Forever Odd by Dean Koontz

Summary:

Once again, we find ourselves alongside Odd Thomas investigating a crime that is quite horrendous. When Danny, a childhood friend of the main character who is also disabled, disappears and the ghost of Danny's stepfather appears to Odd, Odd knows something is terribly wrong in the small town of Pico Mundo. He alerts the police chief, Wyatt Porter, and follows the ghost inside a house that's definitely been the victim of intrusion. There, the body of Dr. Jessup, Danny's stepfather, is discovered, having been brutally beaten. Further into investigation, Odd discovers Danny is missing. He knows Danny has been kidnapped when a mysterious woman with an evil sort of laugh calls him multiple times, beckoning him to find her before sundown or else he can forget about rescuing his friend. What ensues is a series of mazes, tunnels, encounters with more lingering dead, and a poltergeist display that rocks the shambles of the once-casino in which Odd finds himself. Oh, and did I mention the eerily gorgeous kidnapper, Datura, is obsessed with living forever and participates in various rituals that would make anyone cringe? 

Find out if Odd Thomas is able to rescue his friend and solve the mystery when you pick up Forever Odd by Dean Koontz. 

Personal Reflections:

I admit I struggled to get through the middle of this one because it seemed to slow down right about that time. Things really started to pick up in the latter portion of the story, though, and I was very glad I didn't give up on it. By the time I got to the last hundred pages, I didn't want to put it down. When I finished the book, I looked back and thought, "Okay, that was absolutely worth it." Odd Thomas is an interesting character. In this book, we don't have as much of a love story entwined. But, we do hear more about Stormy Llewellyn, the love of Odd's life, and we do hear about a friendship Odd believes is worth dying for. The lingering dead encounters are tragic and sad. The story is a little out there. And if my path ever crosses with someone like Datura, heaven help me. Still, I recommend picking up Forever Odd, which is Book 2 in the Odd Thomas series.