It had been a while since I last read a Dean Koontz novel and I'd forgotten what a disappointment the last one was. This book was a sad reminder. I love good supernatural fiction and this book looked promising. Despite some distasteful elements, this one caught my interest …more in the first few chapters due to a good balance between realistic crime fiction and slowly emerging supernatural elements. The book began to degenerate when the focus shifted to the absurdly unrealistic children (especially Minnie), and the author tediously interjected too many misplaced AP English vocabulary words. I never did get what the Wheel was about. The most interesting character, the priest who truthfully warns the detective who wants him to preform an exorcism that, "You don't want me in your house.", is given far too little time. Other sociopaths are given too much. The ending is over the top and sacrifices any remaining credibility. Mr. Koontz needs a tougher editor. (less)