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The Other Emily
Number one New York Times bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz takes readers on a twisting journey of lost love, impossible second chances, and terrifying promises.
A decade ago, Emily Carlino vanished after her car broke down on a California highway. She was presumed to be one of serial killer Ronny Lee Jessup’s victims whose remains were never found.
Writer David Thorne still hasn’t recovered from losing the love of his life, or from the guilt of not being there to save her. Since then, he’s sought closure any way he can. He even visits regularly with Jessup in prison, desperate for answers about Emily’s final hours so he may finally lay her body to rest. Then David meets Maddison Sutton, beguiling, playful, and keenly aware of all David has lost. But what really takes his breath away is that everything about Maddison, down to her kisses, is just like Emily. As the fantastic becomes credible, David’s obsession grows, Maddison’s mysterious past deepens—and terror escalates.
Is she Emily? Or an irresistible dead ringer? Either way, the ultimate question is the same: What game is she playing? Whatever the risk in finding out, David’s willing to take it for this precious second chance. It’s been ten years since he’s felt this inspired, this hopeful, this much in love…and he’s afraid.
A decade ago, Emily Carlino vanished after her car broke down on a California highway. She was presumed to be one of serial killer Ronny Lee Jessup’s victims whose remains were never found.
Writer David Thorne still hasn’t recovered from losing the love of his life, or from the guilt of not being there to save her. Since then, he’s sought closure any way he can. He even visits regularly with Jessup in prison, desperate for answers about Emily’s final hours so he may finally lay her body to rest. Then David meets Maddison Sutton, beguiling, playful, and keenly aware of all David has lost. But what really takes his breath away is that everything about Maddison, down to her kisses, is just like Emily. As the fantastic becomes credible, David’s obsession grows, Maddison’s mysterious past deepens—and terror escalates.
Is she Emily? Or an irresistible dead ringer? Either way, the ultimate question is the same: What game is she playing? Whatever the risk in finding out, David’s willing to take it for this precious second chance. It’s been ten years since he’s felt this inspired, this hopeful, this much in love…and he’s afraid.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2021
14.7k people are currently reading
22.7k people want to read
About the author
Dean Koontz
891 books38.6k followersAcknowledged as "America's most popular suspense novelist" (Rolling Stone) and as one of today's most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Ray Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human.
Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.
Facebook: Facebook.com/DeanKoontzOfficial
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com
Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.
Facebook: Facebook.com/DeanKoontzOfficial
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,874 reviews
February 11, 2023
The Other Emily by Dean Koontz
Narrated by MacLeod Andrews
I have mixed feelings about this story. Serial killers are disgusting enough without having to be an audience to their depravity. It seems they like to tell their sordid stories to anyone who will listen. Or not tell their stories as a way of controlling what little they can control. Prisoner Ronny Lee Jessup is one such serial killer and his audience is writer David Thorne, whose other half was Emily Carlino, who disappeared and was a possible victim of Jessup.
Ten years later, David is still looking for Emily since her body was never found. He is wracked with a guilt because he is sure he could have prevented whatever happened to Emily. He's never been able to write the way he did before Emily disappeared. And then, ten years after last seeing Emily, David meets a woman named Maddison, who looks, acts, and sounds just like Emily did he last saw her. How can this be?
I enjoyed much of the story although not the depravity scattered throughout. This story is slowed down by David's journey and interviews as he is trying to figure out this Emily/Maddison situation. It seems too good and too impossible to be true but also his heart is still broken and he still feels great guilt. Is he able to be happy at all?
This is one creepy, creepy tale and then it blows itself up with some outrageousness at the end. I would have liked less detail during David's search for answers and more story at the very end. But overall, I was entertained and I love MacLeod Andrews' voice which made me like David more than I probably should have liked him.
Pub March 23, 2021 by Brilliance Audio
This was a Kindle Unlimited audiobook selection.
Narrated by MacLeod Andrews
I have mixed feelings about this story. Serial killers are disgusting enough without having to be an audience to their depravity. It seems they like to tell their sordid stories to anyone who will listen. Or not tell their stories as a way of controlling what little they can control. Prisoner Ronny Lee Jessup is one such serial killer and his audience is writer David Thorne, whose other half was Emily Carlino, who disappeared and was a possible victim of Jessup.
Ten years later, David is still looking for Emily since her body was never found. He is wracked with a guilt because he is sure he could have prevented whatever happened to Emily. He's never been able to write the way he did before Emily disappeared. And then, ten years after last seeing Emily, David meets a woman named Maddison, who looks, acts, and sounds just like Emily did he last saw her. How can this be?
I enjoyed much of the story although not the depravity scattered throughout. This story is slowed down by David's journey and interviews as he is trying to figure out this Emily/Maddison situation. It seems too good and too impossible to be true but also his heart is still broken and he still feels great guilt. Is he able to be happy at all?
This is one creepy, creepy tale and then it blows itself up with some outrageousness at the end. I would have liked less detail during David's search for answers and more story at the very end. But overall, I was entertained and I love MacLeod Andrews' voice which made me like David more than I probably should have liked him.
Pub March 23, 2021 by Brilliance Audio
This was a Kindle Unlimited audiobook selection.
March 31, 2021
This book is about an author named David who is sitting in a bar having dinner when his girlfriend walks in. The problem is that his girlfriend has been dead for ten years.
As you can tell by my rating that I didn't enjoy this one. This book crossed several genres and I believe this did not help my enjoyment of it. The first act set up a mystery as we are wondering what is going on with this woman. Being a Dean Koontz book the reader knows it can go in any kind of direction. The second act is more an exploration of the main character. The third act is pure science fiction. I loved the first act as it also had a touch of horror as David visits a serial killer in jail. He believes that he is the murderer of his girlfriend. I was all in for the mystery because I have been a reader of Dean Koontz for over thirty years and I was guessing parallel universes, doppelgangers, or government conspiracy. I just did not know. The second act is where the author lost me. I understand what the author was going for with the main character but there was no progression of what he set up in the first act. Also, we went off on a tangent with the new owner of the serial killer's house and I am still asking myself what the purpose of it was. When we get to the conclusion we are rushed through it as if Koontz realized he needed it to end. And it reminded me so much of the Netflix show .
This is back to back books where Koontz seems like he is copying a television show. I read somewhere that there are no new original ideas for books. Just an author's take on them. I have no problem with this but it has to be new and fresh. The last two by Koontz were not. In fact, some of the lingo he used for this book I believe was the same exact lingo that was used in the show. If Koontz kept on going with the path he set up in the first act I believe this would have been a total different book and one I would have enjoyed more.
As you can tell by my rating that I didn't enjoy this one. This book crossed several genres and I believe this did not help my enjoyment of it. The first act set up a mystery as we are wondering what is going on with this woman. Being a Dean Koontz book the reader knows it can go in any kind of direction. The second act is more an exploration of the main character. The third act is pure science fiction. I loved the first act as it also had a touch of horror as David visits a serial killer in jail. He believes that he is the murderer of his girlfriend. I was all in for the mystery because I have been a reader of Dean Koontz for over thirty years and I was guessing parallel universes, doppelgangers, or government conspiracy. I just did not know. The second act is where the author lost me. I understand what the author was going for with the main character but there was no progression of what he set up in the first act. Also, we went off on a tangent with the new owner of the serial killer's house and I am still asking myself what the purpose of it was. When we get to the conclusion we are rushed through it as if Koontz realized he needed it to end. And it reminded me so much of the Netflix show .
This is back to back books where Koontz seems like he is copying a television show. I read somewhere that there are no new original ideas for books. Just an author's take on them. I have no problem with this but it has to be new and fresh. The last two by Koontz were not. In fact, some of the lingo he used for this book I believe was the same exact lingo that was used in the show. If Koontz kept on going with the path he set up in the first act I believe this would have been a total different book and one I would have enjoyed more.
May 3, 2021
Whenever I want a good book that is intelligently written and a tad scary, I often resort to Dean Kootnz. He writes books that can suck me in and make me into a relentless reader as I scurry for the end of his stories. In fact, I believe him to be a much better author than who I would guess is his main rival. (His initials being SK). His new book The Other Emily is no exception and as the story moves forward, we find a writer, David Thorne still bereft and suffering from the loss of Emily, a woman he loved ten years ago.
Emily disappeared those many years ago, and David has been left with a hole in his heart and missing a part of his soul. One night, after visiting the serial killer, Ronny Lee Jessup, who supposedly murdered Emily and so many others, he sits at a bar and nurses a drink. Megan Sutton is there and David finds himself drawn to this beautiful woman who so reminds him of who he lost, his Emily. David becomes more entrenched in Megan, a mysterious woman who as time passes becomes more and more like Emily. How could this be? Certainly, if this is Emily, she would have aged ten years' worth and yet, there she is before him, the woman of his dreams and his heart.
David needs closure and visits Jessup in prison, paying him for something, anything that would make Emily's whereabouts known. Jessup is a full-blown pervert, a man who lusted after women, attacked and killed many and buried them in the cellar of his home. What Kootnz writes of him makes one's skin crawl, yet he does seem to hold the secret to Emily's disappearance.
As David gets closer and closer to the truth, he is endangered more, and a new killer emerges to pick up the "legacy" of Jessup.
This was an intriguing story, one that had the reader looking at all the possibilities, and perhaps the ending is a bit contrived, but the story is both addicting and compelling. Recommended to those who love a heart pounding story that doesn't let you go until you have read the very last page.
Emily disappeared those many years ago, and David has been left with a hole in his heart and missing a part of his soul. One night, after visiting the serial killer, Ronny Lee Jessup, who supposedly murdered Emily and so many others, he sits at a bar and nurses a drink. Megan Sutton is there and David finds himself drawn to this beautiful woman who so reminds him of who he lost, his Emily. David becomes more entrenched in Megan, a mysterious woman who as time passes becomes more and more like Emily. How could this be? Certainly, if this is Emily, she would have aged ten years' worth and yet, there she is before him, the woman of his dreams and his heart.
David needs closure and visits Jessup in prison, paying him for something, anything that would make Emily's whereabouts known. Jessup is a full-blown pervert, a man who lusted after women, attacked and killed many and buried them in the cellar of his home. What Kootnz writes of him makes one's skin crawl, yet he does seem to hold the secret to Emily's disappearance.
