The latter, starringJoel EdgertonandJennifer Connelly, is well worth checking out.
The users of book review site Goodreads are here to help.
Here are Crouch’s ten best projects, ranked by user rating.
Image by Federico Napoli
“Snowboundopens with the brutal murder of a woman named Rachel Innis on a lonely stretch of highway.
Wooden dialogue and generic plot twists kill the narrative flow, while implausible developments undermine any attempt at realism.
Characters frequently act without logic or do things that are out of character.
To put it simply,Snowboundis a failed experiment, and far and way Crouch’s weakest offering.
A significant step up fromSnowbound, this potentially supernatural tale sees Crouch playing to his strengths.
Plus, the parallel story lines in the past and present are handled well.
The book and its sequels were adaptedinto a TV seriesstarringMatt Dillonand produced byM.
Night Shyamalan, though it was short-lived.
‘“Good Behavioris another one of Crouch’s books that was adaptedinto a TV series.
She’s tough and flawed but empathetic; a compelling antihero.
Those who enjoyed the show should definitely give this book a try.
6’Locked Doors’ (2005)
Rating: 3.96/5
“People leave.
That’s the storyline, the only plot there will ever be.
However, his quiet life is shattered when bodies start turning up.
Perhaps the novel also benefits from being meta and drawn from Crouch’s own experiences as a writer.
Write what you know, as they say.
The result is an enjoyable mix of a detective story, a small town melodrama, and high-concept sci-fi.
Crouch channelsTwin Peakshere, but makes it his own.
4’Summer Frost' (2019)
“Consciousness is a horror show.”
With this novella, Crouch takes on topical issues of artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
Summer Frostis a very human sci-fi story, packing an emotional punch.
It’s got strongBlack Mirrorvibes, with a dose ofSpike Jonze’s AI love storyHer.
The story engages with many genuine questions around AI.
Will sophisticated AIs be treated as machines or as people?
What will be the nature of their experience?
Will they be less or more important than one’s flesh-and-blood loved ones?
Humanity may be grappling with such problems sooner than we think.
In this alternate world, he is a celebrated scientist who has achieved a groundbreaking discovery in quantum mechanics.
The resulting story is a smart genre piece that plays nicely on quantum mechanics.
Sci-fi fans need to give this one a try.
Behind it all is the town’s founder, David Pilcher, who conducts sinister experiments in secret.
It’s also probably the most well-rounded installment of the three.
Crouch’s highest-rated book on Goodreads is this fun and gripping riff on time travel.
His search leads him to Helena, a scientist with links to a reality-warping technology.
Here, Crouch looks at time from fresh angles (though perhaps not the most plausible ones).
Nevertheless, his story raises intriguing questions, and is bound to scratch that sci-fi itch.
Most impressively, it strikes a good balance between thoughtful and entertaining.
For this reason,RecursionandDark Matteralone place him among the front rank of the genre’s authors currently working.
It’ll be great to see what mind-bending tales he comes up with next.
NEXT:All 11 ‘Lord of the Rings’ Books, Ranked
