Strangers (1986)

Strangers is a horror novel written by Dean Koontz, released in 1986.

Plot

A group of people are brought together by their different and equally strange maladies. Dominick has somnambulism, Ginger has unexplained lapses into a fugue state, Father Brendan loses his faith and later gains a miraculous "gift", and Ernie has nyctophobia.

Dominick receives Polaroids that lead him to the Tranquility Motel, situated in the middle of the Nevada "high-desert", thirty miles west of Elko. Together with Ned and Sandy, who run the restaurant next door to the motel, they discover that their true memories from the summer of the previous year may have been suppressed.

Later Ginger, Jorja, and the other people who stayed at the Tranquility Motel are contacted and invited to join the group. Ginger shares that their memories are suppressed by Azrael Blocks, a means of brainwashing induced through drugs and hypnosis. She received hypnosis as a treatment to uncover a cause of her malady.

The Tranquility "community" are unaware that those behind the suppression are watching them. They are joined by Jack Twist (who was led to the Tranquility Motel by a series of postcards placed there by an insider). The group finally comes up with a strategy to uncover the government secret that has been hidden at the Thunder Hill Depository in the hills.

Primary characters

Dominick Corvaisis, author

Ginger Weiss, surgeon

Ernie Block, U.S.M.C. (ret.), and his wife, Faye Block

Brendan Cronin, priest and curate

Jack Twist, former Army Ranger and P.O.W., professional thief

Jorja Monatella, formerly Rykoff, Las Vegas casino cocktail waitress

Alan Rykoff, Jorja's estranged husband

Marcie Rykoff, their young daughter

Sandy Sarver, diner waitress, and her husband, Ned Sarver, short-order cook

Leland Falkirk, U.S. Army Colonel

Parker Faine, artist

Stefan Wycazik, parish priest

Miles Bennell, scientist

Bob Alvarado, U.S. Army General

Adaptation

In 2018, it was announced that an adaptation of Strangers is in development at Fox for a one hour drama created by Criminal Minds creator Jeff Davis. The project is a co-production between Fox and Sony Pictures Television.