Jack Reacher's Rules    by Lee Child Order:  USA  Can Delacorte, 2012 (2012) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch If you can't get enough of the action novels featuring Jack Reacher, you'll want to find a copy of Jack Reacher's Rules by Lee Child. Jack's first rule in this book is pretty straightforward: 'I'm a man with a rule. People leave me alone. I leave them alone. If they don't, I don't.' The rules and quotes in this little volume are separated into over fifty short sections with catchy titles like The Science of…The Perfect Shot, Potential Aliases for Use When Booking a Motel, How to Open a Locked Gate with a Chrysler and The Science of … Burning Down a Building. In the book's introduction, Lee Child explains that his character has 'always followed his own rules'. Whether during his fractured youth when he spent 'six months there, three months here, always moving, never stable' or while he was in the military, Jack Reacher 'only obeyed the rules that made sense to him'. Not only is that quite obvious when you read his adventures, but it is also glaringly apparent as you thumb through this collection of what some individuals might wish to dub a collection of action aphorisms. Reacher's words of wisdom include 'Climb through a hole feet first. If there's an ax or bullet waiting, better to take it in the legs than in the head.' Now that's certainly sound advice for anyone with a very active lifestyle! The same individual may also want to remember that - 'The best way to get hold of a random, untraceable gun is to steal it from someone who already stole it. That way there is no official comeback.' Filed under 'Things you'll never hear Reacher say' are 'My wife doesn't understand me', 'Hey, babe, your place or mine?', 'Call me on my cell', and 'I give up; it's hopeless.' Naturally, a man like Reacher is good with his fists. His advice on engaging an adversary in fisticuffs include 'Hit early, hit hard', 'Stand with your back to the sun so that it's in your enemy's eyes', and 'Say you'll count to three – then throw your punch at two'. Illustrated with black and white photos and a few line drawings, Jack Reacher's Rules may not contain many practical rules to live by, but it certainly is entertaining and a fitting companion piece to the many novels Lee Child has written featuring this likeable loner. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews