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Mr. Murder
Martin Stillwater has a vivid imagination. It charms his loving wife, delights his two little daughters, and gives him all the inspiration he needs to write his highly successful mystery novels. But maybe Martin's imagination is a bit too vivid...
One rainy afternoon, a terrifying incident makes him question his grip on reality. A stranger breaks into his house, accusing Martin of stealing his wife, his children - and his life. Claiming to be the real Martin Stillwater, the intruder threatens to take what is rightfully his. The police think he's a figment of Martin's imagination. But Martin and his family have no choice but to believe the stranger's threat. And run for their lives.
But wherever they go - wherever they hide - he finds them...
One rainy afternoon, a terrifying incident makes him question his grip on reality. A stranger breaks into his house, accusing Martin of stealing his wife, his children - and his life. Claiming to be the real Martin Stillwater, the intruder threatens to take what is rightfully his. The police think he's a figment of Martin's imagination. But Martin and his family have no choice but to believe the stranger's threat. And run for their lives.
But wherever they go - wherever they hide - he finds them...
493 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
598 people are currently reading
10279 people want to read
About the author
Dean Koontz
986books38.9kfollowersAcknowledged as "America's most popular suspense novelist" (Rolling Stone) and as one of today's most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Ray Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human.
Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.
Facebook:
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com
Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.
Facebook:
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 821 reviews
September 27, 2017
Murdering good!!!
THE DEADLIEST ENEMY
Back then (in 1994), when I read this novel, I enjoyed a lot.
I think that it was an interesting way to present the plot, since the main character, Marty Stillwater, is threatened by an unthinkable menace...
...himself...
...or at least someone who claims that he is Marty Stillwater too.
However, this "new" Marty is a coldblooded killer.
The story is alternated told from the perspective of the main protagonist and the main antagonist.
HOW ESCAPE FROM HIMSELF?
It's quite shocking when I was reading the chapters of "the other" since he is indeed a perfect killing machine and the way that he kills is so remorseless that it's really disturbing to read that scenes, but of course, it's all part of being a horror novel.
I think that this story is a loosely approach of the idea of Frankenstein where a mindless monster wants a life to his own.
And since, Dean Koontz, the author, has a book series about a continuation of the original Frankenstein, it's not odd that he has a fascination with that classic story and in this book, he evolved a twist in the plot to make an original story of his own.
MEET: DREW & KARL
There two supportive characters, Drew & Karl, that they are following the trace of "the other" trying to clean the mess that he is leaving on his bloody journey.
They are hired assassins and I found an enjoyable surprise when Karl is revealed as a Trekkie, so it was fun to read some dialogues of him.
An unexpected surprise in the book, maybe my main complain in the story, it is that it's never clear how or why, Marty Stillwater got involved in this messy business. He is a famous novelist (as many main characters in Koontz' books) but that isn't a factor of why poor Marty is suffering this threat.
However, in the general, I enjoyed a lot the reading experience.
THE DEADLIEST ENEMY
Back then (in 1994), when I read this novel, I enjoyed a lot.
I think that it was an interesting way to present the plot, since the main character, Marty Stillwater, is threatened by an unthinkable menace...
...himself...
...or at least someone who claims that he is Marty Stillwater too.
However, this "new" Marty is a coldblooded killer.
The story is alternated told from the perspective of the main protagonist and the main antagonist.
HOW ESCAPE FROM HIMSELF?
It's quite shocking when I was reading the chapters of "the other" since he is indeed a perfect killing machine and the way that he kills is so remorseless that it's really disturbing to read that scenes, but of course, it's all part of being a horror novel.
I think that this story is a loosely approach of the idea of Frankenstein where a mindless monster wants a life to his own.
And since, Dean Koontz, the author, has a book series about a continuation of the original Frankenstein, it's not odd that he has a fascination with that classic story and in this book, he evolved a twist in the plot to make an original story of his own.
MEET: DREW & KARL
There two supportive characters, Drew & Karl, that they are following the trace of "the other" trying to clean the mess that he is leaving on his bloody journey.
They are hired assassins and I found an enjoyable surprise when Karl is revealed as a Trekkie, so it was fun to read some dialogues of him.
An unexpected surprise in the book, maybe my main complain in the story, it is that it's never clear how or why, Marty Stillwater got involved in this messy business. He is a famous novelist (as many main characters in Koontz' books) but that isn't a factor of why poor Marty is suffering this threat.
However, in the general, I enjoyed a lot the reading experience.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2023
Marty and family are in for a wild ride in this one. Pursued by a evil murderer�
Unfortunately, much of this book feels predictable.
This might be one of the first books of DK where the well started running dry…and yet he kept trying to pump.
Enjoyable if you like Koontz and don’t mind some eye-rolling moments as side dishes to your Miraculous Healing main dishes; if he’s not your jam or if you’re new to him, I’d move on/start elsewhere.
Unfortunately, much of this book feels predictable.
This might be one of the first books of DK where the well started running dry…and yet he kept trying to pump.
Enjoyable if you like Koontz and don’t mind some eye-rolling moments as side dishes to your Miraculous Healing main dishes; if he’s not your jam or if you’re new to him, I’d move on/start elsewhere.
December 30, 2023
Nothing was wrong with this book. It just didn’t stand out to me that much. I kinda just found it a bit boring and didn’t really like the explanations for why certain things happened. It was just kind of a book.
November 12, 2017
I found this novel in a second hand book shop. The title, the blurb and the fact that the protagonist is a mystery novelist piqued my interest. I love mysteries which has some mystery writer in it. :)
Please allow me to introduce you to Martin Stillwater. He is a mystery writer who has started to achieve fame and success. He leads a near perfect life with his psychologist wife Paige and two daughters, Emily and Charlotte. All of a sudden Martin starts to experience blackouts and senses a weird kind of fear.
There is also a nameless killer. He does not know his own name, has no memories about his family and has no idea who controls him. He simply knows what to do. This character has been “blessed� with extraordinary strength and unimaginable recuperative power. In sort the invincible killing machine. This killer is a big time movie lover and likes to think of himself as the hero. However, the character is also tortured by the loneliness and his meaningless life.
The killer gets drawn “westward� by an unknown force and he believes that he will get a life and family there. He breaks protocol and embarks on his journey. You have already guessed it � the killer pays a visit to Martin’s family and the nightmare begins. Needless to say a lot of people are going to die.
Parts of the book have enough tension, suspense and action to keep you hooked. Gun fights, chase scenes, twists, some BIG conspiracy, interesting characters will keep you turning the pages.
The characters are pretty fleshed out. Martin is a good man � a good father, a good husband, a sort of person who does not want the death of innocents on his conscience even when his and his family’s life is in danger. But, do not think for a sec that Marty is weak. I liked the way Martin would use storytelling to soothe his daughters� fear. Paige has also been portrayed as a very strong character and not some damsel in distress.
The killer’s thought process was pretty chilling as well. The way he would justify his every crime is...amazing and horrifying.
There is another character who I liked very much. Found him a bit eccentric at first. But, later I liked him a lot.
This is just an action adventure thriller and do not expect much from it - only thrills. The premise has been used in many movies and novels. The end was predictable. Having said this, I have to say that I did enjoy parts of the book. I say parts because the book has a lot of flab. Had the author made it a bit more concise then the book would have been much more enjoyable.
A nice thriller if you do not mind the extra flab. There might be better books with the same storyline as well.
I shall end by saying that I do agree with Martin and Paige on one thing. Nothing soothes the mind like reading especially novels. :)
Please allow me to introduce you to Martin Stillwater. He is a mystery writer who has started to achieve fame and success. He leads a near perfect life with his psychologist wife Paige and two daughters, Emily and Charlotte. All of a sudden Martin starts to experience blackouts and senses a weird kind of fear.
There is also a nameless killer. He does not know his own name, has no memories about his family and has no idea who controls him. He simply knows what to do. This character has been “blessed� with extraordinary strength and unimaginable recuperative power. In sort the invincible killing machine. This killer is a big time movie lover and likes to think of himself as the hero. However, the character is also tortured by the loneliness and his meaningless life.
The killer gets drawn “westward� by an unknown force and he believes that he will get a life and family there. He breaks protocol and embarks on his journey. You have already guessed it � the killer pays a visit to Martin’s family and the nightmare begins. Needless to say a lot of people are going to die.
Parts of the book have enough tension, suspense and action to keep you hooked. Gun fights, chase scenes, twists, some BIG conspiracy, interesting characters will keep you turning the pages.
The characters are pretty fleshed out. Martin is a good man � a good father, a good husband, a sort of person who does not want the death of innocents on his conscience even when his and his family’s life is in danger. But, do not think for a sec that Marty is weak. I liked the way Martin would use storytelling to soothe his daughters� fear. Paige has also been portrayed as a very strong character and not some damsel in distress.
The killer’s thought process was pretty chilling as well. The way he would justify his every crime is...amazing and horrifying.
There is another character who I liked very much. Found him a bit eccentric at first. But, later I liked him a lot.
This is just an action adventure thriller and do not expect much from it - only thrills. The premise has been used in many movies and novels. The end was predictable. Having said this, I have to say that I did enjoy parts of the book. I say parts because the book has a lot of flab. Had the author made it a bit more concise then the book would have been much more enjoyable.
A nice thriller if you do not mind the extra flab. There might be better books with the same storyline as well.
I shall end by saying that I do agree with Martin and Paige on one thing. Nothing soothes the mind like reading especially novels. :)
May 23, 2019
Well written, entertaining suspense. The bad guy has a similar character dynamic to the Monster in Frankenstein.
May 23, 2024
I've read better from Koontz. His books always have a family in peril from some sort of superhuman or supernatural fiend, inclement weather and can be over-descriptive. This one had all that, but it was slow-paced and just didn't grab me.
July 15, 2022
This is a very suspenseful thriller that seems thematically closer to some of Stephen King's works than to Koontz. The protagonist is a successful mystery writer named Martin Stillwater who has a lovely wife and two bright and beautiful daughters. One afternoon their lives are turned upside down when a stranger breaks into the house and claims to be the real Martin Stillwater, and he's here to claim what's been stolen from him. Koontz's observations on the blurring between fantasy and reality, between fact and fiction, and the creative process and lifestyle are quite interesting, and the story is quite a compelling page turner, too.
September 12, 2021
There isn't many books by Dean Koontz I haven't enjoyed and this definitely did not disappoint either. A 4.5 stars. It was easy getting into the book and be emersed with the story and characters and it was intriguing to the very end. Can almost always count on Dean Koontz for a good story!
September 8, 2023
“Every life’s a story. We make it up as we go along.�
Page 351
Koontz’s thriller this time revolves around writer Marty Stillwater and the psycho killer looking to off him and take his place becoming husband to his wife Paige and father to his daughters, Charlotte and Emily. The creepy mystery is that this serial killer looks and talks exactly like Marty.
Koontz yet again writes interesting villains and the handful of ones in this novel do not fail with quirks. A nice twist rounds out the story near the end, but I was left thinking how I would have resolved it all myself.
Pretty solid offering. Upper percentile of the Koontz novels I have read.
Page 351
Koontz’s thriller this time revolves around writer Marty Stillwater and the psycho killer looking to off him and take his place becoming husband to his wife Paige and father to his daughters, Charlotte and Emily. The creepy mystery is that this serial killer looks and talks exactly like Marty.
Koontz yet again writes interesting villains and the handful of ones in this novel do not fail with quirks. A nice twist rounds out the story near the end, but I was left thinking how I would have resolved it all myself.
Pretty solid offering. Upper percentile of the Koontz novels I have read.
April 4, 2021
Another book I read way back when that I failed to finish. This was scary but an insightful one. It got my attention when it asked a question that was something like: Which is stronger? The insights of a psychologist or the storytelling ability of a writer.
Promising myself today that I will make an effort to return to this and finish it. Full review soon...
Promising myself today that I will make an effort to return to this and finish it. Full review soon...
December 13, 2023
After reading Dean's latest After Death last month and not really enjoying it I'm glad to say Mr Murder was awesome. Whilst it has a great looking Christmas cover it's really does not have much to do with Christmas overall.
