.25 stars for the blurb on the back of the book. The book itself gets a zero.

I only read this because I needed something to read at work.

My biggest issue: the writing. It was barely mediocre. And because it was that bad everything else tanked. Not that the characters were interesting. Everyone existed just to be killed. I swear. Meet a character, a few pages later they die. And if you're going to kill nearly everyone, just go on and kill everyone.

This book could also have been half the length it was. And the switching back and forth was so pointless. Leave us in the dark for some things. It makes for a better read. And there was just too much going on that was unnecessary and had no purpose. And for being extremely detailed for most of the book the ending was sure rushed. I mean, really. On trial for murder and then found not guilty? It was too pat.

I suppose this was supposed to be horror but it felt like a sixth grade attempt that failed pathetically. ( )

Page Turner

Read this in one night, absolutely could not put it down.
I agree with some that it is not realistic and there are a few holes in the story; however when I read it is for pleasure and I can overlook small inconsistencies. If I want realism i read non fiction. Great read! ( )

This has such a creep factor because of the nonchalance. I haven't encountered this since Richard Gardner's "Deadly Partnership." But at the end of "Abandon," I wanted to wash my hands or maybe take a shower. I felt dirty.

Well then, I guess the book did its job. It was a horror book and I was horrified. Five stars! ( )

Abandon is richly described and full of action. The twists kept me guessing and the dual timeline narrative gave me two books for the price of one. It's a solid, entertaining, yet gruesome read. ( )

I would really appreciate if whoever writes jacket summaries would stop insinuating supernatural story elements when the author has clearly written none into the story. Well, aside from a randomly placed storyline involving paranormal photographers that really comes to nothing. It is dishonest to try to court the horror crowd when you are really touting a suspense/thriller.

As for the story itself, it's rather overwrought and convoluted. There are timeline shifts, Marines turned mercenaries, father/daughter hardships, dead children, paranormal photographers, dying mining towns/ghost towns, a blizzard, betrayals, bad guys who refuse to die, murders, insanity, the voice of God, the mysterious disappearance of an entire town of people, and Spanish gold. I'm sure I missed a few things. Yet with all of that, the plot itself felt formulaic. If there were twists and turns, you could see them coming from a mile away. There are a few moments of beauty in the narrative. Any time someone has a chance to reflect upon his/her swiftly closing death, the character produces some lovely thoughts about the afterlife (excepting one character). Unfortunately, those few fleeting moments don't make up for the rest of the bloated story. ( )