The Treehouse: A Thriller

by Andrew J. Brandt

"The next Stand By Me." - Dusty Boyd, CBS Radio
"Big praise...a good read." - Anthony Pittman, ABC7 Amarillo
Read the international bestselling debut from Andrew J Brandt, author of The Abduction of Sarah Phillips and the upcoming novella collection Triptych.


In the woods that butt up against their quiet east Texas town, middle schoolers Lucas, Elijah and Tyler have spent the last three months building a secret treehouse. On the first night of spring break, they sneak out to finally spend the night in the finished project. Things quickly turn nightmarish when they witness a man bury a body just a few yards from their perch above the forest floor.


High school junior Allison Hanes isn't allowed to have a boyfriend, but she sneaks out at night to spend time with Brandon, a senior boy who plays on the varsity baseball team. On one of these occasions, their midnight rendezvous is interrupted when she and Brandon witness a man dump a body in the trunk of a car. Unable to tell their parents what they've witnessed or where they were, the boys decide it's up to them to catch the killer, in fear that he may strike again. However, his next victim may be close to home and they quickly discover themselves, and their loved ones, in the killer's crosshairs.


The debut novel from author Andrew J. Brandt, THE TREEHOUSE offers a page-turning coming-of-age affair of murder and mystery in the quiet town of Henderson, TX. Fans of The Goonies and Stranger Things will both rejoice and tremor in fear as the characters are pursued by a killer whose motives remain an enigma.

Genres: Suspense

238 pages, Paperback

Published July 5, 2019

About the author

Andrew Brandt is an entrepreneur, speaker, and author whose creative journey took an unexpected turn—from crafting bestselling thrillers to rediscovering purpose through process.

After publishing a string of successful young adult and adult novels, including Palo Duro, Picture Unavailable and Mixtape for the End of the World, Andrew found himself creatively exhausted and burned out. What began as a love of storytelling became a pressure-filled grind. He stepped away from fiction, unsure if he would return.

In the years that followed, Andrew built a thriving business repairing phones and laptops across West Texas, while also raising his daughter and rethinking his personal definition of success. But the itch to create never fully left. This time, it came back with clarity, discipline, and a new sense of direction.

That rebirth became PUSH: Embrace Process to Unleash Your Potential, a deeply personal and practical guide to building a sustainable creative life. Drawing from his own highs and lows, as well as insights from neuroscience, Stoic philosophy, and elite performers, Andrew invites readers to stop chasing inspiration—and start showing up with intention.

When he’s not writing or running his shops, you can find Andrew rucking through his neighborhood, reading on the porch, coaching fellow dads, or sharing insights with his growing community of intentional creatives.

Reviews

[Abby Jimenez]

The following review was written by my 14 year old daughter:

When I was told about this book, I was hesitant to read a thriller. I adore murder mystery TV shows, being a lover of all things scary, but have never loved a book of this genre. All of my preconcived notions of thrillers was tossed out the window after I was hooked on the first couple words of this masterpiece. Beautifuly written, and as a teenager, I find that the main chracters were very relateable and did some of the same things that I did. Once I started reading this "Who done it?" I didn't put it down once. I will definitely read this over and over. Thank you, Andrew, for making this amazing book that will haunt me forever (in the best way ever)

[Carla DeFrance]

I had to wait awhile to read this book

I loved the story. I couldn't put it down. I devoured it in one day. It was fast paced and exciting. I am looking forward to more books by Andrew N Brandt. I highly recommend anyone to read and enjoy.

[picasso]

simple writing, effective theme, and solid vibes.

okay, some major stranger things similarities here which played into my enjoyment. a nancy and mike wheeler sibling relationship, people going missing, and some parents who seriously need to get a hold on their daring children. the ending was super wholesome (i want pizza and a treehouse now).

i can't really rate this more than a three due to its length, style of writing, and lack of more development (plotwise/world). characters are somewhat stereotypical, though for this story i found it fitting.

