The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz is a very highly recommended conspiracy thriller and starts a new series. This is a perfect summer novel of suspense!

FBI agent Jane Hawk's husband, Nick, committed suicide, leaving behind a note that said, "I very much need to be dead." Jane knows that this is not her husband, a decorated Marine, a full colonel, on a career path to becoming a general. She needs to find out the truth behind his suicide and that of other capable, talented people. In fact, Jane knows that the suicide rate is dramatically increasing across the country. What is alarming is that these are people of accomplishment, of excellence. These are people who will make a difference or are making a difference. Why would these intelligent, proficient people be committing suicide?

After taking a leave of absence from the Bureau, Jane tries to find out the answer to the increasing suicide rate. When the life of her son is threatened, Jane knows they are a target. She hides her son and Jane goes rogue and underground. Clearly she is the target of powerful people who will do anything to stop her and there is no one she can trust. She has to rely on her skills to find the answers she needs. Who is behind the increasing suicide rate? How are they controlling people? More importantly, why? As she gets closer to the truth, the danger increases.

It is truly frightening to know how easily our every move can be tracked today.  Koontz takes real life technology and shows how the features built into it can be used to track people. It is frightening to realize how easily our every step and movement can be watched without us even realizing it. It's not the stuff of science fiction, it is fact.

The Silent Corner is an extremely well written, excellent thriller with incredible characterization and fast paced action. Jane Hawk is a fully realized, compelling character, full of depth, growth, and intelligence. It's good to know that this is the start of a series featuring her. It's also challenging. Because it is the start of a series there isn't complete closure or answers to all the questions.
There are terrific, nail-biting action scenes and narrow escapes. The suspense and threats grow but Jane narrowly manages to keep a clear head and a step ahead. And it's a great story.

Thriller/suspense fans: read this book. You won't regret it. After that you will be relieved to know that the second book in the Jane Hawk series, The Whispering Room, has a tentative release date of January 9, 2018.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/06/the-silent-corner.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2026717397

I've always been a huge fan of Dean Koontz so whenever a new book is released, I eagerly jump in.  In The Silent Corner, although not his typical genre, I ended up loving his new protagonist Jane Hawk, an FBI agent on leave.

Jane's husband mysteriously commits suicide and she stops at nothing to seek the truth as to why. She goes completely off the grid to find the answers and discovers terrifying secrets along the way.

In this new series of books by the master storyteller, Dean veers away from his usual supernatural tales and instead delves into science.  

One of the reasons I have loved Dean Koontz for all of these years is that his books always contain the kind of characters I can root for. No matter how much evil is in the world, there is always someone who has a big heart.  The Silent Corner, thank goodness, has Jane.  I loved her and am so happy this book is the first of a series of Jane Hawk books!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Random House for providing an advanced copy!

Dean Koontz has managed to bring to life a strong both physically and emotionally, intelligent, driven and beautiful heroine in Jane Hawk.  All without profanity and pages of blood and gore just great descriptive prose and a great story line.  SILENT CORNER is the first in a promising series, looking forward to more of Jane Hawk.  

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

It has been a very long time since I last read a book by Dean Koontz. He is still one of the best in my opinion. This suspenseful thriller has a colorful and complex cast of characters. The suspense builds slowly as layers are added to the plot. Koontz is a master with descriptive details. The premise of this book is terrifying. It will make you think about your own life in a different way, and it will stay with you long after you turn the final page. With advances in science and technology happening at an alarming rate, the realm of future possibilities is wide open. 

Part one begins with a woman named Jane who is on the run. Jane suspects foul play is involved in her husband's death, so she sets out to discover the truth and clear his name. Along the way she receives a message that tells her to mind her own business or else she and her son might meet a similar fate. This warning drives her desire to uncover the truth about her husband. Through interviews and research, Jane soon discovers a bizarre pattern of deaths that will lead her on an even more bizarre and dark series of twists and turns as she continues on her journey. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and I eagerly anticipate the next installment in the Jane Hawk series. She has lots of unfinished business to attend to and loose ends to tie up. I would recommend it to fans of suspense and thrillers. I received this as a free ARC from Bantam Books, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Action-packed, with a unique premise. Perfect for anyone who enjoys technology-based thrillers. Main character could use a bit more development in future installments so that the reader is better able to connect with/feel for her. Looking forward to seeing how her story unfolds.

Premise of this latest novel by Dean Koontz was great. Unexplained deaths, tricky science. All the things that make a thriller reader want to dive right in. Unfortunately the reality was a little more drawn out  and disjointed than that. Instead of giving readers a complete story, Mr Koontz decided to prolong this story into a series. Those hooked enough to continue reading a second book will undoubtedly be gratified with the continuing story. Those readers who felt "Silent Corner" hit a wall may not bother.

In The Silent Corner, Dean Koontz has created a terrifying possibility. Not one with a mad man and a machete or clowns living in the sewers, but no less chilling than either of those. 

What if there was a spider in brain? Changing your personality? Whispering to you to do things? How would really know? 

Jane is a Marine widow. But she's more than that. A top FBI agent and a mother. So when her husband commits suicide, so absolutely refuses to believe it. So she does some research. Jane is such an interesting character. She's focused and willing to do what it takes to protect what she holds most dear. Her experience hunting down monsters for FBI serves her well as she takes on Them.

Jane collects allies and enemies along her roller coaster of ride. There are so many twists and turns, you may need a scorecard to keep track of the players. But They are scary and Koontz's "What If" in The Silent Corner is terrifying and maybe not that farfetched.

I've been a long time Dean Koontz fan. Lately his work seems formulaic and cliched. Unfortunately this book follows this trend. After having recently read Ashley Bell, the main character and the premise of a solitary heroine on the run, feels the same in both books. The story and plot twist seem right out of a Joss Whedon. Overall, the book feels like something thats been around and done before. 

On the positive side, Dean Koontz's language and descriptions truly immerse the reader in the world as always. It seems he introduces a new character every chapter, but makes them so nuanced that they could easily exist in the real world.

I read most of Dean Koontz's early works, up to around Odd Thomas. I found that in his later books it seemed to be more about pages than plots. I loved his spookiness, heart-warming characters, creative situations, and used to stay up all night to finish the book. Not so with Silent Corner. I realize that this book is really a straight-up thriller, not horror or even spooky, by any means. For the first half of the book I kept waiting for something eerie, something astounding, something scary to happen. Nothing did. I had to force myself to continue reading and finally, about halfway through the book the plot seemed to pick up. He does have a strong-willed, strong-minded, assertive, smart heroine, but I just didn't buy the plot. I did feel that there was over-elaboration in the pacing, locations, and action. After finishing the book, I do not plan to continue this series. I do realize that part, if not a large part, of my disappointment was that I was really expecting a horror/spooky/more techno plot. I do believe that Koontz has many more artful, terrifying plots in him. I just didn't find it in this book.

Dean Koontz novels are hit and miss for me, I am either utterly enthralled or completely bored. This one is possibly one of my favorites of his, and it's the first in a series! I can't wait to read the second one.

The main character, Jane, is a strong woman with a solid moral code but who will do what she has to in order to stop the evil she is chasing. I really bought in to Jane and her mission and the people she chose to be close to her. At the risk of being vague (I don't want to give too much away), I will say that the subject matter was very interesting and could have been taken to a very crude and X-rated level if Koontz had wanted to. Honestly, I was expecting to have to skip some pages. But I didn't have to, which made this book even more enjoyable to me. More and more, I am coming to appreciate authors who can tell a compelling story without making me wade through the metaphorical trash pile. 

I still only gave this 4 stars because I felt like the last quarter of the book was drawn out too much. But bring on book 2! (Like, rapido, por favor =D)

Dean Koontz still has it, people. The man can write a tale that leaves readers begging for the next book. He had it 30 years ago, when I read my first Koontz book, and he still has it today. 

The Silent Corner is one of those story lines that grabs you from the get-go and never lets go. Jane Hawk is one of the strongest female characters I’ve read in a long time. The story line is fascinating. The suspense is totally gripping. The writing is…well, this is Dean Koontz, after all. The writing is phenomenal.

I won’t rehash the story line, which is available everywhere the book sells. Just know this: There’s absolutely nothing to criticize about The Silent Corner. Some say Koontz’s style changed over the years, and it probably did. We all change with time, and as we change, so does our way of communicating. I loved this author through every ‘change,’ because one thing remained unchanging throughout the years: Dean Koontz can write. He can tell a story better than all but a couple of other authors that I’m aware of, and he holds his own even with them. His stories never disappoint, and The Silent Corner certainly doesn’t. I was glued to the pages from start to finish.

Unpredictable. Unforgettable. Fascinating. Thought-provoking. Endless heart-pounding excitement. Yes, it’s really that good.

Off to read The Whispering Room. Another Jane Hawk story? I’m already there!

Scrappymags 3-word review: One bad-ass thrill-ride (cheatin’ with the hyphens again)

Genre: Thriller/somewhat Mystery, in the vein of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series and the Will Robie series by David Baldacci. But with a kick-ass female protagonist! (Yes!!!!)

Shortest summary ever: Someone messed with the wrooooong chick. Jane Hawk takes leave from her job as a FBI agent several months after her husband’s mysterious (and no-reason-behind-it) suicide. What she discovers runs deep, high into the echelon of the U.S. government. Which means, of course, someone is trying to stop her… 

As focused as she is on uncovering the truth, powers-that-be are equally determined she doesn’t.

What’s good under the hood: I’ve read a handful of Koontz’s books, all in the hair-rising-on-my-neck variety. Creepy. Eerie. Chilling. This is a departure from that game and firmly in the Jason Bourne ballpark. And it’s done WELL. The pace is no less than indy-fast with surprises around every sharp corner. The best part, bar-none is Jane. She’s wicked-smart. Quick. Nimble. Thoughtful. Manipulative. Calculating. Logical. Lovable. Bad ass (yes, I have a girl crush ). She’s ON IT, never a damsel in distress (THANK YOU!!!). It’s refreshing to encounter Jane and I can’t wait to know more! 

What’s bad or made me mad: Another book I can honestly say… nothing. 

Recommend to:

*Any best-seller type reader. I am NOT an action movie person, UNLESS there’s a great story and this fits that bill plus more.
*Action lovers. It’s in the Jack Reacher/Jason Bourne vein like I said.
*Those who want a quick-read, fast, keep-you-awake read

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Ballantine and Mr. Koontz for introducing me to Jane, and for years of (wonderful) sleepless nights.

Despite a promising description, I was not really dazzled by The Silent Corner. There are a few things you should maybe know before you decide if you should take my word on this one:
1. This is my first Dean Koontz book (I think). If I have read him before, it was a long time ago and I don't recall.

2. My dad loved Dean Koontz. I know this because I was the one who packed up his books and he had countless Dean Koonz (& James Patterson) novels. Many were hardcover purchased as new release. 

3. This is the first Dean Koontz book published after my dad died. I requested an advance copy from NetGalley because I very much wanted to continue my dad's reading habits as a way to feel closer or perhaps pay tribute to him. 

I set a really high bar for this book. I didn't love it and I don't plan to continue the series, but I think it just wasn't my kind of thriller. I love a good thriller, but this read more like a rogue agent in pursuit of a conspiracy theory. And, like all good conspiracy theories, it's entirely believable that power-hungry people with too much money could someday seek the kind of power that is described in the book. 

I grabbed another Koontz book off of my dad's shelf, so I'll give him another shot. This conspiracy thriller was not to my taste, and perhaps I wanted to love it a little too much for personal reasons. In my opinion, it could have been shorter to keep the suspense moving faster and near the surface. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy for review.

I have not read a Dean Koontz book in several years. I loved his secret government operations and intense thrillers but think I grew out of them at one point in time. Something made me decide that I should read The Silent Corner and I am really glad I did! It fits in perfectly with my current run of books about the downside of technology, though of course with a Koontz twist!

