Gecko

He's big, he's green, he's got horrendous breath and he's a total killer. He is, of course, the Gecko of the title. He's sort of a familiar to an evil grazed doctor pornographer. The kind of guy you don't want to meet in a dark alley, especially if he's got his gecko pal along for the ride.This story opens with our hero, Jim Monday and his best friend, attorney David Askew crossing the street. Monday hears a voice in his head, telling him to "Jump back." He does, David does not and is struck by hired killers in their stolen car. The killers work for Doctor Bernd Kohler, who has swept Monday's wife off her feet, so he's got half Jim's fortune, however he wants it all, hence the killers.Back to the voice in Jim's head. It belongs to a woman named Donna, who is imprisoned in New Zealand, half a world away. Turns out her mind has flown the coup (it's an ancient Maori thing) and settled itself inside Monday. So now Jim's got a stranger living in his head. This makes for some very interesting reading, exciting too.The evil doc takes Monday's wife up to his castle type hideaway in Northern California, Monday follows, getting constant advice from Donna in his head, and the Gecko is hot on Monday's tail. So are the cops, because Monday had a tussle with the killers and left them dead. Unfortunately he killed them in the police station and now the cops think he's the killer.Fiftyish Jim Monday is a heck of a character. He's dogged and determined, but he's afraid to fly. He thinks like a young guy, but reacts like an old guy. He fights like the devil to save his wife, though she clearly is through with him. And then there is the matter of the girl in his head (she's like nineteen or twenty). There's a clock ticking on her and so he's gotta wrestle with that fear of flying if he wants to save her. Does he? Read the book and find out. Jeez, I used to say that when I gave book reports in elementary school, when I was a little girl.

No dull moments in this horror yarn about a California man, Jim Monday, with the spirit of a captive woman across the world thrust inside him and radically changing his life. Add to this his wife leaving him for a perverted German doctor and his henchmen. Ratcheting the conflicts, Sawbones has summoned two ancient gecko creatures, one that kept making me think of that little green guy that runs around in GEICO commercials (not scary) and another that could have come, fangs dripping, out of a Godzilla versus ____ movie (scary). This novel is paced like a thriller with a policeman and his horny daughter trying desperately to clear the main character of the criminal carnage that the doctor and the bigger creature leave behind. Does this sound wild? Yeah, it is. It's a twisting read that takes unexpected turns.Kudos to the author for somehow making most of this work. There's action, thrills, a few creepy scenes (a cemetery scene!), sex, more sex, gore and some fairly compelling characterization. I could have used a coda, as the ending was a little too abrupt. Also, I found the woman inside Jim Monday's body speaking to him through normal double quote dialogue somewhat jarring (wouldn't italics have been less confusing?) but this is a stylistic choice that the reader does eventually get used to.What a strange, albeit fulfilling, read. The writing was fluid and the Kindle formatting was good. Recommended for those who like creative horror tales that lean more to the bizarro side (although I don't think it's intended to be bizarro). A roller coaster read!

I really enjoyed Douglas' first book that I read, Diamond Sky, and his fast-paced story telling. However, as I read several more of his books, a very disappointing pattern was emerging. In subsequent books, he would reach back and grab old material from his previous books and insert it, almost verbatim, into his new novels, e.g., the luring of antagonists onto submerged rocks called the Dolphins, the same cab driver in Trinidad, the escape after the car wreck at the bridge, the security guard being killed escorting two cops into a suspects condo, etc. He's too good of a writer to use such lazy tactics.After reaching the point in Gecko where the security guard was killed almost exactly as one in a previous novel, I stopped reading the book. I was so disappointed with his practice of self-plagiarism, if there is such a thing, that I refused to go further.It's a shame because this guy could be a very good writer.

This book kept me up every night until I finished it! What a great story. The characters are wonderful and the 'monster' isn't phony like I was afraid it would be. Really well written! I actually cared about the people in the story and wanted things to turn out okay for most of them. Not all of them. There are some real bad guys in there. :)I will be watching for more by Ken Douglas for sure!

This is one of the scariest books I've ever read, and I mean it! Great action, plot, everything perfect! Read it!

Loved this book. Fast action and couldn't put it down. Kept me riveted the entire time. This book has everything you could want in a book. Am looking forward to reading more from Ken Douglas.

Unique storyline. Totally different. But missing important factors that leaves you thinking......WHAT HAPPENED HERE???????

Fast-paced story that starts out as a crime thriller and then takes an exciting turn for the supernatural. I would definitely read Ken Douglas again.

Ken who? that was my first thought when I happened upon this little gem on a kindle ebook download site. I do love good horror and am also a great crime fan so if you can combine the two and throw in a smidgen of eroticism then you must have the perfect recipe for a good fast read (and that is what the kindle is there for good fast reading)The book description says it all but in addition Jim Monday is receiving telepathic messages from a woman in New Zealand who he can also communicate with telepathically...now here we have a perfect example of what makes a good book adding a "quirky" little sub story all wrapped up in an ancient Maori curse. Needless to say this book moves at a relentless pace, it's just a fun read that does not take itself too seriously but is there simply to entertain. It's also great to see that Jim, a man in his mid 50's,has great sexual prowess with the ladies and being a reader in my mid 50's I am most heartened by this news :)) Simply put read this little gem and enjoy!

This was my favorite book that you have written so far.It creeped me out. I hadn't had a night mare after reading a book since I read Cujo, bye Steven King.. Excellent job in writing this book. P.S. will never look at Geckos the same again.

From start to finish this book kept me reading. This was a short book but so much was at stake for the main character and I had to read this in one go.

It kept you 'intrigued" throughout the entire story. It was fairly easy to follow.

Ken Douglas writes terrific thriller novels! Gecko is a wild story that reminds me of a Stephen King novel! I highly recommend it!