I really enjoy Dean Koontz books. This one is ok, but it really doesn't compete with so many of his others. Watchers is amazing., try that one! ( )

SERIOUS WARNING for this book: This book contains un-consented sexual activity, so descriptive murderous activity could give you nightmares or paranoia. This book has the power to mess you up. But other than that the writing is fantastic! ( )

I really enjoy Dean Koontz books. This one is ok, but it really doesn't compete with so many of his others. Watchers is amazing., try that one! ( )

A reread for me. I enjoyed the book at first but, having read this previously, I ended up skimming parts. One thing I’ve noticed when re-reading some of this author’s books is they are very much of their time regarding the violence especially pertaining to women, not that it doesn’t portray women as strong independent characters. Perhaps this was the author’s intention at the time. Sadly, I seem to find some violence a second time around off-putting, and while the plot of this book seems mysteriously enticing, it’s one I resolved early in the read so the end presented few surprises. There are many better novels from Koontz. ( )

Whispers is a tight, psychological thriller where a Hollywood writer and director is attacked by a man in her house. She fends off the first attack with a gun and his second attack with a knife, killing him in the process. But Bruno Frye doesn’t want to stay dead. First, it starts with phone calls where the caller hangs up without speaking, and then it leads to another attack. Hillary, who much like Bruno, has her own childhood issues, starts a relationship with the detective on the case, and they have to delve into the mystery of Bruno Frye.

There was good and bad in this novel. The good: The writing is tight, and there is a good bit of tension in the novel. The story moves at a fast pace and is pretty compelling. I thought the characterization of Hillary and the two detectives in the story was pretty well done. The bad: the character of Bruno Frye is a bit of a mess, and this is where the good characterization ends. This has always been Dean Koontz’s Achilles Heel, creating realistic, believable, life-like villains. In pretty much all of his novels, the villains fall short of the mark. The other bad part is that when the mystery of Bruno is unveiled, it’s an utterly convoluted train-wreck. That part of the novel lacks any level of realism and hurt the novel. On balance, there was more good than bad. If I could give it three and a half stars, I would, but otherwise this rates three stars.

Carl Alves – author of Conjesero ( )