LoveReading Says
On the subject of writing short stories, Lee Child shares in his foreword that “the joy was stepping out and trying something different every time. Something new. Period, place, nationality, personality – everything. It was liberating. And fun”, while also modestly noting that he never figured out that “mysterious short-story thing the great writers do”.
Rather, Child states, that the twenty twisting, thrilling stories collected in Safe Enough are “very, very, very short novels. But none the worse for it. They have beginnings and middles and ends. Something surprising happens. Or is revealed”.
The stories certainly are surprising, each of them distinct as they offer incisive insights into the human condition through characters than run the gamut of experience, and sinewy language that demands one’s attention.
Boasting an exclusive new Jack Reacher and Maggie Bird story by Lee Child and Tess Gerritsen alongside unexpected tales of rookie cops, bodyguards, drug dealers and tricksters, Safe Enough showcases the writer’s trademark suspense, sparse style and character craftmanship to full effect. Though Child says he never worked out the “mysterious short-story thing the great writers do”, this anthology suggests otherwise. Though they are almost mini novels, each of the twenty stories collected in Safe Enough is a mighty fine example of the potent power of shorter fiction.
Joanne Owen
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Safe Enough Synopsis
For the past twenty years, Lee Child has been one of the bestselling authors in the world, thanks to the popularity of his iconic and instantly recognizable hero Jack Reacher. But even at the height of Reacher's fame, Child's short story writing was not confined to the series; throughout the course of his career, he published tales about a range of characters on both sides of the law, including assassins, a body guard, CIA and FBI agents, gangsters, and more. Meticulously plotted and packed with Child's trademark action and suspense, the stories show the author's mastery of the short form, and they've never been collected before now. In "Ten Keys," a drug-dealing hit man feels that he must unburden his fears and guilt to a stranger. A rookie cop in "Normal in Every Way" is assigned to the department's file room, where he makes connections to historic dates that could lead to solving crimes. A methodical bodyguard quits his job when he's outsmarted. A military mission is planned to perfection. A potential worker for the Manhattan Project is carefully surveilled by an FBI agent. A killer preys on other killers. Taken together, these stories are a riotous calamity of criminals and crime fighters; individually, they are expertly crafted, piercing tales that hit hard enough to leave a mark. These twenty intriguing, thrilling, and rapid-fire fictions are sure to please new and longtime fans of Child and to illuminate a side of the author's work unknown to Reacher devotees. Featuring a colorful new introduction from the author, the collection stands as the first book written entirely by Child in three years.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781613165669 |
| Publication date: |
3rd September 2024 |
| Author: |
Lee Child |
| Publisher: |
Mysterious Press an imprint of Penzler Publishers |
| Format: |
Hardback |
| Pagination: |
256 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Thriller and Suspense
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Lee Child Press Reviews
'It's Lee Child. Why would you not read it?' KARIN SLAUGHTER
'I don't know another author so skilled at making me turn the page, at putting me in the thick of it all.' THE TIMES
'Best thriller writer on the planet.' SUSAN HILL
'One of the genre's finest practitioners.' INDEPENDENT
'I always seize the latest Lee Child with pleasure.' PHILIP PULLMAN
About Lee Child
Lee Child is one of the world’s leading thriller writers. He was born in Coventry, raised in Birmingham, and now lives in New York. It is said one of his novels featuring his hero Jack Reacher is sold somewhere in the world every nine seconds. His books consistently achieve the number-one slot on bestseller lists around the world and have sold over one hundred million copies. Lee is the recipient of many awards including Author of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards. He was appointed CBE in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours.
Photo Credit: Copyright Sigrid Estrada
The 2013 Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger was awarded to Lee Child.
Members of the CWA vote for the Diamond Dagger award-winner, which celebrates an author with an outstanding body of work in crime fiction.
Peter James, chair of the CWA, said: “I am delighted that the CWA has chosen Lee Child as this year's recipient. Lee is one of the few British crime-thriller authors to have become a global brand name; he is also an extremely charming and open person and a tireless promoter of our genre.”
More About Lee Child