Martin Stillwater is an up and coming author of mystery novels who lives with his wife and two daughters. One day a man breaks into his home and attacks him. This man is the splitting imagine of Martin and the man wants his life, his wife and his kids that he believes Martin has stolen from him. How can this be? Martin doesnt have a twin, who is this person and why does he look exactly like him?
This lookalike is special and can heal his wounds quickly and is an unstoppable killing machine. The police are no help so what can Martin and his family do to survive the onslaught the man is about to bring.
This is typical Koontz writing, awesome plot, tons of action and suspense and hidden secrets which all will eventually be revealed. The Christmas theme comes from poem Martin writes and reads to his Children throughout the book and I believe is the basis for his Christmas book "Santas Twin" he released later on.
Definitely one to check out had a great time reading it.
Martin Stillwater is an up and coming author of mystery novels who lives with his wife and two daughters. One day a man breaks into his home and attacks him. This man is the splitting imagine of Martin and the man wants his life, his wife and his kids that he believes Martin has stolen from him. How can this be? Martin doesnt have a twin, who is this person and why does he look exactly like him?
This lookalike is special and can heal his wounds quickly and is an unstoppable killing machine. The police are no help so what can Martin and his family do to survive the onslaught the man is about to bring.
This is typical Koontz writing, awesome plot, tons of action and suspense and hidden secrets which all will eventually be revealed. The Christmas theme comes from poem Martin writes and reads to his Children throughout the book and I believe is the basis for his Christmas book "Santas Twin" he released later on.
Definitely one to check out had a great time reading it.
June 15, 2010
Reading this book made me remember just how much Koontz rehashes. There is nothing original in this book - black and white characters, government conspiracy, etc. If there were no secret organizations DK would be out of job. And how many times did a Koontz novel feature a heroic couple running away from an evil adversary?
All of this is embroidered by his "subtle" ideology (the god guy is a writer, the bad guy despises the written word). Apparently in Koontz's school of philosophy having a beautiful wife, two ideal daughters and being a succesful writer of suspense novels is good, and being a member of a seceret government organization is bad. Sometimes I wonder how he became a bestseller, since all he does is repeat himself over and over; but then maybe that's exactly the reason.
Seriously, if you want s story about a writer hunted by his mirror image read King's "Dark Half" instead (Koontz obviously did). This one is recommended only for Dean's biggest fans.
All of this is embroidered by his "subtle" ideology (the god guy is a writer, the bad guy despises the written word). Apparently in Koontz's school of philosophy having a beautiful wife, two ideal daughters and being a succesful writer of suspense novels is good, and being a member of a seceret government organization is bad. Sometimes I wonder how he became a bestseller, since all he does is repeat himself over and over; but then maybe that's exactly the reason.
Seriously, if you want s story about a writer hunted by his mirror image read King's "Dark Half" instead (Koontz obviously did). This one is recommended only for Dean's biggest fans.
January 20, 2023
He prowls the downstairs - wicked, mean -
looking to cause yet one more bad scene.
When he spies the presents under the tree,
he says, "I'll go on a gift-wrapping spree!
I'll take out all of the really good stuff,
then box up dead fish, cat poop, and fluff.
In the morning, the Stillwaters will find
coffee grounds, peach pits, orange rinds.
Instead of nice sweaters, games, and toys,
they'll get slimy, stinky stuff that annoys."
2023 Update: A solid four stars. However, upon my third reading I can definitely say this is not one of my favorite Dean Koontz novels, regardless of what my other self originally wrote below.
Mr. Murder is rather silly, yet wildly entertaining in the same light as , and . Koontz fans can certainly see that Dean Koontz put a lot of himself in the story with the main protagonist a misunderstood writer and subject of mischaracterized media publicity.
One thing included in Mr. Murder, which Dean Koontz does not include in more recent novels is
Mr. Murder contains the basis of what would become two entertaining children's picture books: and .
2015 Update: While I still enjoyed the story, I did drop the rating one star and this would not be #6 in my favorite Dean Koontz ranking - that was clearly my evil twin talking.
I read Mr. Murder as a mini-group read in the Koontzland - Dean Koontz group. While the ending could have been better, the story and mystery was plenty intriguing for me - intriguing enough that I'm ranking this at #6 in my list of Dean Koontz favorites. Mr. Murder wasn't quite good enough to make it into my top 5, but he's in my top 10 for sure :-) The book reminded me a lot of Relentless by Dean Koontz, a story I'm absolutely in love with. Mr. Murder was published in 1993 and Relentless in 2009. My top five favorite Dean Koontz novels are in order: #1 Life Expectancy, #2 By The Light of the Moon, #3 Relentless, #4 Cold Fire and #5 The Taking. My list is of course, subject to change depending on future reading and re-reading. Thanks Dean for writing so many books to keep me entertained and all you Dean Koontz fans who haven't already joined - come become a Koontzlander in the Koontzland - Dean Koontz group on goodreads, you'll be glad you did because I'm the moderator :-)
Update: I just realized that my evil twin wrote this review. I don't know if I would really rank Mr. Murder as #6, but I'll go ahead and keep this review because since I have an evil twin, I clearly have a lot in common with Mr. Murder.
Favorite Passages:
". . . I need . . . I need . . . I need . . . "
______
He likes movies. Aside from his work, movies are the only life he has. Sometimes it seems his real home is a succession of movie theaters indifferent cities yet so alike in their shopping-center multiplexity that they might as well be the same dark auditorium.
_______
"What about Bob?" Mom asked.
"Oh, yuch," Emily said, making a face at Charlotte. "You got Bob in your pocket? I hate Bob."
_______
"Looks as if we might be standing hip-deep in gasoline, and someone just struck a match."
______
"Ten pounds!" Charlotte's imagination swept her away. She rose up on her elbows, head off the pillows, and babbled excitedly: "Wow, you'd need a forklift and a dump truck to carry it all away, once it was popped, 'cause it'd be like snowdrifts only popcorn, mountains of popcorn. We'd need a vat of caramel and maybe a zillion pounds of pecans just to make it all into popcorn balls. We'd be up to our asses in it."
"What did you say?" Paige asked.
"I said you'd need a forklift - "
"No, that word you used."
"What word?"
"Asses," Paige said patiently.
Charlotte said, "That's not a bad word."
"Oh?"
"They say it on TV all the time."
"Not everything on TV is intelligent and tasteful," Paige said.
_______
"They passed the time all kinds of ways. But - did you notice? - those who seemed to deal best with their fear or grief, the people most at peace, were the ones reading novels."
_______
"Storytelling condenses life, gives it order. Stories have beginnings, middles, ends. And when a story's over, it meant something, by God, maybe not something complex, maybe what it had to say was simple, even naive, but there was meaning. And that gives us hope, it's a medicine."
"The medicine of hope," she said thoughtfully.
"Or maybe I'm just full of shit."
_______
"I don't know," he said, "but I think if some university did a long-term study, they'd discover that people who read fiction don't suffer from depression as much, don't commit suicide as often, are just happier with their lives. Not all fiction, for sure. Not the human-beings-are-garbage-life-stinks-there-is-no-God novels filled with fashionable despair."
looking to cause yet one more bad scene.
When he spies the presents under the tree,
he says, "I'll go on a gift-wrapping spree!
I'll take out all of the really good stuff,
then box up dead fish, cat poop, and fluff.
In the morning, the Stillwaters will find
coffee grounds, peach pits, orange rinds.
Instead of nice sweaters, games, and toys,
they'll get slimy, stinky stuff that annoys."
2023 Update: A solid four stars. However, upon my third reading I can definitely say this is not one of my favorite Dean Koontz novels, regardless of what my other self originally wrote below.
Mr. Murder is rather silly, yet wildly entertaining in the same light as , and . Koontz fans can certainly see that Dean Koontz put a lot of himself in the story with the main protagonist a misunderstood writer and subject of mischaracterized media publicity.
One thing included in Mr. Murder, which Dean Koontz does not include in more recent novels is
Mr. Murder contains the basis of what would become two entertaining children's picture books: and .
2015 Update: While I still enjoyed the story, I did drop the rating one star and this would not be #6 in my favorite Dean Koontz ranking - that was clearly my evil twin talking.
I read Mr. Murder as a mini-group read in the Koontzland - Dean Koontz group. While the ending could have been better, the story and mystery was plenty intriguing for me - intriguing enough that I'm ranking this at #6 in my list of Dean Koontz favorites. Mr. Murder wasn't quite good enough to make it into my top 5, but he's in my top 10 for sure :-) The book reminded me a lot of Relentless by Dean Koontz, a story I'm absolutely in love with. Mr. Murder was published in 1993 and Relentless in 2009. My top five favorite Dean Koontz novels are in order: #1 Life Expectancy, #2 By The Light of the Moon, #3 Relentless, #4 Cold Fire and #5 The Taking. My list is of course, subject to change depending on future reading and re-reading. Thanks Dean for writing so many books to keep me entertained and all you Dean Koontz fans who haven't already joined - come become a Koontzlander in the Koontzland - Dean Koontz group on goodreads, you'll be glad you did because I'm the moderator :-)
Update: I just realized that my evil twin wrote this review. I don't know if I would really rank Mr. Murder as #6, but I'll go ahead and keep this review because since I have an evil twin, I clearly have a lot in common with Mr. Murder.
Favorite Passages:
". . . I need . . . I need . . . I need . . . "
______
He likes movies. Aside from his work, movies are the only life he has. Sometimes it seems his real home is a succession of movie theaters indifferent cities yet so alike in their shopping-center multiplexity that they might as well be the same dark auditorium.
_______
"What about Bob?" Mom asked.
"Oh, yuch," Emily said, making a face at Charlotte. "You got Bob in your pocket? I hate Bob."
_______
"Looks as if we might be standing hip-deep in gasoline, and someone just struck a match."
______
"Ten pounds!" Charlotte's imagination swept her away. She rose up on her elbows, head off the pillows, and babbled excitedly: "Wow, you'd need a forklift and a dump truck to carry it all away, once it was popped, 'cause it'd be like snowdrifts only popcorn, mountains of popcorn. We'd need a vat of caramel and maybe a zillion pounds of pecans just to make it all into popcorn balls. We'd be up to our asses in it."
"What did you say?" Paige asked.
"I said you'd need a forklift - "
"No, that word you used."
"What word?"
"Asses," Paige said patiently.
Charlotte said, "That's not a bad word."
"Oh?"
"They say it on TV all the time."
"Not everything on TV is intelligent and tasteful," Paige said.
_______
"They passed the time all kinds of ways. But - did you notice? - those who seemed to deal best with their fear or grief, the people most at peace, were the ones reading novels."
_______
"Storytelling condenses life, gives it order. Stories have beginnings, middles, ends. And when a story's over, it meant something, by God, maybe not something complex, maybe what it had to say was simple, even naive, but there was meaning. And that gives us hope, it's a medicine."
"The medicine of hope," she said thoughtfully.
"Or maybe I'm just full of shit."
_______
"I don't know," he said, "but I think if some university did a long-term study, they'd discover that people who read fiction don't suffer from depression as much, don't commit suicide as often, are just happier with their lives. Not all fiction, for sure. Not the human-beings-are-garbage-life-stinks-there-is-no-God novels filled with fashionable despair."
January 15, 2014
Dean Koontz at his best. I'm giving this book full marks for the suspense - sitting on the edge of your chair, holding your breath type suspense.And he can keep it going at the same terrifying level for whole chapters! Wow! I have seen a few criticisms of the ending, maybe because the book does not end at the climax but instead spends a few quiet pages letting the reader get their breath back and wrapping up all the loose ends. I liked that myself. One I would certainly recommend to readers of the genre.
April 21, 2019
Originally, this was going to be a 4-star, "really liked it" rating, but the fourth star got gagged and snatched by the savage climax and the escapist, devil-may-care resolution. Most other parts I enjoyed a lot, as the following highlights will show:
~ Atanas Slavov recommended this book to me in my perennial quest for inspiring couples in literature or art as a whole. I can already see why:
~ Cheers to all my shamanist friends out there:
~
As a fledgling father, I can testify to the first part. As a wannabe writer (bwaha), I can laud (and perhaps envy) the second.
~ What sort of conversations do you indulge in with your doctor?
~ Is this one media's assault on another, or what?
(But seriously, some of the killer's ruminations on how movies teach us everything we need to know cross from the psychotic into the hilarious. I wonder if it was intentional.)
~ When the going gets tough, you can always count on the kids to inject some levity:
(Later, I found out Koontz does not have children. Which makes his depiction of Charlotte and Emily even more of an accomplishment.)
~ Besides the axes it has to grind with movies ;), this novel has something to say about books:
In fact, there have been similar studies.
~ Given the book's attitude to cinema, I was more than a little surprised by its afterword. Bruce Willis starring as Martin Stillwater, huh? Maybe Hollywood has enough sense of self-irony, after all. (But most probably not; the rumination parts are the first ones to go, as any resentful novelist will assure you. ;)
~ Atanas Slavov recommended this book to me in my perennial quest for inspiring couples in literature or art as a whole. I can already see why:
That he loved her more now than when they had met in college was no surprise. The triumphs and failures they had shared, the years of daily struggle to make a place in the world and to seek the meaning of it, was rich soil in which love could grow.
~ Cheers to all my shamanist friends out there:
Emily had only one pet. Its name was Peepers. It was a stone the size of a small lemon, smoothed by decades of running water in the Sierra creek from which she had retrieved it during their summer vacation a year ago. She had painted two soulful eyes on it, and insisted, “Peepers is the best pet of all. I don’t have to feed him or clean up after him. He’s been around forever, so he’s real smart and real wise, and when I’m sad or maybe mad, I just tell him what I’m hurting about, and he takes it all in and worries about it so I don’t have to think about it any more and can be happy.�
~
This was the happiest part of Marty’s day. Story time. No matter what else might happen after rising to meet the morning, he could always look forward to story time.
He wrote the tales himself in a notebook labeled Stories for Charlotte and Emily, which he might actually publish one day. Or might not. Every word was a gift to his daughters, so the decision to share the stories with anyone else would be entirely theirs.
As a fledgling father, I can testify to the first part. As a wannabe writer (bwaha), I can laud (and perhaps envy) the second.
~ What sort of conversations do you indulge in with your doctor?
“Panic attack? You, of all people, suffering a panic attack?� Paul Guthridge asked doubtfully.
Marty said, “Hyperventilating, heart pounding, felt like I was going to explode—sounds like a panic attack to me.�
“Sounds like sex.�
Marty smiled. “Trust me, it wasn’t sex.�
“You could be right,� Guthridge said with a sigh. “It’s been so long, I’m not sure what sex was like exactly. Believe me, Marty, this is a bad decade to be a bachelor, so many really nasty diseases out there. You meet a new girl, date her, give her a chaste kiss when you take her home—and then wait to see if your lips are going to rot and fall off.�
“That’s a swell image.�
“Vivid, huh? Maybe I should’ve been a writer.�
~ Is this one media's assault on another, or what?
But first he must act.
That is another lesson he has learned from the movies. Action must come before thought. People in movies rarely sit around brooding about the predicament in which they find themselves. By God, they do something to resolve even their worst problems; they keep moving, ceaselessly moving, resolutely seeking confrontation with those who oppose them, grappling with their enemies in life-or-death struggles that they always win as long as they are sufficiently determined and righteous.
He is determined.
He is righteous.
His life has been stolen.
He is a victim. He has suffered.
He has known despair.
He has endured abuse and anguish and betrayal and loss like Omar Sharif in Doctor Zhivago, like William Hurt in The Accidental Tourist, Robin Williams in The World According to Garp, Michael Keaton in Batman, Sidney Poitier in In the Heat of the Night, Tyrone Power in The Razor’s Edge, Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands. He is one with all of the brutalized, despised, downtrodden, misunderstood, cheated, outcast, manipulated people who live upon the silver screen and who are heroic in the face of devastating tribulations. His suffering is as important as theirs, his destiny every bit as glorious, his hope of triumph just as great.
This realization moves him deeply. He is wrenched by shuddering sobs, weeping not with sadness but with joy, overwhelmed by a feeling of belonging, brotherhood, a sense of common humanity. He has deep bonds with those whose lives he shares in theaters, and this glorious epiphany motivates him to get up, move, move, confront, challenge, grapple, and prevail.
(But seriously, some of the killer's ruminations on how movies teach us everything we need to know cross from the psychotic into the hilarious. I wonder if it was intentional.)
~ When the going gets tough, you can always count on the kids to inject some levity:
At home, she’d checked the dictionary to see if there was any definition of “nuts� that would explain what the good guy had done to the bad guy and also explain why her mother was so unhappy about it. When she saw that one meaning of the word was obscene slang for “testicles,� she checked that mysterious word in the same dictionary, learned what she could, then sneaked into Daddy’s office and used his medical encyclopedia to discover more. It was pretty bizarre stuff. But she understood it. Sort of. Maybe more than she wanted to understand. She had explained it as best she could to Em. But Em didn’t believe a word of it and, evidently, promptly forgot about it.
“Just like in the movie Saturday,� Charlotte reminded her. “If things get real bad and he goes berserk, kick him between the legs.�
“Oh, yeah,� Em said dubiously, “kick him in his tickles. �
“Tپ.�
“It was tickles.�
“It was testicles,� Charlotte insisted firmly.
Emily shrugged. “Whatever.�
Mrs. Delorio walked into the family room, drying her hands on a yellow kitchen towel. (...) “Are you girls ready for more Pepsi?�
“No, ma’am,� Charlotte said, “we’re fine, thank you. Enjoying the show.�
“It’s a great show,� Emily said.
“One of our favorites,� Charlotte said.
Emily said, “It’s about a boy with tickles and everyone keeps kicking them.�
Charlotte almost thumped the little twerp on the head.
Frowning with confusion, Mrs. Delorio glanced back and forth from the television screen to Emily. “Tickles?�
“Pickles,� Charlotte said, making a lame effort at covering.
The doorbell rang before Em could do more damage.
Mrs. Delorio said, “I’ll bet that’s your folks,� and hurried out of the family room.
“Peabrain,� Charlotte said to her sister.
Emily looked smug. “You’re just mad because I showed it was all a lie. She never heard of boys having tickles.�
ٳ!�
“So there,� Emily said.
“Tɱ.�
ٲԱ.�
“That’s not even a word.�
“It is if I want it to be.�
(Later, I found out Koontz does not have children. Which makes his depiction of Charlotte and Emily even more of an accomplishment.)
~ Besides the axes it has to grind with movies ;), this novel has something to say about books:
“What happened over there?�
“Just now? In the other room?�
Ԩ.�
“M.�
“I’m serious.�
“So am I,� Marty said. “You can’t analyze the deeper effects that storytelling has on us, can’t figure out the why and how, any more than King Arthur could understand how Merlin could do and know the things he did.�
“We came here shattered, frightened. The kids were so silent, half numb with fear. You and I were snapping at each other—�
“Not snapping.�
“Yes, we were.�
“Okay,� he admitted, “we were, just a little.�
“Which, for us, is a lot. All of us were . . . uneasy with one another. In knots.�
“I don’t think it was that bad.�
She said, “Listen to a family counselor with some experience—it was that bad. Then you tell a story, a lovely nonsense poem but nonsense nonetheless . . . and everyone’s more relaxed. It helps us knit together somehow. We have fun, we laugh. The girls wind down, and before you know it, they’re able to sleep.�
(...)
“I don’t know,� he said, “but I think if some university did a long-term study, they’d discover that people who read fiction don’t suffer from depression as much, don’t commit suicide as often, are just happier with their lives. Not all fiction, for sure. Not the human-beings-are -garbage-life-stinks-there-is-no-God novels filled with fashionable despair.�
In fact, there have been similar studies.
~ Given the book's attitude to cinema, I was more than a little surprised by its afterword. Bruce Willis starring as Martin Stillwater, huh? Maybe Hollywood has enough sense of self-irony, after all. (But most probably not; the rumination parts are the first ones to go, as any resentful novelist will assure you. ;)
January 28, 2025
One of the better Dean Koontz books I have read, it felt like something a flat earther might write, the Government making clones to take out undesirables. It also reminded me of the film The Island, it’s horror mixed with Sc-Fi but the majority of the plot is set out like a Thriller.
The suspense is written really well and it had me reading so fast, it's a book you can easily get through in the matter of days. Dean Koontz sometimes goes of on a little tangent, and this definitely happens in this book we do from interesting chase scenes to not so interesting conspiracies. However, I think this book is great for what it is, it’s fast paced, it’s fun and it goes all guns blazing.
I really enjoyed the last few chapters, in particular when our villain is taken down, it reminded me of Chucky when you just keep expecting him to get back up again, very fun. There isn’t a great deal of body horror in this book, but when it’s done, it’s done really well. I don’t have many more Dean Koontz books left on my shelf and I don’t know how I feel about that really, he is such a hit and miss author with me, even when I specifically pick something that seems to my taste I just can’t get it right, then now and then a really good book will come my way.
The suspense is written really well and it had me reading so fast, it's a book you can easily get through in the matter of days. Dean Koontz sometimes goes of on a little tangent, and this definitely happens in this book we do from interesting chase scenes to not so interesting conspiracies. However, I think this book is great for what it is, it’s fast paced, it’s fun and it goes all guns blazing.
I really enjoyed the last few chapters, in particular when our villain is taken down, it reminded me of Chucky when you just keep expecting him to get back up again, very fun. There isn’t a great deal of body horror in this book, but when it’s done, it’s done really well. I don’t have many more Dean Koontz books left on my shelf and I don’t know how I feel about that really, he is such a hit and miss author with me, even when I specifically pick something that seems to my taste I just can’t get it right, then now and then a really good book will come my way.
August 12, 2010
This book was given to me as a gift for my birthday by my boyfriend so I love that he gave it to me. However, Mr. Koontz could have written this story in half the pages. He spent more time beating the same jokes to death, describing nothing of interest, and repeating characteristics of his characters. The story could have been more interesting, regardless of how much it reminded me of some of his other works, if he had cut out about half of the pages. The book felt to me like he had a page quota to make, and by God, he was going to make it.
The only reason I gave it two stars was because of how interesting the daughter characters were, how much the parents loved them, and because my boyfriend, whom I adore, gave it to me and tried to find something I would enjoy.
The only reason I gave it two stars was because of how interesting the daughter characters were, how much the parents loved them, and because my boyfriend, whom I adore, gave it to me and tried to find something I would enjoy.
April 30, 2020
Izvrstan Koontz... Nakon dugo vremena ponovno sam pročitala nešto njegovo i shvatila koliko su nam, na neki način, pali kriteriji...tj. koliko je ovo bolje od mnogih pisaca ovog žanra koje danas čitamo i hvalimo.
March 20, 2012
When a disturbed stranger invades his home, accusing Martin Stillwater of stealing his wife, his children his identity, Martin is shocked and startled.
Since the real Martin Stillwater is a write of mystery and horror novels, the police are going on the theory that this is a publicity stunt to Martin to sell more books.
Unwilling to risk his family's lives due to police inaction, Martin takes his wife Paige, and ther young daughters Charlotte and Emily and flees for his life. The mysterious intruder--still claiming to be Martin Stillwater pursues them. As he is a trained hitman, he presents quite a danger to the family.
The terror and dismay of the Stillwater is well portrayed. The willingness of 'the other' Martin's shadowy employers to kill four innocent people to protect their secrets is also chilling.
There a few small plot holes I won't go into but mostly this is a fast-paced mystery thriller, with a touch of Sf ideas. The characterization is above averge for a thriller. I found the ending a bit unexpected but I did like it.
Recommended to all readers of the horror/thriller/ mystery genres. due to the violence, I personally would not recommend for anyone under age 18 though.
Btw, this has nothing to do with the plot, but during the story, Martin tells his young daughers a 'bedtime story' called "Santa's Evil Twin". I would really like to see that completed and published. Mr. Koontz, if you'd be so kind....
Since the real Martin Stillwater is a write of mystery and horror novels, the police are going on the theory that this is a publicity stunt to Martin to sell more books.
