Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

Title: Mr. Mercedes
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Crime Fiction, Thriller
Year of Publication: 2014
Date of Publication: June 3, 2014
Pages: 436
ISBN-10: 1476754470
ISBN-13: 978-1476754475

Our Rating of This Book

Summary

Mr. Mercedes is a thriller that follows retired detective Bill Hodges as he is pulled back into a case that still haunts him. Before Hodges retirement, he had worked on an unsolved case of a person who stole a Mercedes car and drove it into a crowd, killing and injuring dozens including a young mother and baby.

The killer, Brady Hartsfield (no spoilers here), taunts Hodges with a series of letters. Hodges decided to keep the letter instead of going to the police and decided to solve this case on his own. With the help of an unlikely team, Hodges races to stop Brady before he strikes again in an even more devastating attack.

Main Themes

The novel is about justice, obsession, and the psychological dynamics between hunter and hunted. King goes into the mind of a killer while examining the resilience and determination of those who seek to bring him to justice. The story also highlights the power of technology and its potential for both connection and destruction.

Writing Style

Stephen King’s writing in Mr. Mercedes is fast-paced, suspenseful, and character-driven. The characters in this book are so well written. Stephen King uses them to build tension and keep readers engaged from start to finish.

Impact of Mr. Mercedes

The novel won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2015. Mr. Mercedes marks the beginning of the Bill Hodges Trilogy. It is followed by Finders Keepers and End of Watch.

The story was also adapted into a television series, Mr. Mercedes, which aired from 2017 to 2019. Starring Brendan Gleeson as Bill Hodges, the series brought King’s characters to life across three seasons.