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Abandoned
Every time James Sutton gets close to someone, it ends in disaster. He’s abandoned at birth by his parents, at nine by his best friend Alex and his dog Trixie, at eighteen by his girlfriend Donna, and at thirty when his adoptive father commits suicide and leaves James alone . . . again.
On a rare warm day in January, James witnesses a man suffer a heart attack. The paramedics arrive in minutes and whisk the man away, failing to see the pair of glasses lying on the ground where the man collapsed. For James and his abandonment issues, this will not do.
It’s time for a little payback on behalf of everyone—and every thing—that has ever been neglected or discarded. James is going to set things right one body part at a time.
“Dan Foley knows the hard that the darkest of monsters reside within the human heart. Abandoned is just plain scary—the kind of horror that’s made all the more terrifying because it could be true.” ~ Charles R. Rutledge, co-author of BLIND SHADOWS and CONGREGATIONS OF THE DEAD
“A deliciously macabre dark comedy that serves as a reminder of just how close we all can be to the brink of insanity.” ~ Peter N. Dudar, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of A REQUIEM FOR DEAD FLIES and WHERE SPIDERS FEAR TO SPIN
“If the measure of a man is his mind, Dan Foley inhabits a world of horrors that is otherwise unoccupied. Abandoned grabs you from the very beginning and doesn't let go. This one will stay with you long after the last page has been turned.” ~ John Valeri, HARTFORD BOOKS EXAMINER
“. . . an inventive and sympathetic exploration of the extreme effects of rejection and isolation. Although there are hints of Fowles’s THE COLLECTOR as well as Lindsay’s Dexter, this book is all Dan Foley. Abandoned is an exciting portrait of a man struggling to reconcile his cravings for belonging with his urges for bloody retribution. It shows . . . that Foley clearly has heart—maybe several of them—in jars on his desk.” ~ Bracken MacLeod, author of MOUNTAIN HOME and STRANDED
On a rare warm day in January, James witnesses a man suffer a heart attack. The paramedics arrive in minutes and whisk the man away, failing to see the pair of glasses lying on the ground where the man collapsed. For James and his abandonment issues, this will not do.
It’s time for a little payback on behalf of everyone—and every thing—that has ever been neglected or discarded. James is going to set things right one body part at a time.
“Dan Foley knows the hard that the darkest of monsters reside within the human heart. Abandoned is just plain scary—the kind of horror that’s made all the more terrifying because it could be true.” ~ Charles R. Rutledge, co-author of BLIND SHADOWS and CONGREGATIONS OF THE DEAD
“A deliciously macabre dark comedy that serves as a reminder of just how close we all can be to the brink of insanity.” ~ Peter N. Dudar, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of A REQUIEM FOR DEAD FLIES and WHERE SPIDERS FEAR TO SPIN
“If the measure of a man is his mind, Dan Foley inhabits a world of horrors that is otherwise unoccupied. Abandoned grabs you from the very beginning and doesn't let go. This one will stay with you long after the last page has been turned.” ~ John Valeri, HARTFORD BOOKS EXAMINER
“. . . an inventive and sympathetic exploration of the extreme effects of rejection and isolation. Although there are hints of Fowles’s THE COLLECTOR as well as Lindsay’s Dexter, this book is all Dan Foley. Abandoned is an exciting portrait of a man struggling to reconcile his cravings for belonging with his urges for bloody retribution. It shows . . . that Foley clearly has heart—maybe several of them—in jars on his desk.” ~ Bracken MacLeod, author of MOUNTAIN HOME and STRANDED
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 17, 2016
I blurbed this book. Here's my opinion in full:
Daniel Foley’s ABANDONED is an inventive and sympathetic exploration of the extreme effects of rejection and isolation. Although there are hints of Fowles’ The Collector as well as Lindsay’s Dexter, this book is all Daniel Foley. ABANDONED is an exciting portrait of a man struggling to reconcile his cravings for belonging with his urges for bloody retribution. It shows in this work that Daniel Foley clearly has heart… maybe several of them… in jars on his desk. Keep your eyes out for Dan Foley!
Daniel Foley’s ABANDONED is an inventive and sympathetic exploration of the extreme effects of rejection and isolation. Although there are hints of Fowles’ The Collector as well as Lindsay’s Dexter, this book is all Daniel Foley. ABANDONED is an exciting portrait of a man struggling to reconcile his cravings for belonging with his urges for bloody retribution. It shows in this work that Daniel Foley clearly has heart… maybe several of them… in jars on his desk. Keep your eyes out for Dan Foley!
June 6, 2016
There is twisted and macabre, and then there is Dan Foley's twisted and macabre. In ABANDONED, he has taken the Frankenstein trope and made it all his own. Along with the nasty bits, he has a clear sense of the all-important 'I' in the world of crazy.
This is not a book for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach. It hovers somewhere between the world of psychological horror and the ever-popular thriller. At the same time, it is a character driven study of the human condition. There is something palpable about the deranged main character that might evoke a twinge bordering on sympathy until he commits his next gruesome act.
Although this is not a mystery in the classic sense of q whodunit, several police departments have a hard time putting all of the crimes together. Foley's writing style is direct and to the point, so that you can see how the clues will eventually piece together. There are no unnecessary McGuffins leading you down the garden path. The only thing I didn’t see coming was the very end.
Abandonment issues are the central theme here. How does a woman deal with having given up her son? And how does that son deal with being adopted? That's as close to a spoiler as I can do. Oh yes, from now on, never leave anything behind.
Dan Foley sent me an ARC to read and review
This is not a book for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach. It hovers somewhere between the world of psychological horror and the ever-popular thriller. At the same time, it is a character driven study of the human condition. There is something palpable about the deranged main character that might evoke a twinge bordering on sympathy until he commits his next gruesome act.
Although this is not a mystery in the classic sense of q whodunit, several police departments have a hard time putting all of the crimes together. Foley's writing style is direct and to the point, so that you can see how the clues will eventually piece together. There are no unnecessary McGuffins leading you down the garden path. The only thing I didn’t see coming was the very end.
Abandonment issues are the central theme here. How does a woman deal with having given up her son? And how does that son deal with being adopted? That's as close to a spoiler as I can do. Oh yes, from now on, never leave anything behind.
Dan Foley sent me an ARC to read and review
August 12, 2016
So creepy! Jars...jars..
August 8, 2020
A very interesting and original take on a serial killer
If you like fast paced gritty crime stories this is definitely for you
Well narrated and highly recommended
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
If you like fast paced gritty crime stories this is definitely for you
Well narrated and highly recommended
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
August 3, 2016
When I finished reading this book literally all I could think was "wowie wow!" It was such a mind-blowingly, epically good story through and through that all i can really say is "wow." I had fallen in love with Foley's writing style since reading "Intruder" and "Death's Companion," but "Abandoned" kicks things up to another gear! This book is a wild horror ride that you know you should probably put down in order to save yoursef from nightmares but you just can't. My eyes were almost literally glued to the page each time I picked up this book (although I did have to make sure not to read it while eating or right before bed). The characters Foley creates are intensely compelling and you end up caring deeply for each and every one of them, including sick and twisted James!! If you are not faint-hearted and enjoy yourself some sick, twisted, deliciously thrilling horror, this is definitely the book for you.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews