First Thrills - Lee Child [145]
Which speaks volumes for International Thriller Writers.
Currently, over twelve hundred working writers, editors, agents, and enthusiasts worldwide are members. Born in 2004, ITW has grown by leaps and bounds. The Debut Author Program joins a host of other ITW successes that range from exceptional marketing and promotional programs to awards and recognition, to literacy efforts, to publishing projects, to the phenomenally successful ThrillerFest, the yearly gathering of ITW each July in New York. Those four days are, literally, summer camp for thriller writers and thriller enthusiasts. To learn more about ITW and Thrillerfest, I invite you to visit www.thrillerwriters.com.
Thrillers have been around a long time. Their magic, their allure, and their compelling nature come not just from providing readers an escape or rush. Rather they stem from an ability to transport the reader into another world that he or she, through his or her active participation, helps the writer create.
It’s a shared experience.
Facing danger, searching for truth, avoiding despair, finding hope, these are the essences of a thriller. My hope is that you’ve enjoyed this journey as much as all of us at International Thriller Writers have enjoyed creating these worlds for you to explore.
First Thrills is just one of many ITW publishing endeavors. We invite you to check out our other ITW products: Thriller, Thriller 2, The Chopin Manuscript, The Copper Bracelet, Watchlist, and The 100 Greatest Reads.
Just look for the ITW logo.
As Lee Child said in the beginning:
You won’t regret it.
STEVE BERRY
ITW Co-President
August 2009
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION * Lee Child
THE THIEF * Gregg Hurwitz
SCUTWORK * CJ Lyons
THE BODYGUARD * Lee Child
LAST SUPPER * Rip Gerber
AFTER DARK * Alex Kava and Deb Carlin
WEDNESDAY’S CHILD * Ken Bruen
EDDY MAY * Theo Gangi
THE PLOT * Jeffery Deaver
EYE OF THE STORM * John Lutz and Lise S. Baker
THE DEAD CLUB * Michael Palmer and Daniel James Palmer
UNDERBELLY * Grant McKenzie
THE GATO CONUNDRUM * John Lescroart
THE PRINCESS OF FELONY FLATS * Bill Cameron
SAVAGE PLANET * Stephen Coonts
SUSPENDED * Ryan Brown
INVISIBLE * Sean Michael Bailey
WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME * Heather Graham
ON THE TRAIN * Rebecca Cantrell
CHILDREN’S DAY * Kelli Stanley
MY FATHER’S EYES * Wendy Corsi Staub
PROGRAM WITH A HAPPY ENDING * Cynthia Robinson
KILLING CAROL ANN * J. T. Ellison
CHLOE * Marc Paoletti
COLD, COLD HEART * Karin Slaughter
CALLING THE SHOTS * Karen Dionne
AFTERWORD