In 2020, Lee Child formally began handing over the Reacher series to his younger brother, Andrew Grant (who now writes under the name Andrew Child), in a transition designed to keep the character alive for future generations. Despite stepping back from writing full-time, Lee Child remains a towering figure in the thriller genre, praised for his sharp prose, relentless pacing, and creation of one of fiction’s most iconic lone-wolf heroes.
Early Life and Education
Lee Child, whose real name is James Dover Grant, was born on October 29, 1954, in Coventry, England. He has three brothers, including Andrew, who also became a thriller novelist. When Grant was four years of age, he moved with his family to Birmingham. There, he was educated at Cherry Orchard Primary School and then King Edward’s School. For his higher education, Grant studied law at the University of Sheffield, despite having no intention of entering the legal field. He graduated in 1977.
Career Beginnings in Television
After graduating from college, Grant began his career as a presentation director for Granada Television in Manchester. Responsible for the transmission of programming, he also wrote thousands of commercials and news stories. Grant worked at Granada until 1995, when he was made redundant from his job due to corporate restructuring.
Jack Reacher
After leaving Granada Television, Grant began writing novels under the pen name Lee Child. His debut, “Killing Floor,” was published in 1997 and introduced the character Jack Reacher, a nomadic former U.S. military police officer with a sharp mind, a strong moral compass, and a knack for finding trouble. The novel won both the Anthony Award and the Barry Award for Best First Novel, launching one of the most successful thriller franchises in modern publishing. Child went on to publish a new Reacher novel almost every year, with titles including “Die Trying,” “Echo Burning,” “Without Fail,” “Persuader,” “The Enemy,” “Nothing to Lose,” “61 Hours,” “Never Go Back,” “Make Me,” and “Blue Moon.” In 2020, he announced his gradual retirement from the series and began co-authoring new entries with his younger brother Andrew Grant, who writes under the name Andrew Child. This transition has continued the Reacher legacy while introducing subtle stylistic changes under Andrew’s influence.
Other Written Works
Beyond Jack Reacher, Grant published the 2019 non-fiction book “The Hero.” He has also written numerous short stories, such as “Ten Keys,” “Safe Enough,” “Public Transportation,” “I Heard a Romantic Story,” and “Shorty and the Briefcase.” These and many other stories have been published in various collections.
Other Projects and Activities
In 2007, Grant collaborated with 14 other thriller novelists to create the 17-part audio serial “The Chopin Manuscript.” Narrated by Alfred Molina, it was broadcast weekly through the service Audible. In 2008, Grant took up a visiting professorship at his alma mater the University of Sheffield. The next year, he was elected president of the Mystery Writers of America. In 2019, Grant collaborated with musicians Jennifer and Scott Smith on an album about Jack Reacher. He contributed vocals to the track “Reacher Said Nothing.” In 2020, Grant sat on the judging panel for the Booker Prize. Among his other activities, he serves as an annual sponsor of ThrillerFest.
Honors
Grant has received honorary degrees from a number of universities, including his alma mater the University of Sheffield. He has also earned lifetime achievement awards from the Crime Writers’ Association, the International Thriller Writers, and the British Book Awards. In 2019, Grant was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his services to literature.
Personal Life & Real Estate
Grant married his wife Jane in 1975. They have a daughter named Ruth, and live in New York. In 2014, Lee paid $9.15 million for an enormous NYC condo. Located just a few steps from Central Park, the four-bedroom apartment overlooks 70 feet of park frontage and comes with a $8,500 monthly HOA fee. He listed this apartment for sale in November 2023 for $11 million.
