Carol and Paul Tracey wish to adopt a child. Carol had an illegitimate daughter many years before she met her husband and regretted having her adopted.

On a stormy day, a child walks in front of Carol's car and the two become very close. Hauntings begin in the form of loud noises like heartbeats, lightning storms appear suddenly and close friends have warning dreams.

Carol herself has bad dreams and the child has no memory of herself or her past.

During psychiatric treatment, the child has regressive symptoms, all very different from each other. This leads to a terrifying sequence of events.

This book is a good read but not one of Mr. Koontz's best. The plot is good and well-explained but very long winded at times. The story is fairly slow moving and has few characters - although these are very realistic and well described. The outcome is quite predictable and the conclusion seems incomplete.

A good book to read at any time, and suits reading in short bursts to fit a hectic lifestyle as it's easy to put down and pick up again. There is no excessive violence, nor graphic sexual content so is suitable for all. But it isn't the best example of Dean Koontz's writing.