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Abandon: A Novel Paperback – Unabridged, January 3, 2023
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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.
- Print length464 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBallantine Books
- Publication dateJanuary 3, 2023
- Dimensions5.18 x 0.96 x 7.97 inches
- ISBN-100593598520
- ISBN-13978-0593598528
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Gloriously twisting.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Mind-blowing.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Action-packed and brilliantly unique.”—Andy Weir
“Relatable and unnerving.” —USA Today
“Jet-propelled.”—NPR
“Wildly entertaining.”—AV Club
“Masterful.”—Harlan Coben
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Abigail Foster stared through the windshield at the expired parking meter. Her fingers strangled the steering wheel, knuckles blanching, hands beginning to cramp. This had all seemed like such a good idea a month ago back in New York when she’d pitched the article to Margot, her editor at Great Outdoors. Now, on the verge of seeing him for the first time in twenty-six years, she realized she’d done herself the disservice of glossing over this moment and the fact that she’d have to walk into that building and face him.
Her watch showed five minutes to seven, which meant it was five to five, Mountain Time. She’d sat in this parking space for twenty minutes, and he was probably about to leave, thinking she’d decided not to come. The hostess showed her toward the back of the brewpub, which at five in the afternoon stood mostly empty. Peanut shells littered the floor, crunching beneath the heels of her black pumps, and the reek of brewing beer infused the air with a yeasty sourness. The hostess held the back door open and motioned to the only occupied table on the patio.
Abigail stepped outside, smoothed the Cavalli skirt she’d paid way too much for last year in Milan.
The doubt resurfaced. She shouldn’t have come. No story was worth this.
He sat alone with his back to her at a west-facing table, with the town of Durango, Colorado, spread out before him in its high valley, specked with the bright yellows of cottonwood and aspen, enclosed by pine-wooded hills and bare shale hills and, farther back, the spruce forests and jagged peaks of the San Juans.
The sound of the patio door banging shut caught his attention. He looked over his shoulder, and at the sight of her, slid his chair back from the table and stood—tall, sturdy, wavy silver hair, dark blues, and dressed like something out of Backpacker magazine—plaid Patagonia button-up shirt tucked into a comfortable pair of jeans, Teva sandals.
She felt that knot constricting in her stomach again, noticed his left hand trembling. He seized the chair he’d been sitting in to steady it.
“Hi, Lawrence.”
She knew he was fifty-two, but he’d aged even better than his photo on the history department’s website indicated.
No handshake, no hug, just five seconds of what Abigail ranked as the most excruciating eye contact she’d ever held.
Easing down into a chair, she counted three empty pints on the table, wished she’d had the benefit of alcohol to steel herself for this meeting.
She rifled through her purse, found her sunglasses. It was Halloween, and though the air carried a chill, at this elevation the intensity of direct sunlight made it pleasant to sit outdoors.
“I’m glad you came,” Lawrence said.
A waiter costumed as a hula dancer approached the table.
“Want a beer, Abigail?” Lawrence asked.
“Sure.”
“They have a bunch of different—”
“I don’t care. Something light.”
He said to the waiter, “Bring her a Rock Hopped Pale.”
“Right on.”
The whistle of a steam-powered locomotive blew somewhere up the valley. Abigail saw the plume of smoke in the distance, heard the chugging palpitations of the valve gears as the train steamed south through the heart of town.
“I don’t have any backpacking gear,” she said.
“Scott will outfit you.”
“Who’s Scott?”
“Our guide.”
The silence, uncomfortable as it came, crawled under her skin. “Pretty town you have here.”
She couldn’t help thinking this didn’t feel anything like she’d imagined it would. Having run countless versions of this moment through her head, they’d all carried more gravitas. She would scream at him. She’d hit him. They’d break down and cry together. He’d apologize. She’d accept. She wouldn’t. Now she understood none of that would happen.
They were just two people sharing a table, trying to limp through the awkwardness.
“I’m curious,” she said. “All this time, and now you contact me.”
“I’ve followed your journalism career, subscribe to all the magazines you contribute to, and I thought this . . . expedition . . . might be good fodder for your—”
“But you haven’t been interested in helping me since I was four years old.”
Lawrence slugged back the rest of his dark beer, stared at the mountains, wiped the foam from his beard.
Abigail said, “That came out more angry than—”
“No, it’s fine. You’ve got standing to be as angry as you want.”
“I’m not, though.”
The patio door opened and the waiter returned with Abigail’s pint and another round for Lawrence.
When he’d left, she raised her glass.
“Lawrence,” she said, “here’s to our past. F*** it.”
He grinned. “That easy, huh?”
“We can pretend.”
