The Husband
by Dean Koontz
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Book Reviews of The Husband
Book Review: Koontz's best in several years!
Summary: 4 Stars
In his last handful of books, notably the 'Moonlight Bay' and 'Odd Thomas' series, Dean Koontz had hit something of a rut. Those books were a bit too reliant on fantasy mixed with sci-fi, and just general 'weirdness', along with horror. The results were mixed, and fans of Koontz's horror and suspense stories could only hope he'd find his way back.
With this book, it's official...Koontz IS back!
This is perhaps my favorite of the ten Koontz books I've read! The pace never slows down, and even the digressions from the plot (like all the 'New Mexico' references) actually add to the story, rather than seeming to be indulgences on the author's part.Rather, they lead the story in surprising directions, and the unpredictability enhances the story, without appearing to be forced.
This seems like a simple down to earth kidnap drama, but more than that, it's a brilliant character study, featuring some of the most complex and fascinating characters Koontz has come up with in his last several books. The depth of Mitch and Holly's devotion, the strange obsessiveness of his parents, the surprising nature of his brother Anson, and the evil of the villains, will captivate the readers.
I thought that focusing so much attention on Mitch and Holly in separate chapters was a good way to break up the story, and prevent it from turning into another 'buddy action story' like the previously-mentioned series books. The 'surfer guy' pal of Mitch's thankfully doesn't have a large role, thus removing a plot element too reminiscent of 'Moonlight Bay'.
While some may be disappointed with the departure from the horror genre, I think most devoted DK fans will be thrilled with this book, and anyone who is 'on the fence' about his writing(particularly if they were disappointed with his recent books) will be glad they gave 'The Husband' a try!
Book Review: Their only weapons are their wits and their love
Summary: 5 Stars
This review is for the Bantam Book mass-market paperback edition, May 2007, 415 pages. As of mid-July 2007, THE HUSBAND has been on the USA Today's Top 150 Best-Selling books list for twenty weeks achieving the peak position to two. Dean Koontz has 41 novels on this best-seller list.
Mitch Rafferty is a good man, not quite twenty-eight years old, a professional gardener with a small business consisting of his truck, an assistant and clientele satisfied with his landscaping work. Mitch has a wife who he dearly loves and they are hoping for children. Hardworking, without noticeable vices, Mitch is making ends meet. He even has several thousand dollars saved for the future. Mitch is a fine husband.
Then one Monday morning in May, shortly before noon, while Mitch is planting impatiens, his cell phone rings and he hears his wife scream. A man comes on the line, and after some initial pleasantries, says he will begin mutilating Mitch's wife within sixty hours unless Mitch pays him two million dollars. To emphasize his seriousness, the caller tells Mitch to look at the man across the street walking a dog. As Mitch looks, a single rifle shot to the head drops the dog walker.
This improbable plot might climb the wall at times, but it never gets over the top. THE HUSBAND is a thriller without the high-tech dazzle, exhaustive police procedural, forensic wonders or conspiracy threatening the world order. The FBI, CIA, NSA, Navy SEALS are NOT involved. There is a cop, shrewd and experienced, but he's also a family man just like Mitch. Honoring the terms of the deal, Mitch does not involve the authorities in saving his wife. It's all up to Mitch.
This is the story of a loving, non-violent couple--like us--who encounter an impossible situation. Their only weapons are their wits and their love.
Book Review: No Creepy Crawlies, but Loads of Suspense
Summary: 5 Stars
Landscaper Mitch Rafferty is working away on a flower bed when his cell phone rings. It's his wife Holly and she's distressed. Who wouldn't be in her situation? She's been kidnapped and the killers want a couple million bucks ransom. Never mind that Mitch is a simple gardener, how on God's green Earth is he ever gonna get that kind of dough? If that isn't enough, to underscore their seriousness, the bad guy kidnappers kill a guy right in front of Mitch's eyes. Holly, it seems, is in trouble deep.
Of course the kidnappers have told Mitch not to go to the cops or it's curtains for Holly and he doesn't. Good thing, cuz they've got a guy in his attic watching him. Mitch finds this out though, gets in an altercation with him and the bad guy winds up dead, scratch one bad guy, more to go though.
Then Mitch gets another call. Turns out he can get the money. Unknown to Mitch, his brother is loaded. The bad guys want Mitch to convince said brother to come up with the loot. His brother agrees, but all is not as it seems and to find out more, you'll have to get a copy of this better than excellent thriller and give it ride (not a typo, I meant ride, not read). Like Mr. Koontz's THE GOOD GUY, there are no supernatural bad things, no ghosts, no creepy crawlies, nothing weird slinking out of the either, but also like in THE GOOD GUY this book is crammed full of suspense. You'll be burning the midnight oil with this one, that's for sure.
And as for characters, never have you met a woman with the sheer pluck and grit as Holly Rafferty. She's a gal to die for. Wait, she was the one who was supposed to do the dying, but as you can guess, she has other ideas about that.
Book Review: Not What I Would Have Expected
Summary: 2 Stars
I have seen the name of Dean Koontz on many books and figured I'd give one a shot. Picked up The Husband since its premise looked promising. Was immediately drawn into the plot: husband (Mr. Average Man) must ransom wife for an exhorbitant amount of money. What to do? How to save the love of his life? Little did I know that the best of the book would be contained in the first one hundred pages.
Midway through the story I became caught up in wonderfully descriptive passages like "agitated spiders plucked silent arpeggios from their silken harps" which seemed incongrous when placed next to the thoughts of Mr. Average Man Husband. I felt the sharp, short sentences that heightened the story's suspense were being abruptly interrupted by these wordy descriptions.
As the story progresses we find Mr. Average Man Husband going through great lengths to save his wife. There are some fine characters introduced along the way but we never really get to know them: Iggy, Detective Taggart, Daniel and Kathy, Julian Campbell. I would have enjoyed seeing more depth in these characters as they seemed to have much more to offer. Although we are given to glimpses of Holly's (the kidnapped wife) internal musings these, too, seem superficial.
The ending of the book seems rather contrived to me. As the suspense builds and we reach the climax, there is a sudden let down at the end - rather like someone who has been in a race that is suddenly called for rain.
I will give another of this author's works a chance to impress but certainly don't recommend The Husband unless you've read everything else Mr. Koontz has written.
Book Review: I Wish I Had Loved It
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm so confused. I have been a Dean Koontz fan for years, ever since I first found Strangers in my high-school library. There had NEVER been a book that I didn't like, until the release of Velocity. I actually, almost, nearly, dare I say it?--hated that book. Then along comes THE HUSBAND, and I wanted so badly to love it like I loved previous books like Watchers, Odd Thomas, and Prodigal Son (Dean Koontz's Frankenstein, Book 1). Alas, it was not to be.
The premise of thrusting an ordinary man (a gardener/landscaper) into unbelievably horrific circumstances was a good one. Unfortunately, I couldn't "like" the characters. Said gardener was bland and boring; his wife (who has been kidnapped) seemed to be little more than an afterthought. The "extra" characters in the book didn't seem to flesh anything out at all. To be honest, I didn't finish the story, although I did flip to the last chapter to see how it ended.
Overall, it was okay, but I long for the days of more supernatural magic that Mr. Koontz's early books brought.