The Husband
by Dean Koontz
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Read in January, 2007
recommends it for:
adults, teens
I've always thought of Dean Koontz as the master of psychological suspense. His novels are aways full of weird and over the top characters that he makes believable and then he puts them in situations which are weird and over the top and makes them believable.
This time around Dean changes things up a bit. He takes an average Joe and puts him in a seemingly no win situation. Mitch Rafferty, owner of a two man landscaping business gets the phone call no husband would want. Someone has his wife....more
This time around Dean changes things up a bit. He takes an average Joe and puts him in a seemingly no win situation. Mitch Rafferty, owner of a two man landscaping business gets the phone call no husband would want. Someone has his wife....more
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Read in September, 2007
Okay plot, but could have been better. Parts felt rushed to me. The characters and character development are what makes the novel. If you take away all the extra romance stuff the story is really about one character persevering and growing as an individual. The book has a lot of themes running on different levels...good vs evil, nature vs nurture, innocence into "adulthood", growth as an individual and into the role of a husband.
What I liked:
Liked how the author lead you ...more
What I liked:
Liked how the author lead you ...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
adults, ya
I finished reading another Dean Koontz novel. This one is titled The Husband. I believe it’s his second most recently published book.
Like The Good Guy this book doesn’t follow the ‘typical’ Koontz novel in that there was no supernatural thingies involved. Also like TGG, most of the action/plot/etc revolved around a solid character that is written so well you have to like him. I liked him because he and I share the same surname, which sometimes made the book a little creepy, to be hones...more
Like The Good Guy this book doesn’t follow the ‘typical’ Koontz novel in that there was no supernatural thingies involved. Also like TGG, most of the action/plot/etc revolved around a solid character that is written so well you have to like him. I liked him because he and I share the same surname, which sometimes made the book a little creepy, to be hones...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in February, 2008
Mitch is an ordinary guy - a landscaper - who is gardening when he receives a telephone call from men who have kidnapped Holly, Mitch's wife, and threaten to kill her slowly and painfully unless they receive $2 million within 60 hours.
Of interest was the exploration of two brothers raised in the same environment, and how diverse their characters appear to be (at least initially). The brief, tantalizing glimpses of the siblings' childhoods are more intriguing that the "suspense" inv...more
Of interest was the exploration of two brothers raised in the same environment, and how diverse their characters appear to be (at least initially). The brief, tantalizing glimpses of the siblings' childhoods are more intriguing that the "suspense" inv...more
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I'm so confused. I have been a Dean Koontz fan for years, ever since I first found Strangers in my high-school library. There had NEVER been a book that I didn't like, until the release of VELOCITY. I actually, almost, nearly, dare I say it?--hated that book. Then along comes THE HUSBAND, and I wanted so badly to love it like I loved previous books like WATCHERS, ODD THOMAS, and PRODIGAL SON. Alas, it was not to be.
The premise of thrusting an ordinary man (a gardener/landscaper) into unbeli...more
The premise of thrusting an ordinary man (a gardener/landscaper) into unbeli...more
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Read in December, 2007
This book was given to me from someone at work who has observed that I read all the time. The reason I mention this, is because I never would have picked up this book on my own...and if I had come to work one day without the book I was actually reading at the time, it's doubtful I would have read it at all!
The book started out horribly. It is only because I feel guilty to start a book and not finish it, that I persevered. In some ways I'm glad I did, and in others, I wish I'd never picked...more
The book started out horribly. It is only because I feel guilty to start a book and not finish it, that I persevered. In some ways I'm glad I did, and in others, I wish I'd never picked...more
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Read in August, 2008
Sometimes I just need to listen to my husband when he says "If you're not interested in a book or think it's dumb within the first 100 pages it's okay to stop reading it."
This book I plodded through because I hate leaving books unread if I start them. I hear that this book is really good and it's a quick read and so interesting and Dean Koontz is such a great author... um... I'm just going to say I was unimpressed.
the story was too descriptive for me, the names of plants, the ...more
This book I plodded through because I hate leaving books unread if I start them. I hear that this book is really good and it's a quick read and so interesting and Dean Koontz is such a great author... um... I'm just going to say I was unimpressed.
the story was too descriptive for me, the names of plants, the ...more
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Read in June, 2006
recommends it for:
thrillers!
Fun, fun, FUN! Stephen King should be so lucky this year. Landscaper Mitchell Rafferty gets a call on his cell phone from a stranger saying that Mitch's beloved wife, Holly, has been kidnapped and that he has less than three days to come up with $2 million in cash. He’s told to NOT call the police. While Mitch is still on the phone, the kidnapper proves his seriousness by directing Mitch's attention to a man walking a dog across the street. A moment later the man is shot dead. Mitch must wa...more
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Read in June, 2008
The Husband was pretty much exactly what I expected. It was a lot like many of his newer novels (ex: The Good Guy, The Darkest Evening of the Year) in writing style, but more of a classic kidnapping story with a little less complexity than some of the others. This is not to say the book didn't have any twists and turns, which it did. Overall, it was a very entertaining book. Personally, I'd like to see Dean write some new books modeling his style of the late eighties to mid nineties when he wrot...more
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This book was a great book to read. I've learned from this book that if you love somebody so much you have to do anything to get them. Mitch is the main character in this book and he's just a gardener and he doesn't make much money and his wife gets kidnapped by people his older brother got in trouble with so to get back at his brother they take his little brother's wife. Mitch tries to do anything to get 2 million dollars by Wednesday. He tries to sell his house gather as much money as possible...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
Koontz fans
Dean Koontz is back in the saddle, Ladies and Gentlemen! I read this book on a 72-hour road trip. I even sat outside of the cottage reading while everyone was inside with a drink!
