A Book A Week

Stephen King needs no introduction. His name has been synonymous with bestselling novels for decades. However, it's worth noting that King is often unfairly categorized solely within the horror genre. In reality, his talent for crafting deeply complex characters and gripping narratives is what has solidified his position as a literary icon. Consider his self-proclaimed "favorite character," Holly Gibney. She debuted as a minor character in the initial book of his Bill Hodges trilogy in 2014, but her impact on both the author and his readers was so profound that she has since appeared in four additional books. This culmination has led to King's latest work, Holly, where the private detective takes on a solo case that promises to enthrall not only King's loyal fan base but any reader who appreciates a good mystery.

The story begins during the height of the pandemic, a challenging time for everyone. Holly finds herself grappling with the recent loss of her mother, a tragedy exacerbated by her mother's skepticism regarding the virus's risks. Her private investigating partner, Pete, is also sidelined due to his own battle with COVID-19, and the operations of their agency, Finders Keepers, are temporarily suspended. Given Holly's tendency toward hypochondria, the new normal of isolation and health protocols actually suits her. When she receives frantic pleas for help from Penny Dahl, a mother desperately searching for her missing daughter, Bonnie, something within Holly is stirred. Whether it's the mother's overwhelming distress or Holly's own grief over her mother's passing, she can't ignore this case. Despite her reservations, Holly decides to take on the investigation, embarking on a solo journey to unravel the mystery.

Blocks away from the last known location of Bonnie Dahl stands the unassuming residence of Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. These octogenarians have mostly retired from their academic careers but maintain an active social life, hosting gatherings for fellow scholars and students, projecting an image of bourgeois respectability. To outsiders, the Harrises appear to be an ordinary elderly couple enjoying their retirement. However, beneath this façade lies a dark secret hidden in their basement, a secret that demands cunning, patience, and ruthlessness. It is this very secret that holds the key to the Bonne Dahl case. As she delves deeper into the investigation, this secret may very well cost Holly her life. 

Holly sees Stephen King deliver an enthralling missing person story that diverges from his typical supernatural horror realm, firmly grounding itself in reality. This departure highlights that genuine horror can lurk in our own neighborhoods and emphasizes the unsettling notion that individuals who seem entirely ordinary may hide unimaginable darkness within them. Holly Gibney, the central character, receives remarkable development, struggling with the universal grief and uncertainty experienced during the pandemic. While some may interpret King's commentary on COVID deniers as overtly political, it serves to magnify the palpable reality of those times. Holly is a rare example in King's repertoire where the narrative exhibits a clear and sensible direction, even if the conclusion feels too neatly tied up. Altogether, this novel reinforces King's reputation as one of the foremost masters in the field. Each new novel he writes is a literary gift to the world, and I certainly hope he has more to share with us. 

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 82)

“End of watch is what they call it, but Hodges himself has found it impossible to give up watching"

I'm an avid reader, so it's not uncommon for a few books to slip through the cracks. In anticipation of Stephen King's latest release, Holly, which came out earlier this month, I had a realization—I had missed reading End of Watch, the final installment in the Bill Hodges Trilogy, and the third book featuring the character Holly Gibney. It's a bit puzzling, considering I had already read the first two books and also enjoyed The Outsider and If It Bleeds. Somehow, I managed to overlook this particular story. Determined to correct this oversight, I promptly borrowed End of Watch from my local library. I can confidently say it provides a satisfying conclusion to the narrative that commenced with Mr. Mercedes.

Brady Hartsfield, the deranged mastermind behind the horrifying Mercedes Massacre, has languished in a vegetative state ever since his nefarious plans to bomb a massive concert were thwarted by the unlikely heroes Bill Hodges and Holly Gibney. Holly, in particular, is the one responsible for delivering blows to his head that left him seemingly devoid of cognitive function. Hodges, with his keen instincts, refuses to be deceived. He recognizes true evil when encountering it and remains convinced that the monster is still lurking "in there" somewhere within Hartsfield. The vacant stares and the wheelchair-bound existence do little to convince him otherwise.

Hodges hasn't quite settled into retirement. The cop in him never truly fades. Even in his new role as a private detective, he finds himself yearning for the thrill of the chase. When his former partner calls upon him and Holly to investigate a suicide victim connected to the original Mercedes case, Hodges is chilled by what he discovers. While the police perceive it as a straightforward, self-inflicted death, Hodges cannot shake the gnawing suspicion that Hartsfield may somehow be linked to this tragedy. Could it be possible that the malevolent presence is orchestrating terror from the confines of his hospital bed?

I've always admired how Stephen King used the first two books in the Bill Hodges series to illustrate that true horror can exist in the real world. Instead of relying on supernatural monsters, these stories centered around an ordinary man determined to unleash evil upon the world. It was a chilling departure from King's usual style and deepened my appreciation for his storytelling skills.

End of Watch takes a slightly different tone from the first two books. While it continues to explore profound themes like the battle between good and evil and the struggle to let go of one's past, King introduces a new element to the narrative. Without giving away too much, a supernatural aspect is woven into the story, adding an eerie new layer to the tale. If I had read this book in its intended sequence within the series, I might have found this shift into the realm of fantasy somewhat unexpected. It arrives without a clear explanation, requiring readers to simply accept it and enjoy the ride. However, when considered within the broader context of this literary world, including the newer books featuring Holly, the introduction of the supernatural element begins to make more sense.

Regardless of the subject matter, End of Watch is a fitting conclusion to the Bill Hodges series. It kept me engrossed in its pages, and I was apprehensive about what terrors would unfold right up to the very end.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 61)

"I'm like the curious cat. You know what they say --- satisfaction brought him back."

Every cop has that one case that stays with them throughout their career. For retired detective Bill Hodges, his case remains unsolved. A lunatic in a Mercedes drove through a crowd of people who were lined up outside an auditorium for a job fair. Eight people, including a mother and her infant, were killed, and many others were injured. Despite his best efforts, Hodges was never able to make any headway on the case.

Now that he's retired, Hodges life is on an increasingly downward spiral. His wife divorced him years ago, his daughter refuses to speak to him, and he struggles to find anything useful to occupy his time. Hodges normally spends his days sitting at home watching T.V. and playing with his gun. The more he wallows in the boredom and sadness of retirement, the more enticed he is to turn that gun on himself. But then he gets a letter in the mail from a person claiming to be behind the Mercedes attack. Reignited by the possibility of finally catching the murderer, Hodges begins an incognito investigation.

Brady Hartsfield has many issues of his own. He is a technology wizard, but his job doing house call tech support for a local electronics store does little to engage his true abilities. Instead, Hartsfield uses his heightened intellect to psychologically manipulate his customers and co-workers. He lives at home with his mother, an alcoholic who emotionally abused him as a child. The single event in his life that has given him the most joy and satisfaction is the day he stole a Mercedes and drove it into a crowd of innocent people. The high from that event is beginning to wane. Now Hartsfield is determined to do something even more violent and malicious to satiate his new found hunger.

Mr. Mercedes is a cat and mouse thriller by one of the most skillful and prolific authors working today.   King devotes equal attention to Bill Hodges as to the man he is hunting. The end result is two characters who are both flawed and well developed. These kinds of mysteries can be made or broken by the quality of the bad guy. By making Hartsfield as well-rounded as his protagonist, King crafts one of the most intriguing and evil villains that I've ever read. Besides a graphically grotesque and emotionally horrifying death scene, King leaves most of his horror roots out of this story. Instead, Mr. Mercedes is a perfectly paced crime novel inhabited by engaging characters that serves as the start to what is sure to be a fantastic trilogy.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2017, 9)