Although he studied the classics and often utilizes a literary approach, Koontz initially worked in genre fiction, meeting with early success under an astonishing variety of pseudonyms in science fiction, fantasy, gothic romance, capers, how-to books, and international thrillers. When he moved on to writing mainstream suspense, he began to develop what has come to be recognized as his unique cross-genre style.

Through it all, Koontz worked out the childhood torment of having an abusive, alcoholic father who was ultimately diagnosed as mentally ill. An only child whose mother was afflicted with much illness, Koontz had to develop his own psychological survival strategies. As he matured, this unrelenting childhood struggle to protect himself gave him a special sensitivity to the politics of the individual.

He used his writing, no matter what the subject, to entertain but also to explore both the dark and light sides of the human heart, to champion the rights of the individuals over those of institutions. In an age of widespread cynicism, each of Koontz's novels insists that those who embrace friendship, love, faith, and an unwavering commitment to freedom will inevitably win out over those who are motivated by power, envy, and greed.

And through it all, Dean Koontz was troubled by the secret his mother had tried to tell him before she died. What was the key to his father's rages: the mysterious tempests that haunted the family and inspired the monsters in Koontz's novels? Was Ray Koontz even his father?