[captain91]

Hello- I am trying to find a book that has a first chapter set-up leading to action in the second chapter as a continuation such as a situation leading up to a drug deal that turns into action, or a riot, or a bank robbery etc. I love crime thrillers. Any recommendations?

[Wondergirl]

Anything by Lee Child* or David Morrell (especially his older titles), John Grisham, Jeffrey Deaver*, Harlan Coben*, John Sanford, Michael Connolly*, Nelson deMille. Ed McBain is the author of police procedurals.

Do you want titles?

[captain91]

Yes I'd love titles if you can give any. Thank you. I have three books of Deaver. Praying for Sleep, A Maiden's Grave, and Bloody River Blues. I've read a lot of Sandford, but usually his books start with a killing in first chapter, don't they? Michael Connelly Void Moon - excellent. I've read a spy book from Nelson. I read many of Grisham's. Do you know of any titles of any of these in which there is a set-up for action in first chapter such as "bank robbers entered a bank" at the end of the first chapter, then second chapter leads to the action? I read Ken Follett Jackdaws, and it was similar to that. I'd like to read another like it. An impending attack that Follett explains is coming in first chapter but doesn't happen until next chapter(s). I just wanted to read another which has a beginning like this but more related to crime. Do you know of any specific titles?

[Wondergirl]

I'm reading all the Lee Child novels and am on my last one (Running Blind) -- have NOT read them in order. I would say they fulfill your requirement -- something happens immediately at the start of the novel and then the hero, Jack Reacher, gets pulled into solving the crime. He's a loner who travels only with the clothes on his back and a fold-up toothbrush. Here's from Wikipedia about that particular title --

The story begins in New York, with Reacher confronting and beating up two thugs sent to collect money from the diner he was eating in as part of a protection racket, implying that he is a member of a rival gang. Reacher is then pulled up by the FBI and questioned over who he is working for, but explains he is a loner and has been since he mustered out of the army. He is then questioned about two women whose cases of sexual harassment he dealt with when he was an MP and it is revealed they have both been killed in the last few months and a criminal profiling team have come to the conclusion that the person who did was someone exactly like Reacher.

Here's an article about the Jack Reacher titles and a short summary of each (or click each title for a longer discussion) --

Jack Reacher - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The authors I starred in my previous post usually start with a crime and then move into the story to solve it.

[Wondergirl]

Follett - Eye of the Needle
Deaver - Bone Collector
Patterson (James) - his older novels
Kellerman (Jonathan) - Billy Straight and Bad Love
Klavan - Don't Say a Word