Ghost towns are plentiful in the Southwest, but Abandon—an old gold-mining settlement in Colorado—is unique.  Its citizens all disappeared on Christmas Day, 1893, never to be seen or heard from again.  What could have caused 123 people to vanish into thin air, leaving food on their tables, belongings in their closets, and money in their purses?  Were they swept up to heaven in a great rapture?  Kidnapped by aliens?  Killed by savage Indians?  If they were slaughtered, why have their bones never been found? What happened to the people of Abandon?

The question has plagued people for over 100 years.  Explorers have tried to find the ghost town before but none have ever returned.  That doesn't stop a new group from wanting to make the trek.  Headed by the owners of an adventure company, the party includes two paranormal photographers, a history professor, and his journalist daughter.  Although all of them are up for the adventure, it doesn't take long to realize they're all in way over their heads.  The past has not exactly passed in mysterious Abandon, Colorado...

For such a simple premise, the one at the heart of Abandon by Blake Crouch is so very, very intriguing.  How could I resist?  Crouch excels at creating stories that are atmospheric and unsettling and this 2015 novel is no exception.  It's creepy as well as violent, bloody, and depressing.  It also features characters who are kind of blah and unlikable.  And yet, it's a riveting read.  I couldn't stop turning pages, which is saying something because Abandon has over 500 of them!  While I can't say I loved this disturbing thriller, it did keep me engrossed and entertained.  It's far from my favorite Crouch novel, but overall, I liked it.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  You?)

Grade:

Unlike in beautiful New Hampshire (top photo), where I was vacationing last year around this time, or in the stunning Columbia River Gorge (bottom photo), where I was reared, here in the Phoenix area we don't really have Fall.  Sure, the temperature will retreat back into two-digit range sometime around November, but the leaves don't really change color, there's no briskness in the air, and the homey sight of smoke drifting out of chimneys into a bright Autumn sky is not something you see here in our desert.  I miss real Fall, the kind I adored while growing up in Washington and going to college in Utah.  Since I can't experience it without taking a drive, I'll have to do it vicariously through books (like I do a lot of things).  That's where this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic—Top Ten Book Covers That Give Off Fall Vibes—comes in.  My list is a mix of titles I've read and enjoyed, Fall books I loved as a kid and had fun reading to my own children, and a few that I'm looking forward to reading sometime soon. 

If you want to join in the TTT fun, hop on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

Top Ten Book Covers That Give Off Fall Vibes   

(Note:  In 2018, Russell M. Nelson—president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—made an impassioned plea to members of the Church and to the media to always use the full and correct name of the Church instead of referring to it by its various nicknames.  This led to the renaming of many Church entities, including its famous choir, which is now The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.  Thus, I'm trying to think of a new name for my "Mormon Mentions" feature.  Any ideas?) 

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In Beyond Valor, the authors discuss how various Medal of Honor recipients react to the award, which often honors actions taken on the worst day of their lives.  On Page 96, it says:

"Some recipients have battled depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and periods of great despair and failure in civilian life.  Pvt. Thomas C. Neibaur of Idaho was the first Mormon to receive the Medal of Honor, which recognized his actions in France on October 16, 1918.  In 1939, discouraged by misfortune and unable to feed his family, Neibaur mailed his Medal of Honor and other decorations to Congress, stating, "I cannot eat them."  Within three years, both he and his wife died, and their four sons were sent to an orphanage in Michigan."

I'm not sure what to say about this except what a terribly sad story.  I did find this article about Neibaur, which gives more details about his life and military service.