Mr. Mercedes
A Novel
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4.3 • 305 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
WINNER OF THE 2015 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).
In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes.
In another part of town, months later, a retired cop named Bill Hodges is still haunted by the unsolved crime. When he gets a crazed letter from someone who self-identifies as the “perk” and threatens an even more diabolical attack, Hodges wakes up from his depressed and vacant retirement, hell-bent on preventing another tragedy.
Brady Hartsfield lives with his alcoholic mother in the house where he was born. He loved the feel of death under the wheels of the Mercedes, and he wants that rush again. Only Bill Hodges, with two new, unusual allies, can apprehend the killer before he strikes again. And they have no time to lose, because Brady’s next mission, if it succeeds, will kill or maim thousands.
Mr. Mercedes is a war between good and evil, from the master of suspense whose insight into the mind of this obsessed, insane killer is chilling and unforgettable.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
You get the feeling Stephen King had a great time writing Mr. Mercedes, a breathlessly entertaining cat-and-mouse story inspired by a small-town TV news story. Bill Hodges is a retired policeman who’s spending far too much time watching trashy reality shows and contemplating his father’s prized revolver. But when Hodges is contacted by the perpetrator of a horrific unsolved crime involving a luxury sedan, the overweight detective gets a new lease on life. King has always been a master storyteller, but his talent for vividly complicated characters—and capturing beautifully real relationships and emotions—has become more formidable with time. The colourful crew of underdogs who band together to go after King’s clever and chillingly demented bad guy is one of the most memorable and endearing crime-fighting teams in modern fiction.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
King's latest foray into suspense is a no-holds-barred cat-and-mouse contest between ex-cop Bill Hodges and Brady Hartsfield, a nerdy, mama's boy who is also a mass murderer. The two combatants are connected by a homicidal hit-and-run that occurred months before, when Hartsfield purposely steered his stolen Mercedes sedan into a crowd of the unemployed waiting in line for the opening of a job fair. Hartsfield begins to stalk the ex-cop, and sends Hodges a taunting letter. Actor Patton (TNT's Falling Skies) not only finds the right voices for protagonist and antagonist, but he matches their many mood swings. As Hodges undergoes the moments of elation and travail King has in store for him (the joy of an unexpected romance, the death of a close friend), Patton finds the perfect tone for him. As for Hartsfield, it's a matter of making him sound like a normal, likeable fellow to his coworkers at an electronics store, but a passive-aggressive monster when conversing with the ex-detective and a full-out lunatic when thinking or talking to himself. Patton's performing skills are equally impressive for the supporting cast, from Hodges's elegant and bright new girlfriend to Hartsfield's boozy, clueless mother. But it's his compelling interpretations of the two male leads King's avatars of good and evil that distinguish this riveting production. A Scribner hardcover.
Customer Reviews
One of my favourites I recommend it to everyone
I could not stop reading it once I started. My husband would have to force me to go to bed or I’d read all night. You are constantly on edge and ready for more.
A great start to a thrilling series!
This is, in my opinion, as a huge Stephen King fan, a must read! I did not want to put it down. Bravo Mr. King! Thoroughly enjoyed this and the two others in the series!
stellar!!
King at his best. A Stellar piece of literature. King has a fine way of invoking emotions in readers that most authors can't. Fear, disgust, loathing and bewilderment. There are parts of this novel that could bring on cases of PTSD. A fantastic read that I would recommend to King fans and new readers a like. King has again shown that he can put a touch on any genre.