The Other Emily
4.2 | 35,498 ratings
Price: 21.88
Last update: 12-30-2025
Top reviews from the United States
- Brython7Beautiful and movingDean Koontz's writing could be, and often is, classified as horror, but what makes it stand out is the humanity, the love. I find so many of his stories to be touching as much as frightening, and I'm more likely to shed wistful tears than to scream with terror. This book is a perfect example.
David's beloved wife Emily disappeared 10 years ago under mysterious circumstances, almost certainly died, and he blames himself for her loss. One day, she is back, but is it Emily herself or an identical twin who is 10 years younger but like her in every detail, including memories? David loves the new Emily just as he loved the original one, but he still suffers from guilt and doubt, and is tormented by the mystery of what really happened all those years ago.
Koontz writes beautifully. His characters are real and interesting, his plots clever, and his words sometimes almost poetic. Throughout this book I was reminded first of the works of Daphne DuMaurier and then of John Fowles' The Magus, not in plot details but in atmosphere, in the way real life becomes an eerie mystery.
If you're looking for a book to intrigue you, fascinate you, mystify you, chill you a little, and take you right out of yourself, give The Other Emily a try. Highly recommended. - P. HentgesIntriguing and unpredictable - a novel than evokes the theme of Koontz's NAMELESS short storiesI read THE OTHER EMILY almost immediately after finishing the NAMELESS series, with a non-fiction interlude to read HEROES OF HISTORY in between. Although in no way an extension or derivative of that storyline, this novel provides a different perspective on the same theme; the struggle of one man whose tethers to the real world are slowly fraying to learn the truth. There are other thematic similarities, but discussing those would be unkind since that would only ruin a reader's appreciation of the author's ability to create feelings of vague misgivings by way of supple prose.
Koontz once again displays his mastery of suspense by furnishing enough clues to lead a reader to suspect he can guess what's going on without ever guessing correctly. Throughout the story, from chapter to chapter and even in the penultimate chapter, from the resolution of any particular situation right up to the denouement, I was unable to predict neither the imminent degree of danger the protagonist might encounter nor his reaction when presented to him. That unpredictability is the essence of life itself as well as the origin of an individual's personality - and in my estimation capsulizes the difference between an entertaining author like Patterson and a master like Koontz.
Provided the option I'd have given a rating of 4.5 stars as I found only one area of annoyance. The tendency to utilise unusual verbiage such as a "knife depended from his belt" - a term used repeatedly - distracted me from the narrative. Perhaps that particular item was an inadvertent substitution due to an AI editing gremlin, but I found it jarring regardless.
Aside from that minor item, THE OTHER EMILY is Dean Koontz at his best. And his best stories are the literary analog of riding a motorcycle on an unknown backroad as it meanders along a river's course not knowing what's beyond the next curve or on the other side of a hill, yet with the certainty that it will be a unique snapshot worth savoring and integrating into your personal slideshow. - CindyAnother great story!I love Dean Koontz books (except the Odd Thomas Books - I can’t get into those for some reason).
Some people say he’s too wordy, but that’s actually one of the things I love about his writing. He’s very descriptive and uses words and phrases that make you have to think. He paints a clear picture for you of what it is he is wanting you to visualize. Koontz is not an author that you pick up for an easy or quick read, he’s an author that you read because his stories are unusual and captivating. The Other Emily is no exception to this. The majority of the book is spent trying to figure out who this other Emily is. You get hints, but nothing quite makes sense until it is finally revealed.
If you want a quick, easy read, skip this book. If you want something that goes deeper and causes you to think while still entertaining, this is a great book. - Mindy WatkinsGood story, but very long winded.I absolutely love Dean Koontz stories. This one was not one of his best.
The story itself is good, but the main character is very... I don't know the word... floppy, wishy washy, I guess. He is absolutely determined to ignore red flags and logic when it comes to Madison. He literally doesn't care if she murders people, as long as she is with him. When I say he's floppy, I mean one sentence, he's trying to find out her secrets because he acts like they matter, but the very next sentence, he says he doesn't care what she's hiding as long as he doesn't lose her again. He would investigate her home and involvement with murders etc during the day, and come home to her (at his house) in the evenings and have sex with her like all was well. No mention to her about the stuff he found out about her at all.
The second issue I had was with the unnecessary descriptive paragraphs. Some people like that. I don't. Its just a personal preference. I do like a good description of places, people etc, but there is a such thing as overdoing it.
I would have given 4 stars if not for the weird, unrealistic, and obsessed main character.
I'd recommend this book though. It passes the time and it is well written.