There’s something about a good short story that gets under your skin. Slips in quick, does its damage, and leaves you reeling long after those final words fade away. Kind of like Jack Reacher himself—efficient, effective, and not prone to overstaying his welcome. And in Safe Enough, Lee Child proves he’s every bit as lethal with the short form as he is with his doorstop-sized Reacher thrillers.
This collection of twenty stories spans Child’s career, showcasing his evolution as a writer while demonstrating a consistent knack for crafting taut, gripping tales of morally ambiguous characters navigating dangerous waters. From cold-blooded hitmen to jaded cops to world-weary spies, Child populates these pages with a rogues’ gallery of antiheroes and ne’er-do-wells, each one more fascinating than the last.
But make no mistake—this ain’t no warm and fuzzy bedtime reading. Child’s prose hits like a slug of cheap whiskey, burning all the way down and leaving you dizzy. His world is one of hard choices and harder men (and women), where justice is a nebulous concept at best. Yet for all their darkness, these stories crackle with a brutal vitality that’s utterly addictive.
So strap in, dear reader. We’re about to take a walk on the wild side with one of the undisputed masters of the thriller genre. Just remember—in Lee Child’s world, nothing is ever truly safe enough.
The Stories: A Rogue’s Gallery of Thrills and Chills
The Bodyguard
In this tense opener, a professional bodyguard recounts a job protecting a wealthy client’s mistress that goes horribly wrong. Child expertly ratchets up the tension as the bodyguard realizes he’s in over his head, culminating in a shocking twist ending that leaves the reader questioning everything they’ve just read. The spare, almost clinical prose perfectly captures the protagonist’s detached professionalism, making the eventual emotional gut-punch all the more effective.
The Greatest Trick of All
A hitman reflects on his career and the lessons learned from his mentor, including the “greatest trick” of getting paid twice for the same job. Child delves into the psychology of professional killers, exploring themes of loyalty, greed, and the commodification of human life. The story’s matter-of-fact tone belies its chilling implications, leaving a lingering sense of unease.
Ten Keys
A drug runner finds himself in possession of a fortune in cash and cocaine after a botched deal. As he tries to figure out his next move, he encounters a mysterious figure who may or may not be who he claims. This taut, dialogue-driven piece showcases Child’s skill at crafting compelling characters with minimal exposition. The ambiguous ending leaves plenty of room for interpretation.
Safe Enough
The titular story follows a man who commits the perfect murder, only to find himself trapped by his own machinations years later. Child masterfully builds suspense through carefully doled-out revelations, keeping the reader guessing until the very end. The protagonist’s rationalization of his actions provides a chilling glimpse into the mind of a sociopath.
Normal in Every Way
Set in 1950s San Francisco, this tale centers on a misfit police file clerk who cracks a cold case through his obsessive attention to detail. Child deftly evokes the period setting while exploring themes of outsider status and the power of persistence. The protagonist’s matter-of-fact narration belies the story’s emotional punch.
The .50 Solution
A professional hitman is hired to kill a racehorse, leading to unexpected complications and moral quandaries. Child’s deadpan humor shines through in this darkly comic tale of greed and unintended consequences. The protagonist’s clinical approach to his work provides a stark contrast to the story’s more emotional moments.
Public Transportation
A bus becomes the unlikely setting for a tense cat-and-mouse game between a killer and his pursuer. Child makes excellent use of the confined space to ratchet up the tension, creating a palpable sense of claustrophobia. The story’s stripped-down prose mirrors its streamlined plot, propelling the reader towards its inevitable conclusion.
Me & Mr Rafferty
A serial killer recounts his twisted relationship with the detective pursuing him, blurring the lines between hunter and hunted. Child delves deep into the psyche of his protagonist, creating a disturbingly believable portrait of madness. The unreliable narration keeps the reader constantly off-balance, never quite sure what’s real and what’s delusion.
Section 7(a) (Operational)
A spy struggles to complete a mission report while grappling with the ethical implications of his work. Child uses the bureaucratic framework to explore larger questions of morality and duty in the world of espionage. The protagonist’s internal conflict provides a human anchor to the story’s more abstract themes.
