One minute
offers tranquility; the next turmoil hits with a vengeance
Mitchell Rafferty had a nice and
peaceful life going for him – successful small business and a happy marriage. Within one phone call, all fell apart.
Holly was kidnapped and he needed to come up with two million dollars for his wife’s release, an unrealistic amount
for a mere gardener and an unimpressive bank total of $11,000.
Koontz evokes sympathy toward
his character while keeping the reader drawn into his suspense novel. The “how will he raise the money?” captures
you from the beginning. But Koontz’s ability to tackle and add a few twists and turns mark him as a writer who builds
a relationship of bonding between character and reader.
But there’s more at play
here than a random kidnapping. The calculating and ruthless kidnappers lay their demands in increments with a 60 hour count
down which begins from the very first phone call. The threat of killing Holly if the money is not delivered drives Mitchell
to take any length possible to succeed.
Add some family skeletons, murder,
and bad guy figures to the scenario and you get a jam packed great read.
Koontz’s writing voice is
simplistic. His tone is quiet, seeping information to entice a reader’s curiosity level along with descriptive background
visuals. At times, however, I found some of his characters flat. But, his style would compare to King’s, both build
character profiles to such an extent for a reader to know them before the plot begins to boil.
In the Husband, Koontz brings
you right into the action, slows down for some background info, then resumes and never stops the rollercoaster ride. A great
read!
Lea Schizas
– Founder and Muse Book Reviewer
*GREAT RE
AD
