Veil - by Jonathan Janz (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"The voice in Veil is as present, strong, charming, singular, and desperate as any I've read. The story of a family man who will stop at nothing to protect those he loves. Even if those threats are beyond sanity, reason, and a once agreed upon reality. Janz has written another absolute gem of the genre." --Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box

From beloved horror author Jonathan Janz, Veil is a heart-stopping story of one father who will stop at nothing to save his family.

It begins at night. People vanish from parks and city streets. Then in broad daylight, they're dragged screaming into the woods, into the water, into the sky. People take refuge in their homes, but still the invisible creatures come, ripping people away from their horrorstruck loved ones. Spouses. Parents. Children. Nowhere is safe and no defense can stop them. Because nothing can save you from what you can't see.

High school teacher John Calhoun loses his son the first night. A day later, they take his wife. For two months, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter manage to survive, but in the end, she is abducted too. In John's darkest moment, he meets a motley group of survivors who have a secret: a near-fatal car accident has given one of them the ability to detect what normal human eyesight cannot.

The survivors believe they can replicate the brain injury that will enable them to see the creatures. To discover how they're invading our world. To fight them. Desperate to save his family, John volunteers. And after the veil of invisibility is lifted, he and his new friends will risk everything to achieve the impossible: enter an alien world and bring their loved ones back.

Review Quotes

"Packed with gore and heart in something approaching equal measure."

-- "Lafayette Journal & Courier"

"Veil is a frenetic, breakneck horror/science fiction novel that does not relent from its opening chapter. It is a novel from a writer who is at the height of his storytelling powers and a novel that should find a large audience. I suspect when I tally up my favorite releases of 2025, Veil will have a spot on the list."

-- "SFFWorld"

"Veil by Jonathan Janz is the spiritual lovechild of movies like Predator and novels like The War of the Worlds and The Three-Body Problem. A story of endurance and perseverance, love and humanity. It's impossible not to relate to the characters in this novel, asking yourself, 'What would I be willing to endure to save my loved ones?'"

-- "BookTrib"

"A heart-stopping story."

-- "Deadline"

"Like a sci-fi Hollywood blockbuster with plenty of thrills and chills to win all the awards, [Jonathan Janz's] cinematic writing is like no other. I was on the edge of my seat, hiding behind a cushion and cheering on the good guys throughout."

-- "Scream"

"Mind-bending (and mind-altering) sci-fi horror."

-- "Daily Dead"

"Reminiscent of SF-horror classics such as Jack Finney's Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Veil features a fast-paced narrative that also serves as an inquiry into the importance of family. Outstanding."

-- "Booklist (starred review)"

"The horror in Veil doesn't just pop out at you; it creeps in, quiet and relentless, until it's everywhere. It's the kind that messes with your head as much as your heart."

-- "Fully-Booked"

"Veil is a chilling, suspenseful tale of a community grappling with unexplained disappearances and the breakdown of society. Janz's newest novel excels in its exploration of family dynamics and human resilience amidst unimaginable horror, creating a truly haunting reading experience."

-- "Gaby Triana, author of Moon Child, Wake the Hollow, and the Haunted Florida series"

"Veil is a dynamic, heartbreaking, heroic, and terrifying horror thriller! You really feel for the characters in this edge-of-the-seat powerhouse of a novel. Highly recommended!"

-- "Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Cold War and Red Empire"

"A truly masterful novel, that is about what it is to endure as a father and a human being, Jonathan Janz has yet again demonstrated that he can write just about anything. I feel it's high time we let him write just everything. Novels, manifestos...screenplays. Somebody call Hollywood."

-- "George Dunn, FanFiAddict"

"An instantly compelling, instantly unshakable nightmare. Janz cuts straight to the heart of our deepest, truest fear: that in a flash, everything we know and love, even our fundamental understandings of the world, can vanish."

-- "Nat Cassidy, USA Today bestselling author of When the Wolf Comes Home and Mary"

"In Jonathan Janz's newest novel, Veil, he manages to write a story whose heart is as large as the body count. With suspense vibes that conjure thoughts of Robert McCammon's Stinger and M. Night Shyamalan's Signs combined with the intensity of Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park, Veil hits the ground sprinting and doesn't slow until after the final page is turned. When it comes to alien horror, Janz not only drops the mic with unique flair, he strolls offstage leaving us begging for an encore!"

-- "J. H. Markert, author of Sleep Tight"

"Janz is an elite writer, one who has honed his writing voice and mastery of prose over decades now, and once you begin a Janz book, you know you're in sure and steady hands. This book was achingly perfect and is sure to connect with longtime fans and bring in plenty of new fans."

-- "Steve Stred, author of Churn the Soil and Mastodon"

"Janz's approach to the alien invasion itself is high-concept horror done right...Veil functions well as a stand-alone, but by book's end I found myself hungry for a sequel."

-- "Michael Hicks, FanFiAddict"

"I loved the eerie sense of dread woven through the story. It's not an easy thing to maintain such a suspenseful atmosphere, and I applaud Janz for pulling it off. When the suspense finally starts to ease, that's when the tears come in for the last few chapters...A wildly imaginative tale. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves strong characters, scary creatures, apocalyptic vibes, and emotional roller coasters."

-- "Kayla Frederick, author of Dead by Morning"

"This is an exciting 'popcorn novel' that can be enjoyed even by those who don't regularly read horror or sci-fi. With a super fast pace and a cast the reader cares for, Veil is nearly impossible to put down until you've completely looked behind it."

-- "Nick Cato, author of Suburban Grindhouse and Dark Dreams"

"Janz takes the quintessential theme of how far you would go to protect your family to clever and horrifying heights."

-- "First Clue Reviews"

"In all great books, we discover voice, unique to the story at hand. And the voice in Veil is as present, strong, charming, singular, and desperate as any I've read. The story of a family man who will stop at nothing to protect those he loves. Even if those threats are beyond sanity, reason, and a once agreed upon reality. Janz has written another absolute gem of the genre."

-- "Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Incidents Around the House"