Abandon: A Novel

Blake Crouch

Jan 2023 · Sold by Ballantine Books

About this ebook

A century-old mystery—and a desperate battle to survive—unfold in this standalone thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter and Recursion.
 
On Christmas Day in 1893, every man, woman, and child in a remote mining town disappeared, belongings forsaken, meals left to freeze in vacant cabins, and not a single bone found.
 
Now, journalist Abigail Foster and her historian father have set out to explore the long-abandoned town and learn what happened. With them are two backcountry guides—along with a psychic and a paranormal photographer who are there to investigate rumors that the town is haunted.
 
But Abigail and her companions are about to learn that the town’s ghosts are the least of their worries. Twenty miles from civilization, with a blizzard bearing down, they realize they are not alone. 
 
The ordeal that follows will test this small team past the breaking point as they battle the elements and human foes alike—and discover that the town’s secrets still have the power to kill. 

Part journey into old-West history, part nail-biting survival thriller, Abandon is a bloody, darkly surprising tale as only Blake Crouch could deliver.
 

Ratings and reviews

I love Blake Crouch's science fiction novels, and I actually kind of expected this to be one, but it wasn't. Abandon starts out a deep mystery, and then gives way to an exciting thriller. At first I was annoyed by the repeated switch from present to past and back again, because I was so engrossed in the present story that the other just felt like an interruption, but I soon came to really enjoy both stories. I appreciated how he made the characters fully human, hero or villain, and at times the villains were even likeable. One standout in particular is Stephen Cole: someone is going to get to play him when this is made into a movie or TV show, and I'm extremely jealous about it. What a character to have the opportunity to inhabit. I took off one star because, though the story is very well told, there's not much that's too groundbreaking here. Not a criticism - it's fun - but I feel like a 5 star story changes me in some way - challenges how I think. This didn't. But I do recommend it.

Interesting story. Quite a slog to finish. It's about 200 pages too long

Engaging, but such a messed up story with so little resolution at the end

About the author

Blake Crouch is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. His novels include Upgrade, Recursion, Dark Matter, and the Wayward Pines trilogy, which was adapted into a television series for FOX. Crouch also co-created the TNT show Good Behavior, based on his Letty Dobesh novellas. He lives in Colorado.