Jack Reacher is a fictional character and the protagonist of a series of crime thriller novels by British author Lee Child. After leaving the US Army as a major in its military police at age 36, Reacher roams the United States taking odd jobs and investigating suspicious and frequently dangerous situations. As of 27 October 2020, 25 novels have been published, the most recent being The Sentinel. The character has also appeared in short stories, and two of the novels have been adapted into successful action thriller films, starring Tom Cruise as Reacher.