The Darkest Evening of the Year

Koontz's latest tale of a mysterious canine that devoted animal rights activist Amy Redwing brings into her home is a powerful thriller that should have the listener's pulse racing. Sadly, the narration by singer and entertainer Kristen Kairos is bland and uninspired, resulting in a near-tedious listening experience. Her voice is machine-like and conventional, droning on in a monotonous tone that leaves little room for improvisation. Redwing becomes a ditzy airhead from the get-go, which makes it harder to feel sorry for her when things eventually fall apart. Unless the character is a drunken maniac or soft-spoken nun, Kairos offers little shift in tone and dialect for the large cast of characters that pop up throughout. Moments of the utmost tension and suspense are lost in Kairos's insipid reading, a shame considering the story is one of Koontz's best in years. By the third chapter most listeners will have lost interest. Simultaneous release with the Bantam hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 29). (Nov.)