Thriller: Stories to Keep You up All Night » (Unabridged)

Not making any bones about his bid for success, James Patterson once declared he wanted to be known as the king of the page-turners. While that may seem like a pretty grand ambition, Patterson is as worthy of that title as any author working today.

Be prepared to be thrilled as you've never been before .

Featuring North America's foremost thriller authors, Thriller is the first collection of pure thriller stories ever published. Offering up heart-pumping tales of suspense in all its guises are thirty-two of the most critically acclaimed and award-winning names in the business. From the signature characters that made such authors as David Morrell and John Lescroart famous to four of the hottest new voices in the genre, this blockbuster will tantalize and terrify.

Lock the doors, draw the shades, pull up the covers and be prepared for Thriller to keep you up all night.

Publishers Weekly

Editor Patterson and the 32 writers who signed up for this breakthrough collection are all donating their royalties to the new International Thriller Writers, which had its first convention in June 2006 in Arizona. They plan, no doubt, to be rewarded for their work with extra fame and future fortune. But hopefully the eight excellent readers who bring the audio version to a generally high quality of life got paid for their efforts, because they are otherwise unrewarded and virtually anonymous. Aside from a listing of their names on the CD box, there's no mention anywhere of who reads what. Despite the lack of publicity, these actors do a fine job, adding an extra ingredient to the best stories in the collection-pieces by Gayle Lynds; her sadly late husband, Dennis Lynds; J.A. Konrath; Raelynn Hillhouse; David Morrell; M. Diane Vogt; and M.J. Rose are especially strong-and even bringing some of the lesser stories up a rung on the excitement ladder. Thriller addicts who'd rather listen than read will find solid value for time and money spent, and wannabe crime fiction writers will learn a lot from Patterson's lively introductions. Simultaneous release with the Mira hardcover (Reviews, Apr. 3). (June) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Cast of Characters

Ted Bell, "The Powder Monkey" --Featuring Alex Hawke from the Hawke thriller series, which includes the novels Hawke, Pirate, Spy, and Assassin.

Lee Child, "James Penney's New Identity" -- Featuring Jack Reacher from the Reacher series, which includes the novels The Hard Way, Killing Floor, Persuader, and Without Fail.

James Grippando, "Operation Northwoods" -- Featuring Miami criminal defense lawyer Jack Swyteck and his colorful sidekick, Theo Knight. Jack and Theo appear in five previous novels -- The Pardon, Beyond Suspicion, Last to Die, Hear No Evil, and Got the Look.

Gregg Hurwitz, "Dirty Weather" -- "Dirty Weather" features a prison escape, which continues a theme in Gregg's next Tim Rackley book, Last Shot.

J. A. Konrath, "Epitaph" -- Featuring Phineas Troutt, who appears in the Jack Daniels series, which includes the novels Whiskey Sour, Bloody Mary, and Rusty Nail.

David Liss, "The Double Dealer" -- Featuring Benjamin Weaver, the protagonist from the novels A Conspiracy of Paper and A Spectacle of Corruption.

Gayle Lynds, "The Hunt for Dmitri" -- Featuring Liz Sansborough and the Carnivore; both appear in the novels The Coil and Masquerade.

Chris Mooney, "Falling" -- Featuring Malcolm Fletcher, who appears in the novel Deviant Ways.

James Rollins, "Kowalski's in Love" -- Featuring Kowalski from the thriller Ice Hunt and the Sigma Force team from the novels Sandstorm, Map of Bones, and Black Order.

M. J. Rose and John Lescroart, "The Portal" -- Featuring Dr. Morgan Snow from Rose's Butterfield Institute series, which includes the novels The Halo Effect, The Delilah Complex, and The Venus Fix.

Brad Thor, "The Athens Solution" --Featuring the recurring covert, counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath, who appears in the novels The Lions of Lucerne, Path of the Assassin, State of the Union, Blowback, and Takedown.

F. Paul Wilson, "Incident at Duane's" -- Featuring Repairman Jack, who appears in the novels Crisscross, Gateways, and The Haunted Air.