Books I've read this week - Midnight

Midnight by Dean Koontz © 1989

About the book: The citizens of Moonlight Cove, California, are changing. Some are losing touch with their deepest emotions. Others are surrendering to their wildest urges. And the few who remain unchanged are absolutely terrified – if not brutally murdered in the dead of night. Dean Koontz, the bestselling master of suspense, invites you into the shocking world of Moonlight Cove – where four unlikely survivors confront the darkest realms of human nature.

There have been 12 suspicious deaths in the past month in Moonlight Cove and undercover FBI agent Sam Booker has been sent to investigate. One of those deaths was the supposed suicide of Tess Lockland’s sister and she’s come to find out what happened, too. Eleven-year-old Chrissie Foster finds her parents aren’t what she thought when she misses the school bus and returns home unexpectedly. Now she’s running for her life. And disabled Viet Nam war vet Harry Talbot may not be able to get around without his wheelchair, but that doesn’t stop him from keeping tabs on the town with his telescope. He’s seen all those bodies going to the funeral home, more than the number of deaths that have been reported in the local newspaper, but what are those dark, shadowy shapes he sees slinking around at night?

Local crazy, rich guy Tom Shaddock, whose computer company employs most of the town, is taking over. He promised people that the injections they’re getting would improve their lives. In some ways it has because now they can heal themselves unless they get a mortal wound to their heart or brain. However, they’ve also lost their ability to feel any emotion other than fear, and some of the people seem to be having side effects, what they call ‘regressing’, and what they’re regressing into isn’t good.

This was one of the best thrillers I’ve read in quite a while. I sit by a window when I read late at night and this was one of those stories that made me draw the curtains, and check to see if those were just shadows I was seeing out of the corner of my eye or Boogeymen. It's just what I'd expect from Koontz.