Matchup by Lee Child and Sandra Brown (Editors)

      Twenty-two of the best contemporary mystery/thriller writers teamed up to write eleven amazing short stories.  Each story is written by a pair consisting of one woman and one man, and each pair brought together one of the protagonists for which they are famous. 

The pairings are:

-Lee Coburn and Joe Pickett in “Honor & …” by Sandra Brown and C.J. Box
-Tony Hill and Roy Grace in “Footloose” by Val McDermid and Peter James
-Temperance Brennan and Jack Reacher in “Faking a Murderer” by Kathy Reichs and Lee Child
-Jamie Fraser and Cotton Malone in “Past Prologue” by Diana Gabaldon and Steve Berry
-Liz Sansborough and Rambo in “Rambo on Their Minds” by Gayle Lynds and David Morrell
-Jeffrey Tolliver and Joe Pritchard in “Short Story” by Karin Slaughter and Michael Koryta
-Harper Connelly and Ty Hauck in “Dig Here” by Charlaine Harris and Andrew Gross
-Regan Pescoli and Virgil Flowers in “Deserves to be Dead” by Lisa Jackson and John Sandford
-Lucan Thorne and Lilliane in “Midnight Flame” by Lara Adrian and Christopher Rice
-Bennie Rosato and John Corey in “Getaway” by Lisa Scottoline and Nelson DeMille
-Ali Reynolds and Bravo Shaw in “Taking the Veil” by J.A. Jance and Eric Van Lustbader

      

There is so much good to say about this book.  The introduction to each story is almost as fascinating as the story itself as it provides a look into how each team worked. Some of the authors were accustomed to writing short stories; some had never written them before.  It is ever easy to see how much fun they all had writing the stories and putting this book together.

      

Through this collection, one is provided an opportunity to read something different from authors one may already love, while also being introduced to authors of which one has never read.  Each of the stories is wonderfully done, even the one which may make some rather uncomfortable, but that is a matter of personal taste rather than the authors' skills.

      
"Matchup" is a delightful break from the ordinary and a perfect book to read when one only has a few minutes here and there.  

MATCHUP (Anthology-Various-Various-Contemp) – VG+

      Child, Lee and Sandra Brown (eds)

      Simon & Schuster – June 2017