Mr. Mercedes
A retired detective plays a cat & mouse game with a deranged killer and with the help of an unlikely group of friends, tries to catch him before he kills again.
I am a huge Stephen King fan. He wrote my favorite book of all time, The Stand. So, I read everything he writes and tend to enjoy all of his books. This book was no different. It kept me up a few nights and the 436 pages just flew by. The entire time I was reading, I was on the edge of my seat. I wasn't sure who would die and who would survive. No one was guaranteed to be safe in this book.
Here's the Story:
In the opening of the book, a line of people is forming to wait for a job fair. People are waiting all night to be among the first to apply for the jobs. Times are difficult and they know there will be more people than jobs. As dawn arrives, a Mercedes speeds out of the fog and into the line, killing 8 people and injuring 15 others. The killer escapes.
Detective William Hodges was one of the officers investigating the case. He is now retired and feels like his life has no purpose. Then, he receives a letter from the Mercedes Killer. In the letter, the killer taunts Hodges, trying to push him into committing suicide. But, the letter gives Hodges a purpose, a reason to live. He is determined to catch the Mercedes Killer.
The Mercedes Killer, Brady Hartsfield (not a spoiler btw, this is revealed early in the novel) is clever and he is able to hide in plain sight. In order to keep an eye on Hodges, he drives an ice cream truck that can go almost anywhere without arising suspicion. He is determined to cause Hodges as much pain as possible and keeps an eye on everyone Hodges associates with.
How will this cat & mouse game end? And how many people will die in the process?
My Thoughts:
This book had me on the edge of my seat. There were parts that were a little gross and some that were a little creepy. But what else would you expect from a Stephen King novel. I like that no one was completely safe. I knew people were going to die, but I wasn't sure who and I wasn't even sure the main character was safe. I felt connected to the characters and I was rooting for Hodges to succeed. Brady wasn't likable, but I could see where his life circumstances didn't give him much chance to be "normal". The characters had a very realistic feel and there were a lot of twists and turns in the story. If you enjoy Stephen King or crime thrillers, I think this is a good book for you. An interesting note for Stephen King fans, Christine & It were both referenced in the book. Could this book be the beginning of a series? I hope so, I would like to see more from these characters.
