It took me about 30 seconds to slip back into Jane Hawk's world - a world of danger and the unknown and horrible possible outcomes. Is the plot far-fetched? Of course - it's Dean Koontz! But is it impossible? Who knows. That's what makes it so frightening - that it's even remotely possible something like this could happen. And it's Koontz's masterful writing that makes that leap from absolutely impossible to 'I hope it's impossible but who knows'.

The characters are authentic, the descriptions are vivid, and the pacing is non-stop action. It's definitely one of those 'can't put it down' books!

It’s time for Jane Hawk to finally get some payback for her husband’s death and so much more in Night Window.

The Techno-Arcadians have chased former FBI Agent Jane Hawk through four books already. Jane is trying to bring to light a massive conspiracy of billionaires. The Arcadians inserted a nanobot into Jane’s husband’s brain. When activated, he was forced to kill himself. In previous books, the nanobots were used to create both assassins and sex slaves.

Protecting her young son Travis is Jane’s highest priority as well proving her husband’s innocence. However, Jane’s ultimate goal is to expose the Arcadian’s evil plan to the public. This time she has some help from a former colleague, computer hacker Vikram.

I have been lucky enough to acquire the entire Jane Hawk series as Advanced Reader Copies. While Night Window can be read as a standalone, it is rather like reading the last chapter in a book. You would be cheating yourself out of a suspenseful ride. The conclusion is definitely worth the wait.

The author’s writing style is not for everyone. Mr. Koontz has never met an adjective he didn’t like. While effective in horror, it feels rather out of place in a thriller. It does rather slow down the pace. However, the use of such detailed imagery intensifies the atmosphere and allows a closer connection with the series’ characters. The plot, over the entire series, is engaging enough to compel the reader through each book.

Overall, an excellent conclusion to an outstanding series. 5 stars! Now, please Mr. Koontz, write another excellent paranormal thriller like Watchers.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I started this series with book 2 (of 4) and was enthralled. I read book 3 and then, recently, went back to read book 1 in preparation for this book. Book 4, “The Night Window”, is the final book in the Jane Hawk series. It is a psychological thriller filled with suspense about a near-future science fiction premise.

The book is set in our time and present a frightening look at what can happen when a group of individuals decides it can and will shape the future of the human race. They have decided that they know best. They can decide who wins and who loses and, more to the point, who can live.

Jane Hawk is ex-FBI. She has been on the run since shortly after her husband’s suicide in Book 1. She is trying to keep her young son safe and, at the same time, expose the frightening web of deceit and evil doings of those responsible for her husband’s death.

While I started with the second book, I highly recommend starting with the first one. That way, the events unfold as they do for Jane and those around her who either for her or against her.

I expected an explosive conclusion and I was not disappointed. The way the author set the end in motion from the beginning becomes evident once you finish. While the end is surprising in many ways, I see where each element began in the prior books.

I am more than happy with the ending and am only sorry to see the end of the series knowing I will not be reading about Jane Hawk et al in the future. However, I will be reading more books by this author.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

This review will also appear on the New York Journal of Books site.

"The Night Window"
By Dean Koontz
Bantam
May 14, 2019
10-0525484701
978-0525484707
Psychological Thriller
432 Pages

Publicity Contact: NetGalley

Reviewed by: Nancy Carty Lepri

Book five and the final installment of The Jane Hawk series is a must-read for lovers of espionage and conspiracy theories. Several subplots tie into the whole basis of the novel as suspense lurks around every corner.

Jane, FBI's most sought after person in the U.S. is still on the run, not only for her life and that of her young son, Travis but to bring down those trying to prevent her from exposing the truth about the ruthless echelons of humanity who want to rule the world. Under disguise and going by the name of Leslie Anderson, Jane appears as a normal average woman as she attempts to be unrecognizable.

"Because she looked younger than she was and wore a pair of stage-prop glasses with bright red frames, she could be mistaken for a studious college girl. She never behaved in a furtive or nervous manner, as the most-wanted fugitive on the FBI list might be expected to do, but called attention herself in subtle ways—yarning, stretching, muttering at the computer screen--and chatted up anyone who spoke to her. She was confident that no average citizen would easily see through Leslie Anderson and recognize the wanted woman whom the media called 'the beautiful monster.'"

As Jane obtains information to destroy the faction known as Techno Arcadians, a young documentary maker, Tom Buckle is summoned to the home of Wainwright Hollister, the head of this new movement. Hollister invites Tom on the premise of his plans to film an outstanding new tale of crime and corruption. Little does Tom know he is the bait in a cat-and-mouse game by the powerful man who loves treachery.
"Wainwright Hollister is graced with a broad, almost supernaturally pleasant face that can produce a smile with as many charming permutations as that of any courtesan in history, and he can use it to bewitch both women and men. They see compassion when in fact he regards them with icy contempt, see mercy when they should see cruelty, see humility when he views them with condescension.

"Wainwright Hollister's foundation, ostensibly formed to support cancer research, had made significant donations to a nonprofit under the control of Dr. Bertold Shenneck, the genius who had conceived of, developed, and refined the nanotech brain implant that made possible the cabal's quest for absolute power."

Tom is treated like royalty by Wainwright who supplies him with his "fictitious" movie plot in which his security agents [present at this meeting] called "rayshaws," maintain they are "adjusted people," injected with a domination mechanism.

"The three rayshaws were of a physical type, big men with thick necks and broad shoulders and sledgehammer fists, their eyes cold, their stares as impersonal as camera lenses, as if they were not of women born, but instead were immortal archetypes of violence, risen from some infernal realm millennia earlier, having come down the centuries on a mission of barbarity, cruelty, and murder.

"The nanoweb scrubs away their memories, deconstructs their personalities, and programs them to be body-guards who, without hesitation, will give their lives for their master. I'm their master, Tom, and if I tell them to kill you, they will do so with extreme prejudice."

Tom, a small-time producer is excited a wealthy and commanding man is desirous of his film-production expertise, but little does he realize, the danger he is in with this merciless head Arcadian who pursues killing for the thrill of it. A witness to unspeakable horror, Tom soon finds he is prey to Wainwright's wickedness.

Meanwhile, Jane always on the alert of being stalked is now running from a group she believes is out to capture or murder her. Jane discovers Vikram Rangnekar, a man who once worked with her and who is infatuated with her is trying to help her. He fully has faith in her innocence and uniting with some relatives is hell-bent on rescuing her and getting her story out to the public. With his vast technological abilities, he is able to hack into the backdoor of several government agencies before the Arcadians become aware of his intentions. Though he is putting his life on the line, he realizes if this malevolent society isn't brought down, the world as everyone knows it will never be the same.

While Jane and Vikram fight for justice, other sinister forces discover the whereabouts of Jane's son and try to cash in on the bounty on the child's head.

Koontz is a master of what could be with his nail-biting scenarios. "The Night Window" is enough to make one look at those of wealth and power in a different light in this totally mind-boggling as well as exciting read.

THE NIGHT WINDOW by Dean Koontz provides a mesmerizing and satisfying end to the Jane Hawk series.

Of the five book series, there were a couple of installments that left me less than satisfied as Jane Hawk's point of view became less and less of a focal point. So, understandably, I was concerned going into this finale that I would be disappointed with the series' end. Thankfully, Koontz wrapped up the series wonderfully by giving less time to the evil Arcadians' warped minds and more time to the heroes of the story. And there were multiple heroes. Jane did not save the day by herself. Don't worry, I won't spoil the story for you. I do wish Jane had managed to find a way to save the day on her own, but she needed help, and it was terrific to see good people band together to fight off the bad people. And there were plenty of bad people - practicing "random acts of cruelty," misogyny, sexual impropriety, murder, and so much more. (Yuck.) But I love how Koontz makes sure that in his books, good wins over evil in the end.

A few of my favorite lines from the book:

"Hollister turns in his chair to watch the first snowflakes, the size of quarters and half dollars, spiraling out of the low clouds like some jackpot disgorged by a celestial slot machine."

"Evil is always stupid."

"The wealth of stars conjured in her imagination an evil, glimmering constellation of junction points in a nanoweb secreted in the darkness of a skull, and thinking of the mission ahead sent cold tremors through her."

[I received a free advanced copy from the publisher via Net Galley, which in no way influenced my opinion.]

Wow! Can I give this book 10 stars? Dean Koontz is at his mellifluous best, entertaining us, frightening us, and showing us a little humor in this final installment of the Jane Hawk series. There is nothing paranormal in this book, just "normal" people using technology to their benefit, and that is REALLY scary.

This book by itself is a great story but it will definitely have more of an impact if you have read the first 4 books in the series. Book 4 had a lot of characters and focused a lot on them. This book, while having a lot of characters with chapters on each of them, is mostly about Jane and her new sidekick Vikram. He is great! A computer geek who knew Jane in the FBI and has adored her from afar, Vikram wants to atone for the harm he has done when the FBI had him set up back door programs in many government databases, his wicked little babies. You are with them every step of the way, cheering when things seem to be going right and groaning, indeed shouting warnings to them when it seems capture must be on the next page. While adding Vikram to the cast of good guys, it brings back many of those who have helped Jane in the past, including Bernie and Cornell. Among the memorable new characters are Warwick Hollister, THE multi-billionaire bad guy; Charlie Weatherwax, who enjoys performing random acts of cruelty; Tom Buckle , the young director who finds himself caught in his own version of The Naked Prey (only since it is winter he is not naked).

I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book early. I would have read it anyway and reviewed it just as glowingly since Dean Koontz is my favorite author.I have read most of his books and this is one of the best ones.

Amazing conclusion to the Jane Hawk series. As with the previous books Dean Koontz’s talent in weaving a tale is perfect. Jane Hawk continues her quest to bring down and stop the master of forced mind control. The one responsible for her husbands death. She searches for a way to free all that have already been injected with this mind controlling drug. While in pursuit she’s forced to hide her son as these people will stop at nothing to find her young son to use as bargaining chip against her. They won't hesitate to also inject him. A former FBI colleague and friend, a wiz at computer hacking, joins Jane Hawk to help bring down and destroy the evil organization and its creator once and for all. But at what cost? Their minds are at risk if caught, a fate worse than death. Loved the Jane Hawk series! I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. It would be very scary if this could really happen. Jane Hawk is a dynamic woman and I hope we see her in future books! If you like drama and strong, driven female lead characters that you'll come to love, this is the series for you.

What do you do when the lives and safety of your loved ones are being threatened by a shadow cabal that seeks to use technology to rid itself of any perceived threats as well as make key individuals in government, law enforcement, banking, media, etc. agents for your cabal? Well, if you're name is Jane Hawk, you fight and fight dirty. In <b>The Silent Window</b> Jane's husband Nick had been forced to commit suicide by this shadow cabal known as the Techno Arcadians and her five-year-old son's life had been threatened. She took a leave-of-absence from the FBI, sold everything she could sell, hid her son away and went hunting the leadership of this cabal. In the second book, <b>The Whispering Room</b>, Jane along with Minnesota Sheriff Luther Tillman, discover an entire town in Kentucky filled with "adjusted" adults, learn the phrases to control these people, and rescue all of the children from the town. Book three, <b>The Crooked Staircase</b>, has Jane going up against a key government agent, and Techno Arcadian, his brother, and some of her deepest fears in an effort to stay a few steps ahead of the game of cat-and-mouse. By book four, <b>The Forbidden Door</b>, the Techno Arcadians have figured out where Jane has hidden her son and are fast on his trail. His surrogate aunt and uncle, friends to Jane and her husband, do their best to keep Travis away from harm and die protecting him. Fortunately, Jane and her new found friends, an 82-year-old retired wig maker - Bernie Riggowitz, and Sheriff Tillman help her rescue Travis and his new caregiver, Cornell Jasperson before it's too late.

Because of Jane's law enforcement background, keen intelligence, and desire to protect her son, she's always been able to stay one or two steps ahead of the Arcadians in their search to keep her from discovering more of their secrets. She now has the assistance of her former FBI colleague, Vikram Rangnekar, an IT specialist, to help plan her final steps. Vikram has somewhat boldly left the FBI, accessed one of Jane's compatriots to get vehicles, and is working feverishly to backdoor into numerous databases (including the a few belonging to the government) to ascertain who is involved with the Techno Arcadians, who's on the adjusted list, where their money is coming from, and how it's being channeled. All Jane has to do is stay alive...or that's what she thought. She has to stay alive and keep Vikram alive whilst battling her former partners in crime and the Techno Arcadians and the bad guys are closing fast. Unbeknownst to Jane, a burglar targets Bernie's daughter's house, finds Travis, and attempts to "sell" him to his Vegas fence. In just a few short weeks, Jane has had so many fires to put out and has been portrayed as public enemy number one in the media. Her disguises are no longer effective, her vehicle is being tracked a little too fast to her liking, and she's running out of options. Will she be able to discover the truth about the Techno Arcadians and reveal it to the world before it's too late? Will Travis be sold away without her knowledge? Can the Techno Arcadians be put down without a massive fight? Can good and righteousness triumph over evil?

