Pines

I immediately liked the premise of Pines by Blake Crouch. It had a definite X-files vibe. The main character reminded me of Mulder. In this case Agent Ethan Burke is sent to Pines, Idaho to find and retrieve two agents that have gone missing. Shortly after his arrival, Ethan wakes up in a hospital with no i.d. and no idea how he ended up there. As he begins to explore the town, things don't seem quite right. There is a secret in Pines and none of the inhabitants seem too willing to talk. The town seems to be stuck 50 years in the past. No smart phones. No internet. And yet, the inhabitants seem to get along just fine. As hard as Ethan tried to escape, the more entrenched he becomes in Pines.

The mystery unravels slowly, but keeps you interested and intrigued. I could visualize the story as though it were a TV show. In fact, as I was reading I kept thinking that it should be a TV show, which eventually did happen.

I found the first story in the series to be really good. It had an intriguing and engaging story. You secretly hope Ethan can find a way to escape while also learning the town's secret. The first story does leave you hanging, so there are two more books in the series.