Unwilling to risk his family's lives due to police inaction, Martin takes his wife Paige, and ther young daughters Charlotte and Emily and flees for his life. The mysterious intruder--still claiming to be Martin Stillwater pursues them. As he is a trained hitman, he presents quite a danger to the family.
The terror and dismay of the Stillwater is well portrayed. The willingness of 'the other' Martin's shadowy employers to kill four innocent people to protect their secrets is also chilling.
There a few small plot holes I won't go into but mostly this is a fast-paced mystery thriller, with a touch of Sf ideas. The characterization is above averge for a thriller. I found the ending a bit unexpected but I did like it.
Recommended to all readers of the horror/thriller/ mystery genres. due to the violence, I personally would not recommend for anyone under age 18 though.
Btw, this has nothing to do with the plot, but during the story, Martin tells his young daughers a 'bedtime story' called "Santa's Evil Twin". I would really like to see that completed and published. Mr. Koontz, if you'd be so kind....
January 15, 2020
WOW! Once I got hooked, I couldn't wait to see what happened next! A genetically engineered assassin, Alfie, inexplicably goes rogue. He begins to have a driving need to be someone other than a robotic individual without a past or real connections in the present. This "mutation" brings to fore a previously unknown magnetic ability to connect & track a specific person.
The other M.C. Martin Stillwater, a mystery writer, is innocently living his life with his family when he begins to have fugue episodes of suffocating foreboding & fear which as they get stronger cause physical reactions. He doesn't know if these episodes have a psychological or organic origin.
When these two players' lives intersect it is a mind-blowing revelation for the both of them which sends Martin & family on the run, with Alfie hunting them down. Add to the mix, characters from the organization who "manage " Alfie. They need to corral their asset and eliminate those who might blow the lid off their secret. The climax has a head-turning surprise.
The other M.C. Martin Stillwater, a mystery writer, is innocently living his life with his family when he begins to have fugue episodes of suffocating foreboding & fear which as they get stronger cause physical reactions. He doesn't know if these episodes have a psychological or organic origin.
When these two players' lives intersect it is a mind-blowing revelation for the both of them which sends Martin & family on the run, with Alfie hunting them down. Add to the mix, characters from the organization who "manage " Alfie. They need to corral their asset and eliminate those who might blow the lid off their secret. The climax has a head-turning surprise.
May 9, 2008
I had been getting bored with Dean Koontz in recent years (except for the Frankenstein books,) but picking this one up at a book fair has restored my faith. I haven't been this scared - the kind of scared where you're skimming pages in an effort to find relief and know you shouldn't be reading the book after dark - in years. And it's always refreshing when you can't figure out the ending until the end. Good stuff.
March 5, 2022
Sr. Asesino.- Dean R. Koontz
"El olor era tenue, apenas detectable, pero enseguida supo de qué se trataba; probablemente lo había sabido desde el instante en que lo había tocado, ya que en lo más profundo de un nivel muy primario estaba programado para reconocerla. Era sangre."
La vida del escritor de novelas de misterio Martin Stillwater y de su familia está por dar un vuelco impensado. Al momento de que una gran revista lo tiene como nota principal, aplicándole el mote de Sr. Asesino debido a la temática de sus libros, Martin empieza a sufrir momentos de pérdida de conciencia mental. Al mismo tiempo, un asesino a sueldo misterioso comienza una cacería con el objetivo de llegar a Martín y arrebatarle algo que afirma le pertenece: su vida y su familia.
Sr. Asesino (Mr. Murder) se publicó originalmente en el año 1993. Algunas ediciones de este libro llevan el nombre de Espejo Mortal. El libro fue adaptado a una miniserie de 3 horas, protagonizada por Stephen Baldwin, un veterano James Coburn y una adolescente Kaley Cuoco.
Sr. Asesino no está dentro de lo mejor del ya clásico de esta cuenta, Dean R. Koontz, pero tampoco está dentro de lo regular o malo. Si bien la trama no descolla originalidad (el tópico del doppelgänger ya estaba quemado en el '93), Koontz sabe contar un thriller sangriento y eso se nota en Sr. Asesino. Lo que también se nota es que el bueno de Dean a veces se va por las ramas y esto atenta con el ritmo del libro, que recién en el último tercio gana en emoción.
Sr. Asesino puede ser una buena alternativa para quien ya leyó muchos libros de Koontz, pero para el que se acerque por primera vez, le puedo recomendar mínimo 10 títulos para leer primero.
🤘🤘🤘
"El olor era tenue, apenas detectable, pero enseguida supo de qué se trataba; probablemente lo había sabido desde el instante en que lo había tocado, ya que en lo más profundo de un nivel muy primario estaba programado para reconocerla. Era sangre."
La vida del escritor de novelas de misterio Martin Stillwater y de su familia está por dar un vuelco impensado. Al momento de que una gran revista lo tiene como nota principal, aplicándole el mote de Sr. Asesino debido a la temática de sus libros, Martin empieza a sufrir momentos de pérdida de conciencia mental. Al mismo tiempo, un asesino a sueldo misterioso comienza una cacería con el objetivo de llegar a Martín y arrebatarle algo que afirma le pertenece: su vida y su familia.
Sr. Asesino (Mr. Murder) se publicó originalmente en el año 1993. Algunas ediciones de este libro llevan el nombre de Espejo Mortal. El libro fue adaptado a una miniserie de 3 horas, protagonizada por Stephen Baldwin, un veterano James Coburn y una adolescente Kaley Cuoco.
Sr. Asesino no está dentro de lo mejor del ya clásico de esta cuenta, Dean R. Koontz, pero tampoco está dentro de lo regular o malo. Si bien la trama no descolla originalidad (el tópico del doppelgänger ya estaba quemado en el '93), Koontz sabe contar un thriller sangriento y eso se nota en Sr. Asesino. Lo que también se nota es que el bueno de Dean a veces se va por las ramas y esto atenta con el ritmo del libro, que recién en el último tercio gana en emoción.
Sr. Asesino puede ser una buena alternativa para quien ya leyó muchos libros de Koontz, pero para el que se acerque por primera vez, le puedo recomendar mínimo 10 títulos para leer primero.
