Note 117 – January 2026 Books

Total Books: 4 Total Pages: 1263 Longest: 468 Shortest: 85

Genres: 4 (Biographical Historical Fiction – 1, Fiction – 1, History – 1, Thriller – 1)

Exit Strategy by Lee Child

The 30^th Jack Reacher book by Lee Child and now co-written with his son, Andrew Child, finds Reacher in all the usual places – coffee shops and helping someone in trouble. But I have to say the writing isn’t up to the earlier novels. This might be my last Reacher book – too many other choices out there.

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

It’s been a few years since I last read this. But, after watching the Ken Burns’ documentary on the American Revolution, I decided it was time for a refresher on the definitive work making the case for the American colonies’ independence from Great Britain. It was a bold stance to take and instrumental in helping each of the distinct colonies understand how they could all benefit from the separation.

Dew Sweepers by Ernest Dempsey

This is the follow-up to Dempsey’s The Final Round (which I enjoyed immensely) with rookie pro golfer Tyler Knox and the now retired pro Graham “Sully” Sullivan as the featured characters. However, this one was disappointing.

While the plot and character development met my expectations for a novel by Dempsey, the editing and proofreading of the details in describing the rounds of golf were terrible. Details such as saying the hole was a par 4, then describing 5 shots Tyler takes which would be a bogey, but saying he made par. If it was one time, I wouldn’t complain, but frequently the details around scoring and club selection for certain distances just didn’t make any sense. It’s almost like a draft of the novel was released – if it were re-edited and tightened up, then it’d be another solid effort by Dempsey.

Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict

I’ve enjoyed several other historical fiction novels about “the woman behind the man” by Benedict, so this one about Clementine Churchill, wife of Winston Churchill, enticed me.

I realized that I had no knowledge of her, unlike her American contemporary, Eleanor Roosevelt. In fact, I doubt I could have told you her name before reading this. Anyway, it was an interesting read covering the changing times from the Victorian Age through WWII in regards to the roles of women – especially as the wife of a politician.

Until next time, read what pleases you!