'Mr. Mercedes' by Stephen King is a departure from his usual horror genre, delving into the realm of detective mystery. The plot centers around a retired detective, Bill Hodges, who becomes obsessed with catching a deranged killer named Mr. Mercedes after receiving a taunting letter from him. The story unfolds as a cat-and-mouse game between Hodges and the killer, with alternating chapters providing insights into both characters' perspectives. The book is praised for its fast-paced and tension-filled narrative, with a mix of quirky characters like Jerome, a smart young neighbor, and Holly, an autistic relative of a murder victim.
The writing style in 'Mr. Mercedes' is described as skillful and engaging, with short mini-chapters within chapters that keep the reader hooked on the story. Despite being a departure from horror, King's storytelling ability shines through, delivering an intricate and fun narrative about a serial killer and the battle between him and the determined retired cop. The book is noted for its entertaining plot, well-drawn characters, and effective use of multiple points of view to drive the story forward.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Mr. Mercedes includes several content warnings such as violence, suicide, mental illness, and disturbing themes related to murder and psychological manipulation.
From The Publisher:
Now an AT & T Audience Original Series
WINNER OF THE EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL
#1 New York Times bestseller! In a high-suspense race against time, three of the most unlikely heroes Stephen King has ever created try to stop a lone killer from blowing up thousands. "Mr. Mercedes is a rich, resonant, exceptionally readable accomplishment by a man who can write in whatever genre he chooses" (The Washington Post).
The stolen Mercedes emerges from the pre-dawn fog and plows through a crowd of men and women on line for a job fair in a distressed American city. Then the lone driver backs up, charges again, and speeds off, leaving eight dead and more wounded. The case goes unsolved and ex-cop Bill Hodges is out of hope when he gets a letter from a man who loved the feel of death under the Mercedes's wheels…
Brady Hartsfield wants that rush again, but this time he's going big, with an attack that would take down thousands-unless Hodges and two new unusual allies he picks up along the way can throw a wrench in Hartsfield's diabolical plans. Stephen King takes off on a "nerve-shredding, pulse-pounding race against time" (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) with this acclaimed #1 bestselling thriller.
Ratings (130)
Incredible (24) | |
Loved It (49) | |
Liked It (38) | |
It Was OK (11) | |
Did Not Like (7) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (215):
Read It (133) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (55) | |
Did Not Finish (4) | |
Not Interested (22) |
1 comment(s)
This is a departure from King's usual supernatural horror, but the run-of-the-mill human horrorshows are scary enough. He's created a Freudian psychopathic nightmare in Brady Hartsfield, a young man who drives a Mercedes into a group of people lined up for a job fair just to see what it feels like. The case of the Mercedes Killer is one of the last one cop Bill Hodges takes before his retirement. As a retiree, Bill has lost much of his will to live, and just as he reaches the edge, Mr. Mercedes sends him a taunting letter designed to send him over that edge. Instead, it ignites Bill's will to live, and he begins a new investigation into Mr. Mercedes without the police or their resources. Instead, he collects a ragtag group of outsiders who become his new force - and they go after Mr. Mercedes with a vengeance.
The strength of this novel lies in its characters. Bill, Jerome, Janey, even Aunt Charlotte for her brief time on the page - all of them are good, bad, and real. Even Brady is a good character in that he inspires an appropriate amount of disgust. Readers will really hate this guy, and at the same time perfectly understand him.
And the last line? Genius. I think the only thing I really didn't get is why he felt the need to reference two of his own novels in the first fifty pages.
What can you read after
Mr. Mercedes?
About the Author:
Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, and Doctor Sleep are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.
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