I was excited to read the follow up to the first book in the series that I read, Crooked Staircase. Note that there are 2 others, but I haven't gotten to them yet. What I enjoyed the most about the book before this, is I feel like I got to know Jane Hawk and was invested in her chase of the secret government agency, the Acadians. This novel, however, focused much more on the people chasing Jane. I found that to be incredibly time consuming and confusing with all kinds of characters and backstories being told. I tediously read this book, and it took me a lot longer than normal to wade through it. The last 1/4 of the book regained the intensity and Jane storyline that I was so much looking forward to, so it ended much better than it started. But honestly, the first 3/4 was not to my liking. Hoping the next, and maybe last?? book will read like the last part of this one.

Following the murder of her husband, Jane Hawk, a rogue FBI Agent and most-wanted fugitive, hid her 5-year-old son as she had to run for her life. Mind control technology is being used by a secret organization, referred to as the Arcadians, who are seeking to take over America. They seek to destroy Jane who, in turn, is determined to destroy their cabal as well as clear her name. But when her son’s caregivers are tracked and killed, Jane races to reconnect with her son before the Arcadians can close in and kidnap him.

This was definitely an action-packed page-turner with a smart, complex plot. The major drawback was a lot of excess verbiage which is, in my opinion, Koontz’s one fault. Despite skimming in places, this was a satisfying and thrilling read.

Since this was my first introduction to Jane Hawk, I can attest to the fact that, even though this is number four in the series, The Forbidden Door can be enjoyed very successfully as a standalone.

The fourth in the series and I keep wondering when this nightmare will be over for Jane Hawk> I love books in a series but usually in others the protagonist solves the problem and moves on to others not so I these. I thought the third would bring Jane's run from the Techno-Arcadians to an end. Although I enjoyed the first three I now grow tired of this relentless story and want it resolved. I also didn't like the short sections from each of the major actors in the book I like a little more continuity from a story and I think it could have been done that way. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2533196181

Love this book! This is the first is the first I’ve read in the Jane Hawk series and I can’t wait to read the first books in the series. It’s hard to put down at night!

The Forbidden Door is the fourth installment in author Dean Koontz' Jane Hawk series. The story picks up right where The Crooked Staircase left off. Where we currently are: FBI Agent Jane Hawk, mother of a young son, grieving widow of a decorated Marine, has uncovered a terrifying conspiracy behind her husbands death and scores of other exemplary citizens. She has become the number # 1 fugitive in the country having been indicted on charges of espionage, treason, and seven counts of murder.

Jane has gone off the grid in order to track down those responsible and save her son no matter what it takes. Driven by love for her lost husband and by fear for the five-year-old son she has sent into hiding, Jane Hawk has become an unstoppable predator. Nicknamed The Beautiful Monster by her enemies the Techno Arcadian's and their unlimited access to every technology imaginable, including nanotechnology that completely swarms the brain, and makes the person pliable to suggestions, it has become a life or death race to survive.

Those Jane are hunting may be hoping to turn the tide against her using various factions of the media, but they will have nowhere to run when her shadow falls across them. She knows that if she is caught, it is game over, lights out, and nobody will know the truth about what is happening. The Arcadian's and their Hamlet List, a computer composed list picking people who showed potential for future greatness and leadership; they were consequently injected with the nano-constructs and ordered to commit suicide or worse. Jane knows the terrible secrets. She has survived up until now with shear determination, brilliance, and a skill set that in unmatched.

In this story, Jane's allies come to her aid when the chips are really down, and it seems as though the Arcadian's may finally win. I really love Bernie Riggowitz. He is adorable and he really is on Jane's side and not just a prop to be used as cannon fodder for future installments. The second character who is on Jane's side is Luther Tillman, a former Sheriff who the Arcadian's came after and took his wife and daughter from him. Luther, Bernie, and even Cornell Jasperson, who we met in the previous installment, are just the kind of support Jane needs to survive.

Cornell is an unusual person, both in appearance and personality. He’s a African American millionaire with Asperger’s Syndrome. He’s such a well rounded and lovable character and, in my opinion, does a wonderful job of representing people suffering from this horrible affliction. His relationship with Travis is adorable and true. It's not fake. The author really researched what a character with Asperger’s Syndrome is able to do, and how things trigger various feelings.

I won't summarize all of the secondary characters that appear in this story. There is one in particular who believes he isn't actually living in the real world, and that the Unknown Playwright is actually in charge. He and others like him are OK with pacifying contentious humans so that they can create their own kind of Utopia. They are pieces of a much larger puzzle, and therefore are not in charge or responsible for this so called revolution that will eventually see thousands of people dying.

One in particular character spends the entire story trying to track down and subjugate Ancel and Claire Hawk, Nick's parents, knowing that if they are brought to bear, they will tell him where Jane and Travis are hiding. Find Travis, and Jane will give her self up knowing she's lost. Nick's entire family is in jeopardy for that matter. I will say that all of the Techno Arcadian's we've met so far are all a bunch of psychopaths who don't seem to have a mind of their own, and have been brainwashed into believing Jane and others like her need to be exterminated quickly.

There's a key part of a previous story, The Whispering Room, that finally comes to bear in this story and man alive, was that a scary. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that you will really need to prepare yourself for the most bizzaro world happenings that mostly occur in a zombie movie. I have to give props to the author. Koontz's is a genius when it comes the various technologies and his own twisted imagination. He has without a doubt, pushed the envelope and one can only hope that when this series finally does wrap up, he does it in similarly impressive fashion.

My only real complaint? I need more of Jane's story, and less of the Techno Arcadian's. I need to feel more hope than feeling as though there is no light at the end of the tunnel. After book 3, I honestly thought about skipping this book. I'm glad I didn't because Jane's scenes bring us right back to the first two installments in the chapter. Does Jane makes mistakes? Of course she does, she's not a superhero with unlimited powers to destroy the villains with a blink of an eye. Plus, I love how much she does to protect Travis, even sending him away to keep him out of sight and therefore out of harm's way. You don't mess with mama bear folks.

As with all of his books, The Forbidden Door includes a sneak peak into the fifth installment called The Night Window.

"The Forbidden Door" eBook was published in 2018 and was written by Dean Koontz (http://www.deankoontz.com). Mr. Koontz had published more than 125 novels. This is the fourth novel in his "Jane Hawk" series. 

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Situations. The story is set in near future California. The primary character is former FBI agent Jane Hawk. 

Hawk's life was upended when her husband committed suicide. Her investigation led her to a secret group using nanotechnology to slowly gain control of key people across the US. Now, she, her son and those close to her have become their targets. Hawk continues to evade capture even after the secret society has made her the most wanted person in America. Their mind control tech means that they have an army to wield against Hawk. 

While she has evaded them for months, now they are closing in. The group knows the general location where Hawk's young son is in hiding. Hawk is racing towards her son to save him. They know she is coming and plan to have her, her son, or both within days. Hawk has to gather her resources and try to outwit them and be read to out gun them. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the 11 hours I spent reading this 480-page science fiction thriller. While this could be a readable stand-alone novel, you really need to start with the first book in the series "The Silent Corner" to understand what is happening. I like the Jane Hawk character that Koontz has created. I also like the plot, with advanced tech to give the secret society an edge, but enough human involvement in her pursuit to make them vulnerable. I like the cover art. 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 truly like the storyline of The Forbidden Door. It is full of twists, turns and some deeply disturbed people that need to spend an extended amount of time in an institution (possibly even life) with round-the-clock supervision and padded walls. The novel took a few chapters to totally grab my attention but, when it grabbed it was with railroad track spikes! There is a bit too much descriptive detail for my personal taste but that is only because I want to know what happens next rather than how everything looked to the person to which it is happening. Please don't let that stop from reading this very tense and emotionally charged nightmare. It is Well worth the wait to get all of the pieces of this 1500 piece jigsaw puzzle. I highly recommend it to anyone that loves heart-pounding, breath-taking nightmares. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book by requesting it from NetGalley and this is my honest review which I am freely posting on NetGalley.com, Amazon.com and Goodreads.com.

Well thank goodness!! This book brings the story back into play! I would have given the book 5 stars if it had only been 100 pages shorter. I still think there was a whole lot of repetitive repetition throughout the book. (See what I did there?) Needless to say, the forbidden door might also have been named the gates of Hell, because that is what happened in this installment of the Jane Hawk series. Things went crazy, for both sides.I liked that the narrative included closer looks at some of the characters on the Techno Arcadian side; however, at time the reader was too distant from Jane and her pursuit to rescue her son. Overall, this story gave me back faith in the series. After what felt like a distracting detour in The Crooked Staircase, Mr. Koontz is back on track. I just wish his editor pointed out where he has said the same thing 4 and 5 times!

Fast-paced and Full of Action
This Jane Hawk novel will have you on the edge of your seat. Fast-paced and full of action. Well written with stimulating characters and a page-turning story. Enjoyed and recommend. I read a reader copy via Net Gallery and voluntarily chose to write a review.

I enjoyed this book very much. This book takes over where book three left off. In The Forbidden door Jane Hawks is out to save her son with a little help from her friends she might just get to him in time. This book is about her in-laws in the run and the faith her friends have it her. Even though what she tells them is way out there they believe her. Some finally get first hand experience in what she's been telling them. Lots of action fast .moving book. Would recommend it to anyone who has read the first three books in this series. This is the best one yet. Can't wait for the next one. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for a honest opinion.

THE FORBIDDEN DOOR By Dean Koontz
I have enjoyed books by Dean Koontz since I picked up his first one. This is fourth book in the Jane Hawk series. It leaves off with a cliffhanger awaiting the fifth book. It can be read as a stand alone but probably most enjoyed after reading the previous books. This book took me awhile to get into the story, probably half of the book. I felt like there was way too much description of things, enough so it seemed a little redundant.
The second half picked up when Jane was getting her team together to try to rescue her 5 year old son while avoiding being killed. There are great characters such as Luther, Bernie, Cornell. Even the bad guys were great characters and entertaining to read about. It turned into a real intense page turner. There is murder, Techno Arcadians, mind control, suspense, espionage. I am looking forward to reading the next installment. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

This is one of those novels that hooks you right at the beginning, and even when you turn the final page, you still don’t want to let go. Jane is a rogue FBI agent turned fugitive. Her late husband fell victim to the inner workings of a mind controlling technology. Jane is determined to seek revenge and justice for her husband and others who were taken by this scheme.

The back and forth between Jane’s storyline, her in laws storyline, and her hidden son’s storyline kept me thinking quick on my feet. The added perspective of the “bad guys” really made it irresistible. Definitely a book I would recommend to anyone in a reading slump. This will surely pull you out!

This is the first series I have read by Dean Koontz. With each new novel, I find myself drawn more and more to the strong female character, Jane Hawk.

She is fighting against an enemy that is bigger and much more well-funded than she is. Though she is far from by herself. Though it feels that way to her. The truth is, as time goes on, more and more people are becoming aware of a sub-current that is going on in the world. She finds help in unexpected places.

Such is the case as Jane fights against the clock to save her young son from being found and killed (or worse) by the sick society that is trying to take over.

At times, it feels like for every two steps forward that Jane takes, she ends up taking three steps back. Her character is being fleshed out in each story which builds a sense of caring in my, as a reader. The other characters appear and some re-appear. Others do not.

The storyline continues from book to book. There is only small resolution as the overall theme continues. That’s okay by me. I wait for each new book, wondering where the author will take me. It’s always surprising but it also feels just right.

I believe the book could be read stand-alone but I suggest reading the series in order. I started the series with book 2 but went back and purchased book 1 so I could understand how it all began.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

So what do you get when you mix the Matrix, Jason Bourne and your scariest roller coaster ride all in one? You get Dean Koontz’s latest thriller, The Forbidden Door. The newest installment in the Jane Hawk series (#4) is 480 pages of non-stop action, adventure and a wish that not only the book but the entire series never ends.
The book picks up right where the previous one left off and continues rolling right along. The Forbidden Door just never lets up with the action to the point where you feel you can’t catch your breath.
As Jane Hawk, once a top FBI agent, is now the Nation’s most wanted fugitive, is on the run from a group of extremists who want to takeover the world and all of humanity.
Without asking for the role, Jane is cast in the ultimate cat and mouse game to save herself, her family, and oh by the way, the world.
This book reminded me of what it was like years ago riding Space Mountain. As you are catapulted into total darkness, the thrill of not knowing where you are going is both terrifying and thrilling at the same time.
Every page was like that ride as Koontz had multiple stories all happening at the same time. He is one of the few writers that can juggle multiple stories at once without confusing the reader. Not sure where each chapter is going to take you is the fun of this book.
The only negative to this book is the fact that I finished it and the next book isn’t out yet.
Jane Hawk is one of the most cunning, resourceful, determined, strong, relentless heroines that uses all of her attributes along with a few more to battle the unrelenting evil forces. I am already excited for the next installment in the series, The Night Window.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #TheForbiddenDoor

The Forbidden Door is the fourth installment of the exciting and suspense-filled Jane Hawk series. I thought this was going to be the last book, but was uber happy to discover that there will be at least one more! The writing in this series is classic Dean Koontz - great action, suspense, a little sci-fi, and a corrupt government organization to rail against.

Note: You need to read this series in order as it's a continuing story line and you will need all the background from the earlier books. So this review may have spoilers for the earlier books.

You may recall from the last installment that the couple who was hiding Jane's son had to fly the coop and were hiding out in the desert in Borrego Valley. Unfortunately, they were killed while grocery shopping, and Jane's son had to hide out in an underground bunker with an eccentric, but gentle, giant of a billionaire. Now Jane is racing the clock to get to her son before the Arcadians find him. She enlists help from some friends she has made along the way, and it was nice to see those characters re-appear.

