The Bad Place

1990 novel by Dean Koontz

The Bad Place is a horror novel by American writer Dean Koontz, released in 1990. It includes elements of horror, suspense, and mystery, and is presented partially as a twist on the private eye drama.

Frank Pollard wakes up in an alley at night, filled with confusion and fear. He knows nothing but his name, and that he must escape fast, or else he will be killed. Pursued by a mysterious assailant, Frank barely escapes with his life. Every time he goes to sleep, he wakes up to find evidence of bizarre nighttime travels which he cannot remember. Afraid of his own actions, Frank enlists the help of husband wife security team, Bobby and Julie Dakota. At first, the case merely seems absurd, but as they track deeper into the life and past of the mysterious Frank Pollard, the Dakotas uncover an increasingly bizarre and dangerous world threatened by a madman who thirsts for blood. It is ultimately revealed that Frank Pollard is the brother to the mysterious madman as well as twin sisters. They were born from a mother who was the product of an incestuous relationship. Her father was a hallucinogenic drug abuser and her mother was his sister. She is a hermaphrodite and impregnated herself with her own seed. As a result of this compounded inbreeding, Frank and his siblings developed unusual psychic abilities. Frank, wanting a normal life, tries to escape from his family while being pursued by his brother who seeks to either bring him back or kill him, and nothing will stand in his way. After a message from Julie's younger brother, who has Down Syndrome and possesses minor psychic ability himself, Bobby, Julie, Frank and his family begin speeding into a final confrontation.

According to Koontz in the afterword of a 2004 paperback reissue, rights for a movie version of The Bad Place were purchased by Warner Bros. in 1990. Actor Don Johnson and his wife Melanie Griffith were looking to play the leads of Bobby and Julie Dakota. Koontz wrote the screenplay and it drew considerable buzz at the studio until the then studio chief deemed it "confusing." The studio refused to sell the script back to Koontz. Director Chuck Russell was signed to direct the film in 1991 with Richard Jefferies writing the screenplay. The film would have been produced by Lee Rich Productions. However, Jefferies left the project after writing 3 drafts, citing that he was "burned out". After his departure, Andrew Wolk was brought on as a writer. This version also never came into fruition.