“Wayward” by Blake Crouch is a science fiction thriller, the second installment in his Wayward Pines Series, and the sequel to “Pines”. The town of Wayward Pines, Idaho, is the last trace of human civilization on earth, built by billionaire David Pilcher to preserve the human race. Having discovered that Wayward Pines is a town inhabited by people suspended in animation for 1,800 years, Ethan Burke attempts to escape, survives, and is made sheriff by Pilcher – a job which Ethan reluctantly does to ensure the safety of his family. When Pilcher’s daughter is murdered, Ethan is ordered to track down the culprits – which leads him to Pilcher and his psychotic right-hand woman, Pam. Ethan then rallies the town and tells them the truth about the wilderness beyond the electrified fences which surround the town: they are meant to protect the residents, and keep the descendants of human beings – cannibalistic creatures called abbies – out. Pilcher, enraged at Ethan’s betrayal, shuts off the electrified fences and opens the gates – at which time the howls of thousands of abbies can be heard in the woods beyond the fence. Ethan knows he is in serious trouble as the novel ends.