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First Thrills #3
First Thrills: Volume 3: Short Stories
New York Times bestselling author Lee Child and the International Thriller Writers, Inc. present a collection of remarkable stories in First Thrills. From small-town crime stories to sweeping global conspiracies, this is a cross section of today's hottest thriller-writing talent. This original collection is now split into four e-book volumes, packed with murder, mystery, and mayhem!First Volume 3 contains stories five original stories DeaverKarin SlaughterRebecca CantrellGregg HurwitzTheo GangiAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
82 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2011
59 people are currently reading
514 people want to read
About the author
Lee Child
443 books34.3k followersLee Child was born October 29th, 1954 in Coventry, England, but spent his formative years in the nearby city of Birmingham. By coincidence he won a scholarship to the same high school that JRR Tolkien had attended. He went to law school in Sheffield, England, and after part-time work in the theater he joined Granada Television in Manchester for what turned out to be an eighteen-year career as a presentation director during British TV's "golden age." During his tenure his company made Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, Prime Suspect, and Cracker. But he was fired in 1995 at the age of 40 as a result of corporate restructuring. Always a voracious reader, he decided to see an opportunity where others might have seen a crisis and bought six dollars' worth of paper and pencils and sat down to write a book, Killing Floor, the first in the Jack Reacher series.
Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment. The first Jack Reacher movie, based on the novel One Shot and starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, was released in December 2012.
Lee has three homes—an apartment in Manhattan, a country house in the south of France, and whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two. In the US he drives a supercharged Jaguar, which was built in Jaguar's Browns Lane plant, thirty yards from the hospital in which he was born.
Lee spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.
Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment. The first Jack Reacher movie, based on the novel One Shot and starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, was released in December 2012.
Lee has three homes—an apartment in Manhattan, a country house in the south of France, and whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two. In the US he drives a supercharged Jaguar, which was built in Jaguar's Browns Lane plant, thirty yards from the hospital in which he was born.
Lee spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 3, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️
My ranking criteria (✅= Yes, ❌= No, ➖= Kind of/a little bit):
*Bonus points if I can't put the book down, it makes me feel strong emotion, or genuinely surprises me in some way.
*Penalty points for editing errors (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.), for children who act too mature or too young for their age (this is a bugbear of mine), or if there is something in the book that just really pisses me off for any reason.
----------
I feel like I have to rate each story in this book individually to be fair, so apologies in advance for how long this review will be. There's a TL;DR summary at the bottom 🙂
STORY 1 - The Plot (Jeffery Deaver)
1. I was sucked into the story from the beginning ✅
2. The story had a proper beginning, middle, and end ✅
3. The writing evoked a feeling of suspense ❌
4. I was engaged the whole way through/didn't get bored ➖
5. The characters were interesting ➖
6. There was some form of character development ❌
7. The book wasn't predictable in terms of relying on tired tropes, clichés, themes, stereotypes, etc. ➖
8. I cared about the outcome of the story ➖
9. I didn't work out the ending/the ending surprised me ➖
10. The ending was satisfying ➖
🌟 Bonus points: None.
☠️ Penalty points: Editing errors.
🏅 OVERALL RANKING: 4/10 (2/5 stars)
On page 1, there is a sentence that says: "They entertained you from the git-go". Now I know that I'm being super picky, but the term is "get-go". I don't know if that's an editing error or Jeffery Deaver thought that was the correct term, but stuff like that really irritates me (there was also "head" instead of "ahead"). The Plot started off quite well, but quickly devolved into a somewhat boring and predictable story.
STORY 2 - Cold, Cold Heart (Karin Slaughter)
1. I was sucked into the story from the beginning ✅
2. The story had a proper beginning, middle, and end ✅
3. The writing evoked a feeling of suspense ❌
4. I was engaged the whole way through/didn't get bored ✅
5. The characters were interesting ➖
6. There was some form of character development ✅
7. The book wasn't predictable in terms of relying on tired tropes, clichés, themes, stereotypes, etc. ➖
8. I cared about the outcome of the story ➖
9. I didn't work out the ending/the ending surprised me ❌
10. The ending was satisfying ➖
🌟 Bonus points: None.
