🩸 Horror Fiction

Innocence

✍️ Dean Koontz
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$15.99
Temporarily out of stock

Currently unavailable

This book is sold out right now. Leave your email — we'll let you know if it comes back, and you'll get 10% off any book today.

In stock now — readers of this book also loved:

Devilfish ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
1
John Lee Schneider
Devilfish
$9.99
78
Twilight of Evil: '80s Slasher meets Supernatural Horror! ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
1
P J Thorndyke
Twilight of Evil: '80s Slasher meets Supernatural Horror!
$14.99
78
The Rattle ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Anonymous
The Rattle
$31.95
86
CHECK-IN CHECKOUT ...and the horrors within ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
1
Keran Pantth Joshi
CHECK-IN CHECKOUT ...and the horrors within
$14.99
78
Murder On A God's Grave ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Daniel James Moore
Murder On A God's Grave
$22.99
81
Make Pretend: The Complete Short Fiction of Armand Rosamilia, Volume 1 ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Armand Rosamilia
Make Pretend: The Complete Short Fiction of Armand Rosamilia, Volume 1
$14.95
86
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A hidden exile meets a secret lover in the city's underground tunnels.

Addison Goodheart hides beneath the city to survive. He escapes his isolation through books and night walks via storm drains. At the central library, he encounters Gwyneth. She shares his need for concealment and trust issues. Their connection forms despite their traumatic histories. The story suggests their meeting is destined rather than accidental. As they bond, a looming crisis threatens their fragile peace. Koontz uses this premise to examine loneliness and human connection. The narrative avoids traditional hero journeys. Instead, it focuses on two damaged individuals finding solace in each other. This approach highlights the power of literature as a shield against a hostile world.

Key Themes
urban isolation hidden identity destined love
Literary Context

Published by HarperCollins in 2014, this novel fits within the modern horror genre. It draws on gothic fiction traditions of underground settings and societal exile. The story reflects contemporary anxieties about visibility and social destruction. Koontz’s work often blends supernatural elements with psychological depth, appealing to readers who enjoy suspenseful narratives rooted in human emotion rather than pure gore.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Shirley Jackson · Stephen King · H.P. Lovecraft · Anne Rice
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 HarperCollins 📅 2014 📖 398 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780007518043

📝 Description: Innocence

Dean Koontz delivers a supernatural thriller centered on Addison Goodheart, an exile living in solitude beneath the city. Society would destroy him if discovered, so he remains hidden. Books provide his refuge and escape from this isolated existence. By night, he travels through storm drains and service tunnels to reach the central library. There, he meets Gwyneth, who also conceals her true appearance. Both characters struggle to trust others due to past tragedies. Their bond deepens beyond these shared scars. Destiny brings them together as the world approaches a reckoning. Koontz is known for suspense and writes this story with precision. The narrative focuses on two outcasts finding connection in hidden places. It draws on gothic traditions of urban isolation and secret societies. The setting relies on underground networks rather than open streets. This structure creates tension through confinement and discovery. Readers who enjoy character-driven horror will appreciate the emotional depth. Those preferring fast-paced action might find the pacing deliberate. The book suits fans of Koontz’s earlier work exploring human resilience against supernatural forces.

💎 Our verdict on Innocence

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Koontz crafts a precise supernatural thriller focusing on two damaged outcasts finding solace in hidden places. The narrative avoids traditional hero journeys, instead highlighting the power of connection against cosmic dread. The underground setting creates effective tension through confinement rather than open action. While the pacing may feel deliberate to action-seekers, it allows for significant emotional resonance. The book excels in portraying trust issues born from past tragedies. It is best suited for fans who value atmospheric gothic horror and character development over immediate thrills. This approach highlights the fragility of peace in a threatening world.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking emotional depth within the horror genre will find this narrative compelling. It appeals to those who prefer character-driven stories over fast-paced action. The book offers a poignant examination of loneliness and trust for individuals with traumatic histories. Fans of Koontz’s earlier works exploring resilience against supernatural forces will appreciate the deliberate pacing and precision. It serves as a study in how literature acts as a shield against a hostile world. Those interested in gothic traditions of secret societies and urban isolation will find the confined setting tense and engaging.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Koontz crafts a precise supernatural thriller focusing on two damaged outcasts finding solace in hidden places. The narrative avoids traditional hero journeys, instead highlighting the power of connection against cosmic dread. The underground setting creates effective tension through confinement rather than open action. While the pacing may feel deliberate to action-seekers, it allows for significant emotional resonance. The book excels in portraying trust issues born from past tragedies. It is best suited for fans who value atmospheric gothic horror and character development over immediate thrills. This approach highlights the fragility of peace in a threatening world.

✍️ More books by this author Dean Koontz

The Night Window: A Jane Hawk Novel 🔥 Bestseller
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Dean Koontz
The Night Window: A Jane Hawk Novel
$21.00
78
Read →
The Forbidden Door: A Jane Hawk Novel -32%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Dean Koontz
The Forbidden Door: A Jane Hawk Novel
$21.00 $31.00
78
Read →
Going Home in the Dark 🏆 Bestseller -26%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Dean Koontz
Going Home in the Dark
$33.00 $45.00
78
Read →
The Silent Corner: A Jane Hawk Novel
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Dean Koontz
The Silent Corner: A Jane Hawk Novel
$21.00
78
Read →
Again, Dangerous Visions
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Dean Koontz
Again, Dangerous Visions
$34.99
78
Read →
The Crooked Staircase: A Jane Hawk Novel -25%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Dean Koontz
The Crooked Staircase: A Jane Hawk Novel
$21.00 $28.00
78
Read →

🏛 Books from this publisher HarperCollins

Lovecraft Country
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Matt Ruff
Lovecraft Country
$49.99
86
Read →
Welcome to Night Vale
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Joseph Fink
Welcome to Night Vale
$49.99
86
Read →
Day Zero
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
C Robert Cargill
Day Zero
$45.99
86
Read →
The Night Eternal
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Guillermo del Toro
The Night Eternal
$55.99
78
Read →
Reprieve
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
James Han Mattson
Reprieve
$49.99
86
Read →
The Between
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Tananarive Due
The Between
$49.99
86
Read →

You might also like

See more →
The Dead Town
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Dean Koontz
The Dead Town
$17.25
81
Read →
Relentless -18%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.2
4
Dean Koontz
Relentless
$15.50 $19.00
78
Read →

Have a question about this item?

Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.

Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist