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The Good Guy | 
 enlarge | Author: Dean Koontz
Publisher: Bantam
Category: Book
Buy New: $7.99
New (59) Used (263) Collectible (1) from $0.01
Rating:  185 reviews
Sales Rank: 4007
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 496
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.3
ISBN: 0553589113
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780553589115
ASIN: 0553589113
Publication Date: April 29, 2008
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Product Description
Timothy Carrier, having a beer after work at his friend’s tavern, enjoys drawing eccentric customers into amusing conversations. But the jittery man who sits next to him tonight has mistaken Tim for someone very different—and passes to him a manila envelope full of cash.
“Ten thousand now. You get the rest when she’s gone.”
The stranger walks out, leaving a photo of the pretty woman marked for death, and her address. But things are about to get worse. In minutes another stranger sits next to Tim. This one is a cold-blooded killer who believes Tim is the man who has hired him.
Thinking fast, Tim says, “I’ve had a change of heart. You get ten thousand—for doing nothing. Call it a no-kill fee.” He keeps the photo and gives the money to the hired killer. And when Tim secretly follows the man out of the tavern, he gets a further shock: the hired killer is a cop.
Suddenly, Tim Carrier, an ordinary guy, is at the center of a mystery of extraordinary proportions, the one man who can save an innocent life and stop a killer far more powerful than any cop…and as relentless as evil incarnate. But first Tim must discover within himself the capacity for selflessness, endurance, and courage that can turn even an ordinary man into a hero, inner resources that will transform his idea of who he is and what it takes to be The Good Guy.
From the Hardcover edition.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 180 more reviews...
 So Enjoyable December 2, 2008
I would feel remiss if I didn't announce my love for Dean Koontz's
writing. Many have called him a wordsmith and oh so true but as important is his vision:
his passion for story telling builds from sentence to paragraph to chapter to climax. Each sentence reveals his wonder and fascination and surprise that he finds in our world. What a joy to be a witness to his talent.
The Good Guy another of a kinder, but not too kind, maturer writing. It is a combination love story and detective. Not only is the writing charming, funny, surprising, suspenseful, and exciting, but also his vision illuminates our continually changing world with a perspective that is not only entertaining but comforting.
The Good Guy might just be a little too "goodie goodie" November 12, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
3.5 stars
As a long time fan of Dean Koontz's novels, I was drawn into The Good Guy because of the intriguing premise: a nice guy in a bar gets mistaken for a hired assassin and is shown a picture of a woman that someone wants dead. The opening definitely grabbed my attention, as did the promise of more insight into Tim Carrier, the main protagonist, whose life is a bit of a mystery throughout most of the novel.
While the premise remained interesting, I'm afraid I started to lose interest in the characters. I craved to know more about Tim and Linda, the woman with the target on her back, and to feel some emotion from them. There wasn't enough back story to satisfy me and I just didn't care about them.
The constant witty banter between all the characters made everything seem like a joke or something to be made fun of. I don't see people reacting this way in real life. It took away from the believability of the novel. The most interesting character was the killer, a very sick and twisted man who gives the reader insight into the secret society that has hired him.
While The Good Guy won't be my favorite Koontz novel, it is a decent read. There is enough action and suspense to keep you reading. It doesn't compare, however, to most of Koontz's earlier works, such as Watchers or The Taking. It also misses out on the supernatural element that we usually think of when we think `Dean Koontz'.
He is one of my idols and a writer I greatly respect, so writing a review like this is difficult for me, but I pride myself on being honest. All reviews are personal preference and I give this book 3.5 stars. I am however looking forward to reading more Dean Koontz novels.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense.
Cheryl Kaye Tardif
author of The River and Divine Intervention
 YAWN!!!! November 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
YAWN!!!! More like a comic book without pages. Mr. Koontz is good enough to turn out mindless dribble like this every day of the week without much effort, which isn't a bad thing, but then again, why? What happened to trying to stretch oneself? What happened to trying to create " art", or better yet, something that will last long after each of us here are dead and gone? I've read enough Koontz that I'm ready for something better than "OK". I'd like to know, Mr. Koontz, when do we get that which you're truly capable of? When do we get substance? When do we get your defining work? And don't say Odd Thomas, again, YAWN!!!, mediocre at best. You're a very talented gifted story teller, surprise us!I want $14.99 work for $7.99.
 Deeper Please October 27, 2008
Did you ever hear the one about the guy in the bar? Only Dean Koontz could take the start of a joke and find a way to twist an interesting thriller out of it. I thought the characters were a bit thin and many of the plot twists questionable, but in the end a nice read.
I saw so many possibilities for Tim Carrier. I wanted him to be tempted by the thought of playing the roll of hit-man. I needed some internal struggle and a shade of darkness from our hero. But he was a Good Guy. I guess that makes sense.
You know what else I wanted? I wanted more tension between Tim and Linda. The relationship came too easily for them.
The Good Guy is a call to order for anyone who is looking for a fast turner and doesn't mind doing it with strangers.
You Want Fries With That? No? How about Cream and Sugar? October 6, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Dean Koontz is never at a loss for words, you can be sure of that. But sometimes you read this guy, and while the story is told well, you have questions. Is that really all there is to it? And I guess there is a good mix throughout this whole ordeal in "The Good Guy," but I walked away from it not really caring. I wanted to love everything this had to offer, and I didn't. But even if I didn't like it as much as others, I'm sure it turned some heads.
We meet Timothy Carrier right after work, he's enjoying a cold beer. And then he gets a message, delivered right to him, with a present. And Tim Carrier is expected to kill. But there's one problem. Tim doesn't want to kill the woman in the photo. He wants to save her. And he meets the mysterious Linda Paquette, and the chase is on! Because somebody is going to make sure this woman dies, and Tim just might die with her. Let the race begin.
As much as I hate to say it, I wasn't convinced with the antagonist in this. In Koontz's other works, I'm more than convinced, and I want to know about the killer. This killer was way too ho-hum for me. And when he was finished, it never came as a surprise to me! I wish it would've.
But there is a certain twist in this that keeps the pages turning, keeps the reader interested. In the end, you may want fries with this. If not, maybe some cream and sugar to make it interesting. And if that's the way you like it, that's great!! Maybe next time, Dean, it will be better for me.
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