Hey, guys! So, I am in a bit of a reading rut right now, so I though I'd go ahead and review a book that I read back in September, Mr. Mercedes. Enjoy!
Before I actually start this review, I just noticed that this book was the first in a series. What?!?! This was, and will never be, a series book. I'm just completely floored and kind of offended to be honest. Anyway, so on to the rest of the review.
Official Description:
In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, hundreds of desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes.
In another part of town, months later, a retired cop named Bill Hodges is still haunted by the unsolved crime. When he gets a crazed letter from someone who self-identifies as the "perk" and threatens an even more diabolical attack, Hodges wakes up from his depressed and vacant retirement, hell-bent on preventing another tragedy.
Brady Hartfield lives with his alcoholic mother in the house where he was born. He loved the feel of death under the wheels of the Mercedes, and he wants that rush again.
Only Bill Hodges, with a couple of highly unlikely allies, can apprehend the killer before he strikes again. And they have no time to lose, because Brady’s next mission, if it succeeds, will kill or maim thousands.
Mr. Mercedes is a war between good and evil, from the master of suspense whose insight into the mind of this obsessed, insane killer is chilling and unforgettable.
My Review:
Mr. Mercedes was a good book. It started off a little slow with a few things happening, but those things were not terribly exciting (for the most part). However, in the last half of the book, it really picked up! I enjoyed the storyline a great deal.
However, the characters were more of a problem. Quite a few were well developed characters with some development, but, at the same time, others were incredibly one dimensional. Some characters simply seemed a little limp in comparison to the others. Also, Janey's entire character was for the purpose of (SPOILER: having sex with Hodges).
Also, every single decision Hodges made was insanely stupid. He must of gone to the school of Let's not Ask for Backup!
I, generally, am not a fan of crime books where the story is told from alternating point-of-views between the cop and the criminal. It tends to ruin the suspense for me as well as slowing the story down. Sadly, this was the case in Mr. Mercedes. I was a little disappointed in that regard, but it was definitely still a good book. I think that I just got my hopes up too high.
All of these little grievances aside, I did enjoy reading Mr. Mercedes. I LOVED the ending! If I did it over again, I would still read it. On the other hand, it is most certainly not the best Stephen King book I've read. Try Misery and 11/22/63 before you move on to Mr. Mercedes.
Phrase:
Under Debbie's Blue Umbrella
Happy Reading!
Before I actually start this review, I just noticed that this book was the first in a series. What?!?! This was, and will never be, a series book. I'm just completely floored and kind of offended to be honest. Anyway, so on to the rest of the review.
The Cover:
We need to touch on how beautiful the cover is. The generic idea of it is an umbrella with a creepy smiley face on the handle protecting from raining blood. However, once I started reading I realized the umbrella is Debbie's Blue Umbrella! (If that isn't significant to you before reading, it will soon.)
In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, hundreds of desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes.
In another part of town, months later, a retired cop named Bill Hodges is still haunted by the unsolved crime. When he gets a crazed letter from someone who self-identifies as the "perk" and threatens an even more diabolical attack, Hodges wakes up from his depressed and vacant retirement, hell-bent on preventing another tragedy.
Brady Hartfield lives with his alcoholic mother in the house where he was born. He loved the feel of death under the wheels of the Mercedes, and he wants that rush again.
Only Bill Hodges, with a couple of highly unlikely allies, can apprehend the killer before he strikes again. And they have no time to lose, because Brady’s next mission, if it succeeds, will kill or maim thousands.
Mr. Mercedes is a war between good and evil, from the master of suspense whose insight into the mind of this obsessed, insane killer is chilling and unforgettable.
My Review:
Mr. Mercedes was a good book. It started off a little slow with a few things happening, but those things were not terribly exciting (for the most part). However, in the last half of the book, it really picked up! I enjoyed the storyline a great deal.
However, the characters were more of a problem. Quite a few were well developed characters with some development, but, at the same time, others were incredibly one dimensional. Some characters simply seemed a little limp in comparison to the others. Also, Janey's entire character was for the purpose of (SPOILER: having sex with Hodges).
Also, every single decision Hodges made was insanely stupid. He must of gone to the school of Let's not Ask for Backup!
I, generally, am not a fan of crime books where the story is told from alternating point-of-views between the cop and the criminal. It tends to ruin the suspense for me as well as slowing the story down. Sadly, this was the case in Mr. Mercedes. I was a little disappointed in that regard, but it was definitely still a good book. I think that I just got my hopes up too high.
All of these little grievances aside, I did enjoy reading Mr. Mercedes. I LOVED the ending! If I did it over again, I would still read it. On the other hand, it is most certainly not the best Stephen King book I've read. Try Misery and 11/22/63 before you move on to Mr. Mercedes.
Phrase:
Under Debbie's Blue Umbrella
Happy Reading!
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