Call me a nerd, but I carried this book in my purse for a reason. Many Koontz fans have said that this book returned Dean back to his plot-twisting roots. I couldn't agree more.
I found myself identifying with the lead character, Mitch, and his wife, Holly. You see, they are 27 years old, no kids yet, and soooo i...more
Call me a nerd, but I carried this book in my purse for a reason. Many Koontz fans have said that this book returned Dean back to his plot-twisting roots. I couldn't agree more.
I found myself identifying with the lead character, Mitch, and his wife, Holly. You see, they are 27 years old, no kids yet, and soooo i...more
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Read in December, 2007
...kisah seorang lelaki yang ingin membuktikan apakah cintanya terhadap sang istri memiliki batas...
tuw salah satu review yg aku baca di cover "The Husband", interesting!!!
alurnya cepat...ktegangan g prnah lepas dr setiap bagian d buku ne...n it has hepi ending ^_^
s'orang tukang kebun biasa dg khidupan yg amat sangat biasa...mmiliki mimpi yg biasa...yg bahagia walopun hnya dg m'cium bau tanah yg subur n mmandangi warna hijau daun yg mnyejukkan tiba2 hrs dhadapkan dg k'jahatan yg ...more
tuw salah satu review yg aku baca di cover "The Husband", interesting!!!
alurnya cepat...ktegangan g prnah lepas dr setiap bagian d buku ne...n it has hepi ending ^_^
s'orang tukang kebun biasa dg khidupan yg amat sangat biasa...mmiliki mimpi yg biasa...yg bahagia walopun hnya dg m'cium bau tanah yg subur n mmandangi warna hijau daun yg mnyejukkan tiba2 hrs dhadapkan dg k'jahatan yg ...more
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Read in January, 2007
Prior to this book, I was a Dean Koontz virgin. I was afraid to read him because his book-go-movie Intensity scared the bee-doodles out of me.
This book caught my eye on a check out shelf at my local Walgreens when I was stopping in on my way to the beach. I bought it on a whim to read on the sand. This was the perfect book for that purpose. It did not take a lot of concentration to follow it, and it held my attention the whole time. It was an action packed and moving the entire time. ...more
This book caught my eye on a check out shelf at my local Walgreens when I was stopping in on my way to the beach. I bought it on a whim to read on the sand. This was the perfect book for that purpose. It did not take a lot of concentration to follow it, and it held my attention the whole time. It was an action packed and moving the entire time. ...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
page-turning thriller lovers
Gardener and average American Mitchell Rafferty gets a disturbing phone call while at work: "We have you're wife. You can have her back for 2 million." The problem is, Mitch is not rich. He's a gardener. The question of where Mitch will find the money and how he will extract it is what guides the rest of the book.
The Husband is a straight up genre thriller and not much more. That said, what a page turner it is. There are a few scenes here that are really solid and enjoyable....more
The Husband is a straight up genre thriller and not much more. That said, what a page turner it is. There are a few scenes here that are really solid and enjoyable....more
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Read in February, 2008
This book is unlike most Koontz books in that is is more of a mystery-suspense rather than horror. The main character is Mitch, a landscaper with his own small business. While working one day, he gets a call from a man staying that they have his wife (and let him hear her getting hit) and if he wants her back, he needs to give them two million dollars. And to prove they mean business, they shoot a man walking his dog across the street from where he is working. Thus begins an adventure for Mi...more
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Read in May, 2008
recommended to Jen by:
Jamie Petrorecommends it for: Kelly
One of the best books I've ever read. I have always loved movies with plots like this, but have never read a book in this genre. A man's wife is kidnaped and the people holding her want $2 million dollars. Problem is, the guy is a small business owner. He has his own landscaping company. He makes like $30,000 a year. There's no way he can get $2 million dollars. But the kidnapers tell him if he loves his wife enough, he'll find a way. Thing is, this man DOES love his wife. A lot. Koont...more
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Read in January, 2008
The story of this book is about Mitch,,a gardener,a loving husband who lives a simple yet happy and satisfying life.
But one day his life's totally changed when some strangers kidnapped his wife and ask for US$2 mil in change.
In this book we'll see how a man struggle and willing to do almost anything in sake of his wife,,how a man who's always seen good thing in everyone was forced into a situation that opened his eyes that evil does exist.
Mitch fight till the end to honor his vow he made...more
But one day his life's totally changed when some strangers kidnapped his wife and ask for US$2 mil in change.
In this book we'll see how a man struggle and willing to do almost anything in sake of his wife,,how a man who's always seen good thing in everyone was forced into a situation that opened his eyes that evil does exist.
Mitch fight till the end to honor his vow he made...more
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Read in July, 2008
recommends it for:
Dean Koontz fans
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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Read in June, 2007
I thought it started well... with a twist that surprised me and captured my interest. From there, it just got less and less believable. From a storytelling standpoint, it was marginal, but as a quality piece of writing it was much worse. It felt churned out, quickly crafted without much afterthought other than the meticulous use of landscaping vocabulary. I'll say this for it, though, there weren't a lot of words on the page so I didn't waste a lot of time getting to the end.
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Read in May, 2008
This book was amazing from the beginning! I highly recommend that you read this book! Do you think you or your husband are capable of doing certain things for love? Well this book sure tests the power of the mind and the body and most of all your spirit! I could not put this book down. The husband was wonderful! Just when you think it was getting go it just got that much more better! I enjoyed the ending! It was a normal ending and a good ending! That is all I will say about that! Get the book! ...more
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