The Bad Place by Dean R Koontz (1990)
This is definitely a five-star book
Book cover blurb
Frank Pollard awakens in an alley, knowing nothing but his name and that he is in danger. Over the next few days he develops a fear of sleep because when he wakes he finds blood on his hands, and bizarre and terrifying objects in his pockets. Distraught and desperate, Frank begs husband-and-wife detective team Bobby and Julie Dakota to get to the bottom of his mysterious, amnesiac fugues. It seems a simple job, but they are drawn into ever-darkening realms where they encounter the nightmare, hate-filled figure stalking Frank. And their lives are threatened, as is that of Julie's gentle, Down's-syndrome brother, Thomas.
To Thomas, death is the 'bad place' from which there is no return. But as each of them ultimately learns, there are equally bad places in the world of the living, places so steeped in evil that, in contrast, death seems almost to be a relief...
My Review
I first read The Bad Place when it was released back in 1990, a few other times since then, and I've just finished it yet again.
This was actually the very first novel I completed. I'm dyslexic and I struggled quite badly back then in my twenties. Dean's writing seemed so accessible to me that I went on to read over forty of his amazing creations. His early writing just really speaks to me.
Anyway, back to this book.
This novel hasn't lost anything over the years, I've enjoyed it afresh every time I've picked it up. Of course, there are a few small elements that date it, but I find these more endearing than annoying, and you have to consider every book for the time it was written.
This story is chock full of rich intriguing characters and fantastically imaginative elements and goings-on. You truly feel that every single character you encounter in these pages could warrant a novel all its own. Koontz is known for featuring disabled characters in his books, and The Bad Place is no exception. Thomas is a Down’s-syndrome chap and an utterly mesmerising character. I think mainly because of how Dean has tried to get inside Thomas' head and really present him from the inside.
This book is a firm favourite of mine, and if given the ultimatum that I possess only one single book for the rest of my days, The Bad Place would be it. Mainly because it's such a fantastic creation but also because it has lifelong sentimental value to me.
If you haven't yet dabbled in the worlds of Mr Dean Koontz, may I please urge you to do so, I'm sure you will not regret it.
My copy of this novel
Headline hardback edition.
Published in 1990
372 pages
ISBN 9780747202226