# Nothing to Lose (novel)

Nothing to Lose is the twelfth book in the Jack Reacher series written by Lee Child. It was published in the UK by Bantam Press on 24 March 2008 and in the US by Delacorte on 3 June 2008. It is written in the third person.

## Plot summary

Reacher, walking across the country, reaches the town of Despair, Colorado. He is immediately met with hostility and is forced to leave town by the local police. Reacher ends up at the neighboring town of Hope, where he meets Officer Vaughan, who is initially suspicious of Reacher but soon becomes an ally. Reacher and Vaughan discuss Despair, learning that the town is controlled by a crazed evangelist named Jerry Thurman. Everything, including the metal recycling plant, is owned by Thurman. They also hear rumors of a secret military base located near the town. Reacher, curious and intrigued, decides to investigate further.
Reacher encounters Lucy Anderson, a young woman searching for her missing husband, who was a soldier stationed at the secret military base. Lucy suspects that something sinister happened to her husband, and Reacher offers his help in finding out the truth. Reacher investigates the metal recycling plant, encountering the intimidating plant foreman. Reacher becomes suspicious of the plant's activities, realizing it is more than just a scrap metal processing facility. He suspects it is involved in the secret military operation.
Reacher meets Judge Gardner, who is corrupt and works with Thurman to maintain control over Despair. Reacher learns that Gardner has been manipulating the town's legal system to benefit Thurman and suppress any opposition. Reacher realizes that the Judge is a key part of the puzzle.
Reacher uncovers the truth about Specialist Morgan, a soldier from the U.S. Army who is being hunted by a secret military unit. Morgan had been involved in a mission at the secret base that went wrong, and he is now a liability. Reacher realizes that Morgan is connected to the missing husband.
Reacher confronts Judge Gardner, forcing him to reveal the town's secret: the metal recycling plant is actually a front for a clandestine operation involving illegal weapons manufacturing and military experimentation. Reacher also learns that Thurman is involved in a conspiracy to cover up the operation.
Reacher, with Lucy and Vaughan, manage to escape the town of Despair with the help of some sympathetic residents. The town's secrets are finally exposed, and the corrupt officials are held accountable for their crimes. The town's residents are freed from Thurman's control, and the illegal weapons manufacturing operation is shut down.
The novel continues, Reacher, having achieved justice and restored hope to Despair, continues his journey across the country, leaving behind a town that is no longer shrouded in darkness. The people of Despair are finally free to rebuild their lives without the oppressive control of Thurman and his corrupt allies.

## Characters

* Jack Reacher: The main protagonist, a former military policeman, known for his resourcefulness and capacity for justice.
* Judge Gardner: Judge, town of Despair.
* Officer Vaughan: Police Officer, town of Hope Police Department.
* Lucy Anderson: Young girl looking for her husband.
* Specialist Morgan: A soldier from the U.S. Army. He is involved in a secret operation and is in trouble.
* Mrs. Gardner: Wife of Judge Gardner.
* Maria: Young girl looking for her boyfriend.
* Plant Foreman: A large and intimidating man who works at the metal recycling plant. He is loyal to the plant's owner.
* Jerry Thurman: Owner of metal recycling plant, town of Despair.
* 1st Lieutenant Connor: A U.S. Army officer involved in a secret operation.

## Similarities to First Blood

Nothing to Lose features several similarities to David Morrell's 1972 novel, First Blood, including the fact that the lead character (a former soldier) is mistaken for a loiterer and harassed by local law enforcement. The name of the town in both novels is "Hope" and the theme of corrupt and bullying authority is also shared.
Morrell's novel was popular in its time and was the inspiration for the hugely successful 1982 film First Blood starring Sylvester Stallone, released to international acclaim.

## Style

Andy Martin of The Independent described the writing of the main character to be like "the great Philip Marlowe pulp tradition, nuanced with a dash of Rambo and Bruce Willis."

## Critical reception

Peter Millar of The Sunday Times found the novel to be "as gripping and readable as any in the Reacher series", though he considered the main character to be a "socially dysfunctional, second-rate Superman". Henry Sutton in The Daily Mirror wrote that the novel is another example of Child's "brilliantly paced plots".