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  • End of Watch: A Novel (The Bill Hodges Trilogy Book 3)
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End of Watch: A Novel (The Bill Hodges Trilogy Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Stephen King (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 39,481 ratings
4.1 on Goodreads
148,451 ratings
#1 Most Gifted in Psychic Mysteries

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The fabulously suspenseful and "smashing" (The New York Times Book Review) final novel in the Bill Hodges trilogy from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers!

For nearly six years, in Room 217 of the Lakes Region Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic, Brady Hartsfield has been in a persistent vegetative state. A complete recovery seems unlikely for the insane perpetrator of the “Mercedes Massacre,” in which eight people were killed and many more maimed for life. But behind the vacant stare, Brady is very much awake and aware, having been pumped full of experimental drugs...scheming, biding his time as he trains himself to take full advantage of the deadly new powers that allow him to wreak unimaginable havoc without ever leaving his hospital room. Brady Hartsfield is about to embark on a new reign of terror against thousands of innocents, hell-bent on taking revenge against anyone who crossed his path—with retired police detective Bill Hodges at the very top of that long list....
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  1. Book 3 of 3
    The Bill Hodges Trilogy
  2. Print length
    511 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Scribner
  5. Accessibility
    Learn more
  6. Publication date
    June 7 2016
  7. File size
    2.7 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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  1. Because things can get better, and if you give them a chance, they usually do.
    Highlighted by 785 Kindle readers
  2. Memory has a way of slipping a few gears after sixty-five, when people round the third turn start down the home stretch.
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  3. Single people are twice as likely to commit suicide. Divorced people, four times as likely.
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Review

“No one can create a villain quite like King. . . . [A]ll the elements come together in a very public, potentially explosive finale (with a surprising post script). King fans may find themselves furiously turning pages long into the night.” ― Seattle Times

Praise for Mr. Mercedes

"Classic Stephen King. Creepy, yet realistic characters that get under your skin and stay there, a compelling story that twists and turns at breakneck speed, and delightful prose that, once again, proves that one of America’s greatest natural storytellers is also one of its finest writers." ― Associated Press

“Few of King's myriad terrors feel as visceral and close to home as the sense of human mortality that looms over his new book, End of Watch… an undeniable page-turner… Throughout his tale, King nimbly pulls together numerous plot threads and characters…and for good measure throws in a final nail-biting chase through a blizzard. One finishes this novel feeling great empathy for its resolute protagonist, and even greater trepidation about that next round of Candy Crush.” ― Elizabeth Hand, The Washington Post

“OܳٲٲԻ徱Բ… ‘End of Watch’ gives us King at the height of his powers. Masterfully plotted, the novel is propelled toward its page-blurring conclusion by two deadly forces: Hodges’ advancing disease and Brady’s relentless murderous impulse.” ― John Wilwol, Newsday

“Stephen King’s Bill Hodges Trilogy has proved to be a welcome change of pace for the best-selling Maine author… The wintery, blood-soaked climax of the novel provides a fitting resolution not only to the action at hand but to the trilogy as a whole. King will always be best known for his tales of supernatural horror, but it’s great fun to watch him experiment with form, genre and subject matter. He has more than his fair share of laurels, but he never seems to rest on them. Here’s hoping King can maintain the creative momentum of the Bill Hodges Trilogy as he heads into the next uncharted literary territory.” -- Michael Berry, The Portland Press Herald

Praise for End of Watch

“King has dealt before with this novel’s different themes—endowment with dangerous supernatural powers, the zombifying effect of modern consumer electronics—but he finds fresh approaches to them and inventive ways to introduce them in the lives of his recurring cast of sympathetic characters, whose pains and triumphs the reader feels. King’s legion of fans will find this splice of mystery and horror a fitting finale to his Bill Hodges trilogy.” ― Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

“The book leaves a surprisingly deep, melancholy mark, crystallizing the themes that have become prevalent in King’s recent work...’End of Watch’ hurtles toward a conclusion you anticipate and dread in equal measure — that wonderful, terrible anxiety King’s constant readers have been relishing for more than four decades now. ‘He’s not done with you yet,’ reads an ominous message Hodges receives on his computer in End of Watch. We’re lucky. King isn’t done with us either.” ― Rene Rodriguez, The Miami Herald

