Tommy Phan is a first generation American of Vietnamese origin. He is also a novelist unlike his family who are all bakers. Tommy returns home to find a rag doll on his doorstep. Intrigued, he brings it indoors and puts it on his desk. But the doll begins to split its covering and two eyes look out at him. It then begins to grow and from the inside of the doll comes a "being" which is intent upon chasing Tommy and causing havoc.

The doll sends a message... The Deadline Is Dawn... Ticktock. Tommy runs for his life. He meets Del, a girl, who is as brave as a lion and helps him. The rest of the story is a chase to outwit the "being".

This is a very odd tale, a mixture of horror and comedy. I found the character of Tommy, very amusing and his descriptions of the doll very funny. The being was horrific but the reader will find it a little farcical. The girl, Del is portrayed very well but she is a little too brave as to be totally believable. I have read the book twice and cannot decide into which category it would fit. An interesting book to read, but not of the usual Dean Koontz type.