The Husband by Koontz takes you on a wild, dark ride
Written: Oct 18 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fantastic read and highly recommended!
Cons: None! And when is his next book coming out?
The Bottom Line: Definite read for those daring enough to handle suspense and thrilling, edgy reflections of our inner self!
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| toniroger's Full Review: Dean Koontz - The Husband |
Reading The Husband by bestselling author Dean Koontz is like taking a ride on the scariest roller coaster, never knowing whats coming up ahead. The dips and turns cause butterflies to flutter in my stomach and it was impossible for me to put this book down! I'm imagining that you and I are sitting down over coffee and I'm spilling some of the dirt about my latest read...and you, my captive audience are in for a delicious treat (and lots of don't do these things at home type scenarios in the book by the way!)
This review reveals minor details, enough to whet your appetite, but not enough to ruin the book for anyone brave enough to wild the Koontz roller coaster!
Characters:
Mitch Rafferty:
Mitch at 27 years, seems to be the most normal everyday man. He is a gardener/landscaper, living the ideal: You know, best friends with his wife... can't wait to fill their house up with children. He has a lot of love to offer and before long, his boring adult life reverts to a fast spinning nightmare, plunging him to discover new strengths and capabilities at every turn. At first he is incredibly boring, with his sedate life he has made for himself and his new wife, Holly.
Holly:
Sweet, compassionate Holly, trying to conceive is about to discover that her biggest nightmare is happening, well...NOW! Her capacity for love and giving as well as her understanding of human nature is about to undergo a test. The reader wonders if she has what it takes to survive or will she become the victim of some made for late night TV drama?
Iggy:
I just want to call him Skip or something innocent like that. Young, surfer dude, he doesn't have much drama or much of anything really going on in his life and is soon witness to a horrible tragedy. Iggy works with Mitch and knows him really well. Not a main character but he sure is fun! A light note during a rollercoaster...kind of like the thought of cotton candy while you are on the ride. Like totally dude!
Daniel and Katherine (Kathy) Taggart:
Daniel, 51 and his wife Kathy, behavioral psychologists who teach at the university are the parents of five children. Three girls and two boys. Firm believers in learning and discipline they become cruel monsters and put their children through hell. Chronic learning included forcing the children to live naked for days on the end without privacy around others to instill a lack of shame. Years of practicing their craft on their children have led to isolated and polite relationships with their adult offspring.
Anson Rafferty:
Mitch's brother, fun and loving, computer geek and gourmet chef. Mitch has always felt a close bond to Anson. Anson is single and lives alone.
Detective Taggart:
When Mitch witnesses a violent murder, this true blue detective seems to pounce on Mitch and the possibility of his connection to the victim. As I read this novel, it was hard to decide which side Taggart is on and what he really knows. Is he the detective we want if we were ever in need or an ally of our deepest enemy? (I'm not telling, you are going to have to pick up this read to find up for yourself!)
OK, What is it about??? Ah finally....
The plot!
Here it is, Mitch is landscaping a client's yard with Iggy (you know Gidget's buddy Skip...) and he suddenly gets a phone call from an unknown and undisclosed number. His wife, upset professes her love to him and says "whatever happens, I love you." Okay if that isn't enough to freak anyone out, some bad sounding dude gets on the phone telling them they have his wife and want two million dollars. As he hears his wife crying in pain and fear, they spell out all the details... he has sixty hours to come up with an insane and incomprehensible amount of cash to get his wife back or she's dead. Not exactly the way I want to start my Monday morning either. Before he gets off the phone he is instructed to look across the street as an example of how serious they are... and he watches an innocent bystander walking his dog get shot in the head and murdered in cold blood!
In comes the Detective with lots of questions Mitch knows he can not answer. Turns out, it's a good thing he doesn't answer these question truthfully because someone, somewhere is recording his conversation. Not knowing who to trust, Mitch begins his journey into a dark place where there may be no return. On his path, he will see evil in the most unlikely sources, confront his own abuse by his parents in his childhood and reach out to the one person he trusts to cover his back.
To top it all off, he winds up knowing the innocent bystander, who isn't innocent at all it seems and that just causes Detective Taggart to push harder for answers. It seems that Mitch and the victim were roommates at one time and eventually went their separate ways! All too soon everyone is caught up in a race on the roller coaster and time is running out for Holly and Mitch.
I can't tell you whether Mitch can pull it off, I mean that would really spoil the whole point of reading the book, but I can tell you that I really enjoyed the book, during my serious bout with bronchitus!
As the clock ticks down to the last few hours before the trade off is scheduled, the ride gets darker and each character is faced with the reflection of their darker self.
The writing:
I have always enjoyed a good read, and Koontz has remained a favorite. Thrillers and suspense seem to hit my NEED for reading like nicotine with the very first inhale after a long day of going without. Koontz shows depth with his characters in The Husband. The transformation that Mitch feels as desperate love for his wife drives him to the edge of reason and over in attempt after attempt to do it right for Holly. I've often had discussions with close friends of what I would or would not do for my kids... and this book comes close to that love... if putting words on paper can make one feel connected, Koontz nailed it.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
toniroger
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Location: In the Wild Wild West!
Reviews written: 197
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About Me:
Recently remarried. Proud mom of 5!
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