FOREVER ODD
by Dean Koontz
Bantam Dell
www.bantamdell.com
ISBN 0553804162
Hardback, 334 pages, $27.00
Genre: Mystery

Publishers Weekly calls Dean Koontz a master storyteller, and in my view, they're right on target. I've read him for over 30 years and was hooked with "Whispers", absolutely one of the creepiest books ever written. I still get goose bumps over that one.

Odd Thomas is exactly what his name implies. Why? Because he can see dead people. Although they can't verbally communicate with him, Odd manages to figure out what's troubling these spirits who, for whatever reason, choose to stay behind. In this installment, Odd has taken a leave of absence from his job as a fast-food cook and is grieving the death of his girlfriend, Stormy. Elvis Presley's ghost is still hanging around and Odd can't figure out how to help him. When Odd is visited by the spirit of Dr. Wilbur Jessup, he immediately goes to his house, where Odd's best friend, Danny, lives. There, he discovers Dr. Jessup's battered body and that his friend is missing. Danny has what is known as brittle bones disease and is deformed because of this, and Odd fears for his friend's life. Suspecting that Danny's biological father has taken him, Odd employs what he calls psychic magnetism to guide him toward his friend. He is lead to a fire-damaged casino, where Odd faces off against Datura, a mentally deranged woman, and her two powerful male companions who kidnapped Danny in order to draw Odd to them. Datura is fascinated by the occult and suspects Odd is a witch doctor. Before the day is through, she means to steal his spirit.

That last sentence is probably an exaggeration but that's the point I took from the book. As always, Koontz gives the reader a compelling story, which takes place over one day. His ability to vividly and realistically portray evil characters does not falter with this book. Odd is an engaging character who accepts his "burden" with grace and tries to encourage those spirits he encounters to cross over into the next life. I look forward to more in this series.