Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

How I Heard About It:  With a nine-hour drive to and from Michigan for #NerdCampMI, I was in need of some audio books.  I ordered a variety of titles via my local library.  I put some middle-grade, young-adult, and adult novels on my list.  I think I had about ten titles for my road trip.  I first listened to A Handful of Stars.  When I finished that, I decided to mix it up a bit and try a classic Stephen King novel.  

What It Is About:  This is the first book in a "trilogy."  Bill Hodges is a retired police detective that is a bit down on his luck and considering ending things.  When a mysterious letter arrives at his door, his career seems to be back on track.  There is a killer on the loose.  He is known as Mr. Mercedes because he stole a Mercedes and killed a large group of people by running them over.  Mr. Mercedes begins a "cat" and "mouse" game with Bill.  He leaves many clues and evidence right in front of Bill that leads him on a wild chase.  There are many people that get in the way of the "game" between Mr. Mercedes and Bill, and not all of them will make it to the end of the game.  As the story progresses Mr. Mercedes gets more and more focused on winning and making sure Bill Hodges suffers as much as possible.  

What I Thought Of It:  This was the perfect novel to listen to while in the car by myself.  The narrator was easy to listen to.  As the story progressed it got more and more intense.  I hadn't read/listened to a mystery in a long time so this was a complete joy to listen to.  Mr. Mercedes was the perfect villain and I rooted for the detective to finish the case.  I can see why so many readers enjoy King.  One of the elements I enjoyed most was the conclusion because of course it left you hanging and ready for book number two.  I actually might listen to the sequel on my next road trip.  

Who Should Read It:  If you are a King reader, than this is the story for you.  It was a strong mystery with excellent character development.  I'm sure the actual novel would read as well as the audio book was to listen to.  I'm so glad that I ventured out of my "comfort zone" and tried something completely different.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  4 STARS out of 5 Stars





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