He often relies on a template character of the overachiever who overcome great childhood obstacles but is lonely in life. Too often, Dean Koontz is lazy with his character development. Upon its publication, Koontz became a national bestseller of books and developed into a novel machine, publishing two – sometimes three novels a year for more than 30 years. Watchers launched the career of Dean Koontz who had many books in print, but remained under the radar of most readers. Vince and the Outsider converge on the Cornell home at the same time and Travis, Nora, and Einstein are forced to fight for their lives against a sadistic mass murderer and a genetically engineered killing machine.

They flee, assume false identities and move to northern California to flee from the federal government who is tracking both the Outsider and Einstein in hopes of capturing them. When they return from their honeymoon, they find their home destroyed and Travis’s landlord dead at the hands of the other. Travis and Nora fall in love and are married. Determined to find the dog, capture him, and sell him to the highest bidder, Vince also pursues the dog across southern California. While slaughtering Banodyne scientists, Vince learns of Einstein and his wondrous abilities. They both fall in love with Einstein and learn to communicate with him to unlock his secrets. One day, while walking with Travis in a park, Einstein saves Nora from her stalker and Travis and Nora are drawn together.

The Outsider is loose as well, slaughtering people and animals across southern California with one goal – to find Einstein and kill him. While Einstein is an exceptionally intelligent, faithful, loyal dog, the creature known as The Outsider is a ruthless killing machine. The lab also created another intelligent animal. He is hired by the Soviets to kill scientists associated with Banodyne Laboratories – the lab that created the Golden Retriever named Einstein by his new master, Travis. He believes he is able to absorb the life force of those he kills and is striving for immortality. Vince Nasco is a Mafia hitman who delights in killing. After servicing her television, a television repairman starts to harass Nora, calling her and making suggestive comments and tormenting her. Repressed by her aunt that raised her, Nora gets nervous at the prospect of any human contact. Nora Devon has lived a sheltered life, hardly ever venturing into public. This dog is special and the government is taking a strong interest in finding it. Travis soon learns that this is no ordinary Golden Retriever. The dog warns Travis that he is in danger and Travis and the dog flee the desert. One day while hiking alone, he finds a stray dog running along a desert trail. Travis Cornell is a former Delta Force unit alienated from life and the human race by a series of tragic events in his life.

Watchers by Dean Koontz