Book Review: By the Light of the Moon

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

By the Light of the Moon     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Dean R. Koontz
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Fantasy   Thriller   Horror
Bantam, Dec 2002, $26.95, 431 pp.

Accompanied by his autistic brother Shep, artist Dylan O'Connor is driving to Santa Fe to attend an arts festival, but stops for the night at an Arizona motel. Also staying at the same facility is comedian Jillian Jackson, but neither knows the other. From out of a B horror movie starring a mad doctor, a stranger injects Dylan and Jilly with a mysterious serum. He informs his guinea pigs that they are carriers with an incredible future or a quick death, but now must flee for his enemies are near.

Disbelieving and frightened, Dylan and Jilly realize they must run when her Cadillac explodes. With Shep acting stranger than ever, the trio goes on the lam. Jillian begins seeing visions; Dylan turns obsessed with a need to be the ultimate Good Samaritan; and. Shep teleports himself and others. With the doctor dead, there is no one to guide them and probably no turning back. Also they must deal with their deceased experimenter’s enemy who wants them dead too.

Dean Koontz is at his scariest (which says a lot) with the suspense thriller BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON. Mr. Koontz digs deep into the souls of the lead triad enabling the audience to observe the metamorphosis of the trio while understanding their varying motives. The story line is fast-paced, as Jilly and Dylan mostly try to do what they feel is right though not always agreeing. In spite of a climax that sets up sequels rather than closure, genre fans will send the grandmaster back to his usual best selling status, deservedly so.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner