Forever Odd

Dean R. Koontz

It has been about six months since the terrorist attack at the local Pico Mundo mall in southeastern California. Odd Thomas still hasn't returned to work, still is pulled into himself, and still tries to avoid the outside world. But when Dr. Jessup visits him in the middle of the night, Odd knows there is a problem.

Actually, it's Dr. Jessup's ghost. The doctor is/was Odd's best friend Danny's father. When Odd goes over to the Jessup home, he discovers the doctor's body and that Danny is missing. Odd calls in the police chief. But when he starts getting phone calls from a strange, creepy woman, Odd knows he can't have Chief Porter come with him. It's Odd's quest. The woman has kidnapped Danny in order to get to Odd. It is really Odd that she wants; Danny is the means to an end.

Now Odd follows the eerie Datura's path to the old, abandoned casino. About five years earlier an earthquake struck, killing numerous people. Since then the law suits have kept it closed and deteriorating. This is the place Datura wants for her meeting with Odd. His job now is to get himself and his injured friend away from her and her henchmen - if he can.

Because Dean R. Koontz uses Odd's first person narration in this series, it never falls quite into horror. Instead Forever Odd stays eerily suspenseful and keeps the reader along with Odd. It has a darker tone than Odd Thomas, yet fitting for the growth of the character. Koontz has staged a setting that makes the reader wonder just how Odd is going to be able to escape with himself and his friend. While not as good as the first book, Forever Odd is a good sequel and has me wanting to read the latest book, Brother Odd.

Odd Thomas
Forever Odd
Brother Odd
Odd Hours