I am a Dean Koontz fan, & this novel did not disappoint!! This is a fast paced thriller with many twists & turns.

Meet Jane Hawk, a mother, wife & FBI operative. Jane is forced to put her son in hiding & go rogue to uncover the mystery surrounding her husbands suicide. Jane has been studying the numbers on suicide rates, & there seems to be an uprising in the number of suicides of happy, talented & accomplished people. These people don't have suicidal tendencies but end up dead by their own hand. This novel includes real life technology mixed with future possibilities & what ifs.... Definitely a page turner!!

Here’s the thing. At first, I thought, okay, bit of a cliffhanger, which annoyed me, because who likes those, right? But it was such a thrill ride that I didn't mind too much. Even though it wasn’t disclosed by the author/publisher, which I think is a dirty deal, like selling me a carob flavored low carb donut hole when I think I’m getting a double Dutch chocolate cupcake. Just tell me so I can make an informed decision. Then again, cliffhangers aren't too unusual in a series.

It mattered more in this case because I dug a little deeper. The next book is due out in January 2018. Okay. Good novels take time. Then I found out that Koontz started the Moonlight Bay trilogy more than 20 years ago – and never finished it. He banged out the first two and just stopped. His fans begged and pleaded for that third book. Nothing. 17 years since the second in that series originally published, still nothing. So my question: will he finish this series, or will he just move on to something else and leave his readers hanging again?

Thank god for pros like Sue Grafton, author of the Kinsey Millhone alphabet series. She’s said she wishes she hadn’t used the initial alphabet titles because they locked her into 26 books (she’ll be 80 when she pens the last one). Once she started and the fans fell in love with her characters, she thought she had an obligation to finish. I only wish Koontz felt the same.

I'd grade The Silent Corner like this:

Cliffhanger: 2.5 which I think is generous
Part of series: 2; based on track record, may not be written
Story: 5

She wanted to believe that her husband could never commit suicide. We all want to believe that. Jane Hawk heard that her husband had taken his own life and refused to believe it to be the truth. The only fact she would begrudgingly accept was that her husband was dead. Everything else was up for debate.
It is disturbing the lengths Jane has to go to prove that her husband wanted to live. So she puts her grief on hold so she can dig her heels into a mystery. The subject matter in this book is dark, but Koontz writes it so well. I found myself rooting for Jane and urging her on as she plows through unbelievable obstacles. At least, I wish they were unbelievable. When I got into the nitty gritty of the conspiracies and surveillance techniques used in the book, I had to admit that is was very possible. Alarmingly possible.
When a book can make me question the world around me as much as Koontz did in “The Silent Corner”, I have little choice but to give it 5 stars.

P.S. Even though this was an ARC from Netgalley, I assure you I cannot tell a lie. If I had hated it, you would see a one star review and a disappointed diatribe about how one of my favorite authors had a temporary bout of suckitude. Luckily, this was not the case here.

As usual, a great book from Dean Koontz. However this was pretty different to his usual stuff.
Similar in style to a Jason Bourne movie, this action packed thriller is the first book in a new series about the wife of an ex military person who kills himself in mysterious circumstances and her endeavours to find out why.
This book ended pretty suddenly to my surprise - a kindle version doesn't have that clue that you are getting to the end like a paper book would - but I was pleased to see the next few chapters continue the story....but why.do.I.have.to.wait.........
Needless to say I enjoyed this book and recommend it when it is released in June.

This book took a while to read due a hectic lifestyle but normally this would be read nonstop in a couple of days.

Another excellent read by Koontz. Can't wait to see what happens in the next in the series. . .

I began this book with more than a little trepidation. My past experiences with Dean Koontz novels have been sleepless nights because his stories scared me so much. The Silent Corner is blessedly free from supernatural monsters lurking in unexpected places. It is a fast-paced, roller coaster ride of a thriller! Jane Hawk is a kick-ass, take no prisoners hero for the scary new world Koontz has created. Jane's recent past as an FBI agent gives her the skills she needs as she unravels clues to a world changing conspiracy with connections to the highest levels of business and government.
I highly recommend The Silent Corner and wish I didn't have to wait for the next installment!

I'm sorry but this book didn't hit any marks for me. Right from the outset the prose of the novel was actually distracting, I've seen some reviews calling it 'lyrical" and "fluid", but for me it was over the top and immediately pulled me out of the narration and story and left me wondering why would a seasoned author and editor write like this. This went on throughout the book and at the end of the day I was just annoyed. I loved Koontz in the early days but stopped reading him some years back (maybe it was the Dog stories that ended it for me) so I thought I'd give him another shot... but no.
As for the book itself, it also just didn't click for me. There's really no lead in...you just jump into a female FBI agent now on leave being chased by who knows who to prevent her from discovering who knows what, possible random suicides of which her husband was one. By the time I got to the end I was just glad to be done..

I cannot express my excitement in being selected to review an advanced copy of Dean Koontz’s new novel, The Silent Corner. This phrase refers to people who are able to be truly untrackable but still able to use the internet. Jane has found herself in a situation forcing her into The Silent Corner. In true Koontz fashion, I was pulled through this page turner with Jane as she navigated her way through a mystery that caused a devastating end to her husband’s life. But as she’s trying to figure out what it is that actually happened to her husband, she’s finding that the cause is spreading and could eventually have a global affect if no one stops it. She has no choice but to stop the person responsible, and you’re on her team. Throughout this adventure a vivid world is built before your eyes. Koontz is a master of creating characters that become real people. I’m already looking forward to the next Jane Hawk novel ,The Whispering Room.

Get ready to boo me Koontz fans. I was disappointed by this book.

I'll start with the good stuff. There is no question that Dean Koontz is a gifted storyteller. He has a way of capturing a scene and igniting all our senses. I not only saw the story playing out, I heard the noise and smelled the odors.

Jane's character immediately hooked me. I felt compassion for her situation and I wanted her to kick ass.

Then, as the story goes along and other viewpoint characters are introduced, Koontz does something I occasionally see that irks me to no end: He switches tenses. Jane's part and a few others are in the traditional third person past tense. But we also have a handful of characters written in third person present tense. The tense switch constantly throws me off, with the present tense making me rethink the order of things, as if those parts are more immediate. They aren't. There is no difference in the timeline of events, and these tense switches are irritating, pointless distractions.

But, okay. I grumbled and got on with it, adjusting, somewhat to those pointless tense changes.

Despite the fast pacing of the story, the plot unfolds slowly. We are hundreds of pages in before pieces start to click together, although there are subtle clues along the way. This is a complex conspiracy-based plot. I can't tell you much without giving away spoilers, so I'll just say we venture into the dark realm of the power science could offer.

What totally ruined this book for me is that there is no ending. None. We spend 464 pages with this story, and at the end we find we've only rattled the hornets' nest and now we're left standing in the mist of the chaos without even a hint of resolution. Honestly, I felt like the book was missing the final chapter.

Yes, this is the first book in a new series. But this is not a short book, by any stretch of the imagination. All those pages, and absolutely nothing about the plot is resolved. If you want to know what happens you have no choice but to wait for and purchase the next book in this series. It feels a little like extortion.

So... this is a complex plot that is going to take at least one more book to resolve. If you want to read this one, I recommend waiting until the next book is released so you're not left swinging in the breeze.

Another spectacular novel by Mr. Koontz. I have been reading his work for years and it never fails to keep my attention. Thank you for the thrilling ride.

