Gabaldon provides a rich, abundantly researched, entirely readable portrait of life among the English upper classes in the 1750s. From London's literary salons and political intrigue to fearsome battle scenes in the Seven Years' War, her writing is always vivid and often lyrical

Black's visceral prose makes this a superior offering in a crowded market

Every flaw is stripped of shadow and every bad deed gets punished. If I read a better example of the police procedural this year I will be amazed

Worth queuing up for

Explosive as ever

Just like Lisbeth Salander, Stieg Larsson's super violent super-genius, Reacher always find a way... Another cracking story from Child, who just seems to get better and better

Forget Tony Blair's memoirs, for most people the new Lee Child is the most anticipated book of the year. And with good reason... this is Child on fine form

A master craftsman of action thrillers. More than just compulsively readable, Mr Child's work shows a perfectly-fashioned understanding of his protagonist, dogged and moralistic. Reacher may get old some time, but he's sure not showing any signs of it

Adrenaline-fuelled adventure... He knows exactly how to press all the buttons... yet another awesome performance

Reacher is vengeance personified, a walking, fighting revenge fantasy... what he normally chooses to do is right wrongs and defend the weak against the forces of oppression... Characteristically, Child drives the plot like a rally car, a hair-raising ride careering down the route a break-neck speed... Lee Child's loyal fans know only too well that those who enter his Reacher tales have no reason to abandon hope. Quite the opposite and Worth Dying For is no exception

It looked like Lee Child cheekily killed off the seemingly unstoppable Jack Reacher in his last book - but no. Reacher is battered but upright- still the thinking man's action hero, supreme butt-kicker and smartest guy in the room... [another] hell-for-leather story

A model of suspenseful storytelling and an outstanding addition to a series that stands in the front rank of modern thrillers

Child's gift for pacing makes it almost impossible to start one of his novels without finishing. Worth Dying For is grade-A escapism

Child presses all the buttons... Another awesome performance

Brings a shock of moral horror that is unprecedented in Reacher novels

Utterly compelling... one of Child's best. He keeps up the lightning pace, great writing and punchy one-liners throughout

A contender for top thriller of 2010

A turbo-charged page-flipper: you're on page 300 before you take a breath...Child is a master of distances, spaces and the physics of opposing forces