This book scared me to death. It made my skin crawl. I think it was because it seemed utterly feasible in some way that evil men could perpetrate such a plot to take over society. Our heroine was up to the task but so vulnerable and strong.. I have long read Mr. Koontz; this was one of his best.

I have enjoyed everything this author has brought out. Super talented and this story was another edge of your seat tale that I greatly enjoyed.

This is a new series from Dean Koontz with a great female protagonist. She is smart, tough, brave, and kicking butt. Jane Hawk is a "rogue" FBI agent with purpose that needs to stay under the radar.

"Those who are truly off the grid and cannot be tracked any technology, yet are able to move about freely and use the Internet, are said to be in the silent corner."

As others have noted this is not typical of Dean Koontz's writing. His mature writing style is, of course, still there, but this is more of a realistic thriller. This book was suspenseful. It was not horror or supernatural. I suppose there is a bit of sci-fi in the terrorism area, but it is masked in technology. Even with that bit of interesting science, this book wouldn't really fall into that genre either. It is action packed and I think people who enjoy conspiracy theory stories would like this one.

I found this to be an enjoyable read, if a bit long-winded. The story wrapped pretty well, but not all the ends are tied. It is left open to continue the story in the next book, versus starting a new story with the same characters. I will certainly be picking up the next in the series.

I have loved Dean Koontz from the first day I was given a copy of "Night Chills" to read while riding the bus home from my first year in high school. Ever since, Dean Koontz has not failed me - always providing me with believable characters, fast and exciting suspense driven story lines, colorful descriptions, and always a piece of his heart in each of the pages that pass through my fingers! In this new series, Jane Hawk is introduced to us as a strong protagonist, looking to avenge her husband's recent suicide. Jane hides her son, while she goes "rogue" from her job at the FBI, to pursue what she knows is a story that is not quiet as it seems. While on her quest, she finds others that have been touched by these mysterious suicides, while others experience the fallout from getting to close to the answers. What she finds, leads to an amazing, bone chilling story that may not be too far off from our own reality! While I'm used to books by Koontz being fast paced throughout every page, I found myself getting bogged down with details about a quarter of the way through the book and loosing track of where we were headed in the story, but once I got through, I was well on my way to a fast paced narrative that kept me interested to the last page. I'm very excited to start the next book in the series! Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this book, in exchange for an honest opinion.

I normally love Dean Koontz, but this one....I just couldn't get into it. I didn't find myself caring about the main character whatsoever. The book never grabbed me, and I am a reader who needs to be captivated by the first page. Sorry, Mr. Koontz! I still love "Watchers" and "Phantoms" though!

The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz has been chosen as THE MARVELOUS DARETOPIAN BOOK OF THE MONTH. (Daretopian novels are set in a world where the characters must be daring in order to survive. These books are perfect for thrill seekers.) The review below is a reviewaka, based on an ancient Japanese poetry form. (To learn more about how to read a reviewaka, you can visit (http://tinyurl.com/reviewakas).

The Silent Corner
by Dean Koontz
c2017

staying off the grid
she’s kickass rogue FBI
rooting out evil

compelling, realistic
nanotech terror unleashed

MM

I was a little surprised at first when I finished reading this. It isn't typical Koontz, but it's still quite good. It starts off with a bang and doesn't let up throughout the entirety of it. It is quite fast paced and keeps the pace through most of the book, with only a few slower spots. The main character, Jane, is quite a badass, but she's also believable in her role and is well fleshed out.

The main storyline doesn't involve things you would normally see in a Koontz novel. Instead of dealings with the supernatural, or having a horror edge to it, it deals with the government and new technology that could put citizens in a world of danger, and they don't even know what's going on. The idea that you can somehow be injected with nano-technology that controls you without you even realizing it is quite terrifying. The implications of what people could be made to do (besides committing suicide) are staggering. And it's all written in a way to be believable.

Koontz can be pretty hit or miss at times, but I think this is a definite hit and am looking forward to continuing the series.

The Silent Corner is the first in the thrilling new series by Dean Koontz. Touching and terrifying, it is the story Jane Hawk, a young widow that will not accept that her husband committed suicide, even though she was the one to discover his body. The man she loved would never abandon her or their son—never. And she will risk everything prove it.

As a trained FBI agent, Jane Hawk has the resources and training needed to thoroughly investigate her husband’s death. She sells her house and her car, cashes out her bank accounts and secrets away her son. She buys a car that has been illegally modified to be untrackable by GPS. She buys disposable cell phones and acquires fake identification. She steps into the silent corner – a place where she should be invisible to all of the tracking capabilities of modern society. Step by step she follows a trail that may give her answers—or may take her life…

Fans of Dean Koontz will understand that he has two types of “scary stories”. On one side you have books like Ticktock, Odd Thomas, or Ashley Bell—tales that have a touch of the paranormal. They are fun and they will get your heart racing, but, they are not terrifying. Voo-doo dolls, Elvis’ Ghost or using “Scrabble-mancy” to devine the future isn’t “real”. We are protected by the bubble of suspended disbelief. Then, there are the books that could very well be real. For me, these are by far the scarier of the two. That is the kind of book The Silent Corner is. This could really happen. Many of the things that Jane Hawk discovers—are really happening! I now fear of all the tech in my life.

The Silent Corner is very well written. The characters are very well developed with detailed backstories that support their abilities and personalities. Even the minor characters are well defined and their roles are clear. This is where Koontz really shines. He paints with a very fine brush. But, he is never course. Although his stories have a sharp edge, the language and sexual content are more implied than stated. And, of course, there are plenty of dog references. The man does love his Goldens!

The second book in the Jane Hawk Series, The Whispering Room will be released 11/7/2017. Look for that review soon!

I'm a fan of Koontz's Odd Thomas novels and decided to give this new series, starring Jane Hawk, a try. I'm glad I did. Excitement begins to build early and continues to escalate, making it difficult to put the book down. Jane is a compelling character. She persists. I am looking forward to reading the next volume in the series, hoping Jane saves the world as we know it and can return to a satisfied life with her young son.

4 Stars!

Dean Koontz has been giving readers chills and thrills for a long time now. It almost seems as if it would be impossible for the bestselling writer to come up with something new. Luckily, that is not the case. Koontz returns with an all-new heroine who promises to be one of his best characters ever in The Silent Corner.

The suicide rate had been rising over the past couple years but no one seemed to notice. No one, that is, until Jane Hawk’s husband suddenly and mysteriously committed suicide. He had been happy with a bright future until he took his own life with no warning and only a confusing note left to mark his passing. Everyone seems to think that Jane is simply lost in grief as she begins to search for the reasons behind her husband’s death. Jane knows there is more to his death and is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery even if it costs her life. She puts her child in hiding, liquidates her finances, and takes a leave from her job to set off on her rogue mission.

Jane’s quest first leads her into seedy world of hacking as she follows the few pieces of information she has gathered by talking to the families of suicide victims. As she puts the pattern together, she discovers a secret society created by the world’s most powerful and wealthy men. The men have created a network of totally compliant women to cater to their every need. The secret behind these houses of pleasure run much deeper than simple money, however, and the men behind them have a goal more sinister than just satiating their lust. It is an exercise in power that will make Nazi Germany look like the little leagues. These men are bent on controlling the world and have even enlisted the help of the government. Jane is determined to find a way to stop the conspiracy or die trying.

The Silent Corner is a relentless thriller that keeps the reader on the edge of sanity throughout the novel. Koontz keeps the action fast and the story tight but still allows for enough background to give the story a sense of reality. The novel is tightly written and kept my attention from the first word to the very last. Jane is an easy character to relate to and her sense of loss and desperation fills the novel and gives it an urgency that is palpable. Many of the themes from Koontz’s early novels are present here. There is a sense of paranoia and government conspiracy that was present in many of his books. He keeps the reader on edge the entire time so that the outcome of the novel is in question throughout. It is easy for the reader to sink into the story and get lost in the story for a couple hours.

The first thing I noticed when I started the novel was a sense of urgency that has been missing from some of Koontz’s newer books. It felt like slipping into one of his thrillers from decades ago and I was caught up in the thrill of the novel immediately. The story started like a house on fire and Koontz keeps the momentum going throughout the novel. This was the Koontz I had discovered as a teenager and who had been missing in recent books. It is not that I did not enjoy his newer novels. The Silent Corner is a return to form for fans of Koontz’s novels from the 1970’s and 1980’s and a thrill ride from start to finish. This novel may be less literary than some of his recent novels but it is certainly a lot more fun and Koontz had created a new heroine that is poised to provide even more thrills in the books to come. Readers old and new should not hesitate to dive right in and get ready for the ride of their lives.

I would like to thank Bantam and NetGalley for this review copy. The Silent Corner is available now.

Jane Hawk is Mr. Koontz''s new hero, and I appreciate her SO much. The storyline is terrifying, the adventure thrilling. The arrogance and depravity of people in charge, their greed and hedonism are shocking. Jane's courage and imagination, the risks and seemingly insurmountable situations carried me through the story holding my breath. Bravo!! Can't wait for the story to continue.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of The Silent Corner.

Jane has just lost her husband to an unexpected suicide, and she is incredibly suspicious. She uses her FBI skills to begin a relentless pursuit to find the cause of these unexplained suicides.

To be fair, I just don't think I was the right audience for this genre. While it's very heavy with intrigue, mystery and science, the characters felt soooo flat. I didn't feel like I really knew any of them at all, which made it tough to invest. Not my fave.

Where has this Dean Koontz been the last 10-15 years (maybe more)? And Jane Hawk? I needed her in my life as well. The Silent Corner brings together all the things I grew up loving about Koontz writing and actually delivering on a plot that I didn't want to give-up on halfway through the novel. No iPad's or Kindles needed to repaired after reading 25 pages or so of how awesome dogs are.

And yes, dogs are awesome but really... I mean really...

I digress...

Jane Hawk is obviously running from someone. When we first meet her she's making sure to avoid the usual traps that anyone on the run would. Using credit cards, navigation apps, and presenting official CIA ID's... you know the usual. We know Jane's running from someone, or something, but finding out what (or whom) is so worth the ride.

After Nick, Jane's husband, commits suicide she resolves to investigate the increase in the suicide rate. The cases that spark her interests are the ones that involve people who are most unlikely to want to die. Nick was a decorated Navy vet that had no obvious signs of depression. For the sake of her son and herself, Jane is going to get to the bottom of what is happening.

Enter some really, really, really bad people. Word has gotten around to some really scary dudes that she wants an answer to the spike in suicides and they make it known, in no uncertain terms, that she is to stop looking for whatever she's looking for.

No one tells Jane no. She's fearless it seems. Plus, her training at Quantico gives her a firm upper-hand to any layman embarking on this journey.

What Koontz has done well is provide an interesting premise and married it with the things I loved about his books. Much of The Silent Corner has a science fiction(y) vibe to it. How in the hell do you convince someone to kill themselves? That shit's scary that it could be done and someone would want to have it done to someone else. He keeps the suspense high using short chapters and keeping the story moving by not going on and on and on about how awesome the two German Shepard guard dogs.

Koontz doesn't lose classic features such as a protagonist that just happens to have money. Jane is frugal because she's not rich, but she does "stumble" across a few ways of getting more dough. The attention to detail is another Koontz trait that makes its way into this corner, but is not overly done so it works here. The other aspect of his writing that works here is his penchant for the battle between good and evil. Jane is good and the deaths she is representing for were lives of people who were practically saints.

The antagonist is an evil dick for obvious reasons.

Anyway, let me get back to a silent corner and get to the next Jane Hawk installation The Whispering Room. Koontz is back baby! Or at least, for now, he's back!

Copy provided by Random House Publishing Group via Netgalley

Jane Hawk is on leave from the FBI after the unexpected death of her husband. She knows that he didn't kill himself voluntarily and sets out to prove it.
I didn't expect to like this book.... very scary. But I so liked Jane Hawk that I had to keep reading. And even though the conspiracy she uncovers is terrifying, the book stays true to what could be a reality. Which makes it even more scary!
I'm looking forward to reading the next Jane Hawk book, The Whispering Room.

Dean Koontz returns following Ashley Bell, landing on my Top Books of 2015 with his latest, THE SILENT CORNER. Coming in Paperback 10/31/17. Look for a special preview bonus included of The Whispering Room Jane Hawk #2.

Koontz, a master at building suspense, and an incredible story-teller, this time around with action and a well-developed heroine to match. And as always, his signature lyrical prose.

The author introduces readers to the impressive, Jane Hawk: the first in the new series THE SILENT CORNER —A tough, intelligent, courageous kick-ass heroine with all the skills of Lee Child's Jack Reacher, David Baldacci's Will Robie and then some, as she encounters ruthless, dangerous, and evil predators on her journey for justice.

A fast action, suspense, high octane gripping page-turner!

“Those who are truly off the grid and cannot be tracked by any technology, yet are able to move about freely and use the Internet, are said to be in the silent corner.”

A grieving widow, Jane Hawk. An unstoppable clever FBI agent. A marine husband (Nick). They were married six years. Four months earlier she lost him. Another widow, Gwyn (husband Gordon).

Jane is passionate about clearing Nick’s name, about proving that he had not committed suicide. She had unknowingly set out on a path from which there would be no retreat. Driven by the love for her lost husband and by fear for the five-year-old son, Travis —she has gone into hiding.

Murder-Suicides. A conspiracy. 8400 suicides. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, police, journalists . . . Unusual suicides. No history of depression, emotional problems or financial crisis. They do not fit the profile.

Vertigo. Intense dreams. A bitter taste.

Staying off the grid, going rogue, Jane is smart. She hides her five-year-old son with friends and moves across California. Staying in motels, in disguise and using different names. She is determined to get to the bottom of this conspiracy.

Before Nick’s death, there was a piece about scientists who were developing brain implants using light-sensitive proteins and fiber-optics. Their thoughts translated into luminous pulses by light-sensitive proteins and processed by software and rendered into speech by a computer.

Then she had marveled by all the miracles, technology, and changes. Was it mind control?
How were people make to do it?

Now she was trapped in a world of violence and horror. She recalled an earlier time with Nick.

His words. “You rock me.”

Jane takes a leave of absence and hits the road. Interviewing those left behind. Spouses of murder’ suicide cases. Those she sought to expose would not allow her to walk away and live. They had brought something new and terrible into the world. She did not understand. What would two more be people be to them? A mother and son?

Age 27, drives a Ford Escape, she is now the "Most Wanted Fugitive in the US." She knew little. At the same time, she knew too much. She suspected more, and there would be no one to who she could risk turning for help until she knew it all.

Jane finds herself risking her life, as she makes shocking discoveries and comes up against dangerous conspiracies. (and we have more to come).

Koontz definitely kicks up the action ten-fold in THE SILENT CORNER!. It is no wonder Paramount Television and Anonymous Content have optioned the FBI drama.

The highly-skilled Jane Hawk rocks! She will be adored and respected by women and men readers, alike.

Rumors have it Koontz plans to write at least five more books featuring Jane Hawk, and the next in the series, The Whispering Room coming Nov 21, 2017. Jane Hawk—fiction’s most relentless, resourceful, stunning new heroine—continues her battle against a murderous conspiracy in the riveting sequel to The Silent Corner. Can't wait.

A reminder why we keep coming back for more Koontz. Better than ever! Fans will be anxiously awaiting the next installment in this enthralling suspense action thriller.

This may be my favorite since The City (which is totally different). Top Books of 2014.

Meet Jane Hawk

A special thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy. I also purchased the audiobook narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers, for an entertaining listening experience.

JDCMustReadBooks

Would her family ever be safe? She could only hope that she might be able to understand the nature and intent of the conspiracy behind the country's escalating suicides and obtain enough evidence to break the story to the public. Even in the darkest darkness, hope was a lifeline, though sometimes as thin as a thread.

After the death of her husband by suicide, Jane Hawk, FBI agent has gone rogue to find the answers to why her husband would go against everything he believed and lived. It didn't make sense. Her journey has brought to the realization that the suicide rates have jumped drastically. She takes a leave of absence, sells everything she has, and begins to interview those that have been left behind due to a loved ones suicide. As she gets closer to the truth, "they" want her dead.

This is a fast page turner thriller. I loved this character as a wife, rogue, a human, a woman, and the mind set that deals with the reality of evil. She is a contrast of emotions, a walking contradiction, that believes in the humanity of all and the gift of life. She is a bad ass but tender. I can go on and I could say that I do have a girl crush on her. It is her courage that comes alive as she longs for the truth.

The greed for power has met their match in this heroine. I loved it!

A Special Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Dean Koontz can be a hit or miss for me, but when he tells a story well it is astounding. I feel like this is a much better book then his previous Ashley Bell. I really enjoyed this and am excited for the next chapter in the series! I love a good series with a strong female character as the lead and I highly recommend this!

New character, Jane Hawk, really wonderful. As usual, for Koontz, a really great read

“The silent Corner” eBook was published in 2017 and was written by Dean Koontz (http://www.deankoontz.com). Mr. Koontz has published over 100 novels as well as several novellas.

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story take place in various places in the US, but mostly in California.

Jane Hawk, the primary character of the story, is an FBI agent who’s husband unexpectedly committed suicide. After she got over the shock, she took a leave from the FBI, liquidated everything, dropped off the grid and began to investigate.

Fearing for her son’s life, she leaves him with friends and sets off on her own. She finds that suicide is on the increase and many are as strange as her husband’s case. As she tracks down the trail of a ‘brothel’ with beautiful women willing for clients to do literally anything, she discovers that nono-scale technology may be what is creating these docile and cooperative young women. And it may well be at the root of the suicide of her husband and others. That information comes with a price. She soon finds herself a hunted fugitive. Will she find the truth and will she be able to stay alive?

I thoroughly enjoyed the just shy of 11 hours I spent reading this 466 page Science Fiction Mystery Thriller. I have read many Dean Koontz novels. This one strays from the earlier thrillers with more of a paranormal twist. This one reminds me more of a Michael Crichton novel. I liked the character of Jane Hawk and the way the novel ended I expect . . . I hope to be reading more with her at the core. The cover art is OK. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

I love books by Dean Koontz. Needless to say, I loved this book.. I also liked that it's a series. I ended the book wanting to read more, but wasn't let down because I have to wait. I live in Kansas City, so the location interests me. The character, Jane Hawk, is interesting. I'm looking forward to learning more about her, about her past and what motivates her.

I wasn't left with a book hangover, which is good because that often deters me from even starting a series. But, I'm definitely ready for the next book. Thank you for letting me read. I hope you let me read the next one.