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Thorn City: A Novel Kindle Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 34 ratings

Suspected murder, eclectic food trucks, and artisanal cocaine: just another day in Thorn City.

It’s the night of the Rose City Ripe for Disruption gala—a gathering of Portland’s elite. Dressed to kill in sparkling minidresses, best friends Lisa and Jamie attend as “paid to party” girls. They plan an evening of fake flirtations, karaoke playlists, and of course, grazing the catering.

Past and present collide when Lisa stumbles across Ellen, a ruthless politician who also happens to be Lisa’s estranged mother. Awkward . . . When Lisa was sixteen, Ellen had her kidnapped and taken to the Lost Lake Academy—a notorious boarding school for troubled youth.

To make matters worse, Lisa’s boyfriend Patrick crashes the party to meet his new boss—Portland's food cart drug kingpin.

These unfortunate encounters spur Lisa into making a fateful choice that traps her, Jamie, and Patrick in Ellen’s web.

As earth-shattering secrets are revealed, will they survive Ellen’s schemes or be sacrificed to her blind ambition?

Editorial Reviews

Review

Told from the point of a diverse cast of characters, THORN CITY is both endearing and gripping, providing an intimate portrait of Portland to new and nostalgic fans alike. If you are looking for a cityscape for your beach read this summer, this book is for you.
—JODY GERBIG, The Big Thrill Recommends

The cast of characters is full of interesting personas who clash and interact with each other in tense and engaging ways, and they can never quite escape each other, no matter how hard they try over the course of the story. It is those character interactions that will keep readers turning the pages.
—Michael Costanzo of City on the Moon

Delightful and heartfelt, Thorn City whisked me through the streets of Portland and twist after twist of a perfectly plotted thriller! This debut delivers a satisfying meal better than any Michelin-starred food truck.
— Elle Marr, Amazon Charts bestselling author of
The Family Bones and The Alone Time


The rich backstories of these wealthy characters make them come alive. Come to the party for the secrets and gossip. Stay to see if they survive the mayhem.
— Cate Holahan, USA Today bestselling author of
The Widower's Wife


Pamela Statz simultaneously celebrates and gleefully skewers her hometown of Portland, Oregon, in a delightful, madcap thriller with enough punchlines and plot twists for half a dozen novels. Thorn City's larger-than-life cast—from ambitious, amoral city executives to sweet but wayward twenty-somethings, from a struggling ad man to a chameleon-like tattoo artist—keeps the comedy and tension unwaveringly high, against a backdrop of hipster food cart pods, boutique ad agencies, and the hallowed corridors of City Hall itself. Portland truly is weird, and every page of this fast-paced, hilarious debut sparkles.
— Emily Raymond, bestselling co-author, with James Patterson, of
Expelled, The Girl in the Castle, and Tell Me Your Best Story


Statz delivers a sneaky and addictive gem by captivating readers in this cleverly written thriller.
In Thorn City, appearances are not what they seem. Those holding corrupt power will kill to keep their secrets safe and maintain status in Portland's high society.
— Erica Blaque, Author of
Among Wolves


With an insider's eye, Statz takes the reader through the nuanced underbelly of the City of Roses. This debut page-turner is a terrific addition to your crime fiction shelf.
— Suzy Vitello, Author of
Faultland and Bitterroot


Thorn City captures exactly what's special about Portland, from the ubiquity of our food carts to the ever-present undercurrents of social and geological upheaval. Still, the characters and their struggles are universally relatable — and so realistically written that I wouldn't be surprised to run into them one day at a mayoral event, kebab stand or local emergency room!
— Jennifer Hanlon Wilde, Author of
Finding the Vein


Pamela Statz has weaved an intriguing novel with a cast of characters to love and root for, and those to love to hate! A complete immersion into the Portland culture, Thorn City, is a complex, and twisty ride that unveils its multiple layers of lies and secrets at a perfect pace, not letting go until the very last page. Bravo!
— Mary Keliikoa, Author of award-winning
Hidden Pieces and Deadly Tides


A page-turning romp with Portland at its center, Thorn City is part who-dunnit/part coming-of-age saga with city politics, tech bro culture, economic disparities and drug dealing thrown in to round out the experience. A fast-moving, thoroughly enjoyable read.
— Margaret Juhae Lee, Author of
Starry Field: A Memoir of Lost History

About the Author

Pamela Statz grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, the twelfth of thirteen children. She attended UW Madison earning degrees in Journalism and History. With four duffel bags and her goldfish Lucrezia swimming in a mason jar, Pamela flew to the West Coast at the cusp of the dot-com boom and never left. She’s worked in media and advertising in San Francisco and Portland for Lucasfilm, WIRED, Nike, and Wieden+Kennedy. She currently splits her time between Portland and Manzanita, Oregon, with her husband Justin Graham and their giant dog Hooper. Thorn City is her first novel.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CNVQVPKR
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ooligan Press (May 14, 2024)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 14, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1324 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 348 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 34 ratings

About the author

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Pamela Statz
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Pamela Statz grew up in Wisconsin and attended UW Madison earning degrees in Journalism and History. Pamela has worked in media and advertising for Lucasfilm, WIRED, Nike, and Wieden+Kennedy. She currently splits her time between Portland and Manzanita, Oregon, with her husband Justin Graham and their giant dog Hooper. “Thorn City” is her first novel. Connect at pamelastatz dot com.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
34 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2024
    The author brings to life a thrilling story settled in the trends of Portland. I found the book delightfully written and easy to binge-read.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2024
    I picked up this book because I live in Portland, OR and I've been wanting a good thriller. I was also drawn in by the fact it featured the food scene, as I had recently watched the movie "Pig" with Nicholas Cage, which was also set in Portland! This book was an easy read, and I don't mean that it was "simple." The author took time to set up scenes, characters, and the roles they play in this story. Everyone in this novel feels like someone I could have met before, with strong dialogue and plot that made this story feel like a crime/drama TV show playing in my head (which is probably why I finished it in one night). Every chapter propelled the story forward flawlessly, nothing felt unnecessary or filler-like. I was quite frankly shocked that this was a debut novel, so I hope Ms. Statz decides to put out more because she has an instant fan out of me.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2024
    Title: Thorn City
    Author: Pamela Statz
    @pamelastatz
    ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 3.75/5
    No spice

    Tropes:
    Chosen Family
    Mystery/Thriller
    Mob vibes
    Strong Female Friendships

    Triggers:
    Murd€r
    Hidden identity
    Parent loss
    Substance/alcohol use and @buse

    Whitney’s Thoughts:
    I read this book in one day—I was really invested in the story and wanted to know what was going to happen! There are a lot of characters and that was a little hard to follow and made for some super fast pacing. I think I would have really loved it more if the book focused just on Lisa and Patrick instead of all the major players so much. This is a compelling first novel and was a good read!
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2024
    The plot twists and turns, surprising and engaging the reader throughout. Plus, it's difficult to avoid really liking (or despising!) the main characters as they are so well-developed. I'm hopeful that there will be a sequel.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2024
    Really enjoyed this first novel by Pamela Statz. The characters, situations and relationships have been expertly crafted, and the pacing is perfect. Leaves the reader wondering what comes next …. hopefully a sequel!
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2024
    I loved reading this book set in Portland. I'm not sure I'll look at food cart pods the same again. :) It had humor, suspense, good character development and twists and turns I wasn't expecting. It was such a fun weekend read! I can't wait for future novels.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2024
    Having lived in Portland for 23 years, I especially enjoyed the local humor wrapped inside the dark mystery. It's a quick and engaging read—hard to put down and perfect for my recent travel days. A delicious debut novel, I'm looking forward to her followups. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good, fast-paced story with fun characters and mystery. It had me chuckling and wishing my flight was just a little bit longer, lol. I decided to sit at the baggage claim so I could finish it.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2024
    Loved the fast pace of this thriller. Has my favorite mix of humor, drama mixed with a few nice twists. The friendship between Lisa, Jamie and Patrick feels very real, as does the tension between Lisa and her mom. The sense of place is really strong too. I'm adding the restaurants (the ones that are real anyway!) to my go to lists! Really enjoyed it!

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