Dean Koontz is one of my favorite authors and has been since I was in my early teens. I have more of his work on my shelves than any other author (which isn’t hard since he is a prolific writer). And one of the things that I love most about him is that every book is very different from the last, going places an average person of myself couldn’t conjure up on the best of days. I tell you all of this because it pains me to say what I’m about to say.

I didn’t like this book.

And I’ve never not liked something by Dean Koontz. Some stuff I’ve been crazy in love with, some stuff I thought was great, but I’ve never disliked something he’s written. But, I have to say again:

I didn’t like this book.

And there are a number of reasons for that. To begin with, while I haven’t read everything he’s written, everything I’ve read has had some sort of eerie, supernatural bent to it, some aspect that was otherworldly, outside the realm of normal human experience. Not so in this book. While I do read mysteries and thrillers, I come to Koontz for an unusual reading experience, so this critical element being absent was a bit disappointing.

The book could have been 200 pages shorter and would have been much improved. It felt like half the book consisted of descriptions of surroundings, properties, furniture, generally mundane crap that in no way enhanced or informed the story itself. And within those descriptions, there was a strong element of trying too hard, of attempts at purple prose, that instead came off more pretentious than pretty.

The final straw was how much politics and fearmongering bled into the overall story. I like political books. Or books that incorporate politics. But I feel like there are a contingent of people who want us to believe that this is a time unlike any other, that we should all be afraid, that the world has become a terrible place, worse than it has ever been, none of us are safe, and we should all prepare ourselves to fight to survive or acquiesce and give away our rights to those who know better. That is not a sentiment I share, it not a perspective I endorse, and I think the last thing we need right now is more people telling us that things are more desperate than they are. And frankly, I’ve never gotten such a strong sense of this perspective from Koontz’s work before or I wouldn’t be reading his new stuff anymore. I certainly won’t be reading the next in this series, and I’ll do a bit of research before picking up anymore of his future work.

It pains me to write this review, as it would any fan. It is not reflective of his previous work. And really, that’s part of the problem: this didn’t feel like Koontz to me. I get that author’s grow and change and their work does as well, but this book left me disappointed and frankly, really irritated. Really. Irritated.

I’ll cross my fingers that something wonderful is coming in the future. Like maybe the final book in the Moonlight Bay trilogy that I’ve been waiting about seven million years for?

Koontz has created a fascinating new character in Jane Hawk. She's sympathetic, determined, hardened yet vulnerable. I predict there will be many more books with her adventures.

This, as with most Koontz books, requires a healthy dose of 'willing suspension of disbelief' yet no matter how outlandish some of the story is, Koontz makes it believable.

There's plenty of action in this book as well as hold your breath suspense and more than a few instances of "oh no!!" A very entertaining read.

I received Dean Kootnz latest novel The Silent Corner for an honest review. In Dean Kootz latest novel The Silent Corner, proves to be a thriller, page turner, full of twists and turns. FBI agent Jane Hawk finds her husband dead after committing suicide, and even a bizarre suicide note with the simple sentence "I very much need to be dead". Heart broken, and knowing of how her husband was really like, does not believe the scene that she walked into. Jane sets off on a quest to find out the truth of what truly happened, and as she does some highly connected people would rather have stop what she doing, and will stop at nothing to stop her. For if she finds out what is really happening. I truly enjoyed this novel, it had a great pace, could not out it down, and might make you think a bit.

Excellent start to a new series. I couldn't put it down and fished in less than two days. Can't wait for the next book.

Whenever I have the chance to read a Dean Koontz novel, I take it. The Silent Corner is more thriller than horror, so not the usual Koontz style. This one clearly establishes a new series, leaving things open-ended. The characters are memorable, the story is riveting, and the delivery is, as always, immersive.

Published by Bantam on June 20, 2017

The first thing to know about The Silent Corner is that Dean Koontz doesn’t finish the story he begins. Fortunately, the story does not end with a cliffhanger, but the plot is not resolved. More Jane Hawk novels are on the horizon.

The second thing to know is that The Silent Corner, unlike many Koontz novels, has no supernatural element. It’s less a horror novel than a “vast evil conspiracy” novel of the sort that Ludlum used to write. Still, The Silent Corner feels like a Koontz thriller, not an imitation of a Ludlum thriller.

Jane Hawk is the recent widow of a Marine officer who killed himself. The suicide rate, like the murder rate, has been increasing, but without an apparent pattern. On leave from the FBI and off the grid, Jane is searching for a thread that connects the suicides. Jane is off the grid because she’s being chased by an unknown but well-financed enemy. Her life is complicated by the knowledge that she’s hidden her only son with a friend and cannot see him often, because the conspiratorial forces that want her to cease her inquiries have threatened them both.

The note that Hawk’s husband left implies that he felt a compulsion to die. Notes left by other unlikely suiciders suggest that they heard voices or suddenly envisioned a path to a better life despite having no religious beliefs. Hawk suspects that some outside force is compelling thousands of people to commit suicide.

Hawk enlists help in her search for the truth, including a famous actor and an aging veteran who runs a soup kitchen. She tangles with the ultra-rich who indulge their nefarious and demented fantasies. As a reader would expect of Koontz, all of those characters seem real.

Several parts of The Silent Corner don’t pass credibility scrutiny. Why is an FBI agent (as opposed to, for instance, the CDC) the lone person who seems to have noticed that people are committing suicide for no reason? Why do the conspirators think anyone will listen to her? Why is an exclusive and extremely illegal club for rich deviants designed in a way that all but ignores security? How does a conspiracy involving a stunning technological breakthrough have such an extensive reach while still remaining hidden? And why are such resourceful conspirators unable to find Jane’s kid, given the obvious place she picked to hide him? Suspension of disbelief is the key to enjoying a conspiracy thriller, but Koontz challenged my ability to do that.

The background of The Silent Corner pictures a nation that has grown increasingly angry, a nation in which assholes feel an entitlement to engage in rude behavior. Sounds depressingly like the real world, doesn't it? Yet Koontz always manages to portray the decency of those who have been dealt a losing hand. Characters who are poor, homeless, disabled, or victimized are kinder and more respectful of others than the humorless and self-impressed people who wield power, although a couple of wealthy characters are also good people.

The story moves quickly and the plot, while fanciful, never becomes convoluted. The Silent Corner doesn’t have the depth of Dean Koontz’ best work, but it left me looking forward to the next in the series, which is enough to make me recommend it.

RECOMMENDED

As a long time reader of Dean Koontz, I was very excited to read this book. The book has a good premise, but for me, it fell flat. It just did not grab me as some of his previous novels did. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

I received a free Kindle copy of The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz courtesy of Net Galley and Random House, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and my book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.

I requested this book as I read his book Watchers many, many years ago and thought that I would give another of them a try.

This book is fast paced and engaging. It revolves around a new character, Jane Hawk, who is on leave from the FBI and investigating the sudden increase in the number of suicides in the country, including her husband. The main character is well developed and has a relentless drive to find out the truth. I am looking forward to the second book in the series.

I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of mystery/thrillers and fans of Dean Koontz in particular.

My five stars showed I really liked this new book by Dean Koontz. Which is a relief as I have been all over the place in recent years with my opinions of his books. The first book I ever read of his, Strangers is on my all-time top ten list. Others I had a hard time finishing.

Jane Hawk is on leave from the FBI, her husband Nick has committed suicide. Nick, along with many others that Jane finds out about all seem to fit the category of "least likely to off themselves." Jane is determined to find out why. She must be on the right track since she has gone off the grid as much as possible, yet there are still teams of people trying to chase her down to kill her. The title of this book is perfect and makes sense once Koontz describes Jane's attempts at evasion and escape.

Great story, about the last half I'm reading it with a small ball of tension in my stomach because Koontz can really ratchet up the suspense. His depiction of Jane's efforts to stay off the grid, and how it is almost impossible to do do so was fascinating. Koontz's depiction of modern surveillance technology was scary, and as we all know now, pretty much spot-on.

