Literary critic Shearman Waxx can kill a good book with just a few acidly worded bon mots. And as one unlucky author is about to discover, that&rsquo;s not all he&rsquo;s prepared to kill. . . .<br><br>From #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz comes a mesmerizing thriller about the battle of wills that ensues when a successful author and likable family man confronts a reclusive sociopath who wields an all-too-deadly poison pen. Respect Shearman Waxx&rsquo;s opinion and you might escape with your career intact. Cross him and he&rsquo;ll destroy you, your family, and everything you hold dear. For the title &ldquo;America&rsquo;s most feared critic&rdquo; isn&rsquo;t one Waxx takes lightly. He takes it literally. And now Cubby Greenwich, his wife, Penny, their brilliant six-year-old Milo, and their uniquely talented non-collie, Lassie, are all about to learn the true meaning of &ldquo;culture war.&rdquo;