☠️ Penalty points: None.
🏅 OVERALL RANKING: 6/10 (3/5 stars)
Cold, Cold Heart started off well (except for the first paragraph, it was written so awkwardly that I had to read it 3 times to get it's meaning). The story was interesting enough that I kept reading to see what would happen. Unfortunately, it soon became pretty clear what the ending would entail, which was a bit disappointing. Still, I'm giving this one 3 stars, which is pretty good for a short story (I tend to not rate them as highly as full-length novels).
STORY 3 - On the Train (Rebecca Cantrell)
1. I was sucked into the story from the beginning ✅
2. The story had a proper beginning, middle, and end ✅
3. The writing evoked a feeling of suspense ➖
4. I was engaged the whole way through/didn't get bored ✅
5. The characters were interesting ✅
6. There was some form of character development ➖
7. The book wasn't predictable in terms of relying on tired tropes, clichés, themes, stereotypes, etc. ➖
8. I cared about the outcome of the story ✅
9. I didn't work out the ending/the ending surprised me ➖
10. The ending was satisfying ➖
🌟 Bonus points: None.
☠️ Penalty points: None.
🏅 OVERALL RANKING: 7.5/10 (3.75/5 stars)
On the Train is a short story done right. I've never read anything that Rebecca Cantrell has written before, but I will be looking into what else she has written after reading On the Train. I'm giving this one 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4) which is about as high as I go for short stories. I feel like some authors use stories based in and around the holocaust just for the emotional impact, which I think was kind of done here; but I still really liked this story. Even though this story was quite short, it evoked emotion, and I cared about the two main characters Joachim and Herman. The ending also felt earned.
STORY 4 - The Thief (Gregg Hurwitz)
1. I was sucked into the story from the beginning ✅
2. The story had a proper beginning, middle, and end ✅
3. The writing evoked a feeling of suspense ➖
4. I was engaged the whole way through/didn't get bored ✅
5. The characters were interesting ➖
6. There was some form of character development ❌
7. The book wasn't predictable in terms of relying on tired tropes, clichés, themes, stereotypes, etc. ➖
8. I cared about the outcome of the story ➖
9. I didn't work out the ending/the ending surprised me ➖
10. The ending was satisfying ✅
🌟 Bonus points: None.
☠️ Penalty points: None.
🏅 OVERALL RANKING: 6.5/10 (3.25 stars)
I picked up this short story compilation because I have been reading the Orphan X series, and I was looking for anything else by Gregg Hurwitz. I wasn't expecting what I got from The Thief, but it was pleasantly surprising. I was kept engaged the whole way through, and the ending was incredibly satisfying.
STORY 5 - Eddy May (Theo Gangi)
1. I was sucked into the story from the beginning ❌
2. The story had a proper beginning, middle, and end ➖
3. The writing evoked a feeling of suspense ❌
4. I was engaged the whole way through/didn't get bored ❌
5. The characters were interesting ➖
6. There was some form of character development ❌
7. The book wasn't predictable in terms of relying on tired tropes, clichés, themes, stereotypes, etc. ➖
8. I cared about the outcome of the story ❌
9. I didn't work out the ending/the ending surprised me ➖
10. The ending was satisfying ➖
🌟 Bonus points: None.
☠️ Penalty points: None.
🏅 OVERALL RANKING: 2.5/10 (1.75/5 stars)
Nope I didn't like this one at all. Eddy May was easily my least favourite story in this collection. I just feel like the plot didn't flow very well, and attempts at foreshadowing the ending were both heavy-handed and confusing at times. Also, some of the things that the protagonist thinks don't line up with the ending? Whatever, it wasn't good, and and I was glad when it was over.
----------
Thoughts, Conclusion, and Recommendation:
1. The Plot (Jeffery Deaver) - 4/10 (2/5 stars)
2. Cold, Cold Heart (Karin Slaughter) - 6/10 (3/5 stars)
3. On the Train (Rebecca Cantrell) - 7.5/10 (3.75 stars)
4. The Thief (Gregg Hurwitz) - 6.5/10 (3.25 stars)
5. Eddy May (Theo Gangi) - 2.5/10 (1.75/5 stars)
OVERALL AVERAGE - 2.75/5 stars
Overall I will be giving this collection 2.75 out of 5 stars (rounded up to 3 for the purposes of Goodreads). My two favourite stories were On the Train and The Thief. Cold, Cold Heart and The Plot were fine and my time wasn't wasted reading them. Eddy May was boring and mediocre. I think that this collection is worth a read for mystery lovers, I definitely got something out of it.
My ranking criteria (✅= Yes, ❌= No, ➖= Kind of/a little bit):
*Bonus points if I can't put the book down, it makes me feel strong emotion, or genuinely surprises me in some way.
*Penalty points for editing errors (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.), for children who act too mature or too young for their age (this is a bugbear of mine), or if there is something in the book that just really pisses me off for any reason.
----------
I feel like I have to rate each story in this book individually to be fair, so apologies in advance for how long this review will be. There's a TL;DR summary at the bottom 🙂
STORY 1 - The Plot (Jeffery Deaver)
1. I was sucked into the story from the beginning ✅
2. The story had a proper beginning, middle, and end ✅
3. The writing evoked a feeling of suspense ❌
4. I was engaged the whole way through/didn't get bored ➖
5. The characters were interesting ➖
6. There was some form of character development ❌
7. The book wasn't predictable in terms of relying on tired tropes, clichés, themes, stereotypes, etc. ➖
8. I cared about the outcome of the story ➖
9. I didn't work out the ending/the ending surprised me ➖
10. The ending was satisfying ➖
🌟 Bonus points: None.
☠️ Penalty points: Editing errors.
🏅 OVERALL RANKING: 4/10 (2/5 stars)
On page 1, there is a sentence that says: "They entertained you from the git-go". Now I know that I'm being super picky, but the term is "get-go". I don't know if that's an editing error or Jeffery Deaver thought that was the correct term, but stuff like that really irritates me (there was also "head" instead of "ahead"). The Plot started off quite well, but quickly devolved into a somewhat boring and predictable story.
STORY 2 - Cold, Cold Heart (Karin Slaughter)
1. I was sucked into the story from the beginning ✅
2. The story had a proper beginning, middle, and end ✅
3. The writing evoked a feeling of suspense ❌
4. I was engaged the whole way through/didn't get bored ✅
5. The characters were interesting ➖
6. There was some form of character development ✅
7. The book wasn't predictable in terms of relying on tired tropes, clichés, themes, stereotypes, etc. ➖
8. I cared about the outcome of the story ➖
9. I didn't work out the ending/the ending surprised me ❌
10. The ending was satisfying ➖
🌟 Bonus points: None.
☠️ Penalty points: None.
🏅 OVERALL RANKING: 6/10 (3/5 stars)
Cold, Cold Heart started off well (except for the first paragraph, it was written so awkwardly that I had to read it 3 times to get it's meaning). The story was interesting enough that I kept reading to see what would happen. Unfortunately, it soon became pretty clear what the ending would entail, which was a bit disappointing. Still, I'm giving this one 3 stars, which is pretty good for a short story (I tend to not rate them as highly as full-length novels).
STORY 3 - On the Train (Rebecca Cantrell)
1. I was sucked into the story from the beginning ✅
2. The story had a proper beginning, middle, and end ✅
3. The writing evoked a feeling of suspense ➖
4. I was engaged the whole way through/didn't get bored ✅
5. The characters were interesting ✅
6. There was some form of character development ➖
7. The book wasn't predictable in terms of relying on tired tropes, clichés, themes, stereotypes, etc. ➖
8. I cared about the outcome of the story ✅
9. I didn't work out the ending/the ending surprised me ➖
10. The ending was satisfying ➖
🌟 Bonus points: None.
☠️ Penalty points: None.
🏅 OVERALL RANKING: 7.5/10 (3.75/5 stars)
On the Train is a short story done right. I've never read anything that Rebecca Cantrell has written before, but I will be looking into what else she has written after reading On the Train. I'm giving this one 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4) which is about as high as I go for short stories. I feel like some authors use stories based in and around the holocaust just for the emotional impact, which I think was kind of done here; but I still really liked this story. Even though this story was quite short, it evoked emotion, and I cared about the two main characters Joachim and Herman. The ending also felt earned.
STORY 4 - The Thief (Gregg Hurwitz)
1. I was sucked into the story from the beginning ✅
2. The story had a proper beginning, middle, and end ✅
3. The writing evoked a feeling of suspense ➖
4. I was engaged the whole way through/didn't get bored ✅
5. The characters were interesting ➖
6. There was some form of character development ❌
7. The book wasn't predictable in terms of relying on tired tropes, clichés, themes, stereotypes, etc. ➖
8. I cared about the outcome of the story ➖
9. I didn't work out the ending/the ending surprised me ➖
10. The ending was satisfying ✅
🌟 Bonus points: None.
☠️ Penalty points: None.
🏅 OVERALL RANKING: 6.5/10 (3.25 stars)
I picked up this short story compilation because I have been reading the Orphan X series, and I was looking for anything else by Gregg Hurwitz. I wasn't expecting what I got from The Thief, but it was pleasantly surprising. I was kept engaged the whole way through, and the ending was incredibly satisfying.
STORY 5 - Eddy May (Theo Gangi)
1. I was sucked into the story from the beginning ❌
2. The story had a proper beginning, middle, and end ➖
3. The writing evoked a feeling of suspense ❌
4. I was engaged the whole way through/didn't get bored ❌
5. The characters were interesting ➖
6. There was some form of character development ❌
7. The book wasn't predictable in terms of relying on tired tropes, clichés, themes, stereotypes, etc. ➖
8. I cared about the outcome of the story ❌
9. I didn't work out the ending/the ending surprised me ➖
10. The ending was satisfying ➖
🌟 Bonus points: None.
☠️ Penalty points: None.
🏅 OVERALL RANKING: 2.5/10 (1.75/5 stars)
Nope I didn't like this one at all. Eddy May was easily my least favourite story in this collection. I just feel like the plot didn't flow very well, and attempts at foreshadowing the ending were both heavy-handed and confusing at times. Also, some of the things that the protagonist thinks don't line up with the ending? Whatever, it wasn't good, and and I was glad when it was over.
----------
Thoughts, Conclusion, and Recommendation:
1. The Plot (Jeffery Deaver) - 4/10 (2/5 stars)
2. Cold, Cold Heart (Karin Slaughter) - 6/10 (3/5 stars)
3. On the Train (Rebecca Cantrell) - 7.5/10 (3.75 stars)
4. The Thief (Gregg Hurwitz) - 6.5/10 (3.25 stars)
5. Eddy May (Theo Gangi) - 2.5/10 (1.75/5 stars)
OVERALL AVERAGE - 2.75/5 stars
Overall I will be giving this collection 2.75 out of 5 stars (rounded up to 3 for the purposes of Goodreads). My two favourite stories were On the Train and The Thief. Cold, Cold Heart and The Plot were fine and my time wasn't wasted reading them. Eddy May was boring and mediocre. I think that this collection is worth a read for mystery lovers, I definitely got something out of it.
April 9, 2018
First Thrills: Volume 3 - a review by Rosemary Kenny
This exciting anthology contains not only a fascinating foreword, but also a short story, The Bodyguard, by Master Story-teller Supreme, Lee Child.
I really liked this and three other stories of the total wonderful selection of experienced raconteurs who make up the whole.
The Bodyguard by Lee Child.
This is a first-person narrative by the eponymous, anonymous bodyguard, with his own PI business sounded on a wealth of experience in his pal's agency.
Anna is 22 and a rich, misanthropic beauty, based in Brazil - kidnap capital of the Western World. Her father's also mega-rich and this makes Anna a prime target - hence her hiring herself a bodyguard.
What happens after the 'inevitable' takes place and Anna's kidnapped? Why does the bodyguard leave the business soon after this case is resolved?
Cleverly and tightly-placed thriller with a twist in the tale!
The Thief by Gregg Hurwitz.
Autistic Tommy's Mom's a lush, waitress in a diner, with a lousy taste in picking losers to let into her bed and home.
Who is Bo - and why does Tommy call him his imaginary friend? What has Bo stolen? What does Tommy's Mom keep in the bottom of the wardrobe?
Where is this object now? What does Tommy ask Bo to do in the kitchen? What is shown to the police by Tommy after Bo leaves?
What goes around, comes around as they say - and for once the right person talks to Tommy about his magpie habits. An interesting surmise brought to life!
Cold Cold Heart by Karin Slaughter
Definitely good enough a twist-in-the-tail tale to be worthy of Arthur C Clarke's famous Tales of the Unexpected, shrewdly wonderful Karin Slaughter's short story should be compulsory reading for straying husbands - although maybe not quite to this extreme?
Ultra-rich divorcee Jo(h)n is dying in a not-so-nice way from cancer and rings his ex- Pam to hop on a plane across the continent [.from where she's rebuilt her life in her own humble way], on the Eastern Seaboard, to Hollywood.
What kind of business has made John rich? What dream does he promise rich clients? What happened to their son Zack that changed both their lives?
How does he intend to be remembered when he dies? What final cruelty does John inflict on Pam and what is her reaction? How does she have the last laugh?
Remember John and Lorena Bobbitt? Something tells me Pam certainly hasn't forgotten - and neither would John, if he could still talk about it!
Grab a copy of First Thrills and be prepared to be amazed and hugely entertained...a must for fans of murder-mysteries, dark comedy and tales of the unexpected and an excellent anthology that's worth every penny. Once you've enjoyed them all, tell all your friends - they'll surely thank you for the heads-up!
The Gato Conundrum by John Lescroart.
Daphne and Don Matheson are both secret agents, who meet just as the former is dying, after giving Don the password Gato and a key. Following this encounter, Don and Daphne's 'sister', Chloe are sent by handler 'Honest Abe' to face challenges and attacks galore as a test of Don's potential suitability for future black ops missions.
Where does the password 'gato' (Italian for cat) come from? How has Daphne miraculously risen from the dead? Where do Chloe and Don have a James Bond moment? Where does the nickname 'Honest Abe' originate?
Black humor is one way of putting it, but you'll have to read this little gem of a novelette to find out what happens and who has the last laugh!
This exciting anthology contains not only a fascinating foreword, but also a short story, The Bodyguard, by Master Story-teller Supreme, Lee Child.
I really liked this and three other stories of the total wonderful selection of experienced raconteurs who make up the whole.
The Bodyguard by Lee Child.
This is a first-person narrative by the eponymous, anonymous bodyguard, with his own PI business sounded on a wealth of experience in his pal's agency.
Anna is 22 and a rich, misanthropic beauty, based in Brazil - kidnap capital of the Western World. Her father's also mega-rich and this makes Anna a prime target - hence her hiring herself a bodyguard.
What happens after the 'inevitable' takes place and Anna's kidnapped? Why does the bodyguard leave the business soon after this case is resolved?
Cleverly and tightly-placed thriller with a twist in the tale!
The Thief by Gregg Hurwitz.
Autistic Tommy's Mom's a lush, waitress in a diner, with a lousy taste in picking losers to let into her bed and home.
Who is Bo - and why does Tommy call him his imaginary friend? What has Bo stolen? What does Tommy's Mom keep in the bottom of the wardrobe?
Where is this object now? What does Tommy ask Bo to do in the kitchen? What is shown to the police by Tommy after Bo leaves?
What goes around, comes around as they say - and for once the right person talks to Tommy about his magpie habits. An interesting surmise brought to life!