“Think of Mr. Mercedes as an AC/DC song: uncluttered, chugging with momentum, and a lot harder to pull off than it looks. . . . King has written a hot rod of a novel,perfect for a few summer days at the pool. Mercedes-Benz commands drivers to demand ‘the best or nothing.’ In pop-fiction terms, that motto still applies to Stephen King, too. With apologies to AC/DC, the highway to hell never felt so fun.” ― Christian Science Monitor

“[A] tense, thrilling conclusion to King’s Bill Hodges trilogy…One would assume that a writer like King, who has been at the top of his game for decades, would eventually run out of ideas. Instead, he serves up one of the most original crime thrillers to come along in years…A spectacular, pulse-pounding, read-in-one-sitting wrap-up that will more than satisfy King’s Constant Readers.” ― Library Journal, STARRED review

“King works his customary storytelling magic, unspooling the plot threads almost as quickly as readers can turn the pages… If you're wrapping up the trilogy, enjoy. If you're just getting started, you're in for a thrilling ride.” ― Rob Merrill, The Associated Press

“A taut, suspenseful race-against-time book . . . [King is] in reliably fine form.” ― The New York Times

“A deliciously savory conclusion to King’s phenomenal hard-boiled Mr. Mercedes trilogy…gripping… as strong a King series as The Dark Tower in terms of characterization and pure storytelling. When it comes to the gumshoe genre, though, fingers crossed King’s not yet closed for business.” ― Brian Truitt, USA Today

“As in Misery and TheShining, King swan dives into the looniness lurking at both ends of thewriter-reader transaction…the narrative hums and roars along like ahigh-performance vehicle…a rip-snortingentertainment; one that also works as a sneaky-smart satire of literarycriticism and how even the most attentive readers can often miss the wholepoint.” ― Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"The new book is so good, being at least mildly obsessed with it is understandable. The finest thing about it, however, is that the author has another story to tell before the finale of this excellent series.” ― USA Today

“A satisfying conclusion to this crackerjack detective series… As the book’s title suggests, there is finality and loss in the final pages. Readers may find themselves wiping away a few tears as this well-written, involving series comes to an end.” ― Doug Knoop, The Seattle Times

Praise for Finders Keepers

“Stephen King’s superb new stay-up-all-night thriller, Finders Keepers, is a sly,often poignant tale of literary obsession that recalls the themes of his classic 1987 novel Misery…a love letter to the joys of reading and to American literature… wonderful, scary, moving.” ― Elizabeth Hand, The Washington Post

“Keeps readers on edge... King stitches together threads from these events to weave a taut conclusion to the tale of Brady Hartsfield. But — and with King you never know — he does leave open the chance that some of the characters will be back. Because in Stephen King’s world, is anyone ever really gone for good?” ― Amanda St. Amand, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch

About the Author

Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Doctor Sleep and Under the Dome, now a major TV miniseries on CBS. His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller as well as the Best Hardcover Book Award from the International Thriller Writers Association. He is the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0167CNCFY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scribner
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 7 2016
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.7 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 511 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781501134135
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1501134159
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 3 of 3 ‏ : ‎ The Bill Hodges Trilogy
  • 鶹 Rank: #7,664 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 39,481 ratings

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Stephen King

Stephen King

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Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes NEVER FLINCH, YOU LIKE IT DARKER (a New York Times Book Review top ten horror book of 2024), HOLLY (a New York Times Notable Book of 2023), FAIRY TALE, BILLY SUMMERS, IF IT BLEEDS, THE INSTITUTE, ELEVATION, THE OUTSIDER, SLEEPING BEAUTIES (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: END OF WATCH, FINDERS KEEPERS, and MR. MERCEDES (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by the New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works THE DARK TOWER, IT, PET SEMATARY, DOCTOR SLEEP, and FIRESTARTER are the basis for major motion pictures, with IT now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.

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4.5 out of 5 stars
39,481 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the content great, enjoyed the series greatly, and the ending excellent. They describe the plot as thrilling, suspenseful, and compelling. Readers praise the author's character development, saying he manages to really flesh out his characters. They also appreciate the writing quality, saying it has become more human interest than outright scare novels. Readers also describe the book as smooth, awesome to read without glasses, and a fabulous spectacle.

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ContentEndingPlotCharacter developmentWriting qualityImaginationSmooth
51 customers mention "Content"51 positive0 negative

Customers find the content great, enjoyable, and interesting. They say King is their favourite author and one of the best multiples they have read.

