Matchbook continues John Dempsey's unique vision of life on the edge of reason. It could also portray life on the verge of success, but John politely tasks the reader for interpretations. The truth likely resides with his sources, but in true journalistic fashion, John is protecting his sources (or maybe himself). The disquieting yet amusing quality of Dempsey's work is that readers often recognize someone they know, or even themselves in his stories. Therein lies Dempsey's talent; the ability to draw readers into a story that rekindles memories of the way things were, or the way readers always hoped things would never turn out.