By the Light of the Moon

A Novel

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: Kate Rudd, Seth Podowitz

Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Dean Koontz has surpassed his longtime reputation as “America’s most popular suspense novelist” (Rolling Stone) to become one of the most celebrated and successful writers of our time. Reviewers hail his boundless originality, his art, his unparalleled ability to create highly textured, riveting drama, at once viscerally familiar and utterly unique.

Author of one #1 New York Times bestseller after another, Koontz is at the pinnacle of his powers, spinning mysteries and miracles, enthralling tales that speak directly to today’s readers, balm for the heart and fire for the mind. In this stunning novel, he delivers a tour de force of dark suspense and brilliant revelation that has all the Koontz trademarks: adventure, chills, riddles, humor, heartbreak, an unforgettable cast of characters, and a climax that will leave you clamoring for more.

Dylan O’Connor is a gifted young artist just trying to do the right thing in life. He’s on his way to an arts festival in Santa Fe when he stops to get a room for himself and his twenty-year-old autistic brother, Shep. But in a nightmarish instant, Dylan is attacked by a mysterious “doctor,” injected with a strange substance, and told that he is now a carrier of something that will either kill him...or transform his life in the most remarkable way. Then he is told that he must flee—before the doctor’s enemies hunt him down for the secret circulating through his body. No one can help him, the doctor says, not even the police.

Stunned, disbelieving, Dylan is turned loose to run for his life...and straight into an adventure that will turn the next twenty-four hours into an odyssey of terror, mystery—and wondrous discovery. It is a journey that begins when Dylan and Shep’s path intersects with that of Jillian Jackson. Before that evening Jilly was a beautiful comedian whose biggest worry was whether she would ever find a decent man. Now she too is a carrier. And even as Dylan tries to convince her that they’ll be safer sticking together, cold-eyed men in a threatening pack of black Suburbans approach, only seconds before Jilly’s classic Coupe DeVille explodes into thin air.

Now the three are on the run together, but with no idea whom they’re running from--or why. Meanwhile Shep has begun exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior. And whatever it is that’s coursing through their bodies seems to have plunged them into one waking nightmare after another. Seized by sinister premonitions, they find themselves inexplicably drawn to crime scenes—just minutes before the crimes take place.

What this unfathomable power is, how they can use it to stop the evil erupting all around them, and why they have been chosen are only parts of a puzzle that reaches back into the tragic past and the dark secrets they all share: secrets of madness, pain, and untimely death. Perhaps the answer lies in the eerie, enigmatic messages that Shep, with precious time running out, begins to repeat, about an entity who does his work “by the light of the moon.”

By the Light of the Moon is a novel of heart-stopping suspense and transcendent beauty, of how evil can destroy us and love can redeem us—a masterwork of the imagination in which the surprises come page after page and the spell of sublime storytelling triumphs throughout.

©2002 Dean Koontz. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Perhaps more than any other author, Koontz writes fiction perfectly suited to the mood of America post-September 11: novels that acknowledge the reality and tenacity of evil but also the power of good; that celebrate the common man and woman; that at their best entertain vastly as they uplift. By the Light of the Moon is one of those best, exciting and deeply moving.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Koontz seems to know us, our deepest foibles and fears.”—USA Today

“Surefire plotting and a roster of characters built out of painful tragedies make the pages move…. Koontz has a touching faith in the human spirit.”—People

Wonderful

I hope that this is not a stand alone. That instead, we have a start of another series of unlikely heroes, that have come together under circumstances that may still have room to unfold.
Lots of plot directions to go in for a series, overall a great read!

Great Story! Wonderful Narration!

One of my favorite books. The plot and characters are imaginative, fun and a little sci-fi! Great job Audible👌

My favorite author

Great book! One thing I love about Dean Koontz is there is no filthy language. Some of his books at first start a little slow to me and then the story ramps up and it’s hard to stop listening. Sometimes I find myself laughing out loud with my earbuds in. I love Audiobooks because I’ve never have time to sit and read but I can work and listen to his books, I’ve listened to more books in the last few months
than I have in probably 40 years.

Why???????

Why do I keep listening to his books? I’m new at this. He is not my type of author uses way too many big words and he thinks way too much. He’s too deep. yet I can’t stop listening to his stories, so I recommend this book for people who want something different that’s good

A quick note.

I intensely dislike reviews that retell the story, as if any reviewer can better the story with their own writing skills. This is NOT one of those.

I only wanted to say to anyone like me that yeah, the female protagonist comes across as an insufferable b**ch for the first 5 1/2 hours or so but there are reasons. Cut her some slack and stick it out. It’s worth it.

And ignore the reviews that say the name of the book doesn’t make sense because it does. Apparently some folks didn’t notice that it appeared as a touchstone at multiple crucial points in the story.

That’s all I’m going to say about this book except is very good modern Koontz with positive lessons.

Hope this is helpful to you and enjoy your day.

Very enjoyable

The only thing I didn't like was at the beginning and in some places Koontz got a little carried away with the descriptions. (not including Shep's lists) Otherwise I enjoyed this book and the whole plot. I would love to see it made into a movie or series.

I want to tell Dean Koontz Thank you!

I really enjoyed this story. I got to know the characters enough to care for them. I realized at one point I was a bundle of nerves on the edge of my seat, for a whole chapter, while this was read to me on Audible. I liked how the readers were both male and female, yet each would change their voice for the other characters’ lines. This story was exciting, suspenseful, funny, and made me contemplate my past, and think about the goodness others contribute to life, that I’ll never know about. Thank you Dean Koontz, for another great!

Three fantastic characters!

Loved everything about this book! The characters were fun and different. They interact in funny, interesting ways! Great story! Will there be a sequel? I hope so!

Pleasant Surprise

I loved it. The story is fun and a little lighter than other Dean Koontz novels. The narration was perfect as well.

Creative storyline.

Another top DK yarn. Recommended for DK fans and new readers alike. Further adventures by the same crew would be worthwhile.