Review for Dessert places By Blake Crouch

Hello all. Okay so I am actually reading thicker then blood which is the book that has all three Andrew Z books in it. It is in sections per book which is cool Mr. Crouch still made it multiple books but all under one cover. So this is my review of the first book under the cover Thicker then blood, Dessert Places. This book is so easy for the reader to immediately fall into. Andrew Z is a unique character and when the story really gets going (which doesn’t take long) it’s one of those can’t put down reads. This is the first time I am reading Blake Crouch by himself without J.A. Konrath. So Andrew Z gets a letter from an unknown saying he has a body buried on his property with incriminating evidence both on the body and in Andrews house. This starts off the action. Andrew literally sets his life on hold to take care of this mess. He is in fear of this person going to the cops and telling them about the incriminating Evidence. Little does he know that is the least of his worries. He follows the persons instructions to the tee except he does bring a gun with him. When Andrew finds out that this person is his own twin brother Orson it really makes the story more riveting for the reader. I have read Orson on one other occasion in the serial killer uncut book. Also I guess I was wrong now that I think of it I did real a novella of Blake’s called Bad girl about one of my favorites of his serial killers Lucy.

Anyway Andrew’s brother seems harmless at first besides the fact that he killed someone and framed his brother for the murder. In his own twisted way it was his way of getting his brother out to his cabin in the dessert for some education. I found that interesting. Only the educating Orson was showing Andy was not what andy was expecting at all. Andy quickly finds out his brother is not only a serial killer but also a killer called the heart surgeon. Andy with a lot of  blackmail is led to do things he never thought he was capable of. This first story in the book really pushes the envelope on the family ties that hold these two now almost estranged brothers. Orson finally lets Andy go but andy can’t keep his secret to himself and ends up telling his best friend and neighbor walter about all that had occurred in the dessert. By doing this he sets into motion a bunch of things that lead up Andy and his best friend Walter planning to kill his brother.

When orson is not a serial killer and hunting his next victim he is a professor at a college in Vermont by the name of David. Andy breaks into his twins house and ends up hiding in a closet due to orson coming home unexpectedly. He sits in the closet while an unsuspetcing female avoids being orisons next victim. When orson is dead asleep Andy comes out of the closet and drugs his twin up with some Ativan. Though the medicine works Orson before the full effect takes place manages to get at andy and bust his face up. Andy calls his best friend walter and they together get Orson into the car to take him to the burial spot they had picked out. Things go very wrong here and lets just say that Orson is not the one that ends up in the hole.

This also sets off a whole bunch of other events Andy pissed and frankly not very right with himself makes some bad decisions that land him and his brother out in the dessert in a snow storm trapped in this twins car. The end of this was not what I expected which by the way is so awesome. And what is more awesome is that there is a hyper link to view an alternate ending (very Cool.) I however have not read it. I did just finish that part of the book and have to page back a ways to get to the hyper look but I am looking forward to reading it. I don’t want to spoil the Book for you so I m not going to telling you anything of the ending of this book. I highly suggest this book so far from what I have read in this series. Blake is inventing and wicked with his way of thinking. leaves the reader saying How in the hell does he come up with this stuff. 🙂 As a writer myself I strive for that when people read my book also. I am no where near Blake’s caliber but one day I sure hope to be.

Okay so thats it for now. I hope you all enjoyed this review and I will be back when I have finished with Locked Doors which is the next in this series.

UPDATE: Okay so I read the alternate ending and When Blake Crouch said it was  literal Mind F**K He was sure not joking. If you get dessert places or Thicker then Blood be sure to check out the alternate ending WOW is all I can tell you without giving it away. I am pleased with the ending they published tho because the only thing wrong with the alternate ending was that it wouldn’t of left it open for another Andrew Z book. Okay I have already started Trapped doors and when I am finished I will have my review up. 🙂

Toodles

TTFN.

Crissy