MatchUp

Starred review from March 27, 2017
Each of the 11 collaborative tales in this stellar sequel to the International Thriller Writers’ anthology FaceOff (2014) pairs a top-rank female thriller writer with a male counterpart. Sandra Brown’s Lee Coburn and C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett send testosterone levels soaring in “Honor &...”. British authors Val McDermid (known for Det. Chief Insp. Carol Jordan) and Peter James (Det. Supt. Roy Grace) match witticisms as they seek a foot fetishist criminal in “Footloose.” Child’s Jack Reacher’s past and Kathy Reich’s forensic expert Dr. Temperance Brennan’s present bring the two together in “Faking a Murderer.” In “Midnight Flame,” Lara Adrian’s vampire Lucan Thorne and Christopher Rice’s Lilliane meet in New Orleans in an adventure that threatens both their paranormal tribes. Other notable pairings include Diana Gabaldon (Jamie Fraser) and Steve Berry (Cotton Malone), Lisa Jackson (Regan Pescoli) and John Sandford (Virgil Flowers), and Gayle Lynds (Liz Sansborough) and David Morrell (Rambo). Child provides a brief, cogent intro to each selection. Highly recommended as entertainment, this anthology is a great place to start if you’ve not yet sampled some of these authors. Agent: Dan Conaway, Writers House.

This audiobook is a cornucopia of bestselling thriller authors, iconic characters, and top-notch narrators. Each of the 11 short stories is cowritten by two popular writers and features protagonists from their previous works teaming up. Add a host of talented narrators into the mix, and the result is an eclectic, wholly unique audio experience for thriller enthusiasts and those new to the genre. Editor Lee Child, author of the massively popular Jack Reacher series, regularly chimes in to introduce the authors and offer insight into their collaborations. Reacher's pairing with Dr. Temperance Brennan, in Child's matchup with Kathy Reichs, will likely be a highlight for many listeners. But this collection is so varied and consistently excellent that it's difficult to single out any one story. A.T.N. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine