odd interlude

odd interlude
odd thomas #6
dean koontz
fiction/horror
bantam publishers
published 2013

Nestled on a lonely stretch along the Pacific coast, quaint roadside outpost Harmony Corner offers everything a weary traveler needs—a cozy diner, a handy service station, a cluster of cottages . . . and the Harmony family homestead presiding over it all. But when Odd Thomas and company stop to spend the night, they discover that there’s more to this secluded haven than meets the eye—and that between life and death, there is something more frightening than either.

This was released as three short stories that when combined made up a full novel.  As far as I can tell it was published in its entirety after Odd Apocalypse, but takes place before the events at Roseland.  But that hardly matters.

Odd Interlude was creepy, funny and sweet.  How do all those descriptives go together?  I don't know, but when reading Dean Koontz you often find yourself laughing, checking over your shoulder and possibly moved to sappy tears.

This time I didn't get any tears, but I did fiercely like Jolie.  She was a little mini-female-Odd.

My only complaint was that there wasn't much detail about Hiskott, the villain.  We knew what happened to him and what he was doing and kind of why, but once we finally see him it's sort of just blah.  He wasn't scary, just gross.

Still, not a bad Odd Thomas read.  I liked it better than I had Odd Apocalypse.  Besides Stormy, Jolie is a character that I actually wanted to continue with, but I guess it's not meant to be.  Maybe we'll see her again.