"...A good read. Recommend it." Read more

"Great book" Read more

"Good read. Wrapped up the trilogy well." Read more

"Another great Stephen King novel the 3rd in the trilogy ..A fast easy read ..... brings the storyline to a close .. Well worth reading ..." Read more

45 customers mention "Ending"39 positive6 negative

Customers find the ending of the trilogy great and well-done. They say it's an excellent conclusion to an engaging series. Readers also mention Stephen King is a master craftsman at what he does.

"...I enjoyed this book and thought the ending was well done. An excellent trilogy." Read more

"Great end to the trilogy. Read all three books back to back to back. I couldn't stop turning pages. Mr. King is easily my favourite author." Read more

"Again, solid book and a great finish to the Trilogy. I enjoyed the 3 books a lot...." Read more

"...An amazing end to the trilogy, and probably the best of the three. Definitely worth 5 stars and recommended to all Stephen King fans." Read more

17 customers mention "Plot"14 positive3 negative

Customers find the plot thrilling, suspenseful, and compelling. They mention it's nice to get involved in another chapter of the characters' lives. Readers also say the story is well-paced and thought-provoking.

"...Thrilling." Read more

"...It sparked an interest and I've since read a ;arge portion of his backlog...." Read more

"...4/5 - excellent closure to the series, creative and compelling plot, but feels claustrophobic at times with the amount of forced material...." Read more

"I liked the whole book. The storyline was very interesting. Sometimes it was hard to stop reading to do something else. I liked how it ended...." Read more

7 customers mention "Character development"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the character development in the book relatable. They appreciate the author's imagination and way of telling a story. Readers say the book is a touching work of fiction that brings a closure.

"I could have read many more Bill Hodges stories. Wonderful characters!" Read more

"...But overall, as a book, end of watch is a touching work of fiction that brings a closure to this story arc and characters...." Read more

"...Ret. Hodges. He was very relatable. King manages to really flesh out his characters so that you feel that you know them. It was a good trilogy." Read more

"This book has tremendous heart. The characters are so real and so endearing, except the villain...." Read more

5 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book. They mention the author has become more human interest than scare novels. Readers also say King is a consummate craftsman of language and imagination.

"As is always the case - to me anyway - Stephen King is the ultimate writer. One might think all his stories are scary but they are not...." Read more

"...People read on and hope for more from this great writer." Read more

"...The book tends to stay in the real world proving that King can really write without having to bring us bad clowns, bad dogs and you know what I'm..." Read more

"As always Mr. King is a consummate craftsmen of language and Imagination...." Read more

4 customers mention "Imagination"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's imagination. They say it's a craftsman of language.

"...4/5 - excellent closure to the series, creative and compelling plot, but feels claustrophobic at times with the amount of forced material...." Read more

"As always Mr. King is a consummate craftsmen of language and Imagination...." Read more

"Once again Stephen King dazzles us with his trilogy, his imagination and his way of telling a story. A book you can't put down!" Read more

"...It was however, creative and thought provoking." Read more

4 customers mention "Smooth"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book slick and tightly crafted. They say it's one of King's smoothest books and a fabulous spectacle. Readers also mention the large font is awesome to read without glasses and King makes a good point of us staring at screens.

"End of Watch is one of King's smoothest books akin to a very aged Scotch. So satisfying...." Read more

"...But somehow he makes it work. I think he makes a good point of us staring at screens. And spoiler alert, the end is great but bittersweet" Read more

"Gradebook large font was awesome to read without glasses" Read more

"Page turning, sleepless nights, fabulous spectacle. Typical Stephen King." Read more

A wild ride
5 out of 5 stars
A wild ride
The Bill Hodges trilogy reaches it's conclusion with End Of Watch. Stephen King has crafted a wild ride throughout the three books making up this great series.
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Top reviews from Canada

  • Shane Lessard
    5.0 out of 5 stars Mr Mercedes wasn't SK's best selling or highest rating novel
    Reviewed in Canada on June 17, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Mr Mercedes wasn't SK's best selling or highest rating novel, but it was the first I had the pleasure of reading. It sparked an interest and I've since read a ;arge portion of his backlog. The Dark Tower is now my favourite series, and I've made my way through many of his classics. But this trilogy will always have a lot of meaning to me, as it was what sparked my interest in the Author.

