Brother Odd

Brother Odd by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas tries to escape the sadness of his girlfriend's death by going to a monastery.  Unfortunately, as usual, Odd seems to go towards death rather than away from it.  One monk died last year, and another disappears shortly after Odd arrived.  Did the first monk really commit suicide? Or is something more sinister lurking outside in the snow?

I liked Odd more in this book.  He's getting a little more comfortable in his skin, and more comfortable with his unique talents.  The assorted monks, nuns, and orphans were also well crafted.  I'm confused as to why this was the third book, though.  In the second book, he seemed haunted by the first stories' mall killings, but not much.  So, is his current depression a delayed reaction?  This book is a lightweight read; the bad guys are pretty obvious, and I'm beginning to recognize the general formula.  Anyone that seems suspicious, is actually good, and any character that has an unnecessary back story is bound to have a screw missing. But I still enjoyed the story, just because I liked the characters.