Never Flinch by Stephen King

On December 17, 2025December 17, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton/Simon & Schuster Audio (Audiobook – 5 September 2023)

Series: Holly Gibney – Book Two

Length: 14 hours and 44 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Legendary author Stephen King continues to dominate the horror and crime fiction genres with his brilliant 2025 release, Never Flinch, a gripping and intense thriller that brings back one of his more unique protagonists and keeps the reader constantly on the edge of their seat.

Ever since I started reviewing a wider range of fiction on my blog, I have been really drawn to the works of iconic author Stephen King. King is a truly impressive author who has impacted so many levels of world fiction with his brilliant imagination, and I have had such an epic time getting through some of his latest novels. Highlights for me so far include the fun coming-of-age story Later, the clever fantasy novel Fairy Tale, the gripping and personal thriller Billy Summers (one of my favourite books of 2021), and the impressive short story collection You Like It Darker (one of my favourite books of 2024), just to name a few.

While I have loved some of these impressive and varied reads, some of my favourite recent Stephen King books have been those where King dives into the crime fiction genre, producing some complex and particularly powerful narrative, especially when his mysteries border on horror stories. The author’s current dive into the crime fiction genre mostly originated with his 2014 novel, Mr Mercedes. The first book in the author’s Bill Hodges series, Mr Mercedes was a fantastic read that saw a gritty detective attempt to stop a deranged killer haunting his town. While the Bill Hodges books featured several compelling characters, a true standout was unusual new protagonist, Holly Gibney. An initially timid and unsocial figure, Holly grew into a competent detective as the Bill Hodges books continued and was a true standout for this clever trilogy.

King enjoyed Gibney so much as a character that she was eventually brought back for several additional books. This included the horror thriller The Outsider (one of my favourite horror novels), where Holly is brought in halfway through the book’s plot to investigate a murder conclusively proven to be committed by a man with a perfect alibi. The Outsider was an exceptional read, and King soon upgraded Holly to a sole protagonist with his 2023 novel Holly. Featuring a particularly powerful and deeply shocking story, Holly saw the protagonist take on an unlikely pair of killers with a shocking motivation for committing their crimes. Holly ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023, and I am still very impressed with where that dark story went. As such, I have been very keen to read more books from Stephen King since then, and I was particularly thrilled when I found out that the author’s 2025 release was another Holly Gibney novel. This sequel, Never Flinch, was one of my most anticipated novels of 2025, and I have been meaning to write a review about it for a while now.

Plot Synopsis:

From master storyteller Stephen King comes an extraordinary new novel with intertwining storylines—one about a killer on a diabolical revenge mission, and another about a vigilante targeting a feminist celebrity speaker—featuring the beloved Holly Gibney and a dynamic new cast of characters.

When the Buckeye City Police Department receives a disturbing letter from a person threatening to “kill thirteen innocents and one guilty” in “an act of atonement for the needless death of an innocent man,” Detective Izzy Jaynes has no idea what to think. Are fourteen citizens about to be slaughtered in an unhinged act of retribution? As the investigation unfolds, Izzy realizes that the letter writer is deadly serious, and she turns to her friend Holly Gibney for help.

Meanwhile, controversial and outspoken women’s rights activist Kate McKay is embarking on a multi-state lecture tour, drawing packed venues of both fans and detractors. Someone who vehemently opposes Kate’s message of female empowerment is targeting her and disrupting her events. At first, no one is hurt, but the stalker is growing bolder, and Holly is hired to be Kate’s bodyguard—a challenging task with a headstrong employer and a determined adversary driven by wrath and his belief in his own righteousness.

Featuring a riveting cast of characters both old and new, including world-famous gospel singer Sista Bessie and an unforgettable villain addicted to murder, these twinned narratives converge in a chilling and spectacular conclusion—a feat of storytelling only Stephen King could pull off.

Thrilling, wildly fun, and outrageously engrossing, Never Flinch is one of King’s richest and most propulsive novels.

Honestly, how the heck is King still this damn good? Never Flinch was another exceptional novel from King, who continues to impress with his elaborate narratives, slick writing and relatable characters. Featuring a particularly clever crime fiction plot that keeps the readers on their toes to the very end, Never Flinch proved near impossible to put down at times, especially as King keeps amping up the intensity and the danger. Never Flinch gets a very easy five-star rating from me, and I’m already listed it as one of the top books and audiobooks from the first half of 2025.

King pulls together an awesome and compelling story for Never Flinch, that had me hooked very early on. Starting off on an interesting note as the reader is introduced the book’s antagonist, who goes by the nickname of Trig, you are soon thrown into his desperate ploy to murder 14 random people in Buckeye City to replicate the jury who put an innocent man in prison. Serving as a very impressive start to a great story, King soon expands the narrative further by examining the police investigation into these murders, and showing protagonist Holly Gibney’s initial interest in the case. From there the plot expands even further, as another dangerous killer starts to stalk a women’s rights activist, Kate McKay, and her assistant, and Holly is eventually hired to act as Kate’s bodyguard during the rest of her book tour. King does an excellent job building up all the details of this second case, while also following the growing murders in Buckeye City, and you are soon absorbed in both cases, especially when you witness all the perspectives involved with the two scenarios, including the book’s various antagonists. There are also some fun additional personal notes added to plot, as several compelling supporting characters, including recurring Holly Gibney cast members Jerome and Barbara Robinson, the later of whom builds a connection with famous gospel singer Sista Bessie, who is performing in Buckeye City.

The author keeps the pace of Never Flinch going strong and fast as you move into the story, with interesting storylines around Holly, the police, the antagonists, and other supporting characters. There was a real interesting mixture of storylines once King had everything set up, and I really loved the various compelling character arcs and elements as the plot continued. While some of the big twists about the antagonists aren’t too surprising and are revealed relatively early in the plot, you are still very drawn into their respective crusades, as well as the protagonists’ attempts to stop them. Everything comes together nicely in the second half of the book, where both cases, as well as the more personal storylines of Never Flinch, collide violently, and various characters are forced to fight for their lives. King provides an exceedingly tense final third to Never Flinch, which sees a blow-by-blow coverage of events leading up to a dramatic and bloody final confrontation. The alternating movements of all the participants in this case, including a deranged killer, several hostages and coerced individuals, as well as the protagonists desperately trying to save the day, produced so much tension, and you really cannot turn away until all the dramatic confrontations come to an end. I frankly powered through this final part of the book in one extended session, as I was so damn keen to see what happened next, and this ended up being an extremely satisfying ending to a really impressive book.

I really enjoy King’s great writing style when it comes to his captivating crime fiction novels, and he excels at creating tense and ultra-exciting reads, driven by multiple compelling character arcs. Never Flinch was an excellent example of this, as King produces a brilliant story that quickly grabs the reader’s attention and never slows down. Featuring slick, quickfire writing and very short chapters and subchapters, the story moves along at a very fast clip, and King effectively sets up the book’s compelling scenarios very effectively. The great array of alternating character perspectives, as well as several compelling flashbacks, really works to create a layered plot, and I loved the constant switch between the many characters. Showcasing several antagonist perspectives also helped to really increase tension, especially as you got to see their various plans in action. This writing style also helped to make Never Flinch feel a lot more accessible to new readers, and while established fans of the author will probably get more out of some of the character developments that occur in the novel, I felt that Never Flinch was a book that any fan of crime fiction could easily get into and have no trouble following at all.

King also experiments with some interesting themes in this novel, which added a lot to Never Flinch’s emotional impact, while also helping to highlight character flaws in the cast. This includes a very compelling look at addiction in all its forms, with a particular focus on how it drives people. While this includes a focus on more obvious addictions like drugs and alcohol, other major addictions come to light throughout the book, including Trig’s growing desire to kill, and Kate’s addiction for the spotlight and controversy. The examination of addiction served as a key part of the book’s plot, especially as it helps to explore some of the character’s motivations, and I felt that King was putting a lot of his own personal experiences into the book. King also spends a bit of time in Never Flinch examining mentorship, as several junior characters find themselves coming under the wing of older, seemingly wiser, people. While some of these relationships are quite positive, others, such as Kate and her assistant, come across as a little more toxic at times, especially when the mentor puts their own needs ahead of their student’s safety. I liked the interesting comparisons in the mentor/mentee relationships that formed throughout Never Flinch, and it was a very compelling addition to the plot.

As with most of King’s books, the true heart of Never Flinch lies in its compelling and often larger-than-life characters, who the author meticulously brings to life. The focus of this book is once again the quirky and silently talented Holly Gibney, a skilled investigator brought into the case by her own curiosity and a desire to help a prominent women’s rights activist. Holly serves as a dependable and likeable heart to the entire novel, and it was fascinating to watch her continue to battle her own lack of confidence and lingering social issues. Her continued growth as both an investigator and a person is an excellent part of this book, and it was great to see the various relationships she continues to cultivate.

These relationships for Holly result in an excellent cast of returning characters, including detective Isabelle ‘Izzy’ James, who has a much bigger role in this novel as the main police character in the story. Izzy’s official investigation serves as a good counterpart to Holly’s more general queries into the case, and her maverick personality, especially in the face of police politics, added some extra intrigue to Never Flinch. The other two major returning characters are siblings Jerome and Barbara Robinson, who have served as Holly’s backup and friends since Mr Mercedes. While Jerome was a great emotional support to Holly and had some key roles in this book, the standout supporting figure was Barbara, whose compelling side-plot about her work with Sista Bessie helped to make Never Flinch a little more hopeful in places, especially as King has been detailing Barbara’s artistic growth in response to the darkest of encounters for the last couple of books. Of course, as this is a Stephen King novel, this hopefulness often results in greater trauma down the line, as the author must ensure you are constantly worried that bad things are going to happen to the good people in Holly’s life. Throw in some other compelling supporting characters, including the radiant and soulful Sista Bessie, the bombastic feminist icon Kate McKay, and Corrie Anderson, Kate’s young assistant who finds herself in the firing line alongside her boss despite her best judgement, and there are a lot of interesting figures in Never Flinch who you become quite attached to.

While I love the main cast, another major highlight of Never Flinch is the complex antagonists who King effortlessly works into the plot. This includes a compelling stalker figure who is hunting after Kate and Corrie for their own religious reasons. An interesting character whose deeper issues are well exploited, this stalker was an interesting alternate antagonist for Holly in this novel, and I liked how their complex actions added some additional risk to the plot. However, the best villain was the serial killer stalking Buckeye City, determined to murder 14 people in response to an innocent man dying in jail. This killer, Trig, was a truly fascinating figure, with some unique motivations and quirks. King does an excellent job mostly obscuring Trig’s identity for much of the novel, while also showcasing many compelling scenes from his perspective as continues his murderous quest. The resulting slow-burn loss of Trig’s sanity as he becomes addicted to his dark work was a particularly sinister part of Never Flinch, and King excelled at showcasing this antagonist’s changing motivations and plans. These outstanding villains served as an impressive counterpart to the main cast, and I felt that Trig was King’s best character in Never Flinch.

While I received copies of Never Flinch on a few different formats, I decided in the end to try out the audiobook version of this novel, especially after having some very good experiences with other Stephen King audiobooks. This proved to be an outstanding choice, as the Never Flinch audiobook was an exceptional listen, with the layered and complex mystery really transforms into something special when read out. Coming in with a near 15-hour long runtime, Never Flinch is a decently long audiobook, but it’s one that listeners will generally be able to power through quickly, especially with the compelling, if relatively new narrator Jessie Mueller bringing the story to life. Now, I must admit that I was initially disappointed that Holly narrator Justine Lupe (who played Holly in the Mr Mercedes television adaptation), was not returning for Never Flinch, however Jessie Mueller quickly showed herself to be an excellent replacement. Thanks to her outstanding voice work, Mueller quickly made the Never Flinch audiobook her own, and I liked the unique flair and compelling voices she gifted to the extended cast. Several of these characters had a lot more personality thanks to Mueller’s narration, and I liked how well she voiced some of the distinctive members of the cast. However, I think Mueller’s best inclusion to this audiobook was her very impressive singing voice, as there a couple of music focused scenes around Sista Bessie and Barbara. Mueller captured these parts of the book perfectly, and her resulting singing performances were extremely good, and helped to give the audiobook more impact. As such, Never Flinch was an overall exceptional listen and one of the best audiobooks of the year, and I would strongly recommend it as the best format to enjoy this great new King novel.

Stephen King once again showcases why he the world’s top author with another exceptional and truly gripping novel. Never Flinch was an incredible read that combines a clever crime fiction narrative with some fantastic characters, to really grab the reader’s attention. With its epic tension and high stakes, King’s latest novel was so damn addictive, and I really appreciated how clever the story got. An overall exceptional read, Never Flinch was one of the best books I had the pleasure of reading in 2025, and I cannot wait to see what King writes next.

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Holly by Stephen King

On October 18, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Horror, Thriller17 Comments

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton/Scribner (Audiobook – 5 September 2023)

Series: Holly Gibney

Length: 15 hours and 24 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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The master of thrills and chills, Stephen King, returns with his latest exceptional read, the powerful and gruesome thriller Holly, an outstanding and utterly gripping read that brings back an amazing original protagonist.

Fans of this blog will be aware that I have been in a bit of a Stephen King mood recently, especially being quite a latecomer to his books. I have had a wonderful time reading some of his latest works, including Later, Billy Summers and Fairy Tale, each of which has been great in its own way. I have also been keeping a firm eye out for any upcoming books from King, and I was highly intrigued when I saw that he was releasing Holly in the second half of 2023.

Holly, which was one of my most anticipated books of the year, serves as a continuation of the adventures of protagonist Holly Gibney. Holly Gibney, who first appeared in Mr Mercedes, is a unique and damaged figure who ended serving a vital supporting role in all three Bill Hodges books, as well as the horror-filled thriller, The Outsider (both of which have been adapted into awesome television series). Holly is the first full novel where this quirky figure will be the main protagonist (although there was the novella, If It Bleeds), and I was very intrigued to see how that turned out. I even went back and read Mr Mercedes for the first time so I would have a better idea of the character and their fascinating story.

It is the height of the 2021 COVID pandemic, and Holly Gibney is reeling from the sudden death of her domineering and stubborn mother. Initially planning to take some time off, Holly finds herself drawn to a new case when distraught mother Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping to get help in finding her missing daughter, Bonnie. With her partner, Pete, out of commission with COVID, Holly decides to take on the case by herself, especially when Penny’s desperation breaks through to her.

Diving into the case to distract herself from her deep personal concerns, Holly begins to uncover all the details surrounding Bonnie’s sudden disappearance. But the further she digs, the more sinister the case becomes, especially when it becomes apparent that more than one person has disappeared in the same residential area. To uncover the truth, Holly will need to find out more about these other disappearances.

However, Holly is unaware of a deadly threat watching her from the suburban shadows. Professors Rodney and Emily Harris are octogenarians living an easy life as semi-retired academics. But this old married couple is keeping a dark and unimaginable secret in their basement, one that will shake Holly to her very core. Can Holly find out what really happened to Bonnie and the other missing persons before the clever and patient professors make their move?

Wow, just wow! This was such an exceptional and powerful read, and it is one of the best books I have ever read from Stephen King. Featuring an exciting, emotionally charged and highly gruesome story that will leave you breathless and horrified, Holly had me hooked from the second I started it and it refused to let me go even after I finished it. Intense, clever, and oh so beautifully disturbing, Holly gets an easy five-star review from me for so many delicious reasons.

Holly has an epic and addictive narrative that grabs the reader’s attention right off the bat, especially as you are immediately introduced to the horrifying schemes of the antagonists. This great introduction perfectly leads into the main story, which focuses on the protagonist’s investigation into the disappearance of a missing girl. This is very much a character driven plot, as the protagonist simultaneously deals with her troubled history and roiling emotions following the death of her mother. King features a range of intriguing character perspectives throughout the course of Holly, showcasing different angles to the case and introducing several additional personal stories. Thanks to these intriguing perspectives, especially those surrounding Holly herself, the investigative storyline rolls along at a fast and exciting pace, and Holly quickly begins to realise something nefarious did happen to her client’s daughter, as well as other people in the same area. King backs up these revelations with great flashback chapters that showcase the actual sinister deeds of the antagonists, while also giving you some fascinating insights into who they are and what drives them to commit these insanities.

The resulting story continues at a fast and compelling clip, as you get further drawn into both Holly’s case and the intriguing history of the Harrises and the people whose lives they impact. King writes a very tight and captivating investigative storyline around the protagonist, and I liked how Holly methodically finds connections and identifies new victims through a series of fun character interviews. Thanks to the flashback sequences, the reader already knows what the Harrises have done and what Holly is going to find as her investigation continues, which gave the protagonist’s scenes more of an edge as you wait for her to uncover the full horrors awaiting her. As this unfolds, you are also gifted to several compelling and emotionally charged scenes around Holly, as well as several other great supporting figures, as they go about their damaged and complex lives. This includes a large sub-story thread around returning character Barbara Robinson, whose foray into the literary world proves quite powerful and personal, while also revealing several major clues in the case. These multiple character-driven storylines are pretty fascinating and captivating in their own way, and they pull together perfectly into one cohesive and bloody narrative that you can’t prove away from.

While the first two thirds of Holly are extremely cool and addictive, the third act is where everything comes together, and boy is it glorious. King came up with an excellent and very impressive conclusion that keeps you irresistibility hooked up to the end. Several lingering questions, such as the fates of characters, are cleverly and gruesomely answered in the leadup to Holly pulling the clues together. At the same time, the author also revolves several key character arcs and storylines, which set up these various figures for the big confrontations, for better or for worse. I love how King maneuverers all the characters around through chance, tragedy and mistakes so that there is the maximum risk for his protagonists, and you are seriously left wondering who is going to survive and how the entire story will unfold. The climatic scenes are pretty damn memorable, as King brings everything together in a brutal way that only he could envision. The shock, the emotional damage and the horrors that are revealed are extremely powerful and cool, and you will come away from Holly disturbed and satisfied in equal measure.

While I already had a great deal of respect for King’s writing ability before reading this book, I have to say that I was even more deeply impressed with how he pulled Holly together. This fantastic book was the perfect blend of mystery, suspense and character-driven narrative, and there was frankly not a single second that I did not enjoy. The way that the author told his complex narrative is outstanding, and I loved how the perspective switches between the various intriguing characters, as well as featuring flashback chapters that range from heartfelt to highly sinister. The constant changes in focus helped to create a very compelling and elaborate read, and showcasing all the key characters ensures that the reader gets a much more complete and powerful narrative, especially during the main investigative storyline. While I liked the protagonist’s narrative, some of the best scenes were those that focused on the antagonists and their sinister secrets in the basement. The Harrises’ scenes are pure and exquisite horror that had me shuddering and shivering the entire way through, especially when you find out exactly what they are doing and why. I cannot fully express how gruesome King made this part of the book, and I could not stop reacting at his horrifying descriptions at times; it was that damn dreadful. Combine that with the highly personal and relatable character arcs, and this ended up being an exceptional read that you will have a hard time putting down.

While Holly is part of a larger series of books and stories that feature the main character of Holly Gibney in some way, King makes sure to cover all the relevant details from these previous works where needed, and this can be read as a standalone novel. Both I and my wife (who hasn’t read any of the books, but did watch the Mr Mercedes television series), were able to follow every point of this book without any issue, although established King readers will probably have fun seeing the story continue from these previous reads. As such, Holly is an easy and compelling read to check out, even if you are unfamiliar with King’s work, and you are guaranteed to have fun with it.

I cannot talk about Holly without discussing the outstanding and beautifully written characters that help to turn this amazing novel into such a classic and exceptional read. King has always excelled at wrapping his elaborate narratives around powerful and distinctive protagonists and villains, and Holly is a brilliant example of this. The heart of the tale lies in the motivations and actions of Holly’s excellent cast, and the simultaneous examination of their lives and the case is so very addictive.

The most prominent of these characters is titular protagonist Holly Gibney, who returns this time as the main character of her own book. Holly is such a fascinating and complex figure to focus a story around, and while much of her development occurred in previous novels, King still has a lot to work with here. Already somewhat emotionally damaged and immature, especially after a lifetime of anxiety and manipulation, Holly has only come out of her shell in recent years thanks to the help of her friends and her new career as a private investigator. However, the death of her mother brings up a whole new bag of issues, especially as it uncovers additional layers of manipulation that Holly had previously been unaware of. Most of Holly’s scenes see her try to deal with continual feelings of guilt, betrayal and regret that results from these revelations, while the words of her mother continue to play in her head, influencing her decisions. While this pain and uncertainty is a big part of Holly’s personality, King expertly balances this with some more positive character aspects, including her expert investigation skills, the emotional strength she draws from her friends, and her unyielding determination to find the truth. King really did a great job of reintroducing and utilising Holly here, and I felt that she served as an excellent central protagonist of her own novel. I did think that King really didn’t write Holly as a woman in her mid-50s, as she felt a lot younger than she should have, but a lot of this is due to how emotionally immature the character is due to her hard life. Honestly, her unique insights, thoughts and relationships are extremely refreshing and so much fun, and I would read so many more novels that have Holly Gibney as the main protagonist.

While Holly is a great protagonist, this book would be nothing without the fantastic figures of Rodney and Emily Harris, who might be some of the best villains that King has ever written (which is saying something). The Harrises are quickly shown to be anything but the harmless retired academics they present to the world, especially when readers are treated to a view of their basement. I don’t want to give too much away here, because you really need to read King’s excellent buildup to fully experience the horror around them, but they are gloriously and exceptionally sinister. Part of this is because their age belies how dangerous and malicious they truly are, with other characters constantly underestimating them, and watching these frail figures commit acts of utter evil is very shocking. Other elements of their sinister nature are derived from the initial secrecy surrounding their motivations as well as the uncertainty around whether their actions are normal human evil or something more unnatural. King does such a good job of diving into the mind of these characters throughout the course of Holly, and you really get some powerful and captivating insights into who they are and why they are committing their crimes. The author works in a complex layer of fear, regret, love and insanity underneath their actions, you can kind of empathise with their desires and understand why they are doing what they are doing. However, these brief flashes of empathy only ensure that the reader is even more repulsed by their actions, especially when you also get the points of view from their victims. Honestly, I could go on, but I think I will just leave it here and say that Rodney and Emily Harris are exceptional villains, and you won’t be the same after visiting their basement.

Aside from the complex protagonist and the amazing villains, Holly is also loaded with a great cast of supporting characters, each of whom have their own moments to shine. Many of these are returning figures from the previous Bill Hodges books, such as Jerome and Barbara Robinson, Holly’s friends and emotional support. Both Jerome and Barbara have had a lot of growth in the previous novels, and it was great to see their stories continue in Holly. Barbara in particular has a fascinating and moving character arc in this novel, as her horrifying experiences from the previous books inspire her to write haunting poetry. This proves to be an intriguing and moving side storyline for part of the book, which, while it does have certain implications for the main investigation, also expands on Barbara’s creativity and highlights the joy that writing and creativity in all forms can bring to a person. Barbara’s mentor, elderly poet Oliva Kingsbury, also proves to be a wonderful additional to the cast, and her canny insights and elaborate experiences add some great depth to parts of the novel. I also need to highlight the poor unfortunates who serve as the victims of this story. While many of them are only briefly featured throughout Holly, King ensures that each of them is effectively and emotionally highlighted. While each of them is primarily shown at their very worst, you really get a sense of who they are, and the inherent tragedy of their lives and what is being done to them, will stick with you. All these characters and more are so perfectly written by King, and their unique journeys and powerful emotions, help to drive Holly’s narrative in some outstanding directions.

King also injects an interesting level of social commentary into Holly by strongly featuring some of the key events of the last couple of years into this story. Holly is King’s first novel set during COVID times, and he really tries to showcase how life was changed during this period. The characters are constantly talking about masks, vaccines, and the impact of the pandemic on their lives. While this is somewhat repetitive and traumatic for people trying to put that behind them, I felt that it was a perfect reenactment of how life was a few years ago. The characters encounter all manner of different mindsets and opinions about the pandemic and other key events during this time, which will be instantly recognisable to readers, and I liked seeing the protagonists react to it, especially when it plays into their own personal experiences. While King mostly speaks through his protagonists, there is a certain level of social commentary, and you can feel that King has some strong opinions about recent events. While this commentary might not be for everyone, I really appreciated it and I felt that it gave the story some more realism, especially when the author sticks his narrative right in the middle of recent major events.

While I did get a physical copy of Holly, I decided to check out the audiobook version instead, because I had a road trip that this was the perfect accompaniment for, and also because they got the perfect narrator in Justine Lupe, who plays the character of Holly Gibney in the Mr Mercedes television series. I love it when audiobooks get fun and appropriate narrators with connections to related media, and Justine Lupe was easily one of the best examples of this. Not only does she perfectly capture Holly’s spirit, emotions and personality due to her experiences with Mr Mercedes, but she also does an amazing job narrating the rest of the story and bringing the other characters to life. Lupe really dives into all the members of this brilliant cast in a great way, and I love how each of them is gifted a distinctive and fitting voice, such as how she made the Harrises sound both innocent and sinister at the same time. I was really impressed with Holly’s perfect choice in casting, and I loved the continuation on from the existing portrayal of the titular protagonist. Coming in at around 15 and a half hours, the Holly audiobook has a decent length to it, but once you start listening to it, you really can’t stop. As such, I would strongly recommend this audiobook to anyone interested in checking out Holly in all its gory glory, especially if you also enjoyed the Mr Mercedes television series.

I could go on about Holly, but the point is that this latest Stephen King novel is pretty damn exceptional. Perfectly blending established characters and an elaborate new narrative with some gruesome and intense elements, Holly had me hooked from the first scene thanks to its brilliant storytelling. Dark, shocking and deeply personal, there is so much to love about Holly, and it was one of the strongest King stories that I have had the pleasure of reading. I honestly cannot recommend this book enough, both to new readers and established King fans, and Holly is easily one of the best books of 2023.

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Throwback Thursday – Mr Mercedes by Stephen King

On August 31, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Thriller, Throwback Thursday15 Comments

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (Paperback – 3 June 2014)

Series: Bill Hodges – Book One

Length: 407 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Welcome back to my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read. Is this week’s Throwback Thursday, I am going back to some of the older works of the legendary Stephen King lately, starting with his compelling and intense psychological thriller, Mr Mercedes, an excellent and captivating read that I had an outstanding time reading.

I have to admit that I don’t have a lot of experience with Stephen King’s books, having only read some of his more recent releases, such as Later, Billy Summers (one of my favourite novels of 2021), and Fairy Tale. However, I have been keeping an eye out for King’s upcoming novels, including his next book, Holly, which is out very soon. In preparation for Holly’s release, I decided to go back and read an earlier King novel, Mr Mercedes, especially as it serves as the introduction of the titular character from the upcoming book, and boy was I glad to try this fantastic novel out.

On a dark and cold morning in a depressed mid-western city, a desperate crowd gathers outside a jobs fair, hoping to turn their lives around. However, many never got the chance, as a lone driver in a stolen Mercedes drives into the crowd, killing eight people and wounding more, before managing to escape. This gruesome crime has haunted the community, and especially detective Bill Hodges, who was unable to catch the “Mercedes Killer” before he retired.

Years later, Hodges is living the solitary and depressed life of a former police officer who has seen too much. Barely managing to get through each day, Hodges is suddenly revitalised when he receives a disturbing letter from someone claiming to be the Mercedes Killer. Now more determined than ever to hunt down this killer and bring him to justice, Hodges jump-starts an unofficial investigation, hoping that his prey’s decision to contact him will be his biggest mistake.

Hodges’s new search leads him back to the owner of the Mercedes, who committed suicide from the guilt of her car being used in such a horrendous attack. Teaming up with the dead woman’s sister and a band of unlikely helpers, Hodges begins to finally unravel the case. However, the Mercedes Killer is a far more dangerous prey than Hodges ever realised. Not only is he obsessed with killing Hodges, but he also has a nefarious plan that will rock the city to its core. Can Hodges finally defeat his nemesis before it is too late, or will the Mercedes Killer once again get away with an outrageous act of violence?

This was a very impressive novel from King, who masterfully explores the psychological thriller genre the way only he can. Featuring some powerful and complex characters, an elaborate cat-and-mouse plot, and King’s intense and addictive writing style, Mr Mercedes is a masterful novel that proves near impossible to put down.

I loved the powerful and captivating story that King pulled together for Mr Mercedes, as the author really dives into this dark story in a big way. Starting with the gruesome and over-the-top Mercedes killing, which definitely sets the scene for much of the book, the main plot begins years later, with the retired Bill Hodges receiving a letter from the Mercedes Killer, who is attempting to persuade Hodges to kill himself. However, Hodges instead enters into an off-the-books investigation, attempting to goad the Mercedes Killer into making a mistake while also connecting with the sister of the case’s key witness. Half the book also focuses on the character of Brady Hartfield, the Mercedes Killer, who has become obsessed with ending Hodges, while also launching a new attack. Disturbed, and determined to win, Brady’s perspective adds a great narrative edge to Mr Mercedes, and you are soon swept up in his complex emotional journey, especially once he realises that Hodges is on his tail.

The plot develops at a pretty fast and compelling pace, and you swiftly get drawn into each perspective character’s unique view on life and the grizzly events unfolding around them. King really focuses on the dark and damaged minds of each of his characters, and the ongoing narrative is littered with compelling and fascinating dives into each of their pasts and the events that led them to where they are now. The author also introduces several great supporting characters, each of whom adds their own unique elements to the book, whether it’s by helping Hodges with his investigation or by adding to the emotional fire that burns within both main characters. Most of the story is devoted to the cat-and-mouse chase between Hodges and Brady, especially as they come closer and closer to confronting each other and digging at each other’s psyche. King really moves the story along in the second half, thanks to a massive moment that really shatters the somewhat comfortable narrative that had been building at that point. Everything leads up to the big and inevitable conclusion, as Brady attempts to unleash his master plan and Hodges and his allies close in on him. This big confrontation is pretty damn interesting and intense, especially as a surprising third party takes the lead, but it leaves a fantastic and satisfying conclusion that readers will deeply appreciate and will leave you wanting more of the great characters and King’s unique style.

This awesome story was well backed up by King’s uncanny and wonderful writing style, and he really had me hooked the entire way through. While early parts of the book where a tad slow in places, especially as King was building up the main two characters, once the full psychological dance between Hodges and the Mercedes Killer truly begins, you really cannot pull away from this great novel. The mounting tension as these characters make their respective plays is so damn effective, and you get drawn into the dark mental battle between them. King’s use of multiple perspectives really helps to enhance the brilliant story, and the captivating look into all the key characters’ minds is such an essential part of the book that it proves hard to turn away from these tragic and damaged figures. I honestly could not put this book down in places, especially the last third, as the tension, emotional power and tragedy that King had built up by then was extremely palpable. This was probably one of the better King novels I have read so far, especially as it had an excellent conclusion that fit the earlier themes of the book, and I deeply appreciated how well he explored the darker areas of the mind.

As I mentioned above, one of the main highlights of Mr Mercedes were the complex and highly damaged characters that were such a vital part of the plot. King always excels at effectively utilising impressive and highly realistic character driven narratives in his books, and Mr Mercedes was no exception to this. The major figures featured in this book were also highly unique and complex in their own way, often with some distinctive and understandable psychological damage that defines them and which they spend much of the book trying to overcome. These highly personal and compelling character elements were really well woven into Mr Mercedes’ plot, and you really get drawn into each character’s own damaged journeys, as well as the intriguing relationships that they form.

The main character of Mr Mercedes is retired police detective Bill Hodges, who serves as a dogged and solid protagonist. A rugged and tired figure who has seen too much, Hodges was an awesome retired cop character, and King did an outstanding job of capturing his loneliness and regret, especially in the early stages of the book. However, this burns away when the killer contacts him, and he once again has a purpose. I felt that this change in character focus was very well done and you easily understand why he dives back in the case, desperate to solve that one lingering case. While initially driven by obsession, Hodges soon develops more reasons to live, as he connects with several of the other characters in the book and each connection makes him want to live that little bit more. It was also interesting to see him revisit and reflect on his previous actions as a police officer, especially when he connects with the family of the witness he falsely accused of negligence, and the insights and empathy he develops now he is no longer a cop is quite touching. You really grow to appreciate Hodges as a character as the book continues, especially as you see him once again enjoying life, and King’s portrayal of a man who suddenly rediscovers his purpose is very well done. Of course, this opens him up to even greater tragedy, and watching him suffer cuts you to the core. Thanks to the television adaptation of the book, I could only envision Hodges as Brendon Gleeson, which I think fit the depictions shown in the book, and I really enjoyed seeing this gruff, no-nonsense figure in action.

I also really need to highlight the excellent work that King puts into creating the antagonist of Mr Mercedes, Brady Hartfield, the titular Mercedes Killer. I have read many good villains of the years, but frankly, the Mercedes Killer was one of the best, mainly because of how quickly and effectively King makes you despise him. King does such a good job of introducing and utilising the character of Hartfield throughout Mr Mercedes, and his dual life and obsession with Hodges become a key part of his chapters. The character’s sheer arrogance, distain and disregard for human life are so well written, and you understand just how deranged and damaged Hartfield is in just a few pages of his introduction. King does take the time to build up Hartfield as a character, showcasing his traumatic past, formulative family events and unsettling relationship with his mother, all of which helps the reader understand how he become the monster he currently is and why he does the things he does. However, even with that, it proves very hard to find any sympathy for the character, especially as every scene of his features an arrogant and hateful internal diatribe about the people he encounters and the world around him. I deeply appreciated how King was able to capture Hartfield’s sociopathic superiority complex and inherent sense of greater intelligence with his writing, and it was such a key part of Hartfield’s character. This ensures that when things do not go his way or when he is outsmarted by Hodges, a man he views as his inferior, he takes it badly, and watching Hodges manipulate Hartfield this way was a fantastic part of the book. This is honestly one of the better King villains I have so far had the pleasure of reading and his obsession with Hodges and being the smartest man in the room, was so damn well written.

Aside from the main perspective characters of Hodges and Hartfield, King also features several other intriguing figures in Mr Mercedes who also add a great deal to the plot in a supporting role. I personally really enjoyed the character of Janelle Patterson, who serves as Hodges’ main love interest. Janelle was a feisty and highly likeable figure in the book, and I actually really enjoyed the heartfelt connection she formed with Hodges, especially as they filled an emotional hole in each other’s lives. Janelle’s self-involved sister, Olivia Trelawney, also proves to be a great inclusion, despite being dead by the time the main plot starts. King builds her into a complex and tragic figure, and it was intriguing to see her sense of reality combat with guilt and despair in several flashback scenes. Jerome, the wisecracking teenager who serves as Hodges’s assistant and tech support added some great humour to the story, and his loyalty to Hodges ensured the reader grew quite attached to him, while also getting worried as Hartfield circled around. However, probably the most unique supporting character was Holly Gibney, who, as I mentioned above, is getting her own spin-off story soon. Initially shown as emotionally damaged and barely able to function, Holly doesn’t strike you as having protagonist potential. However, thanks to her bond with Hodges and certain shocking events breaking her out of her trauma shell, Holly ends up becoming a key supporting figure, able to assist in the case due to her unique insights and life experiences. Despite only being in the book for a relatively short amount of time, Holly really shines through as a complex and exciting figure who the reader quickly gravitates to. As such, by the end of the book you very much understand why Holly goes on to become her own protagonist, and I look forward to seeing how much she further developed when I grab King’s next novel.

Overall, Mr Mercedes was just as good as I had been led to believe, if not better. Stephen King did a masterful job with this powerful and captivating dark psychological thriller, and I got so wrapped up in the awesome battle of damaged minds that emerged. Featuring an excellent story, some exceptionally complex protagonists, and King’s infallible character-focused writing style, Mr Mercedes was a joy to read from start to finish, and I have to give it a full five-star rating as a result. I cannot wait to dive into King’s next book, Holly, when I get my hands on it in the next week, and I have no doubt that will also blow me away.