Odd Thomas

Odd Thomas
By Dean Koontz
Fiction/Suspense
Released June 29, 2007
$7.99 Paperback or $7.99 Kindle http://www.amazon.com/

I have read many Dean Koontz books in the past. I think he's action packed suspense with a little scary Stephen King thrown in. I enjoy Dean Koontz;) I hadn't heard of the "Odd Thomas" series however, until my friend lent it to me. Here's the thing; I do have fave authors and genres but I really enjoy reading anything I can get my hands on. The books I now call my favorites are ones that have been handed to me by friends. "Odd Thomas" is definitely one of my all time loves.
This book is DELICIOUS! Quirky, funny, scary, suspenseful, and bittersweet all in one great package! The main character "Odd" Thomas gets his name because, well, all his  life he's been a little odd. plus he has a unique talent. He "communicates" with dead people (I see dead people....sorry, I digress). I say communicate because, as Odd puts it, " The dead don't talk. But they do try to communicate".They leave hints and messages because, as we discover in this book, the dead who follow Odd around really just want to be set free. They are trapped souls on earth who need closure or justice. In the case of one ghost, ahem, Elvis, he needs to realize he has passed on and it's time to leave this realm. The ghost of Elvis is hilarious and I would say read this book just for him. The story itself is good too, even if the wonderful characters of Odd and his goth love & hopfully soon to be girlfriend Stormy are the show stealers. Cross reference here: To read another great story that features a dead Elivs; check out "Dead Until Dark" by Charlaine Harris.
Okay-back to the story. It goes as follows. Odd is a fry cook. Stormy is a waitress. All Odd wants is to be is a fry cook and the boyfriend of Stormy but the ghosts in his life have other plans. An ominous clue, a vicious murderer and a day of catastrophe propel this story forward. It all takes place in the town of Pico Mundo. A dusty town that makes you feel gritty just reading about it. Odd has a calendar date and 24 hours to save Pico Mundo from uncertain terror and doom. In the middle of all this, there are laugh out loud moments, which made me double check the cover of the book. This is Dean Koontz, right? Throw in the relationship between Odd and Stormy and you might need a box of tissues for this one.
The character of Odd Thomas has stuck with me. I really think he's such a unique voice and Dean Koontz really did well here. Your closet of literary characters would be mighty empty if you haven't added Odd.

Do I recommend it: Heck yeah! So weird it's wonderful!
But: It can be gory and violent.
Bonus: They are making a movie and if you love this one, there's more "Odd Thomas" books! Go to http://www.deankoontz.com/ for all the details!