Who else can describe human nature better than Mr. King? Mr. Mercedes proves once again how sharp he is at exploring darkness and desire. Getting used to retirement has been hard for Bill Hodges, who drifts through his days without purpose until a letter arrives. A self-confessed message from someone claiming to be the notorious Mercedes Killer. Instead of fear, it sparks a reason to live, and to hunt, in Hodges.
Before retirement, Hodges faced the horrific City Center Massacre, where a man plowed a stolen Mercedes into a Job Fair crowd, killing and injuring innocent people. No DNA, no real evidence, just a clown mask and a ghost who slipped away. It became his final unsolved case, the one that never stopped haunting him.
The killer, hungry for attention in a twisted way, taunts Hodges and leaves a trail through Debbie's Blue Umbrella, an online chat site. Even Mrs. Olivia Trelawney, the owner of the stolen Mercedes, received a letter before her tragic suicide. Hodges knows he owes it to her, and to himself, to chase the truth one last time.
With help from Jerome Robinson and the unforgettable Holly Gibney, the investigation gains new life. Here, we see the roots of Holly's fragile brilliance, and it made me appreciate her character even more.
I don’t have a single critical note. King delivers gripping storytelling from the start, and Mr. Mercedes makes me want to continue exploring more of his earlier masterpieces. I give it 5 stars. I might be biased, because Stephen King is my auto buy author. 😅