Death Match

Everyones looking for the perfect match, a life-long partner, and Lewis and Lindsay Thorpe have found theirs, thanks to hi-tech matchmaker Eden Inc. But when the happy couples life together ends in what looks like a double suicide, Eden Inc. has some explaining to do. So they hire forensic psychologist Christopher Lash to figure out what went wrong. And then another perfect match ends in death... From the Paperback edition. From Booklist When it comes to merging innovative technology with a bizarre murder mystery, few writers do it better than Child. In Utopia (2002), supercomputers ran roller coasters in a high-tech theme park. Here, a state-of-the-art computer dating system, run by Eden, Incorporated--a Microsoft-size corporation--takes center stage. For a mere $25,000, a single person can find a life partner using Eden's flawless matching system. And it's guaranteed, though not one customer has ever requested a refund. When the match is 100 percent, the lucky pair is dubbed a "supercouple," and the subsequent marriage is the envy of all the world. But when one such supercouple is found dead by double-suicide, Eden quietly hires ex-FBI forensic psychologist Christopher Lash to investigate what led to such a tragic end. Lash can't resist the hefty fee, so he reluctantly puts his own private practice on hold, only to discover that his investigation of the supercouple has awakened ghosts from his own past. A second supercouple double-suicide puts Lash and Eden management in a panic. The unusual subject matter blended within the framework of a typical police procedural results in a fun, twisted psychological ride. Mary Frances Wilkens Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved Review Slick, sophisticated entertainment, as well as a cautionary tale about artificial intelligence. Washington Post Impeccably in tune with the times. Entertainment Weekly Child conquers the complexities of artificial intelligencefueling the plot with material usually comprehensible only to technogeeks. People Speeds toward a suspenseful conclusion. The Commercial Appeal (Memphis)Fans of head-spinning 70s thrillers like The Stepford Wives or The Boys From Brazil will want to input this baby right away. . . . Fascinating.... A techno-thriller that cares as much about the heart as it does about the hardware. Mystery Scene Pure entertainment. The San Jose Mercury News From the Paperback edition. A "cautionary tale about artificial intelligence" ( Washington Post ) that is almost too frighteningly believable not to be real—from the internationally acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling thriller writer Lewis and Lindsay Thorpe were the perfect couple: young, attractive, and ideally matched. But the veil of perfection can mask many blemishes. When the Thorpes are found dead in their tasteful Flagstaff living room (having committed double suicide), alarms go off in the towering Manhattan offices of Eden Incorporated, the high-tech matchmaking company whose spectacular success, and legendary secrecy, has inspired awe around the world. The Thorpes, few people knew, were more than the quintessential happy couple—they were Eden’s first perfect match. A short time later, Christopher Lash, a gifted former FBI forensic psychologist, receives an urgent plea from Eden to perform a quick—and quiet—investigation into the deaths. Lash’s psychological autopsy reveals nothing suspicious, but inadvertently dredges up the memories of a searing personal tragedy he has kept at bay for years. The situation changes suddenly when a second Eden couple is found dead—by all appearances, another double suicide. Now Eden—particularly Richard Silver, the company’s brilliant and reclusive founder—has no choice but to grant Lash unprecedented access to its most guarded secrets if he is to have any chance of determining what is going wrong. The hidden world he discovers is a stunning labyrinth of artificial intelligence, creative genius, and a melding of technology that does indeed, to Lash’s surprise, deliver on Eden’s promise to its clients: the guarantee of a perfect, lifelong mate. But Lash’s involvement in the investigation becomes more personal and dangerous than he could have imagined, nearly as soon as it begins. Infused with relentless suspense and tremendous imagination and skill, Death Match is master thriller writer Lincoln Child at his best. Don't miss Lincoln Child's new thriller, Chrysalis! A "cautionary tale about artificial intelligence" ( Washington Post ) that is almost too frighteningly believable not to be realfrom the internationally acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling thriller writer Lewis and Lindsay Thorpe were the perfect couple: young, attractive, and ideally matched. But the veil of perfection can mask many blemishes. When the Thorpes are found dead in their tasteful Flagstaff living room (having committed double suicide), alarms go off in the towering Manhattan offices of Eden Incorporated, the high-tech matchmaking company whose spectacular success, and legendary secrecy, has inspired awe around the world. The Thorpes, few people knew, were more than the quintessential happy couplethey were Edens first perfect match. A short time later, Christopher Lash, a gifted former FBI forensic psychologist, receives an urgent plea from Eden to perform a quickand quietinvestigation into the deaths. Lashs psychological autopsy reveals nothing suspicious, but inadvertently dredges up the memories of a searing personal tragedy he has kept at bay for years. The situation changes suddenly when a second Eden couple is found deadby all appearances, another double suicide. Now Edenparticularly Richard Silver, the companys brilliant and reclusive founderhas no choice but to grant Lash unprecedented access to its most guarded secrets if he is to have any chance of determining what is going wrong. The hidden world he discovers is a stunning labyrinth of artificial intelligence, creative genius, and a melding of technology that does indeed, to Lashs surprise, deliver on Edens promise to its clients: the guarantee of a perfect, lifelong mate. But Lashs involvement in the investigation becomes more personal and dangerous than he could have imagined, nearly as soon as it begins. Infused with relentless suspense and tremendous imagination and skill, Death Match is master thriller writer Lincoln Child#160;at his best Lewis and Lindsay Thorpe were the perfect couple: young, attractive, and ideally matched. But the veil of perfection can mask many blemishes. When the Thorpes are found dead in their tasteful Flagstaff living room (having committed double suicide), alarms go off in the towering Manhattan offices of Eden Incorporated, the high-tech matchmaking company whose spectacular success, and legendary secrecy, has inspired awe around the world. The Thorpes, few people knew, were more than the quintessential happy couple -- they were Eden's first perfect match. A short time later, Christopher Lash, a gifted former FBI forensic psychologist, receives an urgent plea from Eden to perform a quick -- and quiet -- investigation into the deaths. Lash's psychological autopsy reveals nothing suspicious, but inadvertently dredges up the memories of a searing personal tragedy he has kept at bay for years. The situation changes suddenly when a second Eden couple is found dead -- by all appearances, another double suicide. Now Eden -- particularly Richard Silver, the company's brilliant and reclusive founder -- has no choice but to grant Lash unprecedented access to its most guarded secrets if he is to have any chance of determining what is going wrong. The hidden world he discovers is a stunning labyrinth of artificial intelligence, creative genius, and a melding of technology that does indeed, to Lash's surprise, deliver on Eden's promise to its clients: the guarantee of a perfect, lifelong mate. But Lash's involvement in the investigation becomes more personal and dangerous than he could have imagined, nearly as soon as it begins.With tremendous imagination and skill, master thriller-writer Lincoln Child renders a setting too frighteningly believable not to be real. Infused with relentless suspense and a riveting pace, DEATH MATCH is Child at his best.