Thicker Than Blood

The Complete Andrew Z. Thomas Trilogy

By: Blake Crouch

Narrated by: Eric G. Dove

Thicker than Blood: The Complete Andrew Z. Thomas Trilogy is now available featuring a gold mine of killer bonus features, including the never-before-released alternate endings to both Desert Places and Locked Doors, which together comprise the length of an additional novel.

Desert Places: A Novel: Andrew Z. Thomas is a successful writer of suspense thrillers, living the dream at his lake house in the piedmont of North Carolina. One afternoon in late spring, he receives a bizarre letter that eventually threatens his career, his sanity, and the lives of everyone he loves. A murderer is designing his future, and for the life of him, Andrew can't get away.

Locked Doors: A Novel: Seven years ago, suspense novelist Andrew Thomas's life was shattered when he was framed for a series of murders. The killer's victims were unearthed on Andrew's lakefront property, and since he was wanted by the FBI, Andrew had no choice but to flee and to create a new identity. Andrew does just that in a cabin tucked away in the remote wilderness near Haines Junction, Yukon. His only link to society is by email, through which he learns that all the people he ever loved are being stalked and murdered. Culminating in the spooky and secluded Outer Banks of North Carolina, the paths of Andrew Thomas, a psychotic named Luther Kite, and a young female detective collide.

Break You: A Novella: Following the events of Desert Places and Locked Doors, Andy Thomas and Violet King are hiding out in the wilds of northern Canada, where Violet has a four-month-old son and a burgeoning romance with Andy. On a cold, rainy night at their cabin in the woods, the promise of an idyllic life that seems just around the corner is shattered when a man from their past, a monster of pure malevolence, returns. What he has in store for them will challenge their understanding of evil and stretch the fibers of their love to the breaking point.

©2011 Blake Crouch (P)2014 Blake Crouch and Jordan Crouch

Better then I remembered .read these years ago on e book.

Luther Kite is one the most terrifying and believable characters that has ever been created .Crouch and Konrath should be as household names as Koontz and King.What they have created in there early work .solo and together.True fear and horror masterclass.

Graphic description of SA/Rape

Not like his other work but I love his writing so I stuck with it. I got to a graphic SA/rape scene involving pre-teen children and had to stop. Not only was it graphic, the narrator even went as far as to moan/grunt/etc as the rapist as well as speak like children for the boys involved which was disturbing. Had to pass. I know this stuff exists - this isn’t a “head in the sand” reaction. I read/listen to books for enjoyment and this was not enjoyable at all.

Well written but... yuck!

Where does Thicker Than Blood rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I will compare this book to the other Blake Crouch books I've listened to (Abandon, Run, Snowbound and the Wayward Pines books). I loved all of these books. I think Mr. Crouch is a creative and extremely skilled writer. The previous books were very dark, but there was a little redemption at the end. Thicker Than Blood was not as creative and a little too dark for my taste.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I liked the suspense of the story. Mr. Crouch created so much tension that I had to listen to the end. I did not like any of the characters very much. Also, there were some loose ends. A character hides the dates on a calendar. A striking bully is created in someone's life and goes nowhere. The antagonist is described as having been "recruited to murder" by one character and then turns out to have murderous parents.

What about Eric G. Dove’s performance did you like?

Mr. Dove did an excellent job building suspense in the story. I think the feeling was written into the book, but a good narrator really adds to the listener's experience.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I liked the peace that two wounded characters experienced at an isolated cabin the the Yukon.

Any additional comments?

There was a very clear foreshadowing in the childhood of the protagonist and his twin. Andy remembers an experience when they were little boys. They spend an entire day torturing a lizard. I should have seen how the story was going to end at that point.

That was tough at the end

My least favorite Blake Crouch book. It should have ended after the second book. The narrator did a fantastic job though.

Awesome trilogy

It was hard for me to stop listening I couldn’t wait to get back to my phone to listen to some more I find that I’m really liking just about everything that I have listened to by Blake Crouch

WONDERFULLY SICK!

"Now you just sit there and think about what CUSTOMER SERVICE MEANS!"
- Luther Kie's WalMart Training Program for Lazy Sales Clerks

Most of them need this course!

A taught, rollicking, never a dull moment Trilogy.

my initial thoughts

I'm still going through this novel but it's been a bit of a slog with this narrator and I wanted to jot down these thoughts now before I finish the story. Blake Crouch is currently my favorite author his stories have really been awesome. so I think this one might be better if it weren't for the narrator whose boring monotone causes my mind to constantly drift and I've had to rewind this damn audiobook a hundred times already when my mind drifts. he puts no inflections and it's voice no matter what is happening in the scene and he does not transition scenes effectively so it's hard to tell when one scene has changed unless there's a chapter change.

After completing the book, I was very dissatisfied with the ending again just like the previous book in the series.

Way more than five stars!!

This is probably the most terrifying set of books I have ever read or listened to, and I've read my fair share of the King himself. Had me cringing in my car, at the gym, and everywhere else I listened to it. I couldn't wait to finish it.

Hard, gritty, horrifying read

What made the experience of listening to Thicker Than Blood the most enjoyable?

It was well written but there really is no light here.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Andrew Z. Thomas even though he does some really stupid stuff but he's the only character you can really identify with. You just wish he had a little more ruthlessness. Even though he's not a New Age male he's certainly not enough of a man.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was moved negatively. It is a very dark book. Kind of hopeless, really. Whatever universe this is taking place in, I hope i never go there.

Any additional comments?

I bought this book because I really liked Pines and it is well written, only, I cannot really recommend it. It is dark, it is almost like a ritual to draw the reader into the world of the serial killer. The first two books, I guess you could get away with saying it is entertainment. But taken as a whole, the whole experience is pretty mean-spirited.

Disappointing ending

I didn't care for the ending. I don't mind sad endings but this was underwhelming