🤘🤘🤘
January 6, 2019
My very first Dean Koontz book, Mr. Murder is an intersting suspense-thriller about a successful novelist who has his life turned upside down when a man (who looks exactly like him) shows up to steal his life (the double thinks the novelist stole his life to begin with). It's quite intriguing and full of major twists that have you wondering where Koontz got his imagination.
November 3, 2015
BORING! I liked the plot but the storytelling just bored me. I wanted to quit listening but I wanted to see how it ended. Total disappointment! This is the first Koontz book I've read and I doubt I will seek any more. I expected much more from such a popular author.
August 22, 2022
4/5 Reading some older Dean Koontz was a reminder to why I enjoyed his novels so much in Middle and High School. Fast paced popcorn thrillers with likeable characters and despicable villains.
Martin Stillwater is a loving family man and author. Martin and his family get entangled with a professional killer who is unraveling mentally. The killer believes that Martin stole his life and his family and he will stop at nothing to get it back.
The book was a little slow at the beginning and had a little bit of a slog during the start of part 2 but for the most part it was fast paced from beginning to end. Our antagonist is as creepy as they come his chapters are enjoyably disturbing. Martin's chapters also move quickly and his family and their dialog stand on their own particularly the daughter's banter back and forth. It also stuck the ending and I always appreciate that in a horror or thriller novel or film.
I'll be giving the film a watch later but it look's absolutely terrible.
I had fun with this and will have to read more old Koontz. I will check out new stuff as well but I can't say I've been enjoying them nearly as much as stuff like this.
Martin Stillwater is a loving family man and author. Martin and his family get entangled with a professional killer who is unraveling mentally. The killer believes that Martin stole his life and his family and he will stop at nothing to get it back.
The book was a little slow at the beginning and had a little bit of a slog during the start of part 2 but for the most part it was fast paced from beginning to end. Our antagonist is as creepy as they come his chapters are enjoyably disturbing. Martin's chapters also move quickly and his family and their dialog stand on their own particularly the daughter's banter back and forth. It also stuck the ending and I always appreciate that in a horror or thriller novel or film.
I'll be giving the film a watch later but it look's absolutely terrible.
I had fun with this and will have to read more old Koontz. I will check out new stuff as well but I can't say I've been enjoying them nearly as much as stuff like this.
September 24, 2017
5/5 Stars!!! I loved this book.It was suspensful,with strong Characters!!
September 27, 2012
I can't believe this book has an average of only 3.63!
Let me start off by saying what I loved about the book:
The writing was A+, everything was clear and I really enjoyed how he would really get the individual opinions down, like with Dean and his hatred for Star Trek.
The characters themselves got me engaged more deeply into the story and caring about their well being, another A+
The story, Oh man the story! You know how in some books you can kind of see what's going to happen at certain points? Well in Mr.Murder I thought for sure this would happen then wham! A twist! All of them well placed and making perfect sense too. A++
The ending is the only part of the book that is a little miss. It seemed a little off compared to the rest of the book, it was still good, just maybe a B instead of an A+.
One other little thing that bothered me is how mature the little girls were for their age. but other than that the characters were all really well polished.
Let me start off by saying what I loved about the book:
The writing was A+, everything was clear and I really enjoyed how he would really get the individual opinions down, like with Dean and his hatred for Star Trek.
The characters themselves got me engaged more deeply into the story and caring about their well being, another A+
The story, Oh man the story! You know how in some books you can kind of see what's going to happen at certain points? Well in Mr.Murder I thought for sure this would happen then wham! A twist! All of them well placed and making perfect sense too. A++
The ending is the only part of the book that is a little miss. It seemed a little off compared to the rest of the book, it was still good, just maybe a B instead of an A+.
One other little thing that bothered me is how mature the little girls were for their age. but other than that the characters were all really well polished.
November 1, 2011
I read this book for the first time in ten years. I literally read it in two days straight. Talk about a page turner!
Marty Stillwater is a writer of mystery novels. He has a lovely wife called Paige, two adorable little girls, Charlotte, who's nine and Emily who is seven. Everything is good in his life.
Until one day he walks in to find an intruder in his house. An intruder who claims Marty has stolen his life. And the intruder wants it back. Everything. including his wife and kids.
What follows is a highy suspenseful cat and mouse struggle as Marty attempts to keep his family safe from harm, against an increasingly desperate and brutal adversary.
Marty Stillwater is a writer of mystery novels. He has a lovely wife called Paige, two adorable little girls, Charlotte, who's nine and Emily who is seven. Everything is good in his life.
Until one day he walks in to find an intruder in his house. An intruder who claims Marty has stolen his life. And the intruder wants it back. Everything. including his wife and kids.
What follows is a highy suspenseful cat and mouse struggle as Marty attempts to keep his family safe from harm, against an increasingly desperate and brutal adversary.
January 21, 2010
Not nearly as good as other books by Koontz, and parallel to Koontz' newer and better The Good Guy. In addition to being science fiction (if I tell you, I spoil some of the fun), Mr. Murder carries a clear political message.
Even as science fiction Mr. Murder fails to convince. For example the Other's ability to heal goes far beyond any reasonable enhancement to humans. Certain injuries as--in and of themselves--fatal, with no possibility of the body reassembling or healing itself.
Even as science fiction Mr. Murder fails to convince. For example the Other's ability to heal goes far beyond any reasonable enhancement to humans. Certain injuries as--in and of themselves--fatal, with no possibility of the body reassembling or healing itself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2010
Horrible. This book is too similar to other books Koontz wrote. He just traded names of characters and settings.
The main character is a slightly inept writer with a saintly wife and too-smart-for-their-age daughters who are there for the cute factor. Of course they are all pursued by a psycho.
If you want to relive the memories of other Koontz novels, then you may like Mr. Murder. If you want something new and refreshing, then stay away. Far away.
The main character is a slightly inept writer with a saintly wife and too-smart-for-their-age daughters who are there for the cute factor. Of course they are all pursued by a psycho.
If you want to relive the memories of other Koontz novels, then you may like Mr. Murder. If you want something new and refreshing, then stay away. Far away.
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