[Sherry Philyaw]

Great read! I couldn't put it down until it was finished!

I didn't know my friend was an author until I saw his .post on Facebook. I wasn't sure what to expect, but what a pleasant surprise. Great story, and I couldn't put it down until I turned the last page! I remember when I was Allison's age and life was carefree. What a change between them and now. Take the time to read this one. You won't be sorry!

[Reba Thomas]

“I’ll just read one chapter before bed.” Escalated very quickly into finishing the book at 2am. Although it’s marketed as “young adult” I enjoyed it at 30, and could relate to the adventurous young boys, the rebellious teens, and the worried parents. Although it was fiction there was no point in the book where I thought “there’s no way that would happen”. It does cover a scary reality of our society, but does end well.

[Cathy]

My first Andrew J. Brandt book. Quick read. Aimed toward YA, it tells of 3 preteen boys, who have built a treehouse and are spending their first night there. They hear someone and watch as he buries, what they think is a body! And that's just the beginning. Should they tell and get in trouble or keep their mouths shut and see what happens??
Quick read!

[Rustin]

It is a great book. You should read this book.

[Garp]

Didn't know it was a middle grade book when I started it. That's fine, but it through me off. It is a page turner and the characters are believable. But it was a bit predictable and had a weak ending.

[Corie Grubbs]

Not the best but worth the read

Don't get me wrong, it definitely drew me in and had me wanting to know what was going to happen next but some of the story was somewhat predictable. Still a good read though.

[Andrew Monroe]

Fun, interesting suspense with a great ending!

[Sugaindra Kumar]

Story never once went dull, was on track all the times. Liked the short chapters which made easier to start from where stopped. Good read.

[Kyle Reddoch]

Great read! Full of suspense and mystery. My friend Andrew sure know how to write a good thriller.

[Jeremiah Cunningham]

In the woods that butt up against their quiet east Texas town, middle schoolers Lucas, Elijah and Tyler have spent the last three months building a secret treehouse. On the first night of spring break, they sneak out to finally spend the night in the finished project. Things quickly turn nightmarish when they witness a man bury a body just a few yards from their perch above the forest floor.

High school junior Allison Beaker isn't allowed to have a boyfriend, but she sneaks out at night to spend time with Brandon, a senior boy who plays on the varsity baseball team. On one of these occasions, their midnight rendezvous is interrupted when she and Brandon witness a man dump a body in the trunk of a car. Unable to tell their parents what they've witnessed or where they were, the boys decide it's up to them to catch the killer, in fear that he may strike again. However, his next victim may be close to home and they quickly discover themselves, and their loved ones, in the killer's crosshairs.

In completing this book, I have read everything that Andrew J. Brandt has published. To say the least, I am a huge fan of Brandt's writing and the approach he takes with his novels. I knew going in that The Treehouse was his first book and likely would not be quite as high level as say his most recent work, Palo Duro, but I enjoyed this one tremendously despite that.

My favorite aspect of this book was how Brandt explores the theory of The Bystander Effect. The basic idea behind the Bystander Effect is that people fail to intervene because of the presence of others. Most often this surfaces as people witness a crime or bullying and fail to intervene. They often think others will intervene that are more qualified or worry about their own safety if they intervene. Brandt explores this concept by having witnesses to a crime that do not want to intervene because they are worried about the reactions of others. It is a twist on the Bystander Effect but it is a very poignant twist for the world we are currently living in and really had my mind exploring this concept.

One consistent aspect in reading Brandt's work is that I enjoy his characters tremendously. I always find them to be well developed, but it goes beyond being developed. The characters in his novels feel like real people. After teaching middle school for most of my ten year teaching career the three boys were exactly like students I have had. The combination of being brave in their own way and yet blindly stupid in their decisions was exactly what I would expect for boys entering seventh grade, especially when together.

Overall, while this novel is not as polished as more recent works by Brandt, it is absolutely worth the read and a delightful listen as well.