Jane is kick-ass and I will be glad to go along with her continuing journey.

The last series of books that I read was Dean Koontz's "Odd Thomas" Series. I was very happy with how they played out and was looking forward to a new series from this author. "The Silent Corner" delivers all that I wanted. At first I was a little hesitant since it was science and not horror, but Mr Koontz proved that my concerns were misguided. You are quickly thrown into this new world that he has created. He is able to keep the story moving forward while also giving you the needed back story! Highly recommended if you like Koontz or Techno Thrillers. Thank you Netgally for opportunity to read this in advance of release.

A bit hard to digest, this story is bone chilling and unsettling.
Give it to a Master writer to develop such an intricate plot and create a situation that reflects on current events and the risks of this digital era.
Unexplained behavioral matters and a list of unreachable people do to their status and wealth will give fuel to our main character to get to the bottom of this madness even if it kills her.

Anyone who knows me, knows of my love for Dean Koontz. I started reading him when I was 8 years old. Although I haven't read him recently, my two absolute favorite books are the ones that veer a little away from the horror genre into something different - such as Watchers and Lightning. He is BACK and with a suspense novel no less! And let me tell you people, it's FANTASTIC!

Jane Hawk's husband took his own life - something no one who knew him would ever have thought he would have done. Leaving a note that gave no reason, and didn't make much sense, his suicide leaves her and their son behind. She channels her grief and using her skills as an FBI agent, decides to find out WHY. The more she digs, the more she realizes that there is an increase in suicides, all with peculiar notes left behind and baffled families confused as to what is happening. Each discovery opens up more and more questions and the answers she finds leaves her blood running cold.

From the first page to the last, Koontz takes you on Hawk's adventure with a ferocity that only he can accomplish. I absolutely fell in love with Jane's character. The plausibility in the story line is chilling and while I hope this never happens, you just never know in this day and age. Exploring the Dark Net, the psychopathic need for control, things that happen in the dark recesses of minds (and/or a remote facility), government conspiracy - there are no monsters here that aren't human, and that is what makes this creepy suspense novel absolutely fascinating.

Written in six parts, each short chapter has you continually flipping to the next page in anticipation of what is going to happen next. I am beyond thrilled that Koontz has more books coming in this series. TAKE MY MONEY. Can you tell I'm ecstatic to be back in his world?

The first installment of Dean Koontz's Jane Hawke series was suspenseful and a little scary in it relevance to real life. It takes the idea of "Big Brother" or "The eye in the sky" to a whole new level. Koontz is a master at making you believe in something unbelievable, and this is no exception. I can't wait for the next book!

Being a long time Koontz fan I was thrilled ( pun intended) to get this ARC from Netgalley. This book was wonderful. It was a complete change from any of the other Koontz books that I have read before.
Jane Hawk is a great character and the storyline was riveting. I am never disappointed with anything this author does. I felt like I was right there with Jane on her suspenseful and thrilling journey. I am looking forward to the next book in this exciting new series by one of my favorite authors.

I also reviewed on iBooks as KindleKat64. Thank you for this opportunity to early read one of my all time fave authors!!!!!!

While I enjoyed the character of Jane Hawk herself, this story was overdrawn out. I love Dean Koontz's ability to take current talked about technology and show readers a horrific aspect that makes us think about all the possible ramifications of such. Early comments compare this new series to Odd Thomas and that is misleading and led to some disappointment in this book. While I don't mind cliffhangers, this book was a long one that held very little resolution to any of the plot and subplots of the story, which made me doubt that I will continue the series. However, I love this author and will continue to read his other works.

