The Silent Corner

Written by Dean Koontz

Narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers

A dazzling new series debuts with a remarkable heroine certain to become a new icon of suspense, propelled by the singular narrative genius of #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz. "I very much need to be dead." These are the chilling words left behind by a man who had everything to live for-but took his own life. In the void that remains stands his widow, Jane, surrounded by questions destined to go unanswered . . . unless she does what all the grief, fear, confusion, and fury inside of her demand: find the truth, no matter what. There is no one else to speak for Jane's husband-or the others who have followed him into death at their own hands. Although people of talent and accomplishment, people admired and happy and sound of mind, have recently been committing suicide in surprising numbers, no one else is willing to give up everything, just to seek, to find, to know. No one except Jane. But ahead lies only risk. Because those arrayed against her are legion . . . and dangerously devoted to protecting something profoundly important-or terrifying-enough to exterminate any and all in their way. Too many have already died, and those responsible will learn that all their malevolent power may not be enough to stop a woman as clever as they are cold-blooded, as relentless as they are ruthless-and who is driven by a righteous rage they can never comprehend. Because it is born of love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781490657851

Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz is the author of more than a dozen New York Times No. 1 bestsellers. His books have sold over 500 million copies worldwide, and his work is published in 38 languages. He was born and raised in Pennsylvania and lives with his wife Gerda, and their dog Elsa, in southern California. Dean Koontz is the author of more than a dozen New York Times No. 1 bestsellers. His books have sold over 500 million copies worldwide, and his work is published in 38 languages. He was born and raised in Pennsylvania and lives with his wife Gerda, and their dog Elsa, in southern California.

[scott Newbry · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great writing as always. One of my favorite ways to distract myself. Another one I had to drag myself away from!

[Richard Yeo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It’s not predictable; and definitely a “page turner”. Koontz’s is beautifully articulate. Narrator is brilliant.

[Marlene Uys · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved the book! Dean Koontz has written another great and interesting book. Enjoyed the suspense.

[auntieg0412 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great suspense as always in a Koontz book. I definitely like the Jane Hawk character and, my dear Mr. Koontz, you know I’ve got to read the next one after an ending like that! :)

[Valerie Duncan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed the story line easy to follow so if you stop and go back you still feel the excitement of path of it.

[Quiddity Press and Services · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it but really scary when seeing what is happening in the world today

[David Mumby · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Good story with really good pacing. The character building was nice but maybe not as detailed as other thriller books that I have enjoyed but still a good story.

[rena613 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great story. I've read a bunch of the author's books years ago, but nothing more recent. Glad I read this one. Jane is such a great character and I can't wait to see what's next for her.

[Jessica Kopchik · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE BEFORE YOU START TO READ THIS SERIES (trust me!!!) Personally, I recommend not reading anything ABOUT this series before starting it, seriously!!! This review has no spoilers….. Ok, so I’ve been a Koontz fan for decades now and have read pretty much everything he’s ever written. The first time I started this series was a few years ago and to be honest, i lost interest halfway through for some reason and never went back to it. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise!!!! Because THIS time I really really got into it and since I had waited so long, the whole series was finished so i got to BINGE READ/Audiobook all of the Jane Hawk novels and im SO glad I got to do that because if i only got to read half of them, I would’ve been EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED LOL!!! I didn’t even know how many books there were and I never checked so I just kept going, PRAYING that Scribd had all of them already and I wasn’t going to get stuck on a cliffhanger for 2 years, hahahaha!!! THATS how good they are! This is by far the longest and most glowing review I’ve ever written before and I may even copy and paste it for each book lol! Thank you Dear Dean Koontz for surprising me with such an excellent series, and all your hard work! And thank you Scribd for having ALL the books, I recommend your service all the time, you put Audible to SHAME!!! If you are just about to begin this journey, I envy you. I wish I could start it all over again to relive that absolutely BLOWN AWAY feeling…. I don’t get it that often anymore and its one of my favorite parts of reading, finding an extraordinary story filled with extraordinary characters that just sucks you in.

One more thing, it reminds me of Stephen Kings ‘the Stand’ in a really creepy way, because although unlikely, it doesn’t really sound like an IMPOSSIBLE thing for ‘them’ to try! Its a conspiracy theory that fits in with our real live modern society in a very eerie way, but thats all im going to say!

[kgabriel-863860 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

so forumulaic but I have to admit Jane Hawk is cool

[bookworm_naida · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First off, I have to preface my review by saying that Dean Koontz is one of my favorite authors and I don’t make enough time to read his books anymore. I need to remedy that. The Silent Corner is book 1 of 5 in the Jane Hawk series.

Jane Hawk is an FBI agent on leave after her husband Nick commits suicide and she discovers his body. Nick did not seem like suicide would be something he would do and Jane has a suspicion something was behind his death. She begins to look into it and learns that suicides are up nationwide by 20% and rising in the last year. As she delves deeper into the rise in suicides, Jane finds herself and her 5-year-old son Travis in danger. She places Travis in hiding with her good friends while she continues searching for answers.

Overall I enjoyed The Silent Corner but I won’t be rushing to read the second book. The ending wraps most of the story up but also leaves it wide open for the second book.

I liked Jane and that she’s on a mission to expose the truth, she’s strong and she’s a mom. Koontz captures her voice well. I always enjoy Koontz’s descriptive and lyrical writing style. He’s poetic. I want to read another of his books soon, I have a few on my wishlist.

[irenecole · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane Hawk is on the run, not just from those who want to harm her but towards the truth, and she will do whatever it takes to find it. Someone wants to stop her from finding out what really happened to her husband. Jane doesn't believe he would have killed himself. She also believes a recent increase in the number of suicides by people who had no reason to kill themselves is somehow connected.

This was a heart pounding suspenseful thriller.


I received an advance copy for review

[bookappeal · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Interesting plot, likable character, and some adventurous moments but cluttered with over-writing and melodramatic philosophy. Also riddled with not commonly-used words to express simple concepts.

[ogrezed · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Koontz used to be one of my favorite authors. Until I started getting deja vu every time I would pick up the next novel. Cookie cutter stories. So this is the first new book of his I've read in some time. I never got involved in the story. I think it would make a better movie than a novel. It just seemed blocked out like a movie -- location by location, scene by scene, fade in, fade out.

[jrlibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane hawk’s husband unexpectedly commit suicide and she is perplexed because he was neither depressed nor unhappy with his life. She starts an investigation and discovers that suicide rates are on the increase. Her inquiry arouses the interest of an unknown who threatens her family. The rest of the book is Jeanne trying to discover who or what is causing perfectly healthy people to commit suicide. This is book one of a series I should add that the writing is not typical of Koontz and contains nothing super natural.

[lisa_francine · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fast paced, suspenseful, and unputdownable!
Jane Hawk is a character who is intelligent, empathetic, bold, & someone you would want watching your back! Looking forward to book #2 in Koontz’s latest series.

[aliceanna-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had trouble getting into this one. I usually find that I can't put Koontz's books down, but this one was very put-downable for me. However, I liked Jane Hawk enough that I'll probably read the next book in the series. She is seriously as kick-ass as they come. I think the fact that there was zero exposition and no real build up took away a little from my enjoyment. Most books of this type start at 1 and build toward 10 as far as the tension goes. This one started at about 7 or 8 and built from there. So there wasn't a lot of room for the suspense and tension to build. The premise is interesting though so I'll see where the next one takes the story.

[martinhughharvey_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Gave up on this. I read one of the others in this series and wasn't impressed so I thought I'd try this - the first in the series. Little to recommend so gave up on it.

[john_warner-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When FBI agent Jane Hawk notices a recent upsurge in suicides, including her decorated Marine husband, she begins to her investigation. Most of the recent suicides do not portray the typical symptoms of despair, hopelessness or helplessness. All seemed hopeful without any recent events that might indicate a motive for the suicide. Many left suicide notes implying that their suicide might have been coerced. When unknown individuals threaten her and her son if the investigation continues, Jane goes rogue and off-the-grid to obtain justice and end a nefarious global scheme.

This inaugural novel in the Jane Hawk series is a departure from Dean Koontz's horror genre. It reminded me more of Michael Crichton novels. Jane is a Lisbeth Salander-like protagonist with a personality forged though paternal abuse who puts clue after clue together leading her unrelentingly toward justice. I thought the novel started out stronger in the first half but the climax was not as dramatic as I thought. However, I did enjoy Jane's character as well as others who assisted her in her revenge and will read the others in the series.

[niaomiya · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm a huge Dean Koontz fan. I've read every book he's ever written, from his horror novels to his Odd Thomas series. So I was very excited when he came out with the Jane Hawk series.