They clinked pints and Abigail sipped her golden beer.
“So why’d you come?” Lawrence asked. “To be honest, I never expected a response to that email.”
“Funny, I was just sitting out in the car, building the nerve to walk in here, and trying to answer that question for myself.”
The sun ducked behind the mountains and Abigail shivered, the rocky slopes and snowfields blushing with alpenglow.
Product details
- Publisher : Ballantine Books; Unabridged edition (January 3, 2023)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 464 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0593598520
- ISBN-13 : 978-0593598528
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.18 x 0.96 x 7.97 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #135,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,894 in Psychological Fiction (Books)
- #5,214 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)
- #12,060 in Suspense Thrillers
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Blake Crouch is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. His novels include the New York Times bestseller Dark Matter, and the internationally bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, which was adapted into a television series for FOX. Crouch also created the TNT show Good Behavior, based on his Letty Dobesh novellas. His latest book is Recursion, a sci-fi thriller about memory, and will be published in June 2019. He lives in Colorado.
To learn more about what he is doing, check out his website, www.blakecrouch.com, follow him on Twitter - @blakecrouch1 - or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/blakecrouchauthor
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the story suspenseful and interesting. They enjoy reading it and find it an enjoyable page-turner. However, some readers feel the violence level is excessive and graphic. Opinions differ on the writing quality - some find it well-written and talented, while others mention antiquated language and phrases.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the story engaging and suspenseful. They appreciate the author's skill in interweaving the two stories and switching between them smoothly. The plot is well-crafted with unexpected twists and turns that keep readers hooked until the end. The characters are believable, complex, and aptly portrayed as isolated coal towns.
"Abandon is the aptly titled novel about an isolated coal town that saw all of its residents disappear one Christmas Eve, over 100 years ago...." Read more
"...I thought that the interspersed flashbacks worked especially effectively because they served as an explanation of what was only being speculated at..." Read more
"...The plot was a good one, though I didn't like how the story kept jumping from the original inhabitants to the modern day - it was distracting, and..." Read more
"...This book is suspenseful, mysterious, patient, psychological, and tinged with a good measure of adrenaline. Bravo, Mr. Crouch." Read more
Customers enjoy the book. They find it suspenseful and entertaining to read, with a good time travel aspect. The adventure, mystery, and ghost story are intertwined in an engaging way.
"...All that notwithstanding, it was entertaining to read and deserving of 3 1/2 stars. Those who enjoy Clive Cussler would enjoy this book, too...." Read more
"This book is brilliant. From a literary perspective, this is so far my favorite of the four Blake Crouch novels I’ve read thus far...." Read more
"...At times the writing was beautiful, stark, vibrant and gripping...." Read more
"...Heck, the author has gotten published and is making money - can't argue with that success!..." Read more
Customers find the book engaging and suspenseful. They find it thrilling and never boring. The story keeps them hooked and engrossed, with timelines that keep them moving forward. The ending is satisfying and refreshing for readers.
"...Crouch is a master at painting a scene and setting the mood...." Read more
"...suspenseful, mysterious, patient, psychological, and tinged with a good measure of adrenaline. Bravo, Mr. Crouch." Read more
"...kept jumping from the original inhabitants to the modern day - it was distracting, and without good character development, it was hard to remember..." Read more
"...By the middle of this book, I was hooked and completely engrossed...." Read more
Customers find the book engaging and keep them turning the pages. They say it's a great read that breaks their normal reading patterns.
"...Very well written and edited, this offering will keep you turning the pages as you move through its body toward the conclusion...." Read more
"...The reader is actively engaged in following the respective characters and the corresponding action...." Read more
"...I really enjoyed the format of the book where we are learning the history of Abandon both in past and present tense alternately...." Read more
"A page turner, but very dark. A lot of action, hostile nature, hostile men...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality. Some find it well-written and edited, with a talented writer's literary style, pacing, narration, and characters. They enjoy the author's way with words and the suspense never let up. Others mention confusing lingo from the 1800s and archaic language of the old west. The author adds small details at awkward times, instead of when they should first be noticed.
"...The author gives small tastes without revealing too much and I always felt like I wanted to continue reading to find out what the ultimate mystery..." Read more
"...The literary style, the pacing, the narration, and the characters are all reminiscent of McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian.”..." Read more
"...you will surely run into unfamiliar names for gadgets and antiquated turns of phrase...." Read more
"...With this book Crouch has, IMO, taken a huge step in the quality of his writing and it seems very purposefully so...." Read more
Customers have differing views on the character development. Some find the plot and characters well-developed, engaging them in their stories and exploring the parallels between the two eras. Others feel it's confusing to keep the characters straight, and the bad guys are over-the-top and unbelievable.