I am not a Dean Koontz fan. I have tried to read his books before and found that his writing did not appeal to me. But the premise of THE SILENT CORNER sounded interesting so I decided to give him another try. I was so happy I did! Jane Hawk is an FBI agent on leave, trying to track down a killer to protect herself and her young son from danger. She is a strong and interesting protagonist and the plot line involves cutting-edge technology that is not so far-fetched as to be preposterous. THE SILENT CORNER was a good, fast read and I look forward to more adventures with Jane Hawk.

When I open a new Dean Koontz book, it's always with great enthusiasm. Whether or not I'll love it isn't an issue - the only question is what he will come up with to keep me engrossed this time. As expected, there's no "oops" here - he's done it again with this, the first of a series featuring FBI agent Jane Hawk.

2.5 stars, rounded up to three mainly for the crazy paced action

I have never been a big Dean Koontz fan. I loved The Darkest Evening of the Year but started an Odd Thomas book and never finished it. But I decided to give this new series of his a shot.

It's a conspiracy story. An FBI agent, on leave from her job after her husband’s suicide, tries to find a reason for an increasing number of suicides taking place among successful, nondepressed people. You're given bits and pieces of what's happening and why some group is trying to stop her. To be honest, it all rang pretty false to me, especially the part that “they” were extending her “professional courtesy” trying to get her to back away from her investigation rather than just flat out killing her if they're that diabolical.

I don't think of myself as requiring 100% realism. I like the odd science fiction book. But i guess I have trouble with villains who have unbelievable resources at their disposal. Or coincidences that pile up, one on top of the other, like finding just the right person to help at each turn.

I give Koontz credit. This is a fast paced book with no downtime. And he's got a hell of an imagination. He goes into enough detail to make a person think, in the way a good science fiction book does. And there is plenty of suspense. How will Jane, as a modern day David, slay this Goliath?

My not particularly liking this book is entirely my fault. The description of the book is a giveaway that it is a thriller, not a mystery. If you like the James Bond kind of unbelievable storylines, you'll probably enjoy this.

My thanks and apologies to netgalley and Bantam for an advance copy of this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an impartial review.

Dean Koontz never disappoints! His latest techno thriller, The Silent Corner, has just enough "I saw something like that on the news" that readers will view the events and plot line as very plausible.

FBI agent Jane Hawk has lost her husband to an unexplained and unexpected suicide. As a young mother of a five-year-old, she is numb with grief and takes a brief leave from her job. Determining why her husband, a Marine colonel, committed suicide soon brings her to the attention of those who just don't want any questions. Foolishly, they threaten her son which just sets Jane on a far more determined and frightening course.

Alone, Jane uses her training and skills to get to the bottom of why there has been such an increase in suicides among people who were not despondent or ill. These people, like her husband, had everything to live for, and their families and friends are stunned. What is the common factor? Who or what is threatening Jane and others who have asked a few too many questions?

The most compelling parts of this first novel in a series are when Jane reads suicide notes aloud to a retired FBI psychiatrist and when she visits a special "club" where the true ramifications of human experimentation are present. Both scenes are almost painful to read since we see the effects of what has happened on both the afflicted and their families.

My complaints about this novel are that Jane is described as beautiful with stunning blue eyes way too many times. She is also, at 27, way too young to have accomplished all she has in her career. To get accepted into the FBI you have to be a college graduate, go through intense training, and spend some time in the less exciting field offices. When did she find time to marry, have a five-year-old son, and become a member of an elite unit hunting serial killer, including killing two of them?

Although this novel has somewhat of a conclusion with some characters, Koontz leaves plenty of unanswered questions to explore in the next title, The Whispering Room.

ATTENTION! All Koontz fans of old, (70's and 80's) you know those of us who read S.K. when he wrote great stuff; Koontz may be returning to the strange paranoia of old with Silent Corner. I had gotten so tired of his last few outings and the latest almost done trilogy but this is a perk up of the FIRST ORDER! Conspiracy-cons, meet in the SILENT CORNER for a joyous read!

