I picked this up for one purpose which was to read the Diana Gabaldon short story. I have to say, as a story, it was interesting, but I was a bit disappointed that there Jamie Fraser wasn't the focus. In fact, he hardly appeared at all. Those who know the Outlander story will recognize what is happening and for that, it was interesting, but if you're looking for a Jamie Fraser fix, you'll likely be disappointed.

Although I haven't read a number of the authors featured let alone been introduced to their characters, this 'match up' teases glimpses of each iconic character in short story form.  An excellent idea that whets your appetite for more.  The pages turn at an alarming pace and after an interesting introduction by Lee Child, we dive straight in.  Iconic and unforgettable female characters share pages with their male counterparts.  Each story grips from the off and this is a worthy sequel to the mega successful Face Off.  Standouts are Kathy Reichs and Lee Child as well as Lisa Jackson and John Sanford.  A highly recommended read.  Don't be surprised if after reading this collection you find yourself ordering each authors back catalogue.

This book renewed my love for short stories. I found some new authors that I can't wait to check out more from and snuggled in with some old favorites. I loved the premise of having characters from well-known series interact. I also enjoyed the introduction to each story that described the writing style of the individual authors as well as gave insight to the process the team used to create the story.
All of the stories are clearly well-written and each brings a unique twist.  My absolute favorite was Short Story by Karin Slaughter and Michael Koryta. The plot was intriguing but while I was clicking as fast as I could to see how it would unfold, I was laughing at characters' introspection and banter. I loved the mix of mystery and humor. 
Faking a Murderer by Kathy Reichs and Lee Childs kept me up way later than I intended because the first pages sucked me in and I had to know what happened. Past Prologue by Diana Gabaldon and Steve Berry drew me to a different continent, a different time and introduced me to characters that I must get to know now. 
I would whole-heartedly recommend this collection for anyone who loves thrillers, suspense, and or just a good mystery.

Matchup is a collection of short stories, written in male/female pairs, by world class thriller novelists.  Somehow they manage to write the stories together, each having their signature character team up with the other’s signature character.  And it works.  Boy, does it work!

The stories range from thriller, of course, all the way to oddly humorous with everything in between.  Naturally, I enjoyed some more than others but they were all good; many excellent.  For me, the best part about this format was discovering new authors.  I’ve already lined up my next read – from a new (to me anyway) author who was paired with one of my all-time favorites.

I absolutely love these anthologies from my favorite authors.  This one will not disappoint!  I am not sure which one was the best collaboration.  Too hard to choose

Full review to be published online in early June.

MATCHUP is a sequel of sorts to 'Faceoff' and is another anthology of short story collaborations pairing some well know authors across genres.This time it's eleven female authors and eleven male authors paired up with their series characters for a short story meet and solve. As with any anthology, some stories work better than others. Still, it’s very nice when well known characters meet up; and to read another author’s take on a beloved character. As with any two people, some get along well, and others rub on each others nerves.

Probably my favorites of the anthology are the stories by Lee Child, Charlaine Harris, Diana Gabaldon, Kathy Reichs, Sandra Brown, and John Sandford. There were a couple of stories that stood out for me – Regan Pescoli and Lucas Davenport in “Deserves to be Dead” by Lisa Jackson and John Sandford; and Temperance Brennan and Jack Reacher in “Faking a Murderer” by Kathy Reichs and Lee Child.

Most of the stories were very good, and all stories quite readable/enjoyable.