Face Off

Baldacci and the International Thriller Writers have cobbled together what can only be called a thriller reader’s ultimate fantasy. How cool would it be if a pair of celebrated crime-fiction protagonists, the creations of different authors, teamed up together on a case, in a story jointly penned by the two writers? Even if it was just 1 pair, it would be pretty darn cool, but 11 pairs? Way cool. Start with the dream duo of Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch and Dennis Lehane’s Patrick Kenzie. Bosch is in Boston working a 15-year-old murder case when he spots another guy staking out the suspect’s address; naturally, the other guy is Kenzie. Another stellar pairing finds John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport, a world-class wiseass, joining forces with Jeffrey Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme, who doesn’t suffer fools, gladly or otherwise. Other notable pairings include Lee Child’s Jack Reacher teamed with Joseph Finder’s Nick Heller, and Ian Rankin’s John Rebus alongside Peter James’ Roy Grace. Baldacci includes backstory for each entry and biographies of all the contributors. Great fun for thriller fans. --Wes Lukowsky