This one is better than you think. I don't like Straub's writing style too much, but his characters are very realistic and his plot is REAL horror, not the stupid stuff where someone jumps out and says BOO. The little psychological battle between Straub's characters and Dick Dart - bad name but incredibly freaky villain - is the kind of disturbing horror you don't find in many horror books these days. I don't really understand the negative reviews this has gotten, especially the one guy who said he hadn't even read it but assumed it would be bad, and then went on to advertise for "Dene" Koontz (it's spelled DEAN, buddy) who has never written anything as intelligent as this.