The suspense and anticipation in this book was excellent. I didn't want to put it down once I started reading. I was amazed that Jane is still managing to stay a step ahead of many of these evil Arcadians. I also like that we don't just get Jane's viewpoint, but we also follow the bad guys and get peeks into their brains and thought processes. Some of the baddies featured in this installment were eerily philosophical, which gave the book an interesting flavor. I won't say that I always understood their inner monologues, but it did a good job of freaking me out!

If you are a suspense and thriller fan, I highly recommend the Jane Hawk series. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher.

This book was riveting and kept me reading into the wee hours. Koontz is a very descriptive writer and his descriptions put you right there with the characters. I will now go back and read the first Jane Hawk books of the series and look forward tomwhen the next installment comes out.

A great installment of a great series. I love Dean Koontz and the Jane Hawk books. The concept of nanotechnology and brain control is frightening because of its potential to come to pass. Jane is still running, this time to rescue her son. Cornell, the eccentric recluse, plays a key role. The characters are so well developed, good and evil. There is lots of action and violence, with souped up vehicles and even a garbage truck!! A real page turner. A fantastic series, but one that should be started from the beginning. Highly recommended..

Jane Hawk is a fugitive former FBI agent and fighting to bring to light the truth regarding the Techno Arcadians, a group of people organized into cells that will take out any opposition, any who are likely to be an opposing force, and subdue the will of the people with a mesh of nanobots that assemble inside the brain. One team is trying to track her whereabouts directly, sure she will try to go to her son now that his guardians are dead. Another team is tracking her in-laws in the hopes that they know where their only grandchild is hidden. There are rare side effects of the nanobots, including sudden and total psychological collapse, and it seems to be infectious.

This is the fourth book in the Jane Hawk series, and I hadn't read the prior ones. Even so, it was easy enough to figure out the background and hit the ground running. Dean Koontz had written about shadowy organizations before, and the use of technology to change humans and to subjugate the will of those that would oppose them. As in previous novels he'd written, this backfires and goes haywire in a hideously spectacular bloodbath. Until that happens, we're in for a thriller as Jane races against the clock to gather up supplies and allies to retrieve her son while not getting caught. She's clever and resourceful, and there are plenty of action sequences as she works to achieve her aim. Her pursuers, both teams of them, are full of characters that range from the benign and dull paper pushing evil to the radical nihilist that believes nothing is real but his own mind.

There are a lot of very resourceful characters in the book, and they're fun to read about. It almost seems like there's too much happening in the novel at times, and that's partly because of the different plot threads that are happening simultaneously. It's easy enough to follow, and the separate sections of the book clearly indicate when in the story it's taking place. Jane's story isn't at an end when we reach the conclusion of the novel, because the Techno Arcadians are still out there, and she hasn't found a way to go public with her proof. I'm sure the next novel in this series will be just as full of adrenaline and suspense as this one.

If you're looking for action, tension, suspense, then Forbidden Door is your next thrilling read. The Techno--Arcadians are marching forward with their brain altering plans picking and chosing citizens to innoculate with their nasty nanoimplants. When it comes to Jane Hawk they will do anything to stop her and their goal is to capture her son. Jane has no intention of letting that happen. With genius plans, knowledge of FBI procedures and manipulative ways of the Arcadians, friends who believe in her cause and a whole lot of luck she moves forward to save her son. Every bit of action will keep you attention while at the same time you may find yourself wanting to bury your head under the covers fearing the end is near. A must read.

This story begins almost right at the close of "The Crooked Staircase." You can read this as a stand alone, but you will want to go go back and read the events that lead you to this story. For the first part of the book, it had the build of a bank heist type of a story line. Mind you, there is no heist, but the anticipation of will the Jane make it to her son, Travis. I got to the point that I was wanting to not put it down and debating one more chapter vs. doing what I probably supposed to do. I found the separation of the characters. story lines, and how they got to where they were on whichever side of the law they fell wanting to have them all longer than the book.

I thought the addition of Cornell Jasperson's character was beautifully written. He adds a believable and lovable character, even with his quirks. It is refreshing to see a non conventional character written so tastefully, and not as a comedic side character. I would have to say the "Unknown Play write" hit the mark with him in goodness, and and Gottfrey as his polar opposite. The guy who is so detached, nothing was real. His character becomes the perfect stereotype of even the most corrupt think they are the heroes, or in this case, " an iconic loaner." I really began to worry as the group began to grow on both sides. Who we would lose? I even wanted the bad ones for a bit longer. I was happy to finally see that one would get them got what was coming to them. Down to those that slip from the Whispering Room and fall through the Forbidden Door. All were emotionally rooted for. A solid book that keeps building in excitement.