A TASTY SERVING OF MEAT LOAF: BAT OUT OF HELL edited by DON BRUNS

Writer Don Bruns serves as an editor on a unique anthology series. He takes a famous rock album and has authors pick one of the song titles for a story. Previously, he utilized Hotel California and Back In Black. He drew inspiration for his latest from Meat Loaf's rock opera, Bat Out Of Hell.

Three authors use series characters for their stories. Andrew Child kicks things off pitting Jack Reacher against bikers for the title story. It reads like an entertaining condensed version of a Reacher novel. Rick Bleisweiss' creates a prequel to his Pignon Scorbio & the Barbershop Detectives for"You Take The Words Right Out of My Mouth" It plays to fans of traditional and historical mysteries and told with a comedy of manners style. The editor uses "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad" for his latest character, New Orleans police detective Quentin Archer as he works a burglary/homicide involving voodoo and some interesting jewelry. Bruns deftly packs what could be an entire cop novel into an engaging and atmospheric short story.

Two writers I've been curious about contribute. John Gilstrap created a tale of couple stranded in the woods and hunted by a pissed off country boy out of "All Revved Up With No Place To Go". Gilstrap finds a way to be both harrowing and humorous in the action suspense yarn. The mother-son team that make up Charles Todd use "For Crying Out Loud" to tell a poignant and heart-rending piece about a World War One officer who has lost more than his leg. Both stories gave me insight to the respect these people have earned.

Bruns enlisted three other authors, all different from one another. The biggest discovery for me was Dave Bruns with his high octane, hard boiled depiction of a biker war "Follow The Pack". It's a gritty, tough guy tale of dust and bad man and Brun gives a fun wink to the the story that follows. C.J. Kudlacz kicks of the first line that hooks you and reels you in with his black comedy noir about family in "Final Notice". Heather Graham wraps up the collection with a suspenseful tale of a being trapped on a boat with dangerous smugglers in "Hot Summer Night."

Bat Out of Hell gave me what I want from a genre anthology. I caught up with a favorite or two, got a taste of some authors I've been meaning to read, and made some discoveries. I look forward to seeing what Don Bruns pulls out of his record collection next.