The Crooked Staircase: A Jane Hawk Novel

Dean Koontz

May 2018 · Jane Hawk Book 3 · Sold by Bantam

About this ebook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Jane Hawk—who dazzled readers in The Silent Corner and The Whispering Room—faces the fight of her life, against the threat of a lifetime, in this electrifying thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling suspense master Dean Koontz.
 
“I could be dead tomorrow. Or something worse than dead.”
 
Jane Hawk knows she may be living on borrowed time. But as long as she’s breathing, she’ll never cease her one-woman war against the terrifying conspiracy that threatens the freedom—and free will—of millions. Battling the strange epidemic of murder-suicides that claimed Jane’s husband, and is escalating across the country, has made the rogue FBI agent a wanted fugitive, relentlessly hunted not only by the government but by the secret cabal behind the plot. Deploying every resource their malign nexus of power and technology commands, Jane’s enemies are determined to see her dead . . . or make her wish she was.

Jane’s ruthless pursuers can’t stop her from drawing a bead on her prey: a cunning man with connections in high places, a twisted soul of unspeakable depths with an army of professional killers on call. Propelled by her righteous fury and implacable insistence on justice, Jane will make her way from southern Southern California to the snow-swept slopes of Lake Tahoe to confront head-on the lethal forces arrayed against her. But nothing can prepare her for the chilling truth that awaits when she descends the crooked staircase to the dark and dreadful place where her long nightmare was born.

Don’t miss any of Dean Koontz’s gripping Jane Hawk thrillers:
THE SILENT CORNER • THE WHISPERING ROOM • THE CROOKED STAIRCASE • THE FORBIDDEN DOOR • THE NIGHT WINDOW 

Praise for The Crooked Staircase

“An absorbing thriller full of fresh touches . . . Writing his unusual heroine, Koontz keeps the pages alive with attitude as well as action. . . . For Hawk, who is as fearless as she is beautiful, no obstacle is too great, especially with the well-being of her hidden-away five-year-old son on her mind.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Spellbinding . . . Beautifully plotted and written with notable care and flare . . . The Hawk series . . . is among [Koontz’s] best work.”—Booklist (starred review)

“Unrelenting . . . [Jane] rivets readers’ attention. . . . Michael Crichton fans and thriller aficionados who appreciate a fierce female protagonist . . . should be urged to meet Jane Hawk.”—Library Journal

Ratings and reviews

Hair-raising, page turning thriller! The Techno Arcadians extend their hawkish reach, sending more psychotic workers to further their cause. Jane continues to fight as her army decreases. Hate to see these hero's fall. Cliffhanger. Not for the faint of heart. Exciting read. 3 1/2 stars. Voluntarily read ARC, through Netgalley and publisher, for honest review.

The Crooked Staircase by Dean Koontz is the third book in the Jane Hawk series. I have been an avid reader from the beginning of this series and would definitely recommend reading them in order. While this book has a number of references and flashbacks to book one, there was very little summary of book two, which to date is still my favorite one in the series. Jane Hawk is a kick butt kind of girl. She is a fearless mom on a mission and will stop at nothing to vindicate her husband’s death and reunite with her son who has been hiding out with friends in order to keep him safe. This book begins in southern California where she is attempting to gain information and seek revenge from those who caused her husband as well as many others to commit suicide. She works hard to remain one step ahead of the underground group, who are close on her trail and refuse to give to up. As Jane makes her way deeper and deeper into the secrets surrounding the conspiracy, she finds herself being pulled into darker and more frightening circumstances. Will Jane be able to pull herself out of the depths referred to as the Crooked Staircase and get back to her son? I can unequivocally say that I am a huge fan of Jane Hawk. She is a woman on a mission and will not let anything stand in her way. This book for me, however, was a bit lackluster. The first half was very slow, and took some detours that felt like fillers. The second half of the book was a bit more on par with what I expected from this series. It took some crazy turns, had more action and spent more time with Jane and her son as the focus. The book ended with a big-time cliffhanger, so I think this book was meant to be a bit of a bridge from book two to book four, and in many places it read that way. Regardless of the slower moving speed in the first half of the book, I am still a huge team Hawk fan and cannot wait to get the fourth book in my hot little hands! A kick butt four star read *Review by Amy, Late Night Reviewer for Up All Night w/ Books Blog*

The Crooked Staircase is a dark, riveting and intense thriller, crafted with numerous twists and surprises. I was delighted to find that even though, I hadn’t read the first two books in the series, the plot was easy to follow. Jane Hawk and her five-year-old son, Travis, were in grave danger of being caught, by corrupt government agents. These agents were known as Techno Arcadians. They were capturing and injecting the people on their list, with a mind-altering drug, which not only took away free-will but permanently changed their brain. The Arcadian’s goal was to accomplish World Utopia, through mind-control. Former FBI agent, Jane Hawk, lost her husband, because of these evil-doers, and she was ready to have her revenge. As much as it pained Jane to leave her son with Gavin and Jessie, it was better than giving the Arcadians a chance to kidnap him. But, what if these corrupt men were to find Gavin and Jessie, and therefore, Travis, before Jane could bring them down? Like many readers, I’m not a fan of cliff-hangers. I like to know before starting a book if the story ends in one. Be warned. This book does. All and all, though, I found The Crooked Staircase to be an entertaining, dark, creepy, and fast-paced read. Thank you, Ballantine Publishing and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy.

About the author

Dean Koontz, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirits of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.