It includes elements of horror, suspense, and mystery, and is presented partially as a twist on the private eye drama.

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.

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.

Candy also has psychometric skills, and is able to touch objects and people to learn about their previous actions and current whereabouts, which he uses to pursue Frank.

Violet and Verbina Pollard Frank and Candy's identical twin sisters form a sort of hive mind, each of the pair knowing what the other is thinking, seeing, and sharing their physical sensations.

They crave wild and evocative sensation, and will often share the minds of both predator and prey animals simultaneously, feeling the thrill of the hunt and the pain of death at the same moment.

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.