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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Stephen King seems to be stuck on Holly for a while, as, by the time I got around to reading this one, he had already written another book featuring his on-the-spectrum private detective that kind of stole the show from Bill Hodges in the Mr. Mercedes trilogy.
In this tale, she encounters a couple of real loonies in Emily and Rodney Harris, a couple of retired professors. Holly is drawn into a case involving the disappearance of Bonnie Dahl, called in by Bonnie's mother, Penny. Holly is discouraged from taking any cases, by her partner, Pete, who has COVID when the book begins. Holly has also just finished "attending" her mother's funeral via ZOOM.
This book is set in the middle of the pandemic, in 2021. Debates about the validity of mask-wearing, elbow-bumping, and even whether or not COVID is real are in full swing in the subplots of the book, which almost caused me to put it down.
But I ploughed on through it, and I'm relatively glad I did. Holly is far from my favorite King character, but I still find her enjoyable, and in this book, as is the case so often, it is the last 100 pages or so that brought it home for me and got it a four-star rating.
This is a case where the reader knows who is doing the deeds long before the detective and police. And watching all the pieces finally fall into place was quite entertaining. The lunacy of the two antagonists was also quite entertaining.
But I will say that there are some moments in this book that are definitely not for the faint-of-heart or weak-of-stomach. When it is finally revealed what the two professors are doing, it is pretty shocking.
However, I would recommend this book for fans of Mr. King, and folks who like thrillers. I'm not sure this book technically falls into the horror genre, but it is definitely a thriller. And, if you are a fan of Holly Gibney, I'm sure you will love it. I'm also glad that we get appearances by her friends Jerome and Barbara, as well. The two of them are quite endearing. There are also very interesting side stories involving the two of them.
In this tale, she encounters a couple of real loonies in Emily and Rodney Harris, a couple of retired professors. Holly is drawn into a case involving the disappearance of Bonnie Dahl, called in by Bonnie's mother, Penny. Holly is discouraged from taking any cases, by her partner, Pete, who has COVID when the book begins. Holly has also just finished "attending" her mother's funeral via ZOOM.
This book is set in the middle of the pandemic, in 2021. Debates about the validity of mask-wearing, elbow-bumping, and even whether or not COVID is real are in full swing in the subplots of the book, which almost caused me to put it down.
But I ploughed on through it, and I'm relatively glad I did. Holly is far from my favorite King character, but I still find her enjoyable, and in this book, as is the case so often, it is the last 100 pages or so that brought it home for me and got it a four-star rating.
This is a case where the reader knows who is doing the deeds long before the detective and police. And watching all the pieces finally fall into place was quite entertaining. The lunacy of the two antagonists was also quite entertaining.
But I will say that there are some moments in this book that are definitely not for the faint-of-heart or weak-of-stomach. When it is finally revealed what the two professors are doing, it is pretty shocking.
However, I would recommend this book for fans of Mr. King, and folks who like thrillers. I'm not sure this book technically falls into the horror genre, but it is definitely a thriller. And, if you are a fan of Holly Gibney, I'm sure you will love it. I'm also glad that we get appearances by her friends Jerome and Barbara, as well. The two of them are quite endearing. There are also very interesting side stories involving the two of them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don't know why I postponed reading this, since I love Holly and this is HER first novel as main character.
The way King is "driving" Holly's character in her book is amazing. It may seem like a cool story about a missing girl, and connections in past missing cases, but for me this was a story about the growth of Holly, about her coping with life and burying the past.
It's also a story about Jerome and Barb, and the love they share with Holly.
The part with COVID may have been a bit excessive, but it was the scare of the century.
I loved it!
And can't wait for the new book coming this year.
Thank you Mr. King :)
The way King is "driving" Holly's character in her book is amazing. It may seem like a cool story about a missing girl, and connections in past missing cases, but for me this was a story about the growth of Holly, about her coping with life and burying the past.
It's also a story about Jerome and Barb, and the love they share with Holly.
The part with COVID may have been a bit excessive, but it was the scare of the century.
I loved it!
And can't wait for the new book coming this year.
Thank you Mr. King :)
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes