The Good Guy
by Dean Koontz
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Book Reviews of The Good Guy
Book Review: Riding the Fence With Koontz (Once Again)
Summary: 3 Stars
This is my second Koontz read, (right after "The Darkest Evening of the Year." There were certain things about each book that absolutely glued me to the pages. For "Darkest Evening" it was undoubtedly the supernatural suspense and horrific revelations. With "Good Guy" I almost got runners high during the intense cat and mouse scenes.
Unfortunately for both books, Koontz is a guy who repeats himself TIME AND AGAIN. Many times "The Good Guy" sounded almost identical to "Darkest Evening.." Not to mention that the female character are CONSTANTLY victims in Koontz' books. He seems to always leave his heroines in danger of rape and molestation... I thought this was better in "The Good Guy." I thought that, just maybe, we could get a story without it... Alas no. 300 or so pages into the book, Linda relates to Tim a horrific experience with a perverted psychiatrist when she was a small child. Now, mind you, Koontz shows considerable restrain in his descriptives nowadays... I wasn't exploited in any way because he's a very tasteful righter. On the other hand, however, this theme is just downright tired in Koontz's books and I think it's time he moved on to other things.
OK. All things considered, Koontz DOES rock to a certain extent. My gripes are legit, but not enough to merit the boycott of an otherwise extremely engaging novelist.
Book Review: Reviewed for Midwest Book Review
Summary: 5 Stars
Timothy Carrier is a man who keeps to himself and tries to live as simple a life as possible. Until one day when a man sits beside Timothy at a bar and passes him an envelope with ten thousand dollars and a picture of a beautiful woman named Linda Paquette. Timothy is intrigued by the woman but horrified to know the man has mistaken him for the contract killer he employed to murder her. When the killer later arrives and mistakes Timothy for the man who hired him, Timothy tells him the hit is off and gives him the money but pockets the picture. However, the killer makes it clear he will not be stopped. Timothy rushes to Linda's house to warn her, and from that point on, both are engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with the killer who now is determined to kill Timothy as well and will go to any length to do so.
Koontz excels at creating evil characters and allowing the reader a glimpse into the mind of a deranged murderer. The story moves at a fast pace and is filled with gut-wrenching suspense and continuous action. Timothy and Linda are two damaged souls who immediately connect and trust one another. Koontz's ubiquitous dog is present, and, as always, appreciated. The killer is deliciously malevolent and intense, and the story one that will keep the reader turning pages.
Book Review: Information required
Summary: 5 Stars
I did read this book and thought it was another excellent story by Dean Koontz. I have loved every Dean Koontz book I've read. But I am trying to find one I read a a few years ago and I can not remember the name of it. I've gone through the descriptions of his books but I haven't found it and I'm just positive he was the author. It's about a woman who is a police officer. She is having an affair with another officer. He leaves her house one night and gets shot. She sees her husband leaving the scene and figures he shot him because of the affair. Although evidence keeps pointing to her husband (who I believe was also a police officer) she keeps doing whatever she can to make sure the evidence does not immplicate him. It ends up that he's actually involved in something that included the man he killed and it had nothing to do with the affair. I can't remember all of the story but it was really good and I want to read it again. If anyone out there knows what this book is, PLEASE let me know. I would very much appreciate it. My niece and I both read this book and we both think that it was by Dean Koontz but I'm beginning to wonder if our memory is way off track. So this is my last hope to try to find out. Thanks.Book Review: Sometimes Being the Good Guy Can Be Dangerous Work
Summary: 5 Stars
Stone mason, bachelor Tim Carrier is sitting in a pal's bar having a beer when a man approaches him and gives him an envelope. Tim looks inside, finds ten grand and a photo. Not an idiot Tim, he figures out he's been mistaken for a hit man. That's bad enough, but shortly after the real hit man arrives. Tim, wanting to do the right thing, to be the good guy, takes out the intended victim's info, pretends to be the first guy, gives the bad guy the ten large and tells him the deal's off.
Of course, Kraut, the bad guy, doesn't buy it and now Tim, continuing to be the good guy, seeks out Laguna Beach writer Linda Paquette, the intended victim. After all, it's a good guy's job to save the beautiful girl from the bad guy. But saving her isn't going to be a piece of cake, because now the bad guy is hot on their trail.
There you have it, the setup for this book. It's not a horror story, but it's stuffed full of suspense, twists and turns and I liked it a lot. The characters were great, though I gotta admit I liked the bad guy the best. Dean Koontz just keeps churning out fast-paced, well thought out tales of suspense.
Book Review: Rip-roaring read
Summary: 4 Stars
Though technically not a horror novel, nor Koontz's strongest effort, The Good Guy, nevertheless, doesn't disappoint, primarily in its ability to create a sense of looming danger that doesn't lag in its intensity for even one moment and it's all delivered at breakneck speed. Furthermore, Koontz gives us a set of primary characters that are appealing and three dimensional and to whom the reader will immediately respond. Even the antagonist is interesting and quirky, if wholly deranged and clinical in his savagery. There was nothing either superfluous or gratuitous in the story; everything and everyone has its purpose and it is blessedly free of contrivances and filler. It doesn't take itself too seriously, either. Koontz is merely offering his reader a rollercoaster ride and though some may quickly dismiss it as a reactionary story, the characters and how they respond to their predicament from a psychological perspective lends it a sense of purpose. I enjoyed it a great deal, so much so that I read it in 5 hours. I believe that if you enjoyed Intensity or Servants of Twilight or even Mr. Murder, you will enjoy The Good Guy.