Going Home in the Dark

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: BJ Harrison

When hometown horrors come back to haunt, friendship is salvation in a novel about childhood fears and buried secrets by #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz.

As kids, outcasts Rebecca, Bobby, Spencer, and Ernie were inseparable friends in the idyllic town of Maple Grove. Three left to pursue lofty dreams—and achieved them. Only Ernie never left. When he falls into a coma, his three amigos feel an urgent need to return home. Don’t they remember people lapsing into comas back then? And those people always awoke…didn’t they?

After two decades, not a lot has changed in Maple Grove, especially Ernie’s obnoxious, scary mother. But Rebecca, Bobby, and Spencer begin to remember a hulking, murderous figure and weirdness piled on mystery that they were made to forget. As Ernie sinks deeper into darkness, something strange awaits any friend who tries to save him.

For Rebecca, Bobby, and Spencer, time is running out to remember the terrors of the past in a perfect town where nothing is what it seems. For Maple Grove, it’s a chance to have the “four amigos,” as they once called themselves, back in its grasp.

©2025 by Dean Ray Koontz and Gerda Ann Koontz, as Trustees of the Koontz Living Trust dated July 11, 1994. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“It must have been difficult for BJ Harrison to narrate this supernatural audiobook with his tongue so firmly planted in his cheek. Let's lay that obstacle at the feet of Dean Koontz. The master of suspense opts to regularly break the fourth wall in this work, and Harrison spreads Koontz's snarky tone throughout this production.… Hijinks ensue, brought to life by the talented Harrison, as the quartet begin to remember what they had been made to forget from decades prior. Thanks to great work by Harrison and Koontz, this work is too amusing to be terrifying.” —AudioFile Magazine

“Koontz is still experimenting, still finding new ways to please his audience. A rousing success.” —Booklist (starred review)

a way fun ride !

supper funny and i felt like I got a lesson in how to write a book in the most interesting way ! i won't lie it did remind me of stephen kings IT, it shares a few of the same concepts, but yeah, it's totally worth a lesson. And it is, it's just a fun ride

Not my favorite

While Dean Koontz is one of my all time favorite authors ( I love his imagination and his alliteration), I had a hard time getting through this story. His relentless habit of telling the reader what modern readers want put me off, as well as made me feel that he holds modern readers in some contempt. The story line is so reminiscent of It by Stephen King that it felt slightly unoriginal.

Pure Koontz

Very quirky, Very addicting, Very Entertaining, Very different.
Thank you for another mold breaker Mr Koontz!

Wonderful, intriguing & Hilarious

Love the personal spin he used while telling the story. He has a great sense of humor and it’s like he’s sitting there with you while you read.

not scary enough

I love the way Koontz writes! love his characters. their dialog, unfortunately this story wasn't my fav, the ending was good! this wasn't as scary as I would like