The Darkest Evening of the Year
Books | Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
3.9
(192)
Dean Koontz
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Dean Koontz's The City.With each of his #1 New York Times bestsellers, Dean Koontz has displayed an unparalleled ability to entertain and enlighten readers with novels that capture the essence of our times even as they bring us to the edge of our seats. Now he delivers a heart-gripping tour de force he’s been waiting years to write, at once a love story, a thrilling adventure, and a masterwork of suspense that redefines the boundaries of primal fear—and of enduring devotion. Amy Redwing has dedicated her life to the southern California organization she founded to rescue abandoned and endangered golden retrievers. Among dog lovers, she’s a legend for the risks she’ll take to save an animal from abuse. Among her friends, Amy’s heedless devotion is often cause for concern. To widower Brian McCarthy, whose commitment she can’t allow herself to return, Amy’s behavior is far more puzzling and hides a shattering secret. No one is surprised when Amy risks her life to save Nickie, nor when she takes the female golden into her home. The bond between Amy and Nickie is immediate and uncanny. Even her two other goldens, Fred and Ethel, recognize Nickie as special, a natural alpha. But the instant joy Nickie brings is shadowed by a series of eerie incidents. An ominous stranger. A mysterious home invasion. And the unmistakable sense that someone is watching Amy’ s every move and that, whoever it is, he’s not alone. Someone has come back to turn Amy into the desperate, hunted creature she’s always been there to save. But now there’s no one to save Amy and those she loves. From its breathtaking opening scene to its shocking climax, The Darkest Evening of the Year is Dean Koontz at his finest, a transcendent thriller certain to have readers turning pages until dawn.
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More Details:
Author
Dean Koontz
Pages
496
Publisher
Random House Publishing Group
Published Date
2007-11-27
ISBN
0553904892 9780553904895
Ratings
Google: 3.5
Community ReviewsSee all
"At times the suspense was so great that I didn't want to stop readings. However, especially at the beginning, the animal scenes were so heart-wrenching, that I had to keep putting the book down."
Ricki Marking-Camuto
"“Dogs, lives are short, too short, but you know that going in. You know the pain is coming, you're going to lose a dog, and there's going to be great anguish, so you live fully in the moment with her, never fail to share her joy or delight in her innocence, because you can't support the illusion that a dog can be your lifelong companion. There's such beauty in the hard honesty of that, in accepting and giving love while always aware that it comes with an unbearable price. Maybe loving dogs is a way we do penance for all the other illusions we allow ourselves and the mistakes we make because of those illusions.” ― Dean Koontz, The Darkest Evening of the Year<br/><br/>This book was VERY different from all the other Dean Koontz books I have read.....it still had deplorable and sick characters to fear and kind, intelligent characters to love....the difference was that there was a wonderful story centered around a specific golden retriever and the characteristics of the breed of dog....I am a dog lover so therefore, I loved reading about this animal. <br/><br/>There were the supernatural aspects to the story which were played thru pretty well....the bad, evil people were nasty....and I shudder to think there are really people out there that have the same characteristics. Harrow and Moongirl are completely insane and have nothing but darkness and evil in their hearts. They bothered me with the things they did and talked about doing but I have to say they are no where near the absolute horror of the "Intensity" murderer, Edgler Forman Vess.....this was a character that brought terror to my heart from the get-go.<br/><br/>Piggy was a wonderful character that was a surprise in the book....it's not usual for a character to have handicaps such as hers and they way she was portrayed was simple and perfect. Amy and Brian are great people with the capacity to open their hearts to compassion and love. Throw in a few dogs.....the supernatural.......nasty evil and 'Hope' and you have a great story that leaves you feeling content and hopeful."
Tracy Walters
"Books I wish I'd never read"
Deborah Armstrong
"I really enjoyed Dean Koontz's latest book. The writing reminded me a bit of One Door Away from Heaven. It was really fantastic. I think there can never be too many books that feature a dog as one of the main characters."
Erin Harty