Matchup edited by Lee Child

Short stories are not usually my thing.  I like to get deep into a novel and wallow there for a while.

However, one must be open to new experiences, right?

I had a great time with this book and surprised even myself.  I was intrigued by the premise - matching up (see what I did there??) one male and one female "thriller" writer to create a story that includes the author's famous characters working together.  Now, my favorite Diana Gabaldon is not what is commonly referred to as a thriller writer, but her writing certainly can be thrilling!   Especially when she is writing with Steve Berry and his Cotton Malone manages to meet Jamie.  (And you know if Jamie Fraser is involved, this reader is on it.)  It was nice to be reaquainted with Harper Connelly, Jack Reacher and Bennie Rosato and introduced to Bravo Shaw, John Corey and Ali Reynolds.  The match of Jack Reacher and Temperance Brennan was literary gold, and the rapport between Lisa Scottoline's Bennie Rosato and Nelson DeMille's John Corey left me wanting more.  There was even a vampire story co-written by Anne Rice's son Christopher, and the vampire was not even his character!!!  (Nice nod to his mom in the story too!)  Clever winks at the super-fan or observant reader from each of these authors made this a really fun read.  I think the funniest pairing has to be Val McDermid and Peter James and their story Footloose - they obviously had fun with the foot puns.

Each story is introduced by editor Lee Child and explains how the pairing of authors was made and how they worked together.  Fascinating.  This is the second anthology produced by the International Thriller Writers (Faceoff was the first and matched all male authors) that paired two writers for each story; they have also published other short story anthologies whose proceeds support the ITW.  I love that this time they matched  male to female authors.  Maybe next time they will do all female!  I'm IN!!!!!!!


Authors:
Sandra Brown and CJ Box
Val McDermid and Peter James
Kathy Reichs and Lee Child
Diana Gabaldon and Steve Berry
Gayle Linds and David Morrell
Karin Slaughter and Michale Koryta
Charlaine Harris and Andrew Gross
Lisa Jackson and John Sandford
Lara Adrian and Christopher Rice
Lisa Scottoline and Nelson DeMille
J.A. Jance and Eric Van Lustbader