The Husband by Dean Koontz, a Mysterious Review.

Review: In The Husband, Dean Koontz's latest thriller, the tension slowly but inexorably builds throughout the story that at any given point one wonders how much further it can be taken. Though tempting to read in one sitting, Koontz divides The Husband into three manageable parts, giving the reader an opportunity to pause and catch their breath before continuing.

What would you do for love? Mitch Rafferty, a man of limited financial means, is thrown into a surreal world when he receives a phone call telling him that Holly, his wife, has been kidnapped, and demanding $2 million for her safe return. To indicate how serious his callers are, and as an illustration of their omnipresence, a stranger walking down the street near to where Mitch is standing is shot to death.

Would you die for love? Would you kill? There are a number of unexpected turns along the path Mitch takes in following the demands of his wife's kidnappers. The strength he finds to deal in real time with his increasingly complex situation is derived from a combination of his devotion to his wife and his determination to get her back unharmed.

Until death us do part. Holly plays a more prominent role in this final section, with the narrative alternating between Mitch's and her point of view. Koontz maintains a high level of suspense by allowing Holly to be as deceptively clever in dealing with her kidnappers as they have been with Mitch.

The Husband leaves a few plot threads loose at the end, but hits so close to home (could this possibly happen to me?) that its images will haunt the reader long after the last page has been read.