Jed Allen has been experiencing intermittent bouts of amnesia ever since awakening from a medically induced coma following a severe car wreck. Usually the memory loss lasts only a few minutes, occasionally as much as an hour or two, and then it all comes back to him. This time is different -- the amnesia isn't going away! As Jed tries to figure out who he is and what he's all about it becomes increasingly clear that he doesn't much like the picture of himself that's coming into focus.

It's an interesting premise that never really amounts to much. The biggest problem is that there isn't much in the way of suspense. I believe the theme the author was going for was something along the lines of the grey areas on the edges of right and wrong but because the main character is more or less a blank slate there's not much to build that on. There is no real tension and the plot twists are pretty easy to see coming... In fact, the longer it takes the character to figure out a few of the more (painfully) obvious clues the less "realistic" the whole thing becomes.

A thriller without thrills.

I liked this story of a man trying to piece back his memory. I always think that is an intriguing plot, and it worked in this book. It was a good pace, and the main character was good.

Keith Houghton is good at streamlined twisty,suspense. While Houghton's writing is not the most sophisticated in the field, he is a master at concocting interesting plots that keep the reader guessing. Good vacation read.

This is the first book I have read from this author, and it will be the last. The main positive about this book was that it was not very long. Poor plot, minimum character development, poor depiction of amnesia, too many parts that did not fit together very smoothly. The ending made no sense in relation to the character's amnesia. This was a very generous three star rating.

First, I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for a copy of this book. Crash was an interesting contrast in what we think we know about ourselves and what we actually are. When we meet Jed, he has no memory of anything about his life except coming to at his desk at work. We quickly learn that this is due to his amnesia he slips back to in times of stress. All Jed really remembers is a woman named Cassie and presumed they are in a loving, committed relationship. There’s only one problem, Jed can’t find any trace of Cassie. Neither at his “lake house” nor in any of his contacts. To make matters worse, Jed finds a blood stained dress and a knife in his car. Worried for her safety, Jed reports Cassie missing at his local police department. While digging around, the detective handling Jed’s case can’t find any record of Jed at the address Jed thinks he lived at. It seems everyone knows what the old Jed was like, including his best friend and business partner and his psychological neuro scientist Doctor who also claims is his girlfriend. Jed remembers none of them but from the things these people tell him, Jed doesn’t think he likes the old him one bit. Enter shady drug dealers, business deals and the Central Park slasher at the same time things to be going from bad to worse. Who is Jed? Does he even want to know? Can a zebra truly change his stripes? Well written. An author I’ll be sure to read more of!

The main context of this story with an amnesic patient trying to find the truth about his past life and feeling horrible for the decisions he had once made, was a bit less surprising after binge-watching Dark Matter.

Crash has quite a few plot lines but that’s where it fell flat because at some point (almost for two-thirds of the story) it had a lot going on and nothing seemed to be progressing, it was only intriguing. Now, it’s one thing to be intrigued and another to be frustrated for not getting answers. Jed Allen wakes up one day at his desk only to not have any memories whatsoever. Like any other amnesic patient, he decides to uncover his past life but is deeply disappointed with the decisions he had made--immoral dealings, drug intake, and a number of inhumane acts.

All this would’ve been sufficiently interesting, thrilling, and propelling but when there’s a serial killer added to the scene, too, it’s evidently over-the-board. In addition to the numerous things going on at the same time, there are scenes that could easily have been cut-off to shorten the story and bring it straight to the point (or allow it to stick to the point). Unnecessary action is my pet-peeve and this one hit right at home...not in a good way. Overall, this was a fine read but nothing too impressive.

Crash" is a very intriguing, cleverly written and very original novel. Following a car crash resulting in intermittent bouts of total memory loss, the crash "victim" (Jed) is accompanied by the reader in parallel in their joint re-discovery of what actually happened, who the crash "victim" really is and what he does. Events as they steadily unfold are not at all what were expected. The author's writing style is quite fast-paced, very articulate, extremely concise and clear, and the plot is plausible and realistic. The discovery of the truth leads both the crash victim and the reader through many very original and surprising twists to an eventual understanding of actual events.It is a voyage of discovery for both and a real page-turner to arrive at the final "understanding".... yet with one final and unexpected gentle twist right at the end. It is thoroughly recommended as an intelligent, articulate, well expressed and very original approach to a "who dunnit" (or in this case a "who / what am I"). Buy it - you will be totally absorbed by it!

I was really pleased by this entertaining novel. I appreciated the multiple layers to all the characters and I am in awe of Kevin Houghton's ability to manipulate my connection to the characters so that I kept switching loyalties. I had a definite love/hate relationship from chapter to chapter. The pacing of this well plotted novel was even and on the fast side. I didnt fell compelled to read straight through, but I DID feel impelled to finish. If you like characters that straddle the line between bad and good, and a story that twists and turns often, Crash will likely be your type of read - as it definitely was mine. I will look for more from this talented author. I think Crash might be a strong book discussion selection because of the strong feelings it evoked in me about the characters and what that said about me as a reader.

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You wouldn’t think the author could get as much mileage as he does from someone’s memory loss, but he does. In the first third of the book, not much is happening as the stage is set for the story, but he’s definitely keeping me wanting to read more.

There are two storylines going on, and I can’t imagine how they’re going to be connected. We have Jed Allen, the amnesiac, and Arnold Seltzer in their separate accounts. Curiosity on my part is flourishing.

In the second third of the book, suspense is building regarding Jed’s intermittent amnesia. I can feel his frustration at not knowing his life, rather acquiring more questions than answers. The story is keeping me very interested and is also keeping me wondering where this is going. I’m wondering, who is Cassie and who is doing all the murdering.

The last third of the book pulls it all together, leaving me with no unanswered issues. This is a psychological drama, if ever there was one. It toyed with my head in a good way. Well done, Mr. Houghton. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This book was okay, It's always helpful to have inept police officers who don't mind letting things go and sometimes hammering over the same stuff gets a bit tedious but the twist at the end helped.

Jed Allen is the senior partner in an architecture firm in New York. His life has all the elements for happiness ie love, a rising star and comfortable until the car crash while spying on his girlfriend. This leaves him with intermittent amnesia and next to no knowledge of his life prior to the accident. The more he finds out about his past the less he likes himself. The amnesia limits his ability to relate to normal life and gives him the conscience he lacked before. He knows one thing and that is Cassie is his girlfriend but where is she? At the same time as he searches for her women are found murdered by a killer dubbed the Boston Park slasher.
Police arrest him partly based on a statement supplied by Gary his business partner and childhood friend. Under duress, Jed confesses and incarcerated for the crimes.
It was only towards the end you find out how Arnold Seltzer fits into the storyline and what a surprise twist, one of several in the story.
I was almost 100% certain who the killer would be and when confirmed did a mental YES! In no way at all did this detract from my enjoyment of a great read.
This will make you consider if someone can really change? Does it start all over again…one drink, one smoke or one more photo? What a very interesting concept and written in a way you cant break loose until the final page.
I consider this would almost be described as a psychological mystery thriller and one many will enjoy as much as I have.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a digital copy of this book via Netgalley. A great read and thanks for the opportunity to provide a review.

Utterly fabulous! I couldn't put it down nor did I want it to ever end. Incredible reading. This guy can write! I don't wa t to put any spoilers in here, just a recommendation. To all of you out there looking for a great read, this one is it! Ten stars!

a book that unfolds, you get to share a journey of what it must feel like to loose your memory, never getting to the truth until the excellent finale with a lesson that we never lose all our flaws,

Jed was involved in a car accident which resulted in a brain injury causing intermittent bouts of amnesia. The story begins with Jed waking up in his office and having no idea who (or where) he is. And so begins the slow, and sometimes rather confusing unraveling of the truth. Jed is a very wealthy architect who is apparently preparing to sign an important contract with the Chinese. He goes home in search of support from his girlfriend, Cassie (according to the photo in his wallet). But when he arrives home, she is nowhere to be found. Jed tries desperately throughout the novel to untangle his life and find out the truth behind his business dealing and his personal life. Unfortunately, the more he discovers, the more he doesn't like about himself. He starts to wonder if he is capable of horrible things and if he can change his future for the better.

There was a lot going on in this novel. Some of it, I believe, was a bit much...perhaps even unnecessary. I suppose the author was trying to build a picture of the real Jed before diving into the intended plot. Jed tries to figure out what is going on in his life amidst corrupt business dealings, illegal drug use by him and his colleagues, and confusion over the identity of his true girlfriend. All of this is taking place with the backdrop of a serial killer roaming the streets.