“People of talent and accomplishment, people admired and happy and sound of mind, have been committing suicide in surprising numbers. When Jane seeks to learn why, she becomes the most wanted fugitive in America.” Dean Koontz is back and he hits the ground running with his latest thriller The Silent Corner. This was an intense, gripping read and I am totally digging the powerhouse heroine that is Jane Hawk. She’s intelligent, she’s cunning and she has an ax to grind with those who she believes drove her husband to take his life. The action in this book was non stop -- I was exhausted just reading it! But our heroine does not tire, evading mafiaesque hitmen, secret government agents and even a few robots to get the answers that she seeks. The creep factor in this relentless ride was high because many of the things that were happening in the book are already in place now in our daily lives. Jane attempted to live off the grid as much as possible, avoiding all traffic and security cameras because she didn’t want to be identified by the facial identity recognition software in place. She chose random vehicles from used car lots and used a burner phone so her exact location could not be pinpointed through GPS. She had to stay two steps ahead of them to have time to put the pieces of the puzzle together and avoid capture. “They” are hot on her tail through the whole story, but just who exactly are “they?” Can she figure that out before they catch up to her and she meets the same fate as her husband? If you are looking for an action packed, intense thriller then I suggest you pick this one up and follow this bad ass female FBI agent who will stop at nothing until she uncovers the truth. This book is first in a series and I can not wait to see where Koontz takes Jane next. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I think every Koontz book that I'e read is fantastic and this one is no exception. Highly recommended.(5) star review on Amazon.

The Silent Corner is a new series introducing the lead character Jane Hawk. Jane is an FBI agent whom has lost everything that is important in her life. Her husband Nick has inexplicably committed suicide leaving behind a bizarre note-“Something is wrong with me……I very much need to be dead.” Jane is possessed to find answers about her husband’s death and unravels clues of a dark pattern of global conspiracy. In doing so she becomes the most wanted fugitive in America. She does what ever she can to survive: she hides off the grid in "The Silent Corner”.

This suspenseful novel is fast pace full of interesting and perhaps terrifying technological science. Jane’s character is cultivated with such depth that you rally along side her.

This my first Dean Koontz novel and it will not be my last. The Silent Corner has left many questions unanswered and to be unravelled in the sequel, The Whispering Room.


Thank You Netgalley, Random House-Ballantine and Dean Koontz for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was given the opportunity via NetGalley to read an electronic copy of The Silent Corner. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

After the sudden death of her husband, Jane Hawk uncovers a secret with deadly implications. As she tries to piece together the truth, Jane places herself and others in grave danger. A suspended FBI agent whose training at Quantico proves to be invaluable, will Jane be able to dodge all of the technologically advanced gadgets being deployed to track her every movement? Will Jane be able to take down the shadow network of powerful people and escape unscathed?

The truly untraceable, despite using technology that is at their disposal, are said to be in the silent corner. As Jane tries to operate on the fringes, in a desperate attempt to uncover the truth, I was struck by the technical relevance of the story. The technology displayed in The Silent Corner is scary stuff, dreamed up by an excellent storyteller, but it may not be as far-fetched as it seems. With a great premise and fast paced plot, this book was suspenseful, as well as thought provoking. I am a long time fan of Dean Koontz, having read all of his previous works under all of his names. Jane Hawk, although not my favorite character, is among the top of those that this talented author has created. Her abilities are numerous: strength, intelligence, adaptability, and an overwhelming sense of right and wrong. Jane is not without faults, but those character flaws just make her more human. The Silent Corner ends with a promise of more to come, so I look forward to seeing the path that Jane takes in the future.

The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz features a strong-willed, strong-armed, and strong-minded female character who does not need to be saved by a knight in shining armor.

This is the start of a new series by Koontz, and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment! Since this is book one, not all of the story lines are completely resolved; however, The Silent Corner had a satisfying end.

My favorite line from the story:
"Life is complicated, but if it wasn't complicated, it would be a roller coaster on a flat track. Wouldn't be a ride worth taking."

If you're a fan of the Jason Bourne novels, you'll enjoy this engaging read by Koontz. The Silent Corner is psychological suspense at its finest from start to finish.

[I received an advance copy of The Silent Copy from Random House, which in no way influenced my opinion of the book.]