Billy Summers

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Paul Sparks

Master storyteller Stephen King, whose “restless imagination is a power that cannot be contained” (The New York Times Book Review), presents an unforgettable and relentless #1 New York Times bestseller about a good guy in a bad job.

Chances are, if you’re a target of Billy Summers, two immutable truths apply: You’ll never even know what hit you, and you’re really getting what you deserve. He’s a killer for hire and the best in the business—but he’ll do the job only if the assignment is a truly bad person. But now, time is catching up with him, and Billy wants out. Before he can do that though, there’s one last hit, which promises a generous payday at the end of the line even as things don’t seem quite on the level here. Given that Billy is among the most talented snipers in the world, a decorated Iraq war vet, and a virtual Houdini when it comes to vanishing after the job is done, what could possibly go wrong? How about everything.

Part war story and part love letter to small-town America and the people who live there, this spectacular thriller of luck, fate, and love will grip readers with its electrifying narrative, as a complex antihero with one last shot at redemption must avenge the crimes of an extraordinarily evil man. You won’t ever forget this stunning novel from master storyteller Stephen King…and you will never forget Billy.

Critic reviews

"Narrator Paul Sparks's performance is so perfect it challenges the listener to stop listening. Sure—just TRY to turn it off! Sparks is fantastic, whether he's giving voice to a fat Mafioso called Pig or a young rape victim who turns to Billy for help or the other colorful characters from King's work. While Billy's character is a tad far-fetched, it fits the definition of antihero—think Showtime's Dexter. And because the story is told in the first person, listeners see the decent person inside the man with blood on his hands."

Stephen King in the style of Scorsese and Stone...

with a dash of Shyamalan. Billy Summers is a side of King I've not had a chance to experience before. Although there is still a lot of King I have yet to read. This is not the, Master of Horror I've come to expect. Instead this is a King that would be right at home crafting Martin Scorsese's next film project. For fans of King's prior darker writings, there is a nice little Easter Egg to his past. A recommendation for fans and for those looking for something a little different from King.

Initially I was nervous with Paul Sparks narration, but soon that faded away and I found myself enjoying his talents.

This is a good book but

I really enjoyed this book but why oh why does he go crazy over Trump over and over. How hard is it to talk about it alilttle bit then move on with the story. No you get a 16 hr book and a political talk thur out.

Just When I Thought I Knew King's Writing..!?!?

When choosing a Stephen King novel or short story is like looking through an expensive wine cellar, marveling at all the different vintages, trying to select the best year, to go with your mood, rather than your dinner. I always compare my, for now, complete Stephen King Library to a remarkable wine cellar, not only because, like a fine bottle of wine, he only gets better with age,. but because the analogy fits perfectly! King has proven time & time again! From novels like Gerald's Game, A Good Marriage, The Long Walk, & Thinner, to some of his classic works, like 'It', Carrie, Salem's Lot, Cujo, The Dead Zone, The Mr. Mercedes Trilogy, &, of course, The Stand; This proves what a diverse writer he is! Unlike 90% of King's novels & short stories, Billy Sommers DOESN'T CONTAIN a Supernatural aspect whatsoever! This is the first time he's ever written about a professional mob hit, with the narrative being from the point of view of the shooter. The closest thing that ever came to this was 11/22/63, but even that had a lot to do with science fiction, mainly time travel. The narrator was phenomenal, to the point where I was gripping my see the entire time I read this story! Normally, a book that is 16 hours long, would take me a week or more, I got through this baby in four days, that's how good it is! If there were actual men like Billy summers in the world, Trust and Believe, the world would be a better place!! If you don't get this book, you'll be missing out on one of the best Stephen King novels I've ever read!! Bon appetit..

I Am Blown Away…..

I’ve been reading Stephen since my teenage years, but I’ve never had his work read to me. I love his books! They’re like secret treasures in my mind. But, I’ve been reluctant to try a King story on Audible. Like, somehow it wouldn’t feel as special of I wasn’t reading it. I was so wrong!

I just finished binge listening to Billy Summers. Paul Sparks narrates this book flawlessly, and the characters are brought to life in a way I never imagined possible. He was a perfect fit for this story! I laughed out loud, cried more than a handful of times, and didn’t want it to end.

I loved getting to know Billy as he told his story in his own words. I loved the way he struggled with his desire to have friendships, despite the work he was there to do. I loved the added surprise character of Alice, who was exactly what Billy needed. Actually, I miss all of the characters already. And wow, what an ending!

If you’re considering reading this book, I highly recommend the Audible version! Now, I’m off to find my next treasure…..

Worth a listen

I disagree with some reviews here. The narrator was fine. The references to Trump unimportant to me as Stephen King doesn’t decide my politics or irritate me with his. I can respect that he wants to share his in his book. I don’t think the political references added anything to the story and a story should be like a good recipe, there should be no unnecessary ingredients included that don’t contribute to the final product substantially. I liked the story although I did find it a bit plodding at times and quite predictable. I liked it because there were no giant spiders, aliens or clowns as protagonists. I liked it because it was just about people, even though those people were neither particularly remarkable or exceptionally interesting. I’ve always thought Stephen King had a gift for writing dialogue between characters. For me the book had a bit of an unfinished quality, as if it meandered around so much that it finally just had to come to an end for loss of ideas. I would’ve like the characters to be a little bit crisper, the actions taken by characters to be a bit more engaging and interesting, the relationships a little more believable. This is by no means the worst audiobook I’ve listened to or the worst book Stephen King has ever written. I think this was written in the twilight of his life exactly he wanted to write it and as he has always said, he writes for himself first, and he did just that with this book. We just may simply never know the ‘why’ behind this story at this time.