“Something is wrong with me. I need. I very much need. I very much need to be dead.”
***
“There is a spider in my brain. It talks to me.”
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Merciful heavens, but this was one hell of a ride… I love Dean Koontz – have for years. I recently rediscovered him after a somewhat lengthy (for me) break with Ashley Bell, and was reminded why he has long been one of my favorite escape authors. When I saw his latest was available on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it ahead of its release date. I have really never been disappointed by him. I know a lot of people have complained that a number of his books feel too similar, that there are tropes (like the oddly-smart and self-aware dogs that recur regularly) that he over-relies on, that he’s Stephen King Light. To all those people I simply say: Hush. There are similarities between some of his books, but I never found them derivative; ditto on the Stephen King comment. And I like the dogs. So leave Mr. Koontz alone and enjoy his books for what they are – deliciously dark, suspenseful, easy to read stories about things that go bump in the night, both human and not-quite-so-human.

On to the new book.

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“Why do some people – so many – need to control others, tell them what to do, use them if they can, destroy those who won’t be used?”

…

“Why Hitler, why Stalin, why Emory Wayne Udell? I don’t know. Demonic influence or just miswired brains? In the end, does it matter which? Maybe what matters is that some of us aren’t broken by it all, that we can take it to the Emory Udells and the William Overtons and the Bertold Shennecks, take it to them and stop them before they can do everything they dream about.”
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First let me say that Jane Hawk is a FABULOUS character. She’s dark and complicated and brilliant and a perfect protagonist for a series about the incredibly (yet unfortunately all too believable) scary potential consequences of technology… The book pummels you with whip-crack twists and turns from the beginning. Jane is on the run – but from who? and why? and what on Earth is going on with the trend in utterly inexplicable suicides with bizarre notes, like those in the opening block quote? As Jane runs – isolated but not entirely alone, paranoid but not paralyzed, in the dark but not blind – the suspense thickens like winter honey, and it is every bit as sweet.

The basic premise is straightforward – an FBI agent (Jane) is completely thrown by the suicide of her husband, a Marine with everything to live for who takes his own life utterly out of the blue, leaving behind nothing but questions and an exceptionally unusual suicide note. He’s not the first, he won’t be the last. And Jane wants to know why. Her quest to figure out what happened to Nick – and why her
investigation almost immediately resulted in threats of the worst possible kind to her small son – is a quest that will take her off the grid and into dark holes of humanity (and inhumanity). Who – and what – can be trusted when everyone is hiding something?

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“Nothing I can do for you.”
“There is if you want to do it.”
“My wars were a long time ago.”
“All wars are one war. And it never ends.”
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There are so many things going on here – cutting-edge science, power-hunger, fear-mongering, threat assessment and neutralization, family loyalty (both the kind you are born to and the kind you make for yourself)… Every single one of them is handled deftly and with a cutting edge that keeps you on tenterhooks throughout the entire novel. This is what it means to be a master of suspense: the ability to deliver, page after page, a story that will NOT let you go, no matter how much you may want to run. Critics take note – Koontz is in as fine a form here as he’s ever been, and that is mighty fine indeed.

I cannot WAIT for the next Jane Hawk book. I’m hoping I’ll get lucky on NetGalley again, because the thought of waiting a year for the next installment is depressing in the extreme.

I always enjoy a Dean Koontz book & that hasn't changed with The Silent Corner. I loved the character of Jane & the story was exciting & well- paced.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this novel.

My first encounter with the work of Dean Koontz was a paperback copy of “Twilight Eyes” bought from a used bookstore. This was when “Midnight” had just appeared in hardcover (which I couldn’t afford at the time), so after finishing reading Slim’s battle with the goblins, I hunted down the other, older stuff, devouring each as fast as I could. I have to admit that I didn’t like all of them. In fact, some I didn’t even finish reading. And soon I stopped reading Koontz altogether. Every so often, I revisit some of my favorites to remind myself how amazing he can be. So when I recently wondered what he’d been up to and discovered the enthusiastic responses other readers were having for “The Silent Corner,” I got excited. Rightfully so. “The Silent Corner” is the best Dean Koontz book in years and surely ranks with his absolute best. He’s gotten leaner and meaner, but that particular style of his is as bright as an oil lamp with a freshly-cleaned chimney. The raw material of the narrative is familiar to any long-time Koontz fans. Echoes of “Midnight” and “Dragon Tears” and “Odd Thomas” ring across the pages. But trust me when I say this is good news. I can understand why Koontz is so excited about Jane Hawk and her quest to save the rest of us. I am, too. The sequel to this book is currently scheduled for 2018. And this is the first time in a long, long time that I’ve looked forward this anxiously to a new Dean Koontz book.

I rate this book 3.5 stars. Thank you to the author (Dean Koontz), publisher, and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of The Silent Corner.

Let me first start by saying I have never read a Dean Koontz book before. I am not sure how I managed to do this after years of reading mysteries, working in a bookstore, and working as an intern for a literary agent, but somehow I never touched one of his books. This genre is one of my favorites, so when the opportunity to read a free ARC of Koontz's arose, I jumped at it.

The premise of The Silent Corner intrigued me; a woman (Jane Hawk), who works for the CIA, discovers her husband committed suicide, and she is left to pick up the pieces. Her husband gave no indication that he was depressed or suicidal. His suicide note is also very odd, so, in what initially appears to be anger and denial over the death (a normal reaction for a grieving spouse), Jane begins to investigate suicide rates in the U.S.

Her research leads her to some shocking findings, ones that she cannot ignore as a CIA agent. In order to understand why suicide rates among seemingly normal, well-adjusted people are increasing, Jane goes on a journey to uncover a vast conspiracy involving biotech corporations and CEOs. She leaves her 7 year old son in the hands of U.S. military vets who she trusts, and takes off on a daring adventure with a bizarre, colorful cast of characters.

I loved the plot and the inventiveness of it, which deserves all of the 3.5 stars I gave this book. However, the characters really disappointed me. Speaking as a highly educated woman, I found Jane annoying and one-dimensional. There wasn't any nuance to her, nor any second thoughts on her part about leaving her only child (and remaining family member) to pursue some conspiracy theory. I was also irritated by the author's (and Jane's) jabs at liberals, not just because I am a liberal, but because it seems untrue to her character. If she's smart enough to work her way up the chain of command at the CIA, then I would expect her world to be less black and white. I truly felt like the author struggled to free himself from the constraints of his worldwide, and that unfortunately limited his ability to dive into the world of a deeply wounded and highly educated woman. I felt like his voice overpowered Jane's, which was disappointing because the plot was so promising.

The world of this book is one where there is clearly good and evil, of right and wrong, and perhaps that's what made me trudge through most of it. If anyone works as a political strategist or analyst for a year or so, they'll quickly realize that this is not the world we inhabit; it is a world of many, many decades ago.

Wow! Dean Koontz has done it again. The Silent Corner has nothing supernatural and it is all the more scary because of that fact. With his colorful language and mastery of the English language Dean describes a “brave new world “that could be just around the corner. Jane Hawk is a FBI agent on leave and widow, having just lost her husband to an apparent suicide, but Jane refuses to believe it was a suicide. In searching for an answer, she discovers a disturbing rise in suicides in talented and accomplished people who show no signs of depression or suicidal tendencies. When her young son is threatened she realizes she is onto something. She hides him away with friends, sells her house and belongings and goes on the run to search for the truth. What she discovers is terrifying. It involves cybercriminals, an evil scientist, a billionaire, programmed women (like depraved Stepford Wives), and bad guys in high places who have underestimated a woman driven by a rage born of love. Dean Koontz says he fell in love with his new heroine and plans several more books featuring her. He will have finished the third one before this one is published and the TV rights have already been acquired by Paramount TV.