Hey Fellow Readers!
I unexpectedly read 77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz.
I started it at work whilst waiting for calls to come through. Work had some books brought in to help with mental health.
I picked 77 Shadow Street as it was the only one that appealed to me. The other books being cosy romance novels. I also hadn't read any horror in many years. I'd never read a Koontz book but had heard of him.
The novel starts out as a typical haunted house story. The residents of the Pendleton, who are in separate apartments in the building, start having different experiences. Some of the residents see ghosts from the Pendleton's past. Others see strange creatures which turn out are from the future.
What does it mean when the Pendleton shifts to a near future, taken over by AI nanotech creatures joined together as One?
Overall - A spooky read. Although there are some slow parts as we delve into characters and their back stories. There are some creepy moments too which can be scary. As it was the first horror I'd read since my late teens, I was impressed.
Some of the characters are clichéd, like contract killer Mickey Dime. Most characters are fleshed out well. Even though the story is slow to start with the residents experiencing spooky things, although this is the best part. When the house shifts you wonder what will happen but the last few pages feel slightly rushed.
Spoilers - the AI nanotech which lives as the One in the future is quite appropriate for today with a rise of all things AI. Koontz was thinking ahead when he wrote the book in 2011.
Score - 7/10
My Goodreads Score - 3.5/10
