Hideaway

Title: Hideaway

Author: Dean Koontz

Published in: 1992

Date read: 20th May 2026

Score: 4/5

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Supernatural

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Hideaway" by Dean Koontz, published in 1992, is a supernatural thriller that delves into themes of death, reincarnation, and the timeless battle between good and evil. It is a terrifying story that begins with a miraculous recovery and ends in a fight for a man's soul.

The protagonist is Hatch Harrison, a kind and loving man whose life is turned upside down when he and his wife, Lindsey, are involved in a devastating car crash. Hatch suffers a near-fatal injury and, on the operating table, clinically dies. During the time he is gone, he has a profound out-of-body experience, traveling through a dark, surreal realm. However, he is brought back to life by the desperate efforts of the doctors.

His miraculous recovery seems like a blessing, but Hatch soon realizes that something is terribly wrong. He begins to experience strange visions and terrifying nightmares, filled with fragmented images of a serial killer's sadistic acts. He also starts to receive chilling messages and insights into a monstrous mind, a mind that seems to be in a constant state of murderous rage.

Hatch discovers that during his near-death experience, he somehow made a spiritual or metaphysical connection with Vassago, a ruthless and charismatic serial killer who is also obsessed with death and a spiritual, almost Satanic, form of worship. Vassago believes he has been given a divine sign to continue his killing spree, and he has a spiritual link to Hatch.

The novel becomes a desperate cat-and-mouse game. Hatch and Lindsey are stalked by Vassago, who sees Hatch as a spiritual rival and a perfect victim. Vassago, a truly evil and cunning figure, uses his own understanding of the spiritual world to torment Hatch, believing he can break him and claim his soul.

Koontz masterfully builds suspense as Hatch and Lindsey go on the run, trying to evade a killer who seems to be able to find them anywhere. Hatch must not only battle the physical threat of Vassago but also the psychological torment of the visions, trying to separate the killer's thoughts from his own.

The climax is a brutal and harrowing showdown that takes place in a symbolic hideaway, a place that represents both safety and the final battle for Hatch's soul. Hatch is forced to confront Vassago, not just as a man, but as a representation of pure evil. "Hideaway" is a tense, claustrophobic thriller that explores the thin veil between life and death and the eternal conflict between light and darkness.

Comments:
I went through my To Be Read page and noticed that this book had been there for a long time. I had not read a Dean Koontz book for 4 years and still think about how much I enjoyed his Jane Hawk books. This was a thoroughly good story and I truly enjoyed it. This is an example of classic Dean Koontz story. There is plenty of tension, plenty of action and the story knits together seamlessly. I feel like I am about to get through more of these books that I have missed out of.

Books that we've read by Dean Koontz (28):
Demon Seed (1973), Icebound (1976), The Voice of the Night (1980), Phantoms (1983), Darkness Comes (1984), Watchers (1987), Hideaway (1992), Dragon Tears (1993), Mr. Murder (1993), Tick Tock (1996), False Memory (1999), The Face (2003), Odd Thomas (Odd Thomas, #1) (2003), The Taking (2004), Forever Odd (Odd Thomas, #2) (2005), Velocity (2005), Life Expectancy (2005), Brother Odd (Odd Thomas, #3) (2006), The Husband (2006), Odd Hours (Odd Thomas, #4) (2008), Breathless (2009), Relentless (2009), The Silent Corner (Jane Hawk, #1) (2017), The Whispering Room (Jane Hawk, #2) (2017), The Crooked Staircase (Jane Hawk, #3) (2018), The Forbidden Door (Jane Hawk, #4) (2018), The Night Window (Jane Hawk #5) (2019), The Other Emily (2021)