Relentless

By Dean Koontz (HarperCollins, RRP $34.99)

Novelist Cubby Greenwich has a pretty good life. He has an adoring, talented wife, a genius son, and few things to truly darken his horizon.

That is until critic Shearmann Waxx reviews Cubby's latest novel. and Cubby's world turns upside down, fast and unexpectedly. Because Waxx isn't just a bitter critic with a bone to pick with Cubby – he's a dangerous psychopath and Cubby and his family are Waxx's latest targets.

Cubby takes his wife, son and dog on the run, without knowing exactly what he's running from, but it's not long before the whole family is in danger from Waxx.

So far, so good for a nice, tense little thriller from Koontz, who does this kind of thing pretty well, normally.The trouble is, there's something missing here – some essential ingredient. There's no real tension for one thing, until the last 50 pages or so, and it's a little bit too convenient that Cubby's wife Penny's parents are committed survivalists with an arsenal of weapons at their disposal.

It's all a little bit been-there-done-that before for Koontz, with the family on the run, the child who may or may not have special powers, and the unusual family dog. Which means that the seat-of-your-pants tension you expect from a thriller writer like Koontz is missing, and you're just waiting for the next set piece to come up.

An easy read for an idle holiday afternoon, maybe, but not worth much more investment of your time than that.

- © Fairfax NZ News