Mr. Mercedes

A Novel

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.

King and Patton create a winning combo

I don't love Stephen King. The last I listened of his was 11/22/63 because the reviews were so good and I loved it. Before that, I felt burned by a couple of his books because they just weren't very good. I love creepy and twisted, I just don't think that King is very consistent.
I took a chance on Mr Mercedes because I think Patton can do no wrong, I have an admitted voice-crush on him.
I lucked out, we all got lucky in this combo coming together because this is a GREAT audiobook.
The bad guy is perfectly sinister. He's young, and egotistical. His character is developed so well that I truly hated him. I didn't just fear what he would do next, I felt myself really hating him as a person, I'm tense just writing this about him.
The reluctant hero is always my favorite character in any book like this, and Hodges is perfect. Again, King was masterful in developing a depth of character that made me really feel like I knew him well. I cheered for him, and found myself talking outloud to him, offering unsolicited advice.
The action built in a perfect way. I wish I could describe it better, but the pace was just as it should be. To me, this was character driven, I cared because I cared about them and had that emotional connection, then the action and story were the perfect foil for them.
The ending was great. It wrapped in a way that did the characters justice, nothing was over-done, or unbelievable, it was genuine.

I loved and recommend this book.

It Wasn't Easy!!!

Reading this book wasn't an easy thing... Mr. Mercedes is a disturbing character and all his actions and thoughts were very disturbing..
Stephen King really knows how to make someone creepy... It was a good read and i enjoyed it.

The narrator did a great job

Just a Great Story, Exciting Climax

What did you love best about Mr. Mercedes?

Stephen King, has shifted Gears to just a great story teller. I thought after 'Joyland' which I really enjoyed, could he do it again and he did.

Who was your favorite character and why?

All Characters from the Evil Ice Cream Man to Mr. Hodge's the Retired Cop. One last run in Retirement showed more than he bargined for. Some truly Sad 'Oh No' Moments to Surpise Ending...I found myself glued to this book.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Same. "Mr. Mercedes"

Any additional comments?

I am picky, I want a Great Story I can get lost in, this was just the right mix of 'Dectective' to 'Love' to 'Friendship' and 'Suspense'

A Top Notch Detective Story

"Mr. Mercedes" is not the typical Stephen King novel. There is nothing supernatural, no aliens or vampires involved, and no parallel universes to explore. What we get from King on this endeavor is a very good detective story and a peek inside the mind of a twisted mass murderer.

The book begins with K. William Hodges, recently retired after 40 years as a detective, watching mindless daytime television and peering down the barrel of his father's old revolver. While he has not taken any actions, he feels he has nothing to live for. A failed marriage, rarely seeing his daughter, and no longer any reason to get out of bed. Then the mail comes, and with it a letter from the Mercedes Killer, one of the few cases he left the department without solving. The letter is taunting, and unwittingly Mr. Mercedes gives Hodges a reason to live.

The Mercedes Killer is very intelligent and a meticulous planner. He stole Olivia Trelawney's 12-cylinder Mercedes SL and, wearing a clown mask, plowed it into a line of people waiting to attend a job fair, killing 8 and injuring several more. He then rinsed everything he touched with bleach, destroying the physical evidence and leaving the police with no leads. He then started sending Mrs. Trelawney letters, which eventually caused her to commit suicide. He hoped to duplicate the rush he got from her suicide with Hodges' own demise. However, Hodges was also intelligent. He didn't spend 40 years as a detective without learning a trick or two. He deftly manipulated Mr. Mercedes and turned the hunter into the hunted, as well as angering him to act rashly and thus make mistakes. Along the way, Hodges enlists the most unlikely pair of amateur sleuths to try to stop Mr. Mercedes from carrying out an attack of epic proportions.

As stated earlier, if you are looking for Stephen King's usual fare of supernatural events, aliens, or time warps, do not get this book. If you enjoy a good detective story with a look inside a twisted mind, look no further. I think it is one of Stephen King's better works and engages the reader from the very beginning, without the long drawn-out stories he is so famous for. I am already looking forward to the sequel.

Will Patton's narration was spot on. The different voices he gave to each character made it easy to distinguish who was speaking, and the emotions he put into the reading made the story come alive. This is just another example of why I love audio books!

Very good considering the change of genre

First things first - This is not a fantasy/horror novel. It's a crime drama/thriller.
Good points:
Will Patton nails the narration. Very enjoyable portrayal of the characters.
The storytelling is true to classic King. Compelling and detailed.

Bad points:
King's style is great, as always, but it needed to be in order to save a weak storyline.
Very predictable. You know what's going to happen well ahead of the actual events.

All in all, well worth the listen for hardcore King fans and for crime/thriller fans.