I must admit that I had trouble getting settled into "The Silent Corner." I found Jane and the book's premise intriguing but felt that Koontz took too long setting up the book for all the action that was to come. Once Jane started searching for specific people, the pace picked up and I found myself not willing to put the book down, eager to see the book to its end. This book was a different writing style from what I'm accustomed to from Koontz. It still had moments of luminous prose that I love and expect from Koontz, but it was much more oriented like an action thriller, less introspective and more plot-oriented. I didn't mind this; the book was riveting, just in a different way from what I would have expected from Koontz.

I stayed up way too late reading this book, so anxious to find out how things get resolved. Imagine my surprise, then, when I unexpectedly reached the end of the book and nothing had been resolved. This was not just a cliffhanger. This was actually an incomplete story that Koontz is apparently planning to spread out over an entire series. How disappointing. In a book series, I expect certain incomplete resolutions because that's what keeps the series going. That's what I was expecting, that this Jane Hawk series would be like Koontz's Odd Thomas series, each book practically a standalone with major plot points resolved and the next book in the series introducing new plot points while carrying over a few from the previous book. This was not the case with "The Silent Corner." The story simply stopped, unfinished. I actually said out loud, "Wait, that's the end?" when I finished.

Suffice it to say that I will read "The Whispering Room" (Jane Hawk #2) because I really want to know how things get resolved! But I'm a little apprehensive that the story will continue to be incomplete until Koontz decides to end the series. Perhaps it's not possible to resolve things and then send Jane on new adventures because the whole gist of "The Silent Corner" is that what's happening is so intensely personal for Jane. Ah, well, on to book #2 anyway! I've no doubt I will be satisfactorily entertained nonetheless.

[bingereader87 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane Hawk is a badass! I loved this book and the story is very interesting. The plot really got me hooked and it had a ton of great moments, usually, one-liners from Hawk. I would definitely recommend to someone who enjoys a good action movie or thriller.

[smcgovern-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent referred by Dave v. At shore.jane hawk fbi on leave husband suicide raises questions as he was military she investigates along with other murders. Finds brain programmed and goes around people who started. Son in hiding. Whispering fRoom next series.

[jnmegan · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

After 450 pages, I had hoped for more resolution at the end of The Silent Corner, the most recent offering from long-time author Dean Koontz. Instead, I was left wondering if the hanging plot lines meant that I had unknowingly dozed during those parts, if there was going to be a sequel, or if they were merely abandoned. This “novel of suspense” introduces Jane, the main character, right in the middle of some ambiguous mission without any provided background or context. Through initial dialog, the reader learns that she is an FBI agent who has taken a leave of absence to investigate the recent loss of her husband and fellow agent. Jane does not believe that her husband could have committed suicide as had been suggested, and she has gone off on her own seeking answers. She is being pursued by an unknown powerful group that has been trying to threaten her away from digging into the truth. She has hidden her young son away with friends and is frequently tormented by guilt at having to be separated from him while she risks everything to uncover a secret nefarious plot. The story is driven by a series of discoveries that Jane makes by combining some surreptitious library research with the torture of various villains. I was reminded several times while reading this book of the Jason Bourne movies and the Stepford Wives. The book is definitely packed with fast-paced action and some scientific detail, but I found it to be too derivative and one-dimensional for my tastes.

[cj82487 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I accidentally snagged an eARC of The Whispering Room then realized... it was a sequel! Ah, so naturally, I bought the first one in the Jane Hawk series The Silent Corner. Honestly, I'm glad I did.

The pacing of this one was quicker than what I'm used to reading, but I liked that. There were some crazy "OMG" moments that I did not see coming and made my jaw drop while I was reading. I'm sure if I would've been reading it in public, I would have garnered some attention from surrounding strangers.

It was surprisingly believable, in the this-might-possibly-happen-in-the-future sort of way. The brain control mechanism being injected was the part that I found realistic with implants being more of a common occurence than they used to.

There were enough twists and turns in the story to keep me interested, but not enough to seem like he was running out of ideas, so he threw in a twist. Koontz storytelling is sweet simplicity. Nothing is described in so much detail that I'm bored to death reading, but everything is described enough to give me a mental image. I could see the characters, the surroundings, Jane's guns, everything in my head, but I had my own images that would probably be a little different from other readers. If I could draw, I would draw it out, but I suck at drawing, so that's not happening.

On the drawing note, though, this would be a great graphic novel. A little graphic at times, a female in the lead, action, adventure, explosions and wolves. How could that not be a great graphic novel?

I was a little disappointed in the ending, though. It lead up to it so well. It was like the rollercoaster climbing to the peak, hitting a plateau, and then instead of that fall to the Earth and the sense of closure, the coaster stalls and you sit there on the edge, waiting for more. However, I think it was done this way because there is a sequel. Had this been a stand alone novel, I think there would have been more closure, but it would almost be impossible for this not to spin-off into more books. I mean, EVERYONE is in on the scheme. Just when you think that there is someone or somewhere safe for Jane to go, there isn't because everyone knows what is going on.

Overall, I'm glad I picked up the first of the Jane Hawk series by Dean Koontz. I enjoyed the change of genre and speed compared to what I have been reading lately. I liked the suspense of not knowing who was in on it and who was an innocent bystander. I was rooting for Jane to catch the culprits and I liked the short chapters, some of which were only a page or two.

[rosechimera-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I like 80's Koontz, the genuine shivers, and the inimate knowledge of the California landscape. There has been a sprinkling of efforts that have been enjoyable on occasion if you can get past the didactic right wing politics. If I hadn't read his first works, I would never give his new books bad ratings because I would never pick them up. I hope people keep reading him and enjoying him, but it's time for me to move on.

[cbloky · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

loved the book and will be heading out to get the next one soon. the character development was excellent and look forward to seeing where Jane goes next and hoping a few other characters return.

[dh1writer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another excellent thriller from Dean Koontz. Janet Hawk, an FBI agent on leave, is tracking down rich, sadistic, power mad criminals who have developed a method of mind control. First book in a series. I can't wait for the next book due out in November.

[jfe16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When Nick left a note saying, “I very much need to be dead,” his wife, Jane, was determined to find the truth behind his suicide. Her investigation uncovers an unsettling discovery that happy, well-adjusted, talented people are committing suicide. And the suicide rate is rising.

When Jane, a FBI agent, pursues her investigation to learn why this is happening, she becomes a hunted fugitive. Can she remain alive long enough to find the answers she seeks? And just what is the terrifying secret those answers will expose?

First in a new series, the story of Jane Hawk weaves itself around a horrific secret that, as the story unfolds, slowly reveals an almost-incomprehensible terror as Jane struggles to stay off the grid while relentlessly pursuing the truth. With believable characters, a complex tale of evil, an intricate plot, and short chapters that ratchet up the tension-filled, edge-of-your-seat suspense, readers are likely to find this thrill-packed narrative unputdownable.

Highly recommended.

[carol420 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What's It About?

“I very much need to be dead.”

These are the chilling words left behind by a man who had everything to live for—but took his own life. In the aftermath, his widow, Jane Hawk, does what all her grief, fear, and fury demand: find the truth, no matter what. People of talent and accomplishment, people admired and happy and sound of mind, have been committing suicide in surprising numbers. When Jane seeks to learn why, she becomes the most-wanted fugitive in America. Her powerful enemies are protecting a secret so important—so terrifying—that they will exterminate anyone in their way.

But all their power and viciousness may not be enough to stop a woman as clever as they are cold-blooded, as relentless as they are ruthless—and who is driven by a righteous rage they can never comprehend. Because it is born of love.

What Did I Think?
I loved Dean Koontz in his early years of writing, but it seemed that in the past few years he had started to write what I would call "tamer" stuff. The stories just didn't have the same feeling that all of his earlier works did. They were still good...just not AS good. It was with some hesitation that I picked up "The Silent Corner'...the first book in his new Jane Hawk series. If all the rest books are like this one then Mr. Koontz has a diffident winner.

Jane is not your usual FBI agent. In this opening book she's fighting a huge bio-tech corporation that plants the idea of suicide and murder into previously innocent, happy, well adjusted individuals...one that just happened to be Jane's Marine Corp husband. The plot is scary but very believable...the character of Jane Hawk is a likable everyday mother and wife that just happens to be able to out think and out shoot the bad guys while remaining smart and appealing. I can't wait to see where Dean Koontz takes Jane next.

[susan.macura · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I now have a new favorite hero - former FBI agent Jane Hawk. Jane is not your typical macho hero. She is almost forced into her role when her husband, a successful military veteran with much to live for, commits suicide for no reason at all. Vowing to uncover the truth behind his death, Jane uncovers a plot that is a threat to all we hold dear to our hearts and minds. In this thrilling tale, Jane finds help along the way from some very unique and likable individuals who I hope appear in the next installment of her story. This was such a great story that I am looking forward to the next one, and the one after that!