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Dean Koontz, he of the multiplicity of pen names, has produced another thriller which can scarcely avoid being a best-seller. It has, after all, already been snapped up for the big screen. Part One poses the question 'What would you do for love?' and Part Two ' Would you die for love? Would you kill?' Pretty heavy stuff in store, given that indication. Mitch Rafferty is a landscape gardener. Despite his awful childhood which saw him, his three sisters and one brother pressured to be what their parents (whose methods of child rearing could be described, at best, as innovative) saw as successful, Mitch is more than content with his lot and his low-profile profession. Brother Anson is the single instance of a child fulfilling his parents' expectations. A phone call from Mitch's wife Holly interrupts his work. Holly tells Mitch that "Whatever happens, I love you". She then cries out in pain as someone slaps her. The phone is taken from her and one of what sounds to be two men tells Mitch that if he wishes to see Holly alive and unharmed, he will obtain two million dollars (a sum well out of the reach of the gardener) and exchange it for the safe return of his wife. Just to prove they are serious, they direct Mitch to watch a man walking his dog, who is then shot to death. Needless to say, the kidnappers warn Mitch not to contact police or they will certainly kill Holly. Mitch calls the police to report the murder but when Detective Taggart is interviewing him, Rafferty is not tempted to confide in the detective sent to investigate the killing. Mitch, in fact, suspects that Taggart may be in league with the kidnappers. How else could they know everything that is being said? They certainly are aware of all Mitch's movements. At the criminals' behest, Rafferty contacts his happy-go-lucky brother Anson. A little of the mystery is then solved. Eventually, the author gives the reader the opportunity to see how Holly is faring. At that stage, unaccountably, the narrative tense changes from past to present. The suspense from either viewpoint is high so I was unable to determine the function of the change. Holly is an optimistic person. Despite her parlous position, she finds something to occupy her mind and body, something which may help her later. Meanwhile, she attempts to assess her kidnappers, one of whom she finds both evil and crazy but with whom she is destined to spend the majority of the time of her captivity. The tension, from both points of view, is certainly kept wound up to the maximum. Oddly enough, the pace is not maintained. There is a lot of philosophical reflection which tends to slow the speed down. There is also a lot of seemingly pointless (within themselves) stories related by the crazy kidnapper to Holly -- the reader might be forgiven for thinking the author need not have included quite so many of these anecdotes in order to make his point. The characterisation in the piece is very well done. Holly and Mitch are both believable. The changes wrought in Mitch's character as he changes from a somewhat diffident person to one willing to risk everything, even to learn to kill people, in order to rescue his wife, are interesting to watch. Despite this, at times I felt myself wishing that Koontz would just get on with it. A social conscience is a fine thing but perhaps that aspect could be modified in writing a tale, in order for said tale to produce a greater impact.
Reviewed by Denise Pickles, July 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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