, and Andrew took on more of the writing with each subsequent book. With *Chain Reaction*, Andrew now writes the novels on his own; Lee says he sees each manuscript only once it reaches the publisher, when he reads it out of interest. The brothers share an improvised writing style, without a long-term plot plan.
In short
- Lee Child has stepped away from writing Jack Reacher novels.
- Andrew Child now writes the books independently.
- Lee reads manuscripts when they reach the publisher.
Explained simply
Jack Reacher is a fictional former US military policeman who travels around the country and becomes involved in local crimes and conflicts. British author Lee Child created the character in 1997, and the books have since grown into a wider series of novels and screen adaptations.
Lee Child’s younger brother, Andrew Child, has increasingly taken over writing the novels. They first worked together on a book in 2020, with Andrew taking on more of the writing over time. The series now continues with Andrew as its sole author, extending a long-running character and publishing franchise.