Book Review - WAYWARD by Blake Crouch

WAYWARD
by Blake Crouch 2013, 322 pages, Thriller, Advance eBook
Publication Date: September 17th, 2013   
Re: A sequel to PINES, WAYWARD picks up a few weeks later in the mysterious and flawed town of Wayward Pines, Idaho. Without giving too much of the plot away, The new sheriff has some hard choices to make about the fate of the residents in this sleepy, isolated town in the mountains.
  Outstanding: Such a page-turner. Blake Crouch knows how to write a fun thriller. He never shies away from dirty twists, villainous villains and sneaky cliffhangers. 
  Unacceptable: I cannot stress enough how important it is to read the first book in the Wayward Pines series before reading this novel. There is a short blurb setting things up here, but you miss out on a lot if you don't read PINES. (Plus, the eBook's only five bucks, and quite enjoyable.) Beyond that, the only quibble I have is that despite the situations and history of the residents, some of their reactions seem off to me. On both extreme ends of the spectrum.
  Summary: A solid second novel in what is shaping up to be one of my favorite series of books. Quick reads, thrilling events, a fantastic sense of pacing and suspense. I really can't say too much about the bulk of the novel without spoiling things, but PINES was inspired by Twin Peaks with hints of the Twilight Zone and WAYWARD carries on the tradition, though it takes a more straightforward thriller route. It makes me anxious for the third in the series.
  5/5

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