THE GOOD GUY
Dean Koontz
Bantam
Thriller
Hardcover: 0553804812
Paperback: 9780553589115

• Read an Excerpt

Timothy Carrier is a quiet, unassuming man who goes about his business everyday as a bricklayer --- "an exceptional bricklayer," he would say --- and then likes to unwind at the Lamplighter Tavern. It is a refuge of sorts where he can have a beer or two after work and chat with the bartender/owner, his friend Liam Rooney.

This night, however, is like no other. As he relaxes, enjoying himself and preparing for another long, lonely night, a fidgety and out-of-place man takes up residence on the stool beside him. Tim dreads small talk but finds the prospect of this individual and his skydiving dog intriguing enough. At least until the stranger slides the envelope across the bar to him and bolts out the door.

Within the confines of that envelope lay half the money for a hit and a photo of the target --- a beautiful young woman. As he sits trying to comprehend what has just happened, the second case of mistaken identity unfolds when a gruff and cold-looking guy sits beside him, and Tim quickly learns that this is the intended hit man.

Thinking quickly, Tim gives back the money but keeps the picture. He tells the hit man that he has changed his mind and no longer wants the girl dead. However, this is not enough for the professional, who vows not to be swayed from the job. Tim is troubled even further when he discovers that the killer is actually a cop.

A race against time ensues, with Tim trying to stay one step ahead of a man who will stop at nothing to complete his mission --- killing Linda Paquette.

Tim is an endearing figure, just a normal guy in an exceptional circumstance trying to do the right thing, even though it puts his own life in jeopardy. Linda is an intriguing woman, a writer with an affinity for old Hollywood and vintage cars. Their relationship is superbly crafted, and their banter back and forth is cool and collected. It is made all the more compelling as we slowly learn more about both of them throughout the novel.

The relentless executioner, Krait, is no less interesting. He is patient, smart, finely dressed and detail-oriented. At one point his time spent in a family home as he awaits a new vehicle is borderline hysterical. He approves of the cleanliness of the house as well as their choice of products, discarding the ones he does not like. Still, he is of singular purpose and savage mind.

A handful of side characters pepper the plotline and work as great mini-propellers, keeping the action constant. Koontz displays an excellent ability to maintain the pace, and readers almost will feel that they themselves are being chased by the killer.

Once again Koontz strays from the supernatural in THE GOOD GUY, much like in THE HUSBAND, and instead focuses on the more horrific and suspenseful possibilities to be found in everyday life. The end result is a very intense experience, one that he throttles through at breakneck speed.

   --- Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard

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