"...The characters are well thought out, and while many are unlikable, they're all completely believable and intriguing...." Read more
"...inhabitants to the modern day - it was distracting, and without good character development, it was hard to remember who the characters were or what..." Read more
"...I was also caught up in the individual stories of the characters and what motivated each of them to explore Abandon...." Read more
"...The 1800’s characters are so beautifully complex. The modern characters too to some extent but not as much so...." Read more
Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it acceptable, quick, and smooth. Others feel the story drags at some points and feels disjointed.
"...But as the intensity picks up, the transitions become swifter...." Read more
"...The pace gets faster and faster until the very end, which is as satisfying as it is shocking...." Read more
"...In other words, the story at times seemded fractured, disjointed, and sometimes contradictive...." Read more
"...The plot is interesting and moves quickly. Toward the end of the book I was anxious to finish but didn't want the book to end...." Read more
Customers find the book contains excessive violence and gore. They describe it as graphic and brutal, with some finding it pointless. The focus on gore and deaths wears thin over time, leaving little scares.
"...you can call it that, was the significant amount of detailed and excessive violence, which is just a matter of personal taste...." Read more
"...Sadly, I was wrong. This is not a story about ghosts, demons, unleashed dormant monsters or supernatural massacres...." Read more
"...Especially to people who like to read horror-thrillers. The gore level is pretty high. The cursing can be predictable...." Read more
"...There is a pervading sense of dread and mystery and suspense, and they all meld together beautifully to blow you away with the ultimate conclusion..." Read more
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What a rollercoaster!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2016Abandon is the aptly titled novel about an isolated coal town that saw all of its residents disappear one Christmas Eve, over 100 years ago. Author Blake Crouch deftly weaves a fascinating story between two worlds - historic Abandon, and the present day venture into that town.
In the present, we have a hodge podge group made up of a historian, a journalist, some paranormal photographers, and two wilderness guides; all with their own motivations for visiting the deserted ghost town, some more forthright with their intentions than others. In the past, we are seamlessly transported into the world of a harsh and gritty mining town at the end of the 19th century. Crouch really did his homework, and the authenticity of the era and rough landscape just pours off the page. You might want to keep a dictionary handy, for you will surely run into unfamiliar names for gadgets and antiquated turns of phrase. But none of the confusion over terminology detracts from the beautifully thorough storytelling.
Crouch is a master at painting a scene and setting the mood. I often became completely lost in his words and had no trouble imagining myself in the locations and situations his characters were put in. He does a remarkable job with pacing as well. Early on, the shifting between past and present is pretty well spaced out. But as the intensity picks up, the transitions become swifter. I read the final 30 pages at a fever pitch, desperate to find out how it would all end.
The characters are well thought out, and while many are unlikable, they're all completely believable and intriguing.
My only complaint is that I felt some of the tying up at the end felt rushed and incomplete. But the very final scene of this book was truly heart rending and something that will haunt me forever.
Abandon isn't a ghost story, but it is a story about ghosts. It is filled with greed and cowardice, of tragedy and regret, of sacrifice and determination. It strips human nature to its very core and explores what we're really made of. In the end, this book was nothing like I thought it would be, and for that I am truly grateful.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2016Abandon opens in the year 1893 with an eerie scene in which a mule driver wanders into the town searching for his missing brother, only to find the mining community completely deserted. This is an odd occurrence since his last stop to Abandon only a week before revealed a town populated with hundreds of people. The scene ends rather shockingly and catapults you into modern times where we are introduced to a brand new cast of characters. All of these characters, for different reasons, decide to embark on an expedition into the ghost town in an effort to discover exactly what caused every man, woman, and child in the town to seemingly fall off the face of the earth. Abigail Foster is a freelance journalist who comes to Abandon to meet up with her long-estranged father Lawrence, a history professor at a local university. Lawrence has been obsessed with the mystery behind the disappearance of the town of Abandon for decades and convinces Abigail that accompanying him on an expedition would make a great story, as well as give them a chance to perhaps heal some animosity that exists between them. Tagging along with Lawrence and Abigail are a psychic and paranormal photographer husband and wife team who lost their child at a very young age, as well as two tour guides hired by Lawrence to lead them through the deserted town. Was there a supernatural component connected to the disappearances? This is just one of the many questions that the expedition team has to face as they embark on their journey. As the story unfolds, we are periodically sent back to 1893 and to the events leading up to the incident so that the reader can essentially experience what the characters during that time experienced. These flashbacks also serve to give us incremental clues as to the potentially dark secrets that put the town on a collision course with disaster. As Abigail and the others conduct their expedition of Abandon, they only begin to scratch the surface of a sinister past that has its roots in the once-prosperous goldmine, when they are violently interrupted by a group of armed men who are also interested in the town for very different reasons. Who are these men and why are they so interested in Abandon? Couple this conflict with a snowstorm that is closing in on the area and the possibility of ever finding out what occurred over a century ago is placed in immediate peril. Blake Crouch has truly delivered a winner of a thriller with Abandon. This is a uniquely multi-layered thriller where just when the reader feels comfortable in assuming that they know what is going on, the author sweeps you back to the 1893 storyline where those assumptions are tested and put into doubt. I thought that the interspersed flashbacks worked especially effectively because they served as an explanation of what was only being speculated at in the modern storyline. It is a real balancing act when using this type of method for a book, but Mr. Crouch pulled it off incredibly well. The author gives small tastes without revealing too much and I always felt like I wanted to continue reading to find out what the ultimate mystery was. I was also caught up in the individual stories of the characters and what motivated each of them to explore Abandon. These are truly human stories that everyone can relate to and prevented the book from being just an "empty" thriller. My only criticism, if you can call it that, was the significant amount of detailed and excessive violence, which is just a matter of personal taste. Just know going in that Mr. Crouch describes every agonizing detail of the bad things that happen to each character. If this does not bother you, then dive into this story because you will definitely be rewarded for your investment. All in all, Abandon by Blake Crouch is a superb thriller wrapped in the mystery of a town that one day simply ceased to be. Going along for the ride to unlock this mystery is half the fun and lends an intriguing storyline to a tremendously entertaining thriller. Abandon is highly recommended for both mystery and thriller fans alike.
Top reviews from other countries
- john dunningReviewed in Germany on May 29, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, Nice Price
Came relatively fast and was a good price.
- Kindle CustomerReviewed in India on August 3, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars This one you cannot Abandon
Full of Twists and turns. Switch between past and present keeps the interest and once started it is difficult to keep off. Awesome read!
- Satisfied ReaderReviewed in Canada on April 2, 2017
4.0 out of 5 stars The first part of the book dragged on I felt, but then the roller coaster gathered speed and the ride was on. involved in prese
The first part of the book dragged on I felt, but then the roller coaster gathered speed and the roller coaster ride was on.
The parallels of the characters involved in present day and yesteryear was intriguing and the story was gritty exactly where the needed was presented.
The "happily ever after " bogs down a great story so should a reader require that softness, perhaps another selection would be preferable.
Enjoyed the book and will certainly watch for more from this talented author.
- PeterReviewed in Australia on May 16, 2017
4.0 out of 5 stars Stick with Abandon - a good read
I looked through all the reviews before deciding to buy this book. I agree with some that it did have an element of predictability, but I actually liked a number of the characters, even the bad ones!. The plot (is there one?) escalates and possibly goes too far. But, this book is not short of adrenaline action. I was also surprised that I quite liked the two time periods - they contrasted sufficiently coherently to not lose me - a plus! The flash backs had some some very believable characterisation and plot lines. I also liked the little elements in the writing, the hiking equipment and banter. The fly fishing stuff. Was it necessary for so much micro detail? I thought these little bits of information or observation added a subtle dimension to this novel.
- AshraeReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 2, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
I had finished my current read and had a spare few minutes before starting my chores so I thought I'd just have a start of this book - you know, just the first few chapters, get a feel... Well, several hours later I'm half way through the book and the house is still a mess... I don't know what it was about this book but I simply whizzed through it. There is a fair bit of description which I don't normally like but the whole tone of the book was so visual that there was a perfect balance between the description and the story.
The story is told in two separate threads. One set in 1893 the other in 2009. These two threads run in parallel, as we find out things from the past, these are reflected in the story in the present and vice versa. This parallel storytelling is also, for much of the story, true for the geography/setting of the book. I found this to have been very cleverly worked out and probably contributed to the almost seamless switching between past and present.
The characters were also very well described and fleshed out. There were ones I liked, more I disliked, some I even felt sorry for. There was a whole cast, even some of the smaller characters had important roles to perform, and they all came across to me as totally credible.
Again, this is a book of multi-genre. It's a little bit Western, Action, Thriller, Mystery, etc etc.. but never at all did it feel "jack of all trades" to me. I am not a fan of categorising or pigeon holing books tbh.
Although I have seen the dramatisation of Wayward Pines, this is the first Blake Crouch book I have actually read. I have in the past been put off by the size of the books, but if the rest of them are as quick and easy for me to read as this one was, then I will definitely be reading more by this author.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.