I slowly savored <b>The Night Window</b> by Dean Koontz simply because I knew it was the last book in the Jane Hawk series and I didn't want the story to end. I normally read a book in a day, but I kept putting this one down because I didn't want it to end. The themes of a shadowy government-within-a-government cabal, use of technology to make us blind sheep willing to follow any command, unlimited use of governmental law enforcement powers to coerce, harm, and kill anyone that gets in their way were all incredibly scary to read about or even think of as a possibility. Having said that, Mr. Koontz presented all of these fantastical ideas in such a way that it seemed not only plausible but probable rather than a bit too science-fiction fantasy or out-of-this-world. I loved meeting Jane Hawk, her son Travis, Jane's in-laws - Ancel and Clare Hawk, her friends Gavin and Jessica Washington, Gavin's cousin - Cornell Jasperson, retired wig-maker Bernie Riggowitz, IT specialist extraordinaire Vikram Rangnekar, and more. There are bad guys and even worse guys that appear throughout each book. Some live to see another day and some do not. The heart of the Jane Hawk series isn't simply a shadow cabal and a conspiracy, but one person uncovering this cabal and conspiracy and going out of her way to do the right thing and get justice for her deceased husband and the thousands of others killed and targeted by this group with the help of a few friends. If you enjoy well-written, gripping, suspenseful thrillers with plenty of twists, then I strongly encourage you to read the Jane Hawk series. If you've read the previous books in this series, you'll definitely want to read <b>The Night Window</b> just to see how it all ends (no, I'm not telling). I enjoyed the action, the characters (okay, just the good guys), and the settings. I, for one, am sad to say goodbye to Jane, Travis, Bernie, Luther, Cornell, and the gang. Thank you, Mr. Koontz, for another gripping story and introducing us all to Jane Hawk.

This is the final book in the Jane Hawke Novel series. It is a thriller and a wonderful ending to a intense series. The ending was a complete surprise to me and I loved that I was not able to determine how the author was going to end the series. This book brings in new characters to the series, and builds on the characters we had seen in the previous books. The suspense in these books is great. I find it scarier than monsters as I could see this threat becoming viable. The characters are well developed and the plot moves at a great pace. I feel to understand this book you need to have read the whole series, and would recommend all of them. It was a great series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Jane Hawk series has been a terrifying thrill ride from the first book, but this book was the perfect conclusion to the series. Jane is such a strong, intelligent heroine, my favorite Dean Koontz character so far. I'm so excited and grateful for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. I look forward to reading whatever Koontz creates next!

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.75 Hearts In the beginning part of the book I thought “same old, same old”. There seemed to be a lot of the same from the other four books in the series. But then I realized it was the last in the series and it made a bit more sense.

The series ended really well. Koontz has a certain way of writing that you either like or don’t. And I am one that fits into the like. There have been books that I haven’t liked, just as with any author, but I felt that Koontz came back to himself in this series.

It was a pleasure reading it and I can’t wait for the next series to begin.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I was delighted to see that this was the final book in the Jane Hawk series. While I have enjoyed the story, I felt it was way too drawn out. I do like that Mr. Koontz did include summaries of some of the events that actually had an impact on the current situation in this book. It meant that a person could feasibly read this as a stand alone, or maybe read the first book and skip to this one. The book was still besot with redundancy. For example, the fact that a character's parents were a tailor and seamstress were mentioned at least 4 times. This was a minor character! This continually excessive detail had nothing to do with moving the plot forward. Even if he had magically saved himself or some one else through sewing skills he had learned, it still wouldn't have needed to be stated that many times. Books like this make you wonder if once a writer has reached a certain acclaim whether publishers, etc, give them free reign to do whatever they want without considering editing or culling excessive blabber. This book certainly could have used it! Mr. Koontz' terrific story skills were just about buried under an avalanche of unneeded words.

The Night Window is the final book in Dean Koontz's Jane Hawke series. Tensions run high in this book and I was on the edge of my seat throughout. Dean Koontz is a master of his craft and the reader won't be disappointed in this book. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An awesome, thrilling finale to the Jane Hawk series. Dean Koontz this has been an outstanding series!'
I love this series for the excitement, for the thought-provoking moments, for Koontz’s masterful storytelling.
The ending ofThe Night Window caught me totally by surprise. So shocking, yet made so much sense. Did I mention shocking?

Agent Jane Hawk has been fighting almost single handedly against a group called the Techno-Arcadians who have developed a means for widespread mind-control, through nano-technology; and therefore a new way to take control of the country, then the world. Jane has been on the run ever since she discovered her beloved husband Nick’s suicide was not a suicide but part of the effort to eliminate anyone who might have the intelligence, the means, or the influence to fight the Techno-Arcadia

Jane Hawk is a fabulously strong female character, who comes alive on the pages of The Night Window for a dramatic conclusion. I will miss her intelligent and thoughtful character and am delighted to see that at least the first book in this series, The Silent Corner, was optioned for television.


