There are many reasons why Dean Koontz has managed to remain at the top of the authorial tree for so long (and his sales are the envy of many of his contemporaries). Firstly, of his course, there's his totally assured storytelling skill (something that seemed to arrive fully formed even in his earliest books); his command of a variety of popular genres, from horror to the blockbuster crime novel; and his skill at creating distinctive characters. But -- most of all it's … mehrKoontz's direct contact with his readership - a talent he has few rivals at -- that has assured his popularity. The Odd Thomas sequence has been one of Dean Koontz's most successful series, with its supernaturally gifted protagonist a strong creation. In Odd Hours, Odd finds himself in Magic Beach, California, an oceanside town. His ability to communicate with the dead is both a blessing and a curse -- and his life is currently in a state of crisis, as he tries to find spiritual peace. He is working as domestic assistant to an elderly film actor -- and part of his job is to listen to lengthy stories of the star's golden past. But Odd is experiencing worrying dreams of a red tide -- and his instincts tell him that something evil is on his horizon. He is not prepared, however, for the magnitude of what he will have to confront. Koontz admirers will know what to expect here: unsettling, atmospheric prose that exerts a steadily growing grip. Some may be uncomfortable with Koontz taking on the threat of terrorism (is this really his territory?), but aficionados know that he won't let them down. And Odd Hours -- discursive though it is -- is still one for Koontz admirers. --Barry Forshaw weniger