Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - Mr. Mercedes

Dual POV of both the retired detective and Mr Mercedes, its interesting to see both sides and how the respective character’s minds work. I would say as a younger adult reader that doesn’t often read books with characters older than my own age, it does feel a bit strange to read from the POV of an older person lol

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dummythicc's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

One of the first Stephen King books in a while I've had trouble putting down. I really like it when King leans into crime/thriller versus horror, it's a nice change of pace.

I would've rated it 5 stars, but the child death in this book really upset me, so it probably wouldn't be something I'd read again on a whim.

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bokslukaren's review against another edition

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dark tense

3.0

A different sort of story than the usual King , and a bit too many clichés for my taste, but unsettling nonetheless. Also in typical King fashion, a slightly underwhelming ending, though the build-up and tension were absolutely fantastic. The typical straight male gaze as well as the racism and stereotypes was unnecessary and didn't add to the plot or world-building. Finally, is this the same Holly Gibney as in “The Outsider”, and if so: HOW is that possible?

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jomojobo's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Wow. Wow wow wow. Talk about a tense emotional roller coaster! As usual, King brings characters to life in a way that few other authors can. Their motivations, emotions, and responses feel realistic, even when the plot requires suspension of disbelief. Though this isn’t necessarily a “horror” novel, it’s plenty horrific, and even the slow parts maintain a sense of foreboding. Our antagonist and his thought process are also particularly relevant given the state of the alt-right manosphere today.

There was a stretch of several pages (and there is always a stretch of several pages in a King book) that I just skipped right over because it was too distressing.

Freddy’s final disposition.

I wasn’t sure while reading if I would continue with the series, but after finishing Mr. Mercedes I will definitely be checking out book #2!

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