I just couldn't get into this book. It finally became intriguing at about 85 percent through the book, but it had all but lost my interest by then. I was also really turned off by the club scene with the Chinese. I thought it was way too drawn out and the drugs had little to do with the story. I'm sure this book will get better reviews with a different audience, but it just wasn't for me.

I received this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley.com, to Thomas & Mercer, and to Keith Houghton for this opportunity.

A good read. Although this did have a few dry spots, it was still an enjoyable read. The twist wasn't totally unexpected. Enjoyed it.

The introduction to this book drew me in and made me curious,unfortunately the rest of the story did not live up to the intro. It took far too long to get to the point although there was a twist at the end.

An after-Christmas gift from Netgalley that kept me up all night. Jed Allen wakes up at his desk one day not knowing who he is, where he lives or what came before that moment in time in his life. He does see a note on his computer reminding him he has intermittent bouts of amnesia. Nine months prior he was in a car accident and that caused the amnesia. He uses the navigation system in his car to try and piece together his life. But things just keep getting worse and what is usually temporary amnesia seems to be taking up permanent residence in Jed’s brain.

I loved this book. I had no idea Keith Houghton, the author, was British until I read it in his Acknowledgements at the end. I couldn’t put this thriller down and it make me want to read more of Houghton’s books. If you enjoy thrillers, this is a must-read for you.

A very unusual mystery with a surprise ending. I admit i skipped over a lot of the narrative because it was boring and i wanted to get to the action and learn the solution to a very confusing situation.

Who Am I? I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Crash is a psychological thriller written by Keith Houghton and published by Thomas & Mercer, Seattle in 2018. The book begins with a stage-setting Prologue that introduces us to Jed Allen, the protagonist. Cassie, the love of his life, is introduced in Chapter One. They are in New York during the winter, and during a January blizzard. Somewhat incongruously, there is hail falling, even though hail in America is associated more with summertime thunderstorms, while sleet or ice pellets are more usually found in blizzards of snow. Perhaps the author is not familiar with such harsh weather. In any case, because of the icy roads, there is a major accident, and it affects the lives of both Jed and Cassie. This is the crash from which the novel takes its title.

Jed receives a head injury that results in a condition known as “intermittent amnesia.” He passes out for short periods, and when he awakes, he can remember nothing at all of his previous life before he had passed out. Nothing! Sometimes the periods of amnesia last only seconds, but they had been growing into longer and longer periods of time. Jed is being treated by Dr. Merrick, and she has prescribed several medications for him. They do not seem to be working very well, and when mixed with the alcohol and recreational drugs favored by Jed and his business colleagues, he has a tendency to hallucinate.

Jed’s childhood friend, Gary Quartucci, is his partner in a high-end, but small, Wall Street architectural firm. They have been working for two years on a mammoth project for Xian Airlines for a new headquarters building in Shanghai, China. The building will be more than a thousand feet tall, and will be shaped like a giant elephant’s tusk. Jed and Gary have traveled to China, and have entered into a gentlemen’s agreement with the CEO of the airline, and with his senior executives, to proceed with the project. The Chinese have now traveled to New York to close the deal and sign the contracts. That’s when things begin to really go wrong.

During this same period, a serial killer nicknamed by the news media as the “Central Park Slasher” is hunting women in Central Park killing them and cutting up their bodies before dumping them in a remote site near Jed’s boyhood home of Pleasantville, NY.

When Jed wakes up with his head on his desk, it is another lapse into amnesia. This time, however, the period of amnesia seems permanent, and Jed cannot remember anything about his life before his most recent plunge into amnesia. He is left to learn on his own who he is, and what he has done. He is surprised and dismayed by some of the things he discovers. But he is determined to turn his life around and do the right thing. He is haunted, however, by his unsuccessful search for Cassie. He seems to be just missing her, and her calls. Dr. (Sarah) Merrick is helping, of course, but the problem is more complex than either of them realizes. Then . . . there is another murder in Central Park and the developments really begin to cascade. Jed learns some things that shock him, and he soon has to explain a lot to the police, to Sarah, and to the FBI.

There are plenty of plot twists that will keep the reader guessing in this very well-crafted thriller. Inconsistencies, when seen at all, are minor. Editing is of high quality with almost no errors being found (except one or two small ones). The story is intense and better than I expected. I liked this book and would recommend it to readers of the genre.