Cold Cold Heart by Karin Slaughter
Definitely good enough a twist-in-the-tail tale to be worthy of Arthur C Clarke's famous Tales of the Unexpected, shrewdly wonderful Karin Slaughter's short story should be compulsory reading for straying husbands - although maybe not quite to this extreme?
Ultra-rich divorcee Jo(h)n is dying in a not-so-nice way from cancer and rings his ex- Pam to hop on a plane across the continent [.from where she's rebuilt her life in her own humble way], on the Eastern Seaboard, to Hollywood.
What kind of business has made John rich? What dream does he promise rich clients? What happened to their son Zack that changed both their lives?
How does he intend to be remembered when he dies? What final cruelty does John inflict on Pam and what is her reaction? How does she have the last laugh?
Remember John and Lorena Bobbitt? Something tells me Pam certainly hasn't forgotten - and neither would John, if he could still talk about it!
Grab a copy of First Thrills and be prepared to be amazed and hugely entertained...a must for fans of murder-mysteries, dark comedy and tales of the unexpected and an excellent anthology that's worth every penny. Once you've enjoyed them all, tell all your friends - they'll surely thank you for the heads-up!
The Gato Conundrum by John Lescroart.
Daphne and Don Matheson are both secret agents, who meet just as the former is dying, after giving Don the password Gato and a key. Following this encounter, Don and Daphne's 'sister', Chloe are sent by handler 'Honest Abe' to face challenges and attacks galore as a test of Don's potential suitability for future black ops missions.
Where does the password 'gato' (Italian for cat) come from? How has Daphne miraculously risen from the dead? Where do Chloe and Don have a James Bond moment? Where does the nickname 'Honest Abe' originate?
Black humor is one way of putting it, but you'll have to read this little gem of a novelette to find out what happens and who has the last laugh!
July 24, 2017
Five Novellas With A Twist! 3.5*****
All tales hook you from the first line to the chapters end. All interesting to varying degrees. My favorite two were: the crime novelist who faked his death to venture out into poetry writing, and the child with a learning disability who help nab his mother's killer. This was the saddest, with tale about the con man Eddie being nabbed in a sting as he was shook down pedophiles by pretending to be a cop. This was a close third. My least favorite, strangely was written by my favorite authors, Karin Slaughter. Pam, Biology teacher and her dying, ex-schmuck of a husband dealing with the death of their only son. If I were Pam, I would had done what she did moments before he exhaled his last breath. This way he'll have eternity to think about her sweet revenge and the look on her face.
Great plots and story telling by some of the leading authors of contemporary literature.
All tales hook you from the first line to the chapters end. All interesting to varying degrees. My favorite two were: the crime novelist who faked his death to venture out into poetry writing, and the child with a learning disability who help nab his mother's killer. This was the saddest, with tale about the con man Eddie being nabbed in a sting as he was shook down pedophiles by pretending to be a cop. This was a close third. My least favorite, strangely was written by my favorite authors, Karin Slaughter. Pam, Biology teacher and her dying, ex-schmuck of a husband dealing with the death of their only son. If I were Pam, I would had done what she did moments before he exhaled his last breath. This way he'll have eternity to think about her sweet revenge and the look on her face.
Great plots and story telling by some of the leading authors of contemporary literature.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2017
Didn't like these stories as much as the ones in other volumes. Surprisingly, my favorite was the Jeffrey Deaver story, and I don't like his novels much.
August 5, 2017
Nice mix of short thriller stories.
January 19, 2023
Not bad, didn't really like the last story at all.
August 6, 2023
Some good some not so
January 13, 2024
Crisp short stories. I wish there were more.
September 20, 2011
The first volume was really good, and then subsequent ones have steadily gone downhill. I didn't care much for any of these stories in this volume. I am hoping the final volume will be much better.
June 3, 2015
Jesus, is it just me, or was that really depressing?
September 9, 2025
Good mix of Thriller authors, each displaying their literary strengths. This certainly encourages further exploration of each author's works.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews