For one man, they are the five most terrifying words of all . . .
One year after the heart transplant that saved his life, thirty-five-year-old Ryan Perry has never felt better. He’s getting back everything he nearly lost forever—his business, his his life, and, with luck, his beloved girlfriend. Miracles do happen.
Then the unmarked gifts begin to arrive—a box of candy hearts, a heart pendant. Most disturbing of all is a graphic heart-surgery video and its chilling message: Your heart belongs to me. Ryan is being stalked by someone who feels entitled to everything he has. She’s the spitting image of the twenty-six-year-old donor of the heart beating steadily in Ryan’s own chest. And she’s come to take it back.
Thirty-four year old Internet billionaire Ryan Perry gets a life saving heart transplant, only to become the target of creepy psychological threats from a woman resembling the heart donor, who has a terrifying message for him: "Your heart belongs to me." Fearing for his life and his livelihood, Ryan's natural reaction to this strange, scary situation is to discount any supernatural explanation, which leads him to mistrust those closest to him, including his girlfriend and his employees. Koontz's strength has long been his knack for putting regular people into dangerous, extraordinary situations (often with paranormal overtones) and having them struggle to understand and overcome their plight. In my opinion he succeeds again with Ryan Perry (a regular guy even though he's super-rich) in "Your Heart Belongs To Me," a suspenseful page turner with a likable protagonist and a relentless villain. Also recommended: "A STRANGER LIES THERE"- the Editorial Review of the other major online bookseller said this mystery "is an appealing blend of SoCal noir and psychological suspense à la Dean Koontz. Two thumbs way up."
writes,
I look forward every spring and fall to the two Koontz books that I know will come as surely as the seasons change. I have yet to be disappointed in any of his books and I can also say that for Your Heart Belongs to Me. I know that some Dean Koontz fans are disappointed when a new book doesn't resemble each and every book he has already written. It is a matter of perspective. I enjoy the variety that Koontz serves up.
Your Heart Belongs to Me fits nicely with books such as The Husband and The Good Guy; stories that deal with psychological stress on the protagonist and by extension the reader.
The story here is strong and certainly plausible. Ryan Perry, a self made millionaire is living the life most of us would do anything to have. Bright, rich, popular, Perry is living the American dream. Then, like so many of us have experienced, that charmed life is threatened by a medical crisis, in this case, cardiomyopathy, a condition that can't be corrected without a heart transplant. Short of that, the condition is a death sentence. Since Ryan is young and vibrant, and has the money, a viable heart is found and life is once again becomes good. Well, maybe. In no time Ryan's life turns creepy; perhaps the transplant won't work out. This is where Koontz excels, finding the weird in the normal everyday things we all take for granted. Then, of course, who is really behind it all?
Dean Koontz does a wonderful job developing the story though some may feel it is just a bit contrived. I don't! The characters are certainly believable, the story is well developed, and in classic Koontz style, wastes no time in grabbing your attention and moving you along.
I highly recommend.
Peace to all.
writes,
Much better than his last novel,
very hard to put down, a real
page turner.
