15+ Best Dean Koontz Books
[RANKED]
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Best Dean Koontz Books: Dean Ray Koontz is an American author, primarily famous for his books in the genres horror, fantasy, mystery, science fiction, suspense and the like.
In case you didn’t know..
His top rated books are The Silent Corner, The Taking, Strangers, and Intensity among many others.
Dean has also won Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Horror book, Ross Macdonald Literary Award and World Horror Convention Grand Master Award, too!
But those are just the names, so today, we will present to you the most interesting fun facts about these crowd favorite books.
So, let’s take a look at the best Dean Koontz books…
#1. Night Chills
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-02.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>Everybody’s favorite Dean Koontz book is “Night Chills,” published in 1976.
In this book, the massively evil-yet-unknown entity that causes devastation on innocent people is also a common element in Koontz’s work, offering a riddle for the heroes to unravel.
In Night Chills, that power drives the residents of Black River, Maine, to commit heinous crimes against their friends and neighbors, attacking and murdering them.
Furthermore…
When Paul Annandale and his kids come to Black River for a camping trip, they have no idea what they’re in for, but they quickly understand that they have no choice but to resist it.
They realize that the “night chills” would soon become unstoppable unless they can take down the guys behind the curtain. So they unearth the source of the town’s craziness and the horrific intentions behind it.
Check out: Night Chills
#2. Demon Seed
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-01.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>One of the best Dean Koontz books is “Demon Seed.”
Even though Koontz had been writing for a decade before Demon Seed, it was his first bestseller.
Imagine that?
It’s the gripping story of Susan Harris, a wealthy and secretive divorcee, and the artificially intelligent computer who holds her captive in her home. Proteus, the computer, has only one wish: to live outside the confines of machinery and have human-like experiences.
Moreover…
There’s only one way out: he must impregnate Susan with his biologically manufactured child, which he will possess with his consciousness.
Initially published in 1973, this very twisted horror/sci-fi love story was a science fiction pioneer, equal parts creative and unsettling.
Check out: Demon Seed
#3. The Bad Place
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-10.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>Unfortunately, it was not the source of inspiration for Kristen Bell’s critically praised series.
Koontz’s “The Bad Place” is predictably darker and more akin to Memento: Every day, Frank Pollard wakes up in a “terrible place,” unable to recall anything but the fact that he must flee.
Frank hires a husband-and-wife security team to guard him, fearful of his own lapsed memory, especially after multiple close calls with an unknown assailant.
However, as Bobby and Julie Dakota investigate Frank’s case and attempt to identify his murderer, they discover they’re in over their heads. They can’t fight destiny, and Frank’s fate was sealed from being born.
Check out: The Bad Place
#4. Whispers
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-03.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>“Whispers” are widely regarded as the book that launched Koontz into the mainstream.
It follows Hilary Thomas, a screenwriter working in Los Angeles who a violent psychopath stalks.
Bruno Frye believes Hilary harbors the spirit of his abusive mother, whom he is attempting to expel. Even scarier, Frye cannot be persuaded to leave Hilary, even when she involves the cops — or even after Hilary stabs him to death.
Turns out…
…it’s now up to Hilary and Detective Tony Clemenza to figure out how Frye is still alive before falling to his crazy techniques.
We must add that fans regard it as one of the best Dean Koontz novels. Now, why don’t you read it and let’s see if we agree?
Check out: Whispers
#5. The Mask
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-04.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>“The Mask” is a lesser-known scary classic that’s perfect for Halloween reading. It was first published under Koontz’s literary name Owen West.
Carol and Paul Tracy aim to complete their perfect family by adopting a kid.
When they come across a charming young girl named Jane who is suffering from amnesia with no memory of her past, they are more than willing to take her in.
Moving on…
That is until Jane begins to have nightmares, sleepwalk, and give away signs that something evil hides beneath her sweet appearance.
In the vein of whispers, this horror story continues to explore themes of family, identity, and the concept of possessive ghosts, but with a disturbing and unique twist.
Check out: The Mask
#6. Phantoms
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-05.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>“Phantoms” is an incredible story and one of the best Dean Koontz books that’s based on the true story of the vanishing community at Angikuni Lake.
Another unknown force has taken control of a little town.
But rather than sending the entire community on a murder rampage, it appears to have just vanished, leaving only a few bloated bodies in Snowfield, California.
When Dr. Jennifer Paige and her sister Lisa discover the town in such a situation, they are astonished. Fortunately, they receive fast assistance from the military’s Biological Investigations Unit.
Along with that…
…even the most respected scientists are mystified as to what may have caused such a quick mass extinction…until they come across Timothy Flyte’s findings.
If you hadn’t guessed, this book is greatly influenced by H.P. Lovecraft’s works, with odd tales and unexplainable happenings lurking around.
Check out: Phantoms
#7. Strangers
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-06.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>“Strangers” is an incredible Dean Koontz book that’s essentially a character study of people pulled together by a common but obscure experience, in contrast to the largely plot-driven books Koontz had written up to this point.
Dominick, Ginger, Ernie, and Brendan all have diseases that seem to be tied to sleep and unconsciousness.
Ginger, for example, has a paralyzing fear of the dark. In contrast, Ernie has a dissociative fugue condition.
Moreover…
Despite not remembering when the photographs were taken, these titular strangers find one another through a series of photos in which they all appear.
The origins of the photos are gradually disclosed.
The conspiracy that lies behind them unites the group even more in their quest to uncover it. This work, like Night Chills, depicts Koontz’s well-known suspicion of the government, as well as the ominous possibilities that lurk inside a system of protection at the expense of civilians.
Check out: Strangers
#8. Watchers
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-07.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>Next, we have “Watchers,” the best Dean Koontz book.
Now for one of Koontz’s more lighthearted and pleasant hallmark tropes: the dog as man’s best friend, which was inspired by his fondness for dogs.
In the first episode of Watchers, Travis Cornell, an ex-Delta Force member looking for a new purpose in life, discovers a golden retriever and a baboon-like creature in a canyon near his home.
The latter attempts to kill the golden, but Travis saves him and brings him home, giving him the name Einstein after recognizing the dog’s extraordinary intelligence.
Moving further…
Travis and Einstein’s problems are far from over. They’re soon on the run from federal authorities, and a professional assassin hired to assassinate everyone involved in the experiment that developed Einstein and the baboon thing.
Watchers is a strange but fascinating roller-coaster journey from beginning to end, perfect for people who like their suspense thrillers a little out of the box.
Check out: Watchers
#9. Lightning
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-08.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>“Lightning” was published in 1988 and written by Dean Koontz, the New York Times Bestseller author.
With this work, Koontz found his stride, with one of his most innovative conceptions and some truly impressive worldbuilding to back it up.
The central character of Lightning is Laura Shane who was born during a lightning storm as she narrowly avoids the repercussions of a botched delivery thanks to the intervention of a stranger.
Turns out…
Laura has numerous more encounters with peril throughout her life, from a child molester to a gunman, yet the same stranger constantly comes to protect her.
Laura can only wonder who this person is and why he’s chosen her after years of his serendipitous but sporadic appearance. Despite this, the truth is beyond her wildest theories.
Check out: Lightning
#10. Midnight
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-09.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>One of the best Dean Koontz books we have is “Midnight,” published in 1989.
In this tale of Moonlight Cove, a formerly sleepy small beach hamlet ravaged by part-human, part-beast murdering machines, the perfect strangers once again join.
T.J. Lockland, the sister of one of the victims, and undercover FBI agent Sam Booker arrive in Moonlight Cove to investigate.
Moving on…
They contact Chrissie Foster, an eleven-year-old girl whose parents had converted into deadly animals and almost escaped death.
Naturally, the local police attempting to cover up the incident doesn’t help them — just another example of Koontz’s suspicion of “the authorities” and reverse faith in the individual.
Check out: Midnight
#11. Dragon Tears
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-11.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>Another one of the best Dean Koontz novels, “Dragon Tears,” starts with the following line, “Tuesday was a wonderful California day, full of sunshine and promise until Harry Lyon had to shoot someone at lunch,” by the author in the first line of Dragon Tears.
From there, Harry, a special projects police officer, and his fiery partner Connie Gulliver have an action-packed week because Harry and Connie soon come across a scruffy man on the street who tells Harry, “Ticktock, ticktock.”
“In sixteen hours, you’ll be dead.”
This frightening warning, along with a series of other bizarre and brutal happenings, sends our dynamic team on a journey to figure out who — or what — is responsible for all of the unusual violence affecting this small California town.
Dragon Tears is remarkable for its rapid shifts in perspective among the main protagonists, including a few chapters told from a dog’s perspective, which is quite refreshing.
Check out: Dragon Tears
#12. Mr. Murder
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-12.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>“Mr. Murder” follows the David Copperfield pattern of featuring a semi-autobiographical version of Koontz, and this time, it’s the bestselling mystery author Marty Stillwater lives in California with his family.
Marty is troubled by his unexplained connection to a man known as “The Killer,” even though his life looks great.
Let me add in more…
The Killer is an engineered assassin who travels across the United States, killing both his targets and anybody who gets in his path.
Mr. Murder pushes the concept of doubles to new heights, seamlessly blending horror and Science fiction for an almost ridiculous yet captivating ride.
Check out: Mr. Murder
#13. Intensity
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-13.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>The next one of the incredible Dean Koontz novels is “Intensity.” The story of this book is about a woman named Chyna Shepherd and her life being a survivor.
Chyna had no idea she’d have to use her abilities to stop a psychopathic killer.
But that’s what she sees when Edgler Foreman Vess breaks into her best friend’s house and massacres everyone inside.
Unfortunately for Chyna…
…this is just the start of her battle with Vess, as she soon discovers that he has plans to kill again – a horrible conspiracy that only she can foil.
With no breaks in either action or Chyna’s furious mental monolog as she strives to overpower Vess, Intensity is a page-turner that will make you sweat like hell.
Check out: Intensity
#14. Old Thomas
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-14.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>“Odd Thomas” is the first book in Dean Koontz’s best-selling Odd Thomas series, and it introduces us to the titular hero, a twenty-year-old short-order cook who can converse with the dead.
Odd, like many of Koontz’s characters, has just come out of a difficult childhood, but, despite his disillusionment, he hasn’t lost sight of his goodness.
When he’s approached by the ghost of a slain girl, for example, he’s able to lead authorities to her killer.
Furthermore…
However, in the shape of the “Fungus Man,” a figure that appears into Odd’s cafe one day, flanked by dark spiritual harbingers of death and devastation, a far greater evil is about to descend upon Pico Mundo.
Odd realizes that his supernatural abilities are no match for what the Fungus Man has in store as he digs deeper into these fascinating forces.
That isn’t to say he won’t keep trying.
Check out: Old Thomas
#15. Life Expectancy
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<a href="https://bouncemojo.com"><img src="https://bouncemojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dean-Koontz-Books-15.webp" alt="Dean Koontz Books"></a>“Life Expectancy” is another one of the best Dean Koontz books. The circumstances of the protagonist’s birth significantly impact his life. This time, however, there is a prophecy involved which only makes it a super suspenseful story.
Jimmy Tock’s grandfather Josef makes various predictions on the night of his birth, among which the most remarkable is that his grandson will suffer five “black days” in his life.
When his other visions concerning Jimmy’s birth come true, the Rock family discovers that his grandfather wasn’t just making up stories.
Moving further…
They don’t become aware that the horrific acts that befall him aren’t just a coincidence, though. Everything is related, and the connections go back further than any of them can imagine.
More than any other of Koontz’s novels, Life Expectancy contains some of his most fascinating commentary on family and upbringing, especially when the true nature of these elements is revealed.
Check out: Life Expectancy
Conclusion: Best Dean Koontz Books
And that’s our read for today!
Although there are many Dean Koontz books, the last five were my favorites. How can you not like an author with important messages with his every novel and story?
Hats off to Dean Koontz’s masterpieces. He’s truly one of the pillars of contemporary literature.
Suppose you want to read more about other authors such as Steven Furtick, Kandi Burruss, Jocko Willink, don’t you worry, as they are just a bit of a click away.
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