Mr. Mercedes: A Novel by Stephen King

Book-1 of The Bill Hodges Trilogy Book Series | Now an AT&T Audience Original Series

WINNER of the Edgar Award for Best Novel and #1 New York Times Bestseller!

Publisher Description / Synopsis

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.

Reception

Mr. Mercedes received positive reviews, with many critics responding well to the book being different from King's "standard horror stories" and being a "compelling crime novel." It received a 4.07/5 score on Goodreads, dropping to 3.87 as of 19 January with 43,562 ratings and a 4/5 on Barnes & Noble.

Michael Marshall Smith of The Guardian noted the novel "is firmly positioned in suspense-thriller territory and the non-supernatural world – somewhere King evidently feels increasingly at home. … At its heart, Mr. Mercedes is a traditional cat-and-mouse story about a psychopathic killer and the renegade cop who makes it his mission to bring him down."

Considering three levels of evaluation – quality per se, expectations of King's "readers who return for his distinctively unstoppable storytelling engine, his particular and hugely dependable voice", and rules of "whichever genre" King increasingly departs to, he sums up: "Good book? Hell, yes. Good Stephen King book? Absolutely."

About the Author: Stephen King

Stephen Edwin King, born September 21, 1947, in Portland, Maine, is a highly acclaimed and prolific American author known for his horror, supernatural fiction, and suspense novels. He is often referred to as "The King" or "The King of Horror". King's books have sold over 350 million copies worldwide and many of his works have been adapted into successful films and television series.

Early Life and Career:

King grew up in Maine with his mother after his parents separated when he was a toddler. He attended the University of Maine, where he wrote for the school newspaper and met his future wife, Tabitha Spruce.

• After graduating, he taught high school English while continuing to write short stories.
• His first novel, Carrie, was published in 1974, launching his career as a horror author.

Literary Works:

• King has written over fifty novels, two hundred short stories, and nine collections of short fiction.
• His works include The Shining, The Stand, The Dead Zone, and It.
• He also wrote under the pseudonym Richard Bachman.
• Many of his novels and short stories have been adapted into films, including The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, 1408 and Misery.

Personal Life:

• King is married to Tabitha Spruce and they have three children: Naomi, Joe, and Owen.
• He is also a philanthropist, supporting education and community programs through his foundation.
• King has battled drug addiction in the past, but he has overcome it and is now a recovered addict.