Dean Koontz is a publishing phenomenon, having sold over 450 million books since his first novel, Star Quest, was published in 1968.
The American author has written across a number of differenct genres, from horror and sci-fi, to fantasy and crime, and under a number of pen names, including David Axton, Deanna Dwyer, K.R. Dwyer, Leigh Nichols and Brian Coffey.
To date he has published over 105 novels, along with numerous novellas and collections of short stories.
With so many books to choose from, it’s hard for a Dean Koontz (or Dean R. Koontz, as he is sometimes styled) beginner to know where to start.
To help out, we’ve had a look at how the millions of readers of book website Goodreads have rated his books.
Here are the top 10.
5. Devoted
2020's Devoted has an average rating of 4.11 from 45,477 reviews. "Woody Bookman hasn’t spoken a word in his eleven years of life. Not when his father died in a freak accident. Not when his mother Megan tells him she loves him. For Megan, keeping her boy safe and happy is what matters. But Woody believes a monstrous evil is behind his father’s death and now threatens him and his mother. And he’s not alone in his thoughts. An ally unknown to him is listening. Woody’s fearful suspicions are taking shape. A malicious man driven by evil has set a depraved plan into motion. And he’s coming after Woody and his mother. The reasons are primal. His powers are growing. And he’s not alone." | Contributed
6. After Death
One of Dean Koontz' most recent books, 2023's After Death, scores an average rating of 4.11 from 13,907 reviews. "Michael Mace, head of security at a top-secret research facility, opens his eyes in a makeshift morgue twenty-four hours following an event in which everyone perished—including him and his best friend, Shelby Shrewsberry. Having awakened with an extraordinary ability unlike anything he—or anyone else—has ever imagined, Michael is capable of being as elusive as a ghost. He sets out to honor his late friend by helping Nina Dozier and her son, John, whom Shelby greatly admired. Although what Michael does for Nina is life changing, his actions also evoke the wrath of John’s father, a member of one of the most violent street gangs in Los Angeles. But an even greater threat is descending: the Internal Security Agency’s most vicious assassin, Durand Calaphas. Calaphas will stop at nothing to get his man. If Michael dies twice, he will not live a third time." | Contributed
7. The Crooked Staircase
Yet another entry for the popular Jane Hawk series of books - this time the third in the series, The Crooked Staircase, with an average rating of 4.11 from 13,276 reviews. "Rogue FBI agent Jane Hawk will never cease her one-woman war against the terrifying conspiracy that threatens the freedom – and free will – of millions. Battling the mysterious epidemic of murder-suicides that claimed her husband has made Jane a wanted fugitive, hunted relentlessly by the secret cabal behind the plot. Jane will confront head-on the lethal forces arrayed against her. But nothing can prepare her for what awaits when she descends the crooked staircase to the dark and dreadful place where her long nightmare was born." | Contributed
8. Frankenstein: Prodigal Son
The first of Koontz' series of Frankenstein books - 2005's, Prodigal Son - takes eighth spot with an average rating of 4.11 from 30,069 reviews. "Created centuries ago by a madman, possessed of seemingly supernatural powers and a dogged drive for justice, the mysterious Deucalion arrives in New Orleans as the next generation of Dr Frankenstein's monsters are about to be unleashed by their deranged maker, now known as Victor Helios. Deucalion's path will cross with that of tough police detective Carson O'Connor and her partner, Michael Maddison, who are on the trail of a vicious serial killer stalking the city, a killer who selects his victims for the humanity that is missing in himself. Reluctantly, Carson will join forces with Deucalion against a far greater, terrifying threat: an entire race of killers who are much more – and less – than human..." | Contributed