Addicted to Sweetness
A drug lord muses on the nature of addiction while torturing an underling who stole from him. Child draws surprising parallels between the sugar trade and modern narcotics, creating a thought-provoking meditation on power and exploitation. The villain’s eloquent ruminations provide a chilling contrast to his brutal actions.
The Bone-Headed League
An FBI agent stationed in London becomes embroiled in a Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery with deadly stakes. Child pays homage to Arthur Conan Doyle while putting his own modern spin on the classic detective story format. The blend of old-school sleuthing and contemporary geopolitics creates a unique and engaging narrative.
I Heard a Romantic Story
A hardened operative recounts a mission gone wrong, exploring themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the human cost of covert operations. Child’s sparse prose belies the emotional weight of the story, creating a poignant meditation on the toll of a life lived in the shadows. The narrator’s matter-of-fact tone serves to heighten the impact of the story’s more tragic elements.
My First Drug Trial
A man prepares for his court appearance on drug charges, grappling with addiction and self-justification. Child’s stream-of-consciousness narration puts the reader directly inside the protagonist’s addled mind, creating a visceral portrait of desperation and denial. The story’s dark humor provides a counterpoint to its more sobering moments.
New Blank Document
A journalist investigates a jazz musician’s mysterious past, uncovering long-buried secrets and painful truths. Child expertly weaves together multiple timelines, gradually revealing the full scope of the story’s tragedy. The protagonist’s growing obsession with the case mirrors the reader’s own increasing investment in the mystery.
Pierre, Lucien & Me
An art forger reflects on a long-ago scheme that continues to haunt him in his twilight years. Child explores themes of authenticity, guilt, and the subjective nature of value in both art and human relationships. The protagonist’s attempts to rationalize his past actions provide a fascinating character study.
Wet with Rain
A pair of operatives execute a complex plan to acquire sensitive information, only to have their carefully laid scheme upended by unexpected complications. Child’s meticulously plotted narrative keeps the reader guessing until the very end, with each new revelation forcing a reevaluation of everything that came before. The story’s rain-soaked atmosphere adds to the overall sense of unease and impending doom.
Shorty and the Briefcase
A wounded detective uses his hospital stay to solve a baffling case, demonstrating that brains can triumph over brawn. Child injects moments of humor into this otherwise tense procedural, creating a well-rounded and engaging narrative. The protagonist’s nickname belies his outsized impact on the case, serving as a reminder not to underestimate anyone.
Dying for a Cigarette
A screenwriter grapples with artistic integrity and Hollywood compromise, all while battling his own addictions. Child’s insider knowledge of the entertainment industry lends authenticity to this darkly comic tale of creative frustration and self-sabotage. The protagonist’s internal monologue provides a window into the often torturous process of bringing a story to the screen.
The Snake Eater by the Numbers
A rookie cop learns the dark secrets behind his precinct’s impressive crime statistics, forcing him to confront difficult moral choices. Child explores the corrupting influence of bureaucracy and the dangers of valuing numbers over justice. The protagonist’s growing disillusionment serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of treating law enforcement as a purely statistical endeavor.
Themes and Style: Navigating Moral Gray Areas with Surgical Precision
Throughout Safe Enough, Lee Child demonstrates his mastery of the short story form, distilling complex characters and intricate plots into bite-sized nuggets of pure narrative adrenaline. His prose is lean and muscular, with nary a wasted word in sight. Child has a knack for dropping the reader directly into the action, trusting them to keep up as he races towards each story’s often shocking conclusion.
One of the collection’s greatest strengths is its exploration of moral ambiguity. Child’s protagonists are rarely clear-cut heroes or villains, instead occupying a murky middle ground where right and wrong become fluid concepts. This moral flexibility allows for nuanced character studies that force the reader to question their own ethical boundaries.
Thematically, the stories in Safe Enough often revolve around issues of justice, loyalty, and the corrupting influence of power. Child seems particularly interested in examining the ways in which seemingly ordinary people can be pushed to extraordinary—and sometimes terrible—actions when placed in extreme circumstances.
The author’s background in television production shines through in his cinematic approach to storytelling. Many of these tales feel like they could easily be adapted into taut, gripping short films. Child has an eye for vivid imagery and a talent for creating memorable set-pieces that linger in the mind long after the final page is turned.
