It is difficult to analyze Koontz’ changes of writing styles as his body of work grows. A change that I see in some of his latest works is his interest in government with its fascist overtones as demonstrated in Dark Rivers of the Heart. There’s also his dread that utilitarian bioethics will take hold in the future; that theme is beautifully depicted in One Door away from Heaven . Basically, his books aren’t quite as easy to read as his earlier works; with his newer books, there's more texture, layering and detailed subplots. Or is it that as I age I’m aware of deeper meanings and concepts? There’s nothing wrong with some skepticism and social consciousness thrown in along with a riveting plot.

In Velocity, Billy Wiles is a bartender in a small California town. He’s content with his reclusive lifestyle as he listens to “beer-based psychoanalysis.” This tone of lightheartedness is shattered when one night Billy finds a note under his windshield wiper, a note which compels him to make a hideous decision.

“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.”

Billy takes the note to a friend on the police force; both decide that it is a sick joke. When Billy learns that a young blond schoolteacher has been murdered, he realizes that his indecision has caused a woman to be killed. A second note, giving him less time to decide his choices, tightens the figurative noose around his neck. He is also captured by the madman and tortured; his life takes on nightmarish overtones. As he discovers subsequent murders, clues begin to point to Billy as the murderer.

Billy is told that the death of the final victim will lead him to commit suicide. The only person who gives his life meaning  is his comatose fiancée, Barbara. Several weeks before their marriage, she developed botulism poisoning and has been in a coma for the last four years. Now Billy has the task of making sure that he is not framed for the various murders and the task of keeping Barbara safe. Is she to be his Waterloo?

Barbara was awarded a large settlement, one that will allow her to have excellent and competent medical care as long as is necessary. Billy must carefully analyze who might be the psycho murderer and his reasons. Is it Barbara’s lawyer? Or her doctor? Both would profit financially from her death. At this point, Billy is trying to protect Barbara and finding incriminating clues that the murder has planted to frame him. He doesn’t know whom he can trust? Why is he being targeted?

A fact that made this story so horrific is that Billy could be ‘Everyman.' As a reader, I tried to ponder what I would do in Billy’s shoes. That empathy made the story all the more riveting. His life is seemingly normal if not somewhat bland. Could I make life and death choices? When the decision is taken from Billy, his situation becomes all the more harrowing

In Velocity, Koontz has shown why he is at the top of his game. This book is aptly named. Events and emotions come at you, almost bullet fast with no time to duck. Koontz is able to involve me emotionally even when I try to remain uninvolved. With two more books coming out this year, he’s a writer whose release dates are always on my book-buying calendar.

--Linda Mowery