It is no secret that Lee Child has made a name for himself as the author of the enormously successful Jack Reacher thrillers. Reacher has spawned a movie starring Tom Cruise and a terrific Prime Video series that will return for a third season.

But in SAFE ENOUGH, Child has assembled for the first time 20 previously written short stories that do not feature Reacher anywhere, allowing him to explore different characters and themes. Here are the six tales that I enjoyed the most.

"It’s nice to see [Child] spread his wings by stepping inside these many different characters and working his literary magic."

“The Bodyguard”: We get to experience the life of a bodyguard who has stepped away from working for British and American corporate clients (among others) and has gone private. A wealthy 22-year-old named Anna is part of a Brazilian family that has plenty of enemies, so our bodyguard will have to carefully navigate how best to serve her.

“The Great Trick of All”: Our main character is an assassin who learned the tricks of his trade from a man named Ryland. He was taught by Ryland to live in the six-figure territory per assignment, which means he has to be one of the best. Mostly, he must master the greatest trick of all if he is going to survive.

“Safe Enough”: The title story features a man from the Bronx, Wolfe, who now lives in the country and a woman who hires him to locate her missing husband. Whether or not Wolfe can trust her will cost him all of his NYC instinct, but up until now he has remained safe enough.

“The .50 Solution”: The killer for hire here uses different variables when deciding which tools would be the most effective to handle a particular job. In this situation, he has a difference of opinion with the client hiring him, who insists that a higher caliber bullet and weapon be used for the job. It is only when the actual target of the hit is revealed that everything starts to make sense to him.

“The Bone-Headed League”: An incredibly happy FBI anglophile is sent to Great Britain for an assignment and cannot wait to work in the land he adores. A three-year posting to the office at Grosvenor Square is the ideal situation for him. But then one of his new colleagues challenges him with a Sherlock Holmes story that provides all the clues he needs for a case he is working on.

“The Truth About What Happened”: Albert Anthony Jackson is an African American who comes out of a deposition and is quite satisfied with the answers he gave. He also is pleased about what he did not reveal during this ordeal. It is the summer of 1942, and Albert is working on a top-secret assignment that is of the highest level in national security. A year after the first deposition, he is called to another one. The difference this time is that the inquisitor will not settle for government double-talk and wants facts --- specifically about the Manhattan Project to which Albert is assigned. This is a great story for the age of Oppenheimer.

The individuals in these tales come from both sides of the law, as well as the moral spectrum. This is definitely new for Lee Child as his Reacher novels feature a protagonist with a strict moral code and sense of justice. It’s nice to see him spread his wings by stepping inside these many different characters and working his literary magic. Still, I am a diehard Reacher fan and patiently await the arrival of his next adventure, IN TOO DEEP, on October 22nd.