Mr. Mercedes

A Novel

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Will Patton

WINNER of the EDGAR AWARD for BEST NOVEL and #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 murdering 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.

I miss Frank Muller

Will Patton is imprinted on my brain as the voice of James Lee Burke. He does a fine job with Stephen King as well. But oh my, do I miss Frank Muller.

Well read but a little too predictable

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes but not enthusiastically and with caveats not to expect Kings best.

Would you recommend Mr. Mercedes to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes but not enthusiastically and with caveats not to expect Kings best.

What does Will Patton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narration adds depth and personality to the characters.

Any additional comments?

This is a little too predictable for Stephen King, granted there are a few good plot twists, but a lot of predictability. Ending is very anticlimactic for King. Not his best, but not his worst either. I do not regret listening.

Solid mystery

Which character – as performed by Will Patton – was your favorite?

I liked his take on the two main characters, Hodges and Brady. He failed a bit for me with some of the female characters, not least of which because touches of their voices were reminiscent of Brady (the villain) and I started to sort of hear Bill Murray's Caddyshack voice for some of the ladies.

Any additional comments?

This isn't King's best book, but he sets the standard so high it isn't really fair to hold him to it. It is a very solid mystery, with nicely realized characters (both heros and a villain), and he lets those characters interact and be entertaining and make mistakes. You always have the feeling things will turn out all right in the end, so you don't get that existential dread that many of King's supernaturally adjacent books have. That might be a negative, as you don't feel things as keenly, or a positive, as you can just enjoy the snappy dialog and climactic encounter. This book could easily stand alone, but knowing it continues and concludes as a trilogy (and knowing the third book is supposed to bring in that classic King-sian horror/supernatural twist) definitely makes me curious to pick up the next two books. Definitely recommended for those who like their King in doses smaller than a doorstop, who are not TOO creeped out by mother/son romance, and who can handle blue language.

Enjoyable but not great

The setup for this story is suspenseful and very well delivered. The characters are well drawn and the narrator does a terrific job. I was thoroughly engaged for about two-thirds of the story, but thereafter the plot turns on improbable developments that led to some eye-rolling moments for me. It felt as though King had run out of steam and didn’t bother weaving an entirely credible 3rd act. Still, his talent for creating truly creepy villains shines through in this story, and if you can overlook a few contrived and implausible character roles, this could be a page turner.

Are there more like this?

What did you love best about Mr. Mercedes?

I quit reading Stephen King books 40 years ago The type of books that made him famous are not for me. I hadn't even considered listening to one in all these years. Then something led me to read a review of Mr. Mercedes. Reviews said it was a who-done-it thriller, which I like, so I decided to give it a try. I'm very glad I did. I finished the first book in 2 days and am into the second one now. Third one is on my wish list. My question now is "Has Stephen King done other books like this?" I hope so. I'll be reading reviews of his other books this week and hope to find some.