5 big stars!

The Night Window is the fifth book in the Jane Hawk series by Dean Koontz. Without having read the prior books, I was able to piece together what had previously occurred due to the skillful planting of information throughout the book.

Jane Hawk is a strong, independent, smart and fierce woman. She is fighting to clear her name and expose an evil network that seeks to destroy a way of life using scientific innovation.

Tension builds at every turn and then, suddenly, there’s a twist. I was always on the edge of my seat, waiting for the shoe to drop. I thought I knew what was coming next but the outcome was not as expected. In Dean Koontz style, there are multiple threads that run through the story and are woven together at the conclusion.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to everyone. It is well written with very interesting characters.

Thank you #Netgalley and #BantamBooks for approving my request for an ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Oh my goodness! This story had me on the edge of my seat all through the book. As it shifted from one part of the story to another, I wasn't sure who would live and who would die. You always hope the good guys win, but I wasn't sure if they would this time. Jane teams up with an old co-worker to uncover the names of all of the Arcadians while they are being stalked by them. They are barely staying one step ahead of the Arcadians and Jane knows she has to end this soon before too many more people are dead. There are so many people who don't believe what the media is saying about Jane and these people want to help, but she is afraid they will all be killed trying to help her. She can't have that on her conscience.

The Night Window by Dean Koontz is a very highly recommended fifth and final book in the Jane Hawk series of thrillers. Jane is an amazing character and this is an extremely satisfying end to the series.

The Night Window follows several characters in two main narratives in the plot, as well as several additional story lines in the sub-plots. In the first, Warwick Hollister, the billionaire behind the Techno Arcadians, invites a young filmmaker to his Colorado retreat where he tells the young man everything - and then, as a snow storm moves in, he sets out to hunt him for sport. In the ongoing story of Jane's attempt to keep Travis hidden from the bad guys as she tries to expose the Techno Arcadians, she is joined by Vikram Rangnekar, a brilliant former FBI coder who has left back doors into many key agencies and is acquiring proof of the conspiracy, including names of those involved and those on their kill list. Additionally there are all sorts of other complications and heart-pounding threats.

Obviously, when you reach book five of a series, you know these characters as the ongoing characters were previously introduced and established in earlier books. Vikram is a remarkable new character and I liked him very much. I also love the down-to-earth common-sense characters encountered along the way that aren't gullible or easily led and have their own thoughts and suspicions about what is going on.

Koontz's storytelling and writing is pitch-perfect and he provides a great conclusion to an exciting series! I was glued to the pages and simply couldn't read fast enough. When I was nearing the end of the book, I didn't see an end in sight and was sure that there was going to be a book six to wrap it all up, so the clever, resourceful, and twisty ending took me completely by surprise. And it was awesome! Additionally there are some words of wisdom along the way that could behoove all of us to ponder in the current media possessed cultural atmosphere.

The series contains: The Silent Corner; The Whispering Room; The Crooked Staircase; The Forbidden Door; and The Night Window. While you could start with this final, stunning conclusion, I would suggest reading the whole series in order. Some installments are stronger than others, but together they are an outstanding series. And don't let the page count intimidate you - you will fly through these books. They are all truly "just-one-more-chapter" un-put-down-able books and since Koontz provides short chapters, you will be saying it repeatedly.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Random House.
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I have enjoyed the Jane Hawk series tremendously and this installment doesn’t disappoint. Jane’s kick-ass character, the storyline and high tech gadgetry feel fresh and new. Jane’s street/tech smarts shine through again as she vigilantly works to expose powerful and ruthless bad guys. The man seemingly at the top, Wainwright Hollister, believes “people are tools, unless they decline to be used, whereupon they become merely obstructions that must be broken and quickly swept aside - or eliminated entirely.” One of the most compelling aspects of the story revolves around Thomas Buckle, a fledgling movie director, who is summoned to Wainwright’s house and unwittingly becomes a pawn in Wainwright’s sick game. I was completely sucked in.

*will post in online venues upon publication.

This is the 5th book in the series Jane Hawk. Like the others this one does not disappoint. People are chasing Jane again but she joins up with a co-worker from the past Vikram Rangnekar. With his computer skills he helps assist Jane with going deeper into the organization.
I have loved this series and the books are so good I hate getting to the end.

*4.5 stars rounded up

Excellent last chapter in an exciting series! Dean Koontz juggles several strands to the story and ties them together nicely at the end. I was wondering how he was going to end this. Very well thought out and a bit shocking.

I received an arc of this book and the rest of the series from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review. Highly recommend.