Velocity

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: Michael Hayden

Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Dean Koontz’s unique talent for writing terrifying thrillers with a heart and soul is nowhere more evident than in this latest suspense masterpiece that pits one man against the ultimate deadline. If there were speed limits for the sheer pulse-racing excitement allowed in one novel, Velocity would break them all. Get ready for the ride of your life.…

Bill Wile is an easygoing, hardworking guy who leads a quiet, ordinary life. But that is about to change. One evening, after his usual eight-hour bartending shift, he finds a typewritten note under the windshield wiper of his car. If you don’t take this note to the police and get them involved, I will kill a lovely blond schoolteacher. If you do take this note to the police, I will instead kill an elderly woman active in charity work. You have four hours to decide. The choice is yours.

It seems like a sick joke, and Bill’s friend on the police force, Lanny Olson, thinks so too. His advice to Bill is to go home and forget about it. Besides, what could they do even if they took the note seriously? No crime has actually been committed. But less than twenty-four hours later, a young blond schoolteacher is found murdered, and it’s Bill’s fault: he didn’t convince the police to get involved. Now he’s got another note, another deadline, another ultimatum…and two new lives hanging in the balance.

Suddenly Bill’s average, seemingly innocuous life takes on the dimensions and speed of an accelerating nightmare. Because the notes are coming faster, the deadlines growing tighter, and the killer becoming bolder and crueler with every communication—until Bill is isolated with the terrifying knowledge that he alone has the power of life and death over a psychopath’s innocent victims. Until the struggle between good and evil is intensely personal. Until the most chilling words of all are: The choice is yours.

©2005 Dean Koontz (P)2005 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Graphic, fast-paced action, well-developed characters and relentless, nail-biting scenes show Koontz at the top of his game."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Genuinely terrific."—Booklist

“Just in time for summer, Dean Koontz again delivers a top-notch thriller full of well-drawn characters and anxiety-spiked sequences.”—Chicago Tribune

Not bad but not my favorite

Entertaining but not my favorite Koontz book. This isn't one that I personally would find myself listening to again but it was worth passing the time with.

better as a book

the narrator is great but the grammar and syntax make for a better read than listen

First taste is pleasing

I have heard this author's name and am not big into crime fiction, and this worked for me. Interesting use of language, good pacing, and intriguing foe. I may try another

Intensity was much better

I don't know why but I just couldn't get into this book. Maybe the pacing? I listened to all of it just because I didn't want to waste my credit. I liked intensity much more than this one. Sorry Koontz, I just couldn't get into it.

Gripping

Gripping. pulls you right out of your life and into the book. I love Dean Koontz.

Love Dean Koontz

Loved Dean Koontz and Michael Hayden was awesome can't wait to download the next book.

First Title I've ever read by Dean Koontz

I decided to purchase the audio book of this despite owning two copies. It's not his best, not my favorite, but I have a soft spot for this title since it's my first read of this Author. I like it. Worth your time. The story isn't strong but it is engaging and entertaining.

Amazing!

Bought this book the day it came out(2005) and it was captivating and mind boggling 🤯
I do love all of Dean Koontz work!

I like this kind of Koontz

I loved Koontz's book "Odd Thomas", and even though this story is its own separate plot, it had the feel of "Odd Thomas" for me which made me like it. When I first read the description, I was intrigued right off. I couldn't help but put myself in the situation that Billy was in - what would I do? Of course, that's the hook to this story. If you put yourself in Billy's place, I believe you will feel the tension and suspense in the story at a greater level. I could almost feel the "wounds" that he endured (rather well described - almost too well, I should say).

Of course the narratation is great, and it makes for an entertaining story. Koontz's characters like Billy Wile and Odd Thomas are some of my favorites, and I wouldn't mind at all if he continued to write such books. I would say give it a chance.. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

What a great listen

this is -- narrator provides both the literate tone (lots of T.S. Eliot is salted into this book) and the creepiness that makes Koontz so distinctive. I looked forward to every lunchtime installment listen!