    End of Watch is the first book I've ever preordered. I'm glad I did. It would have been tough to wait, and now that I've read it - it lived up to the hype I had for it. An amazing end to the trilogy, and probably the best of the three. Definitely worth 5 stars and recommended to all Stephen King fans.
    One person found this helpful
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  • K. K Slider
    4.0 out of 5 stars A grande finale for our sock wielding Ret-Det Hodges
    Reviewed in Canada on June 11, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Here is my spoiler free review:

    Kermit and friends go at it one last time. End of watch was an amazing book. It does indeed read out like a stand alone book. I personally read all three in the span of 6 months. So they're quite fresh in my mind.

    In terms of story, it follows the old SK style in a time jump narrative. Although the effect is not as great in this story.
    The actual story itself is somewhat limiting at times though. Characters brought in for the sake of cameo from finders keepers, supporting characters, and eventual fates. They're all sidelined hard to make room for the Hodges Gibney Robinson VS Hartsfield match up.

    Characters like Pete, Izzy, Tom Saubers are nice but sometimes trivial aside from the fact for closure. The story does follow something typical of a Hollywood thriller. Everyone's too busy and only we can stop the bad guy! It's hard to buy at times. I don't think the supernatural was effectively executed. It's a bit odd bringing it into the series this late when the appeal itself was detective thriller.

    But it shines everywhere else! The emotions, the narrative, and the careful use of plot devices. People complain about some technology and grips about Stephen King being "out dated" but I disagree. His research friend got it right and he did leave a note that he intentionally forced some technology to his liking. Whatever, just minor details you wouldn't know about unless you obsessed.

    But overall, as a book, end of watch is a touching work of fiction that brings a closure to this story arc and characters. I recommend reading the entire series. Mr. Mercedes is still the best of the three, end of watch and finders keepers both read out as slightly removed sequels to Mr. Mercedes.

    4/5 - excellent closure to the series, creative and compelling plot, but feels claustrophobic at times with the amount of forced material. Read it!!!

    And thank you S.K.
    Customer image
    K. K Slider
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    A grande finale for our sock wielding Ret-Det Hodges

    Reviewed in Canada on June 11, 2016
    Here is my spoiler free review:

    Kermit and friends go at it one last time. End of watch was an amazing book. It does indeed read out like a stand alone book. I personally read all three in the span of 6 months. So they're quite fresh in my mind.

    In terms of story, it follows the old SK style in a time jump narrative. Although the effect is not as great in this story.
    The actual story itself is somewhat limiting at times though. Characters brought in for the sake of cameo from finders keepers, supporting characters, and eventual fates. They're all sidelined hard to make room for the Hodges Gibney Robinson VS Hartsfield match up.

    Characters like Pete, Izzy, Tom Saubers are nice but sometimes trivial aside from the fact for closure. The story does follow something typical of a Hollywood thriller. Everyone's too busy and only we can stop the bad guy! It's hard to buy at times. I don't think the supernatural was effectively executed. It's a bit odd bringing it into the series this late when the appeal itself was detective thriller.

    But it shines everywhere else! The emotions, the narrative, and the careful use of plot devices. People complain about some technology and grips about Stephen King being "out dated" but I disagree. His research friend got it right and he did leave a note that he intentionally forced some technology to his liking. Whatever, just minor details you wouldn't know about unless you obsessed.

    But overall, as a book, end of watch is a touching work of fiction that brings a closure to this story arc and characters. I recommend reading the entire series. Mr. Mercedes is still the best of the three, end of watch and finders keepers both read out as slightly removed sequels to Mr. Mercedes.

    4/5 - excellent closure to the series, creative and compelling plot, but feels claustrophobic at times with the amount of forced material. Read it!!!

    And thank you S.K.
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  • SUSAN A. CRAWFORD
    5.0 out of 5 stars Anything Stephen King writes is worth reading!
    Reviewed in Canada on January 5, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    As is always the case - to me anyway - Stephen King is the ultimate writer. One might think all his stories are scary but they are not. As he's aged, his writing has become more human interest than outright scare novels.
    Anyone who has not read a Stephen King novel should start reading his works immediately.
    Helpful
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  • anthony
    5.0 out of 5 stars Stephen King novel
    Reviewed in Canada on July 10, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    book arrived in perfect condition, great shipping time, wife says its Stephen King who would not like it
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  • Jan
    5.0 out of 5 stars 3rd in a trilogy
    Reviewed in Canada on October 24, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    An excellent read and ending to the Mr. Mercedes trilogy.
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  • 鶹 Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars SPOILERS AHEAD, STOP READING IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS
    Reviewed in Canada on October 17, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Appropriately named and a fitting ending for the trilogy.

    SPOILER ALERT:
    I do wish that the ending went differently. Instead of Jerome coming to the rescue, I think it would have been more fitting to have Hodges die while killing Brady instead of surviving just to succumb to cancer 8 months later. That was sad and I thought Hodges deserved a more heroic ending.

    I was also a little disappointed with the mind-control aspect of this novel. I liked that the first two books had no paranormal themes, but this one is full of it and a little unbelievable. I'm not sure that the Zappit concept worked for me.
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  • 鶹 Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars It's just ok
    Reviewed in Canada on December 8, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    King novels do not usually disappoint, however this was just an ok close to an ongoing series. Billy Summers definitely out performed this story line in my opinion.
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  • betty
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in Canada on April 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I liked the whole book. The storyline was very interesting. Sometimes it was hard to stop reading to do something else. I liked how it ended. It was a shame that bill died at the end .
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Jen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Conclusion for the Trilogy
    Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I don't usually pre-order books, especially hardcovers, but I had to find out what happened to Hodges, Holly, Jerome, Brady, and the rest. I've had some pretty disappointing finales to my favorite series this year but thankfully this one was great.

    Plot:

    The plot sounds ridiculous but somehow Stephen King just makes it work. It kept me hooked, intrigued, and at parts, somewhat creeped out. I love the supernatural element in this final book and how suicide, something the bad guy seemed obsessed with in the first book, played its part in this final installment.

    While it did take about a week to read this, I would have finished it a lot faster if I hadn't had other things to do. At parts it was very difficult to put down. It also was unpredictable, which is one of Stephen King's specialties. No character is safe.

    Overall, the plot was intriguing and difficult to stop reading.

    Setting:

    Same setting as in the previous books. I liked that a good part of it was set in the hospital, though.

    Characters:

    While I enjoyed Hodges in the previous books, he shows a vulnerability in this one, and his determination to shield others from it melted my heart. While I did enjoy Peter Subers from the last book a lot, it was nice to be back with Bill for a while. He is an easy character to root for because despite his faults, deep down he is genuinely good and wants evil to be put in it's place.

    I adore Holly, especially in this book. Her character seemed to thrive much more and she is also vulnerable in other ways. She's also seen as "weird" because she has anxiety, especially when it comes to other people, and I feel like King did a great job showing how it affects her life and relationship with others. I especially like how the people closest to her like Hodges and Jerome, are respectful of that.

    There isn't much Jerome in this one, but he is far from important. He plays a big role in this one, as well as his younger sister, Barbara. I never thought too much of his sister before this book, but the short scene from her POV definitely made me like her and want to root for her.

    Brady is back and while he is a monster, he is so psychotic that I can't help but enjoy his character and quirks. I'd say he is one of King's creepiest.

    And while I didn't really care much for Freddi before, I did feel bad for her in this one. It was nice seeing her character explored further.

    Relationships:

    Like the last book, there isn't really any romance, which I find a good thing because it wouldn't have fit in this book. There is a kiss though and while it's unexpected, it's not exactly romantic, either--just incredibly sweet.

    Hodges and Holly are definitely my favorite relationship, though. They make a good team, friends, and also have that "old married couple" vibe going on. I love how they both know one another so well and will adjust themselves to make the other more comfortable--especially when it comes to Holly's anxiety.

    Brady and Hodges also make an interesting villain vs hero.

    I also felt that Brady had some interesting interactions with his victims, especially the main two (Z-Boy & Dr. Z).

    Writing/Voice:

    I'm a SK fan so I enjoy his writing. I loved the combination of horror and supernatural in this one. The last book was more of a crime/thriller sprinkled with horror but this one was more like the first, which is exactly what the last book needed.

    Ending:

    While I would have liked to see the climax with Brady last a little longer, the ending for that was satisfying (and also great irony). The actual ending was sad but realistic, and I love that there is closure.

    Overall, it was a satisfying ending for the series. I still consider the first to be my favorite but this one would definitely be second. I can't wait to see what SK will write next!
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  • KGBeast
    5.0 out of 5 stars Zufriedenstellender Abschluss einