With each successive installment of his Jane Hawk adventure, Dean Koontz leaves me anxious to read more of the story! The Crooked Staircase reveals more of the backstory as Jane continues her quest to gather enough evidence to derail the sinister plans of the Techno Arcadians. It is the most intense of the three books as Koontz places Jane's beloved son, Travis, in grave danger while she confronts one of the Arcadians' main power brokers, Booth Hendrickson. The Crooked Staircase is fast-paced, pulse-pounding, and utterly terrifying. Koontz again invents unimaginable horrors and obstacles around which Jane must navigate in her quest to save her life and the life of her five-year-old son. Her tenacity and inventiveness are again on full display as she outwits her enemies. However, the story does not end in this volume and by the last page, Koontz's readers will be clamoring for The Forbidden Door, the next book in the series.

The Crooked Staircase is the third installment in Dean Koontz series about Jane Hawk. (The Silent Corner is book one and two is The Whispering Room.) I find it difficult to judge if The Crooked Staircase is a stand alone story. I think the reader would learn enough to piece the story together, but it is a much better read having read the first two. I thought there was only going to be three books to this series but I was wrong. I'm not complaining. I greatly enjoy Jane and find the story line believable in these times......scary, but believable. I was given an early copy to review.

Horrifically beautiful in it's heartbreak and grace, this story of one woman's quest to stop an organization that would change the world as we know it kept me involved to the end and anxiously waiting for the next installment.

Koontz's prose is so eloquent that I kept re-reading descriptive passages that resonated in my heart. I cared for the characters and cried with their grief.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced galley of the work

I don’t read a lot of either King or Koontz – I guess I’m not much of a horror fan. I enjoyed Dean Koontz’s “The Crooked Stairway” because it wasn’t as categorically a horror novel, in my mind, but more a suspenseful adventure story.

Jane Hawk, called a rogue FBI agent in the blurbs for the series, is relentless and innovative in her role of catching criminals. She operates on the thin line of respectability and unlawful behavior that, I suppose, makes her a rogue. It also ticks off both her agency and the crooks she chases. She’s okay with that.

In Staircase, she gets involved in finding the leader of an escalating band of technology altered people scattered all over the world who can be programmed to commit unspeakable acts of terrorism or anything else they are commanded to do. She’s determined to stop his influence. He’s determined to kill her before she exposes his plan. The free will of millions is awaiting the outcome. Two college graduates as vicious hit men are interesting and comical, maybe the best characters in the book.

Koontz hasn’t changed his writing formula much from the last time I read his work. Super smart people are as vicious as attack dogs, environmental locations are beautifully drawn, chase scenes are absorbing, and dialogue is lucid and appropriate. The author has a tendency to be repetitive and some of his metaphors get tiresome. But he adheres to the plot line. I found the ending disturbing because there isn’t one. The book ends like an old-time Western serial movie. Come back next week to see if the hero survives the fall with the stagecoach over the cliff.

Probably, if you are a Koontz fan, you’ll like this book. If you are a King fan, you might your opinion a little shadier because “no one can top the King.” Either way, the book is entertaining and worth looking at. It would be better if it had an ending.

Jane Hawk knows she may be living on borrowed time. But as long as she's breathing, she'll never cease her one-woman war against the terrifying conspiracy that threatens the freedom--and free will--of millions. Battling the strange epidemic of murder-suicides that claimed Jane's husband, and is escalating across the country, has made the rogue FBI agent a wanted fugitive, relentlessly hunted not only by the government but by the secret cabal behind the plot. Deploying every resource their malign nexus of power and technology commands, Jane's enemies are determined to see her dead . . . or make her wish she was.
Jane has a son who she is keeping safe with people. As she goes on this hunt to rid the world of these bad people. It was fast paced and intriguing. I kept cheering her on and hoping something would happen to the bad people. Then it ended for the next book lol.

This series is compelling. I can't wait for the next volume!

Good, fast paced book. Really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

I was forced to put this one down five times: work, kids, sleep, sleep, kids. Each was a painful separation.

Dean Koontz’s The Crooked Staircase continues Jane Hawk’s mission against the Techo Arcadians, a group of rogue government and private egomaniacs, who forced her husband to commit suicide using nanorobotics injected into his brain. She is determined to take down this sinister group whose prime directive is to cull the herd of any person who may have the power to influence the whole. The book opens with Hawk hunting a man who has a connection to upper echelons of the evil faction.

In a genre crowded with male protagonists, Jane Hawk is an important departure from the norm. Every edition of the series only serves to deepen her character as Koontz adds more details of her background throughout. Koontz's experience in the genre shows in his practiced style of short cliffhanger chapters. He is also adept in the details. Weapons, automobiles, surveillance, nanotechnology: all are well-researched and seamlessly included in the narrative.

Several threads are developed in the book; the main two being Jane's objective and the Arcadian's pursuit. There is another one that is well-developed, but the rug seems to be pulled from under the reader without consequence. This is the only real criticism I have of the book.

Overall, this is a very good book in a great series by a master of the genre.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and Mr. Koontz for the advanced copy for review.

I have read the first two books in this series and loved them. I thought this one was the last but there will be at least one more. I love the characters, some so evil and some the opposite, so good. Two of the evil characters, Dubose and Jergen are actually funny at times. Jane Hawk is still searching for answers to the apparent suicide of her beloved husband Nick. Her son, Travis, is everything to her and she has done everything to keep him safe. I was sad at the deaths of some of the characters in this book, I really miss them! Jane is now further along in her search which is becoming more dangerous and there is now a threat to her son. But nanotechnology is a threat to the entire world and Jane is determined to ruin those at the top of the conspiracy.

First, I want to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my fair opinion.
What can I say? Koontz has done it again. I am a huge fan of the Jane Hawk series, and this one does not disappoint. We find Jane deeper into her pursuit of Booth Hendrickson, as well as continuing to keep her son Travis safe. If you have not read the other novels in this series, you need to, in order to be caught up. I absolutely love Koontz's writing style. This book had me on the edge of my seat, and I just could not stop reading. I cannot wait for the next installment.

My favorite Koontz book is the original Odd Thomas story but Jane's story comes close! The characters come alive and you find yourself cheering them on. The stories leave you wondering...is this possible? I can't wait for the next book!

If you dislike cliffhangers, you may want to wait for the fourth novel to come out. This one is a doozey! While I felt like the book started a bit slow, it was all because of the story set up. Once the action started, I could not put the book down. As always, Mr. Koontz knows how to write a suspenseful book. For my family-minded readers, there's some swearing throughout the book although it's mostly limited to certain characters so it's not constant. There are mentions of sex and rape, however not much description is given of either. The violence is pretty prevalent. There are a few areas of some fairly graphic descriptions of violence as well as threats of it and talk about violence throughout the book. After all, Jane Hawk is trying to kill the people who are trying to take power by force. Still, for the most part the violence isn't extremely graphic, just prevalent worth a few more graphic areas.

Overall, I enjoyed the fast-paved lady half of the book a lot and the entire book in general. I will definitely continue to follow this series.

I would like to thank the publisher, author, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I awarded 5 stars to the first two books in this series, I don’t think this one is quiet as good. There are reasons, reasons the rest of the world might disagree with. Before I get into that, let me say that, for me, a 4 star book rocks in all the best ways. It’s Dean a Koontz, so of course it’s brilliant, but I do have issues.

Tanuja and Sanjay Shukla are twenty-five year old fraternal twins. They are both authors and very talented. Their story takes up a good bit of the first half of the book for no purpose I could see except to introduce us to their relentless pursuers. Carter Jergen and Radley Dubose are relentless and efficient. And ruthless. They are hell-bent on completing their mission, and their next mission is finding Jane, or her son. They are very bad men.

Jane is chasing the worst of the criminal cartel in this book, Booth Hendrickson, a man several of her characters have had unfortunate dealings with in past stories. In this story, Jane faces some tough characters, but as always she finds some help along the way. Her helpers are always great characters.

The second issue I had was with the plethora of similes. Dean Koontz is a master of colorful imagery, but at one point I found myself counting similes instead of following the story. Having said that, he always manages to say something that resonates for me. For example, Jane’s thoughts on modern art reflect my feelings perfectly.

“Like most modern art, they interested her no more than did the wind-tangled rain-compacted sun-bleached trash that time accumulated in vomitous-looking masses along California’s cracked and potholed highways, as the once-golden state stewed in government corruption on its way to bankruptcy.”

To the fans of modern art, I apologize, but that’s exactly how it looks to me. So, while I think this book fell off a tiny bit, it is still a great book in a great series by a great author! Get on board now and…

Enjoy!

2shay

ARC graciously provided by Random House and NetGalley for an honest review

This is the best book I have read in years. It will be a movie for sure. I have read all his books and get his newsletter. The plot and development of the characters is superb . It is addicting, could not wait to get back to it.

Jane Hawk is the real Wonder Woman -- no super powers, just an amazing, highly skilled ex FBI agent who sees a wrong and needs to right it.

This third in the series (yes, there will be a #4) takes up right where the second left off so you absolutely need to read these from the beginning, in order. From the blurb, the reader knows that Jane is running for her life as she is hunted by some of the most skilled and highly placed government agents who have a way to track even those who are completely off the grid as is Jane. Her son, Travis, hidden in the care of friends, is safe FOR NOW, and Jane is seeking out members of the Techno Arcadians to eliminate them and shut them down. Remember, this hideous elitist group is intent on implanting nanobots and converting them to automatons to use as they wish. The Hamlet list, devised by those members at the very top, is a computer generated program that identifies those at greatest risk to the new planned utopia where the Arcadians will reign supreme.

Incredibly fast-paced with lots of action and bloody murder, the book zips along so quickly that you barely have time to take a breath, gasp, sob or sigh. No spoilers, but some of those deaths were really hard to take. Conversion is a nasty, scary business.

Despite Koontz's penchant for ten dollar words and maximum verbosity -- with metaphors and similes galore -- I love this series and cannot wait for the next. I had NO idea that this third was not the end, so the cliffhanger ending made me want to throw the book across the room in frustration at now having to wait to see what happens next. Not nice, Mr. Koontz! All the loose ends are coming together as Jane gets nearer to the rotten core at the center of this terrible conspiracy. The characters are so well drawn that the reader is drawn completely into this world and fears the consequences of world leaders gone mad, drunk and euphoric with their power.

This would make the most fantastic movie or miniseries evere -- do you hear me out there, producers? Option it already!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Random House for the e-book ARC to read and review. PLEASE hurry, Mr. Koontz, so I can relax.

Disclaimer that I didn't know this book was part of a series, and I have not read the books before it. I was looking forward to reading a Dean Koontz book as I am a fan of his writing, and was overall pleased with he book. The plot involves a government secret group injecting certain people with some sort of nanotechnology which changes a person's behavior and allegiance. Jane is the woman trying to bring down this little origination and expose their plans. A plot mostly involves the feds hunting Jane and Jane hunting down the feds and this plot I did like. It seems the beginning of the book distracted with a subplot of a brother and sister, but their story went nowhere and in the end I was trying to figure out why it was even in the book. I was disappointed in the ending as it wasn't just a massive cliffhanger, but it was such an abrupt end that I thought my kindle cut off the rest of the book. Very unsatisfying way to end a book, even if there will be another in the series. So only 4 stars for me.

I thought this would be the final book in the Jane Hawk series. Well, I was sadly mistaken and a little disappointed.

I liked this series when it first started with a frighteningly scary scenario of power hungry madmen with a new nanotechnology in their hands. In comes Jane to stop them, the widow and ex-FBI agent trying to protect her son and save the country.

Well I felt the book was a little long and wordy, one of the bad guys is described as your stereotypical West Virginia (I am so tired of that), and this story just needs to end. I’m not sure if I will even read the next one.

I'm totally addicted to the Jane Hawk series. Can't wait for the next book!

Jane is on the run, being chased by some very powerful bad guys. The powerful can put her name in databases where it looks to authorities as if she is a criminal. Her son is hidden away with friends for his safety, but can he ever be safe enough.

As in the other books Jane progressively gets closer to the head of the snake, add is to determined shut them down at whatever cost.

I love a good mystery. The story is told very well.. I love a good suspense/mystery book and Koontz is up there with the best.

Book Description
"I could be dead tomorrow. Or something worse than dead."

Jane Hawk knows she may be living on borrowed time. But as long as she's breathing, she'll never cease her one-woman war against the terrifying conspiracy that threatens the freedom--and free will--of millions. Battling the strange epidemic of murder-suicides that claimed Jane's husband, and is escalating across the country, has made the rogue FBI agent a wanted fugitive, relentlessly hunted not only by the government but by the secret cabal behind the plot. Deploying every resource their malign nexus of power and technology commands, Jane's enemies are determined to see her dead . . . or make her wish she was.

My Thoughts
The Crooked Staircase is the third in the series featuring Jane Hawk. I have read and reviewed the first two books and the fact that I have just finished this one confirms the fact that I am a fan of this character. I have read almost every book Mr. Koontz has written and apparently as long as he keeps writing, I will keep reading and enjoying his books. I have been fortunate to discover quite a few very good books and new authors lately, but that doesn't mean that my 'go to authors' don't still have the most prominent place on my bookshelves. I was under the impression that this was going to be the end of Jane's story, so imagine my delight in discovering that the author has more to say before I have to bid a fond farewell to Jane.
If you have the opportunity to read the books in order, you will not miss out on any of the details that make each book so good. However, there is more than enough backstory in The Crooked Staircase to allow it to be read as a standalone. Jane is still determined to ensure her son's safety and prove that her husband did not commit suicide but that there is a mind control conspiracy being orchestrated by many who hold positions of power and privilege. There is almost no one she can trust since members of this organization are everywhere and they will stop at nothing to silence Jane, permanently. The story is dark and twisty and not every character I liked has a happy ending, but I still have my fingers(and toes) crossed that Jane will succeed in exposing this conspiracy, be reunited with her son and get some semblance of her life back. With the odds stacked so much against her, I realize I may not get my wish and numerous characters I like may not get happily ever after endings, but I believe Jane will expose the truth( Please, Mr. Koontz!).
No question the story ends with a cliffhanger, but there is a preview included at the end for the fourth novel, The Forbidden Door. Since the publication date for The Crooked Staircase is listed for May, I am hoping perhaps the next book will be released before the end of the year(a girl can hope, right?). If you like a fast-paced story with a heroine who is an amazing, gusty character, I recommend this book.
Thank you, Dean Koontz, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced digital edition to read and review. I will be happy to purchase the hardcover and have already found the perfect spot on my shelf. I like to think that I would recognize the writing style of an author whether they wrote under a pseudonym or not. With Dean Koontz, I do believe I would know his work no matter what name was on the cover. His style is so distinctive and if you love it, you just love it.