Standout Stories: Cream of the Crop
While the overall quality of the collection is consistently high, a few stories stand out as particular highlights:
“The Greatest Trick of All”
This twisted tale of a hitman’s ultimate con job is a masterclass in misdirection, keeping the reader guessing until the very last line. Child’s matter-of-fact narration serves to heighten the story’s shocking conclusion.
“Safe Enough”
The collection’s namesake is a slow-burn psychological thriller that builds to a devastating climax. Child’s meticulous attention to detail creates a palpable sense of dread as the protagonist’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel.
“Me & Mr Rafferty”
This chilling dive into the mind of a serial killer is not for the faint of heart, but it’s a testament to Child’s skill that he’s able to make such a reprehensible character oddly compelling. The blurring of reality and delusion keeps the reader constantly off-balance.
“Wet with Rain”
A tightly plotted espionage thriller that showcases Child’s ability to craft intricate, twist-filled narratives in a compact format. The rain-soaked atmosphere adds an extra layer of tension to an already nail-biting tale.
Comparisons and Context: Child in the Short Story Landscape
While Lee Child is best known for his Jack Reacher novels, Safe Enough proves that he’s equally adept at the short form. The collection invites comparisons to other masters of the crime and thriller short story, such as Elmore Leonard, Raymond Chandler, and Dashiell Hammett. Child’s lean prose and morally ambiguous characters feel particularly indebted to Hemingway’s “iceberg theory” of writing, where much of the story’s emotional weight lies beneath the surface.
Fans of Child’s longer works will find much to enjoy here, as the author’s signature style translates seamlessly to the shorter format. The collection also serves as an excellent entry point for newcomers, offering a concentrated dose of Child’s storytelling prowess without the commitment of a full-length novel.
In the broader context of contemporary short fiction, Safe Enough by Lee Child stands out for its unapologetic embrace of genre tropes and conventions. While many literary short story collections tend towards the experimental or avant-garde, Child demonstrates that there’s still plenty of life left in classic storytelling techniques when executed with skill and precision.
Critique: Minor Quibbles in an Otherwise Stellar Collection
While Safe Enough by Lee Child is undoubtedly a strong collection, it’s not without its flaws. Some readers may find Child’s relentlessly grim worldview somewhat oppressive when consumed in large doses. A bit more tonal variety might have helped to prevent fatigue as the collection progresses.
Additionally, while Child’s spare prose is generally a strength, there are occasional moments where a bit more descriptive flair might have helped to more fully immerse the reader in the story’s setting. This is particularly noticeable in some of the more location-specific tales.
Finally, while the majority of the stories are self-contained, there are a few that feel like they might have benefited from a slightly longer format to more fully explore their premise or characters. However, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise stellar collection.
Conclusion: A Must-Read for Thriller Fans and Short Story Aficionados Alike
Safe Enough by Lee Child is a tour de force from one of the modern masters of the thriller genre. Lee Child proves that his storytelling chops are just as formidable in the short form as they are in his doorstop-sized novels. This collection offers a perfect blend of white-knuckle suspense, complex characters, and thought-provoking themes, all delivered with Child’s trademark efficiency and style.
Whether you’re a die-hard Lee Child fan or a newcomer to his work, Safe Enough is sure to satisfy your craving for top-notch crime fiction. Just be warned—once you start, you may find it impossible to put down until you’ve devoured every last story. And even then, these tales are likely to linger in your mind, demanding re-reads and sparking heated discussions with fellow thriller enthusiasts.
So go ahead, dive in. Just remember to keep one eye on the exit… because in Lee Child’s world, you never know when danger might come knocking.
Similar Books and Recommendations
If you enjoy Safe Enough by Lee Child, you might also want to check out these similar short story collections in the crime and thriller genre:
- “The Bazaar of Bad Dreams” by Stephen King
- “The Best American Mystery Stories” series (various editors)
- “Manhattan Mayhem” edited by Mary Higgins Clark
- “The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps” edited by Otto Penzler
- “Trouble in Mind” by Jeffery Deaver
And of course, for fans of Lee Child’s longer works, don’t miss his Jack Reacher novels, including:
- “Killing Floor” (the first Jack Reacher novel)
- “The Midnight Line”
- “Past Tense”
- “Blue Moon”
- “The Sentinel” (co-written with Andrew Child)
Happy reading, and remember—in the world of Lee Child, trust no one and always watch your back.