As David gets closer and closer to the truth, he is endangered more, and a new killer emerges to pick up the "legacy" of Jessup.
This was an intriguing story, one that had the reader looking at all the possibilities, and perhaps the ending is a bit contrived, but the story is both addicting and compelling. Recommended to those who love a heart pounding story that doesn't let you go until you have read the very last page.
March 10, 2021
Opening with an impossible scenario, the tension only thickens as this story unfolds. What would you do if you lost the love of your life? What would you do if she came back? With masterful skill, Koontz unravels reality in this clever, pulse-pounding thriller.
—J.D. Barker, NY Times bestselling author of A Caller's Game
—J.D. Barker, NY Times bestselling author of A Caller's Game
October 23, 2021
I can't believe I am rating a Koontz book so low. Usually they are 5* to me.
I thought the plot got off to a slower start than in most Koontz books, so much so that I wanted to quit. Then it finished with a flurry of excitement. Maybe the problem was that the book just did not draw me in and keep me up all night reading it--as so many Koontz books have over the years.
But I think my worst problem with this book was that I just didn't like David. He wasn't the usual Koontz hero, a regular guy gallantly trying to save the day against almost insurmountable odds. Instead, he was
Was David written this way to make the plot work? There should have been a more active way to write the guy--and the plot--than to make him this
And the occasional dropped hints. I hate the foreshadowing, hint-dropping thing anyway. But here,
I also didn't believe David's rationales
Finally, I was sort of annoyed when
Also, were there Maybe there will be another book where David (or hopefully somebody else) has to do something about it. I would definitely read that book, even though I much didn't care for this book.
To sum up, I'm sorry if this review seems too negative or if it seems that I am sniping at this book. But this is the way I really feel. I usually love Koontz. Just not this book. And when I rate a book low, I feel it is my duty to tell all you readers (and authors) out there why. I hate when someone gives a book 1* or 2* and then doesn't explain why.
So, if you are a Koontz superfan or a completist, then certainly read this. If you are not that familiar with Koontz, though, he has written many better books. Go read Watchers.
I thought the plot got off to a slower start than in most Koontz books, so much so that I wanted to quit. Then it finished with a flurry of excitement. Maybe the problem was that the book just did not draw me in and keep me up all night reading it--as so many Koontz books have over the years.
But I think my worst problem with this book was that I just didn't like David. He wasn't the usual Koontz hero, a regular guy gallantly trying to save the day against almost insurmountable odds. Instead, he was
Was David written this way to make the plot work? There should have been a more active way to write the guy--and the plot--than to make him this
And the occasional dropped hints. I hate the foreshadowing, hint-dropping thing anyway. But here,
I also didn't believe David's rationales
Finally, I was sort of annoyed when
Also, were there Maybe there will be another book where David (or hopefully somebody else) has to do something about it. I would definitely read that book, even though I much didn't care for this book.
To sum up, I'm sorry if this review seems too negative or if it seems that I am sniping at this book. But this is the way I really feel. I usually love Koontz. Just not this book. And when I rate a book low, I feel it is my duty to tell all you readers (and authors) out there why. I hate when someone gives a book 1* or 2* and then doesn't explain why.
So, if you are a Koontz superfan or a completist, then certainly read this. If you are not that familiar with Koontz, though, he has written many better books. Go read Watchers.
January 10, 2022
1 star
Almost DNF'd at 60% but pushed through.
I'm not gonna dwell on this so let's cut to the chase. This book SUCKED. I was soo excited to read my first Dean Koontz book and obviously, this was the worst choice. The synopsis makes this book sound incredibly intriguing but in reality, nothing happens for the majority of this book. Starts off mysterious as you wonder how Emily disappeared. What had happened to her? Was she killed by the serial killer Ronny Lee Jessup?
While the mc David Thorne is attempting to write a book off the serial killer and Emily's disappearance, Emily shows up! Only she isn't Emily but Maddison, a carbon copy as if Emily was encased in Amber and then broken free 10 years later. David hires a PI to look into Maddison and everything comes up sketchy.
Blah blah here and blah blah there, nothing happens, skip to the last 100 pages and wow it's Sci-Fi now. And honestly, it was a pretty cool ending that was interesting but IT FELL SOO FLAT because why did I waste all my time reading nothingness that really didn't even lead to this type of ending? It was soo out of the blue and didn't work for me.
This book could have been done really well if it was maybe like a 100 pager and had more details that made the ending fall into place.
Almost DNF'd at 60% but pushed through.
I'm not gonna dwell on this so let's cut to the chase. This book SUCKED. I was soo excited to read my first Dean Koontz book and obviously, this was the worst choice. The synopsis makes this book sound incredibly intriguing but in reality, nothing happens for the majority of this book. Starts off mysterious as you wonder how Emily disappeared. What had happened to her? Was she killed by the serial killer Ronny Lee Jessup?
While the mc David Thorne is attempting to write a book off the serial killer and Emily's disappearance, Emily shows up! Only she isn't Emily but Maddison, a carbon copy as if Emily was encased in Amber and then broken free 10 years later. David hires a PI to look into Maddison and everything comes up sketchy.
Blah blah here and blah blah there, nothing happens, skip to the last 100 pages and wow it's Sci-Fi now. And honestly, it was a pretty cool ending that was interesting but IT FELL SOO FLAT because why did I waste all my time reading nothingness that really didn't even lead to this type of ending? It was soo out of the blue and didn't work for me.
This book could have been done really well if it was maybe like a 100 pager and had more details that made the ending fall into place.
December 1, 2021
Some good suspense in this interesting, fantastical story. 8 of 10 stars
May 4, 2024
I have been reading Koontz for years, he used to be one of my favorite authors. That being said, this book was terrible. It had potential to be a really good book, unfortunately it isn't. The story goes all over the place, and not in a good way, and the main character is annoying, unlikable and weak.
***Spoilers Ahead***
Author David Thorne lost the supposed love of his life Emily 10 years ago. She was visiting a friend and never returned. She is feared to be a victim of serial killer, Ronny Lee Jessup. David visits Jessup regularly trying to find information about Emily under the lie that he is writing a book about the killer. We have to listen to David's whining chapter after chapter about how guilty he feels that he was not there for Emily. Then 2/3rds of the way into the book, he confesses to Jessup that the real reason he has been visiting is because of his guilt, he tells this serial killer all about Emily and why she was alone on the trip she never returned from. See David was off having a cheap affair with some famous movie star who is working in the film adaptation of one of his books. So, his guilt is more about HIS actions rather than the death of his girlfriend.
In addition to that, while dining at one of his favorite restaurants, he sees a woman who looks exactly like Emily did when she disappeared. He introduces himself and she claims she is an assassin named Maddison. Not only does she look exactly like Emily, but she shares all the same likes as Emily - and David just thinks this is a neat coincidence? He then becomes super obsessed with Maddison. The way he behaves is just ridiculous. Koontz reiterates over and over that David has dealt with obsessed fans in the past, so he should be able to recognize that something is off with this girl, but he doesn't, and it is incredibly frustrating. He reaches out to his friend in New York, who is a private investigator, that has helped him with research and such for info on Maddison. The PI (who knows nothing about Emily by the way) tells him something is off with Maddison, and he should stay away. Even when this woman breaks into his house in the middle of the night, calls him by the same nickname Emily did, and crawls into bed with him naked he just goes along with it! Seriously???
What really bothered me was, he has this friend who is apparently a very good private investigator, who not only does not know about Emily, has also never even been asked to look into Emily's disappearance??? The book continues like this until the last couple of chapters where the story then takes this futuristic/sci fi turn that would have been really cool if it had been more prominent within the entire book - but no, you get this taste and then Koontz blows it all the smithereens and the book ends... Very, very disappointing.
***Spoilers Ahead***
Author David Thorne lost the supposed love of his life Emily 10 years ago. She was visiting a friend and never returned. She is feared to be a victim of serial killer, Ronny Lee Jessup. David visits Jessup regularly trying to find information about Emily under the lie that he is writing a book about the killer. We have to listen to David's whining chapter after chapter about how guilty he feels that he was not there for Emily. Then 2/3rds of the way into the book, he confesses to Jessup that the real reason he has been visiting is because of his guilt, he tells this serial killer all about Emily and why she was alone on the trip she never returned from. See David was off having a cheap affair with some famous movie star who is working in the film adaptation of one of his books. So, his guilt is more about HIS actions rather than the death of his girlfriend.
In addition to that, while dining at one of his favorite restaurants, he sees a woman who looks exactly like Emily did when she disappeared. He introduces himself and she claims she is an assassin named Maddison. Not only does she look exactly like Emily, but she shares all the same likes as Emily - and David just thinks this is a neat coincidence? He then becomes super obsessed with Maddison. The way he behaves is just ridiculous. Koontz reiterates over and over that David has dealt with obsessed fans in the past, so he should be able to recognize that something is off with this girl, but he doesn't, and it is incredibly frustrating. He reaches out to his friend in New York, who is a private investigator, that has helped him with research and such for info on Maddison. The PI (who knows nothing about Emily by the way) tells him something is off with Maddison, and he should stay away. Even when this woman breaks into his house in the middle of the night, calls him by the same nickname Emily did, and crawls into bed with him naked he just goes along with it! Seriously???
What really bothered me was, he has this friend who is apparently a very good private investigator, who not only does not know about Emily, has also never even been asked to look into Emily's disappearance??? The book continues like this until the last couple of chapters where the story then takes this futuristic/sci fi turn that would have been really cool if it had been more prominent within the entire book - but no, you get this taste and then Koontz blows it all the smithereens and the book ends... Very, very disappointing.
April 10, 2021
(3.5) I can totally appreciate how well written this is, so it may be worthy of more stars.. Just ultimately it took a “wrong” turn & wasnt quite for me.
March 27, 2021
♥♥UPDATE♥♥
This is my first book by Dean Koontz sensei but it won't be my last. I just purchased Odd Thomas at just $3.99 cuz thanks to my KU sub I can afford a few treats here and there. This book comes with animation and free audio so read it!!!
For me it's more a 4 stars than a full five but I think I'll trigger literary agencies/traditional publishers fans by giving a 5. It seems to me they're put out with Koontz sensei and Patricia Cornwell sensei now that they joined the cool group of authors that offer their books for the KU elite, coolest group of readers in goodreads!
ORIGINAL♥♥
Whoa! $9.99 for an ebook? So expensive!!! But lucky me I belong to the Kindle Unlimited elite, the coolest group of readers in goodreads!
For me it's
We the kindle unlimited elite read for free and strut away happily and look smug!
SMUG 'cuz it's FREE for us!!
You don't even need to have a kindle to get your KU subscription.
Join the KU elite!!! We're the coolest group on goodreads, we read the best books for a small monthly fee, discover new authors all the time and we still have money to purchase more and more books. Last time I checked for new users the first two months are free!!!!
This is my first book by Dean Koontz sensei but it won't be my last. I just purchased Odd Thomas at just $3.99 cuz thanks to my KU sub I can afford a few treats here and there. This book comes with animation and free audio so read it!!!
For me it's more a 4 stars than a full five but I think I'll trigger literary agencies/traditional publishers fans by giving a 5. It seems to me they're put out with Koontz sensei and Patricia Cornwell sensei now that they joined the cool group of authors that offer their books for the KU elite, coolest group of readers in goodreads!
ORIGINAL♥♥
Whoa! $9.99 for an ebook? So expensive!!! But lucky me I belong to the Kindle Unlimited elite, the coolest group of readers in goodreads!
For me it's
We the kindle unlimited elite read for free and strut away happily and look smug!
SMUG 'cuz it's FREE for us!!
You don't even need to have a kindle to get your KU subscription.
Join the KU elite!!! We're the coolest group on goodreads, we read the best books for a small monthly fee, discover new authors all the time and we still have money to purchase more and more books. Last time I checked for new users the first two months are free!!!!
March 24, 2021
Not even close to his best.
Too wordy. You get lost in all the jibber in the story. This could have been a short story without all the extra "rabbit chasing"
Too wordy. You get lost in all the jibber in the story. This could have been a short story without all the extra "rabbit chasing"
April 11, 2023
A fantasy good vs evil from the master of suspense. I did not connect to the main character in this one which is rare for me in a Koontz novel. Very rare. Also the ending was not his best either.
It pains me to have to rate this one 3 stars but goes to show no one can get it right all the time, even Koontz.
It pains me to have to rate this one 3 stars but goes to show no one can get it right all the time, even Koontz.
July 22, 2021
I'm only about 15% through but considering not finishing. Koontz strives to create an irresistible chemistry and clever banter between David and Maddison; however, the characters are much more annoying than charming, and the dialogue is super (SUPER) cheesy.
Here's an example of David and Maddison flirting:
"'What line of work are you in?' he asked.
Without hesitation, she said, 'I'm an assassin.'
'Not of writers, I hope.'
'Not of writers,' she confirmed. 'You're safe with me.'
When she did not elucidate, he said, 'So 'assassin' is a metaphor for what?'
'It's not a metaphor. Just a synonym for murderer. Or more accurately, for executioner.'"
Here's some other examples the writing:
"Dirt filmed windows as milky as the eyes of a long-blinded animal."
"He was as solemn as if he were an animated cadaver."
What? Really? The writing almost feels like a parody of whatever Koontz is trying to achieve. It’s like the writing of a middle schooler who just learned what literary techniques are.
Jessup (the serial killer) also doesn't feel like a believable character to me. His character doesn't feel entirely thought out, almost like Koontz began to brainstorm certain particular characteristics for him (like the fact that he is a "homicidal psychopathic sentimentalist") but never fully developed the details.
The writing so far is falling short all around.
**UPDATE**
Here's an example of David and Maddison flirting:
"'What line of work are you in?' he asked.
Without hesitation, she said, 'I'm an assassin.'
'Not of writers, I hope.'
'Not of writers,' she confirmed. 'You're safe with me.'
When she did not elucidate, he said, 'So 'assassin' is a metaphor for what?'
'It's not a metaphor. Just a synonym for murderer. Or more accurately, for executioner.'"
Here's some other examples the writing:
"Dirt filmed windows as milky as the eyes of a long-blinded animal."
"He was as solemn as if he were an animated cadaver."
What? Really? The writing almost feels like a parody of whatever Koontz is trying to achieve. It’s like the writing of a middle schooler who just learned what literary techniques are.
Jessup (the serial killer) also doesn't feel like a believable character to me. His character doesn't feel entirely thought out, almost like Koontz began to brainstorm certain particular characteristics for him (like the fact that he is a "homicidal psychopathic sentimentalist") but never fully developed the details.
The writing so far is falling short all around.
**UPDATE**
May 12, 2021
This was my first Dean Koontz read and it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t amazing either.
To be honest, I really enjoyed the first 75% of it. Totally fun and keeps you guessing where things are headed.
The ending is where things fell a bit short for me. There was a part right before the climax of the story that, although gripping, seemed misplaced and irrelevant. I felt the book was a bit redundant as David was constantly reiterating how much he loved Emily. I felt the book could have been way shorter and that the ending seemed a bit rushed.
I’ll give the author another chance, for sure, but hopefully I can find a book of his that can really pull me in until the last page.
To be honest, I really enjoyed the first 75% of it. Totally fun and keeps you guessing where things are headed.
The ending is where things fell a bit short for me. There was a part right before the climax of the story that, although gripping, seemed misplaced and irrelevant. I felt the book was a bit redundant as David was constantly reiterating how much he loved Emily. I felt the book could have been way shorter and that the ending seemed a bit rushed.
I’ll give the author another chance, for sure, but hopefully I can find a book of his that can really pull me in until the last page.
October 6, 2021
Engaging story - I felt very connected to our main character David. The story was fast paced with an unusual side plot surrounding a serial killer.
In the final 20% of the book, everything took a very strange turn and lost my interest. I am a science fiction fan but in my opinion, these pieces of the story just didn't fit together.
In the final 20% of the book, everything took a very strange turn and lost my interest. I am a science fiction fan but in my opinion, these pieces of the story just didn't fit together.
April 23, 2021
Nope. No. I refuse to believe that I wasted a week of my life reading this book. I would have DNF'd this book pretty much after 30 pages (for the first time in YEARS), but unfortunately this was the month's book club pick, so I had to soldier through it.
I've never read the infamous Dean Koontz before but I doubt I ever will again. The characters were so one-dimensional and unrealistic, the plot was bonkers and felt like it changed whenever the author got tired of one section of the book and needed to move onto another, and Koontz spent way more time overwriting descriptions of the scenery than trying to explain what the hell was going on. And the main character, David? He was RIDICULOUS. This next section will be full of spoilers but I absolutely advise against ever reading this book so here we go:
David, who has cheated on his girlfriend, Emily, the night she goes missing, spends the next ten years moping around. He's at a bar when he runs into what appears to be Emily's doppleganger, Maddison.
David: OMG, Emily, is it you???
Maddison: No, I am not your decades-dead girlfriend, Emily. I am Maddison. I am an assassin and I kill bad people.
David: What a funny little joke, Emily. Or are you Maddison? I am unsure.
David, one day later: I love Maddison. Love means willing to kill and die for someone. (Okay?)
David then kills a man completely unrelated to both Emily and Maddison, who really has nothing to do with the plot at all.
David, at the end of the book: Emily, I knew you were Maddison all along!
Maddison: No, I am not Emily. My name is Maddison and I am an assassin.
David: You are a monster. I can't believe you have killed people!
David then shoots Maddison in the head and blows up her house as he drives away.
There's also clones, time-travel, mummies and torture porn. This book was just... bad. It made no sense, all of the characters were shallow and awful, and the dialogue was nothing short of cringe. If I could give this book zero stars I would.
I've never read the infamous Dean Koontz before but I doubt I ever will again. The characters were so one-dimensional and unrealistic, the plot was bonkers and felt like it changed whenever the author got tired of one section of the book and needed to move onto another, and Koontz spent way more time overwriting descriptions of the scenery than trying to explain what the hell was going on. And the main character, David? He was RIDICULOUS. This next section will be full of spoilers but I absolutely advise against ever reading this book so here we go:
David, who has cheated on his girlfriend, Emily, the night she goes missing, spends the next ten years moping around. He's at a bar when he runs into what appears to be Emily's doppleganger, Maddison.
David: OMG, Emily, is it you???
Maddison: No, I am not your decades-dead girlfriend, Emily. I am Maddison. I am an assassin and I kill bad people.
David: What a funny little joke, Emily. Or are you Maddison? I am unsure.
David, one day later: I love Maddison. Love means willing to kill and die for someone. (Okay?)
David then kills a man completely unrelated to both Emily and Maddison, who really has nothing to do with the plot at all.
David, at the end of the book: Emily, I knew you were Maddison all along!
Maddison: No, I am not Emily. My name is Maddison and I am an assassin.
David: You are a monster. I can't believe you have killed people!
David then shoots Maddison in the head and blows up her house as he drives away.
There's also clones, time-travel, mummies and torture porn. This book was just... bad. It made no sense, all of the characters were shallow and awful, and the dialogue was nothing short of cringe. If I could give this book zero stars I would.
May 21, 2021
3.5 stars (I was going for 4 but...)
I will be brief about this book.
One of the things that I have always admired about Koontz is his ability of telling a story.
It does not matter how unbelievable it is. He makes it sound believable.
And that’s a talent.
Although this one is not one of his best (the writing was a big repetitive and the conclusion was a bit cheesy - hence my 3.5 stars rating), I truly enjoyed it.
The storyline is terrific and very well rounded. The ending felt rushed, but I thought that it was satisfying.
If you don’t mind reading a book that changes direction (crime mystery? supernatural? Sci-fi?), then you may love this book.
For me? It’s all about the writing.
I was truly entertained and I loved the main character, even though he wasn’t that (morally speaking) perfect.
PS. A personal note.
This is my 60th book by this author, who I have always admired. Yes, he had a bad phase (10 years?), but he has never lost my respect and interest. His writing is so unpretentious and so gripping.
He is also the first author that I tried to read in the original language (my first language is Portuguese) in the 80’s. I don’t think that I have ever read a Koontz translated work.
Stephen King was the following author that make me stick to English only.
I will be brief about this book.
One of the things that I have always admired about Koontz is his ability of telling a story.
It does not matter how unbelievable it is. He makes it sound believable.
And that’s a talent.
Although this one is not one of his best (the writing was a big repetitive and the conclusion was a bit cheesy - hence my 3.5 stars rating), I truly enjoyed it.
The storyline is terrific and very well rounded. The ending felt rushed, but I thought that it was satisfying.
If you don’t mind reading a book that changes direction (crime mystery? supernatural? Sci-fi?), then you may love this book.
For me? It’s all about the writing.
I was truly entertained and I loved the main character, even though he wasn’t that (morally speaking) perfect.
PS. A personal note.
This is my 60th book by this author, who I have always admired. Yes, he had a bad phase (10 years?), but he has never lost my respect and interest. His writing is so unpretentious and so gripping.
He is also the first author that I tried to read in the original language (my first language is Portuguese) in the 80’s. I don’t think that I have ever read a Koontz translated work.
Stephen King was the following author that make me stick to English only.
June 2, 2021
I haven't read much Dean Koontz in my time, and what I did read was a long time ago, but the premise of this book really grabbed my attention. I ended up really enjoying it!
I could have done with more of everything... more serial killer, more creepiness, more obsession, etc. But I'm really glad I picked it up!
3.75 rounded up
I could have done with more of everything... more serial killer, more creepiness, more obsession, etc. But I'm really glad I picked it up!
3.75 rounded up
May 17, 2021
The Other Emily (Koontz Group Read - Spring 2021)
Picture from 12/2020, he was 75
www.deankoontz.com/wp-content/uploads...
Excellent, easy to follow. Different from other Koontz books with some “romance” mystery.
I find this mystery good with “some well defined” romance in the beginning of the book makes it “light” & go fast.
4 major characters Emily Carlino, Maddison Sutton & David Thorne. Later, Ronny Jessup enters.
Emily Carlino is gone for 10 years without a trace.
A woman appears, Maddison Sutton, looking identical & cloned back in 10 years to - The Other Emily.
David questions the criminal Ronny Jessup’s confession with pictures of victims found, and others that may have been in a secret chamber. David try’s to see if Ronny will agree the missing Emily shows in a picture. Is she one of David’s murdered or “stolen” girls?
Maddison & David’s love continues. Maddison knows all of David’s past, including romantically with Emily. David starts investigating Maddison, more questions and answers. Solves questions of the past Emily. Can the new Maddison makes David happy?
It is possible to see a ”new” person looking exactly like one from your past, knowing all about you? The Other Emily...
The end is excellent.
Picture from 12/2020, he was 75
www.deankoontz.com/wp-content/uploads...
Excellent, easy to follow. Different from other Koontz books with some “romance” mystery.
I find this mystery good with “some well defined” romance in the beginning of the book makes it “light” & go fast.
4 major characters Emily Carlino, Maddison Sutton & David Thorne. Later, Ronny Jessup enters.
Emily Carlino is gone for 10 years without a trace.
A woman appears, Maddison Sutton, looking identical & cloned back in 10 years to - The Other Emily.
David questions the criminal Ronny Jessup’s confession with pictures of victims found, and others that may have been in a secret chamber. David try’s to see if Ronny will agree the missing Emily shows in a picture. Is she one of David’s murdered or “stolen” girls?
Maddison & David’s love continues. Maddison knows all of David’s past, including romantically with Emily. David starts investigating Maddison, more questions and answers. Solves questions of the past Emily. Can the new Maddison makes David happy?
It is possible to see a ”new” person looking exactly like one from your past, knowing all about you? The Other Emily...
The end is excellent.
March 27, 2021
The Other Emily was totally spectacular. It is the first true horror mystery i've read in a while that didn't disappoint. There is a lot of watered-down stuff in the genre and The Other Emily set itself apart.
March 31, 2021
OK -- I've been a fan of Koontz since I read his first book as a teenager. Nobody matches him for verbosity, but his prose always captures me and keeps me hooked on whatever crazy story he is telling. To be sure, you need the ability to suspend disbelief as you enter his world, but it is always a fun ride and this was no exception. Enjoy!
David Thorne, an author of some renown, hasn't really gotten over his first love, Emily Carlino, since she vanished from a dark, deserted California highway over 10 years ago. Thought to be one of the victims of a serial killer, Thorne visits the prisoner at Folsom to find out if that is true. His repeated treks to the penitentiary provide no answers and there's no body for Thorne to bury. Then, he's minding his own business at his favorite restaurant at Newport Beach when he sees her. Only her name is Maddison Sutton. She looks and acts just like his Emily and Thorne falls down the rabbit hole. NO SPOILERS.
This was fast and entertaining and I read it over a couple of hours today. Koontz never lets me down even though his tales are incredibly fantastical and defy any sort of groundwork in reality as I know it. Who doesn't need a little escapism about now?
Borrowed this from a friend and happy to recommend.
David Thorne, an author of some renown, hasn't really gotten over his first love, Emily Carlino, since she vanished from a dark, deserted California highway over 10 years ago. Thought to be one of the victims of a serial killer, Thorne visits the prisoner at Folsom to find out if that is true. His repeated treks to the penitentiary provide no answers and there's no body for Thorne to bury. Then, he's minding his own business at his favorite restaurant at Newport Beach when he sees her. Only her name is Maddison Sutton. She looks and acts just like his Emily and Thorne falls down the rabbit hole. NO SPOILERS.
This was fast and entertaining and I read it over a couple of hours today. Koontz never lets me down even though his tales are incredibly fantastical and defy any sort of groundwork in reality as I know it. Who doesn't need a little escapism about now?
Borrowed this from a friend and happy to recommend.
April 3, 2021
I can’t believe I haven’t read more Dean Koontz before. This is only my second book by this author. My first Koontz book was Intensity and now, The Other Emily, being my second.
I think I’ll be checking out more of his work because I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve read, so far.
To be completely honest, The Other Emily hurt my brain. There was a lot going on and it got a bit confusing for me. But, in the end, it all came together and I ended the book feeling pretty satisfied.
What I didn’t expect was how lovely DK could write. There were some passages in this book that were pretty darn dreamy.
Overall, this book was a fast paced, page turner and very enjoyable.
Koontz has over 100 books, so now I need to determine which books will make my tbr
I think I’ll be checking out more of his work because I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve read, so far.
To be completely honest, The Other Emily hurt my brain. There was a lot going on and it got a bit confusing for me. But, in the end, it all came together and I ended the book feeling pretty satisfied.
What I didn’t expect was how lovely DK could write. There were some passages in this book that were pretty darn dreamy.
Overall, this book was a fast paced, page turner and very enjoyable.
Koontz has over 100 books, so now I need to determine which books will make my tbr
March 31, 2021
Yeah, no.
June 14, 2021
Sometimes I take a wary approach when I read a Dean Koontz book, because he goes so far into left field. This book takes the reader into the realm of how far a person will go for love. The story enters the world of fantastic scientific advances in cloning but keeps it believable. I love how the author shows the flawed human being and the possibility of redemption. Highly recommend this book.
January 17, 2022
Interesting journey while reading along. I couldn't guess the twists and turns! Loved it! I haven't read any of Dean Koontz books before but this was refreshing, a bit slow at times but intriguing none the less!
October 16, 2022
I really enjoyed this story. I enjoyed the characters, the drama and the way it all came together. I find Koontz to be a bit more wordy than usual in this writing. Other than that it is a great read.
August 21, 2021
Starts off well enough, but gets completely obsessed with the ‘is she, isn’t she?’
The over-flamboyant use of language grates after a while but the basic story is a relatively good one.
The over-flamboyant use of language grates after a while but the basic story is a relatively good one.
November 27, 2021
The Other Emily is a very enjoyable and suspenseful thriller about a novelist who encounters a woman who appears to be the lover who disappeared ten years previously. (Possible spoilers ahead...) It's a nicely mysterious romance with a sprinkling of horror and science fiction wrapped around an engaging tale of sin-and-redemption derived from Greek mythology (the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice). The science fiction gimmick doesn't mesh as well as it could and comes a bit out of left field, despite the foreshadowing mention on page 144 of Bradbury, Heinlein, Sturgeon, Dick, Zelazny, Delaney, Scalzi, and Gibson. The horror element is creepy and understated, and the character of a serial killer is vivid and chilling... though I'd question the likelihood of a major oversight by the original investigators of a scene where a mass murderer has built an underground chamber of torture and burial. There are a couple of points that seem unlikely (such as the fact that probably the only writers wealthy enough to finance such an investigation and maintain such a lifestyle would be very few and probably have last names that start with the letter K), but there has to be a level of suspending disbelief in the genre, right? When the hero enters the underground lair on page 281, Koontz again foreshadows by mentioning other literary underworlds, such as the Minotaur's labyrinth below Crete, Grendel's lair, Lovecraft's catacombs below the Mountains of Madness, and Ripley's quest in the tunnels in Aliens. The actual conclusion is fast and straight-forward, without the richly descriptive prose of the sections that lead up to it, and is slightly jarring but still effective. All in all a fun read, fast-paced but with many of Koontz's delightful prose flourishes.
May 5, 2021
I would give this book zero stars if that were possible. I don’t normally read Koontz and I’m pretty sure I never will again. I have rarely read such nauseating descriptions and cheesy dialogue. I would have quit 30 pages in but I wanted to see what the look alike thing was all about. I made it 46% through the book according to my Kindle when I decided I couldn’t take the poor writing anymore and came here to read the spoilers and boy, am I glad I DNF’d this book. I’m also glad it was included in Kindle Unlimited because if I had paid for this book, I would be doubly unhappy with it. Skip this book!
June 17, 2021
I haven't read much Dean Koontz, I enjoyed it very much. Had a nice pace, short chapters. I didn't expect the ending, probably because I didn't think that was even going to be an option. It was nice for something different to read.
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