Jane Hawk is trying to figure out why her husband committed suicide. While many might just tell her “you just never know,” it seems pretty obvious that there is something more to the situation. As she investigates, she realizes she is on the right track when she and her son are threatened. Jane takes her FBI expertise and goes off the grid to keep the bad guys from finding her son and tracking Jane down. In this book, Mr. Koontz is at his twisty devilish best!

Thank you Dean Koontz for writing a female hero!  Jane Hawk is just the woman we need to untangle the great conspiracy and the bad guys.  I had stopped reading Koontz for a while - everything seemed the same- so I was pleased to get an ARC from Netgalley of this new novel.  It's always news when an established writer starts a new series and sometimes it's an uphill battle to win over old fans but he's done it here.  Jane is a complete character- you'll feel for her as she tries to solve the mystery of her husband's suicide and to stop other families from suffering the same fate.  She's smart, she's smart aleck, and she's determined.  Try this one for a good page turner.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com
 
The best compliment I can give this story is it is typical Koontz. Koontz has a way of wanting you to read his books, at least most of them, in one sitting and this was one of those. 
 
What is different is the concept. I can’t even imagine where Koontz came up with this story of people changing into robots which is just beyond odd and yet there is so much to the horror that you can’t put it down. 
 
The characters are riveting and I can’t wait to read the next in the series. Koontz rarely disappoints and this one certainly doesn’t.
 
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The Silent Corner introduces readers to a new heroine, Jane Hawk, an FBI agent looking for answers  behind a highly suspicious pattern of suicides, to include her own husband's. Through Jane's investigations, she discovers that the patterns are a result of some kind of advanced technologically driven mind control scheme. This is essentially where the weirdness that I typically think of when it comes to Dean Koontz ends. Jane seems like a head strong, leading lady whose not afraid to answer the tough questions. Unfortunately, I just could not get past the writing with the long run-on sentences and extremely wordy descriptions. I skimmed over a decent number of sections of the story because it just got to be too distracting.  In my opinion, not Koontz's best work.

6/3/17
Name of Book Blog: Spook's House Of Books
Link to my review : http://labyrinthofstories.booklikes.com/post/1568289/kind-of-strange-but-interesting

A dazzling new series debuts with a remarkable heroine certain to become a new icon of suspense, propelled by the singular narrative genius of #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz. 

I very much need to be dead. 

These are the chilling words left behind by a man who had everything to live for but took his own life. In the aftermath, his widow, Jane Hawk, does what all her grief, fear, and fury demands: find the truth, no matter what. 
People of talent and accomplishment, people admired and happy and sound of mind, have been committing suicide in surprising numbers. When Jane seeks to learn why, she becomes the most-wanted fugitive in America. Her powerful enemies are protecting a secret so important so terrifying that they will exterminate anyone in their way. 
But all their power and viciousness may not be enough to stop a woman as clever as they are cold-blooded, as relentless as they are ruthless and who is driven by a righteous rage they can never comprehend. Because it is born of love

My thoughts:
4.5 stars
Kind of strange but interesting at the same time, it did infact hold my attention and made me want to know more about what was happening and why, it also reminded me of the movie THE Stepford WIVES ( the 1975 version) plus it makes you think, all the time your reading if something like this could really happening ,and if so how would we stop it . It does ended in a cliff hanger ,which means it's the first book in a new series, with that said I would like to think NetGalley for letting me read it in change for my honest opinion .

Although enjoyed this lasted novel by Dean Koontz, it isn't my favorite. I was hoping it would be more like Innocence, which I loved. This was more like Lightning  and some of his older work. The story is good, fast paced and action packed.

Dean Koontz has long been a favorite author of mine, and I usually rip through his novels at lightning speed because I just can't put them down. 

I really liked The Silent Corner, but am only giving 4 stars because I did struggle to complete this one. I think that I just didn't connect with the main character like I have in previous books, so it made it a little harder to stay up at night to finish.

His writing is good, as usual, and I like how he is able to incorporate bits of humor here and there.

Give this one a try and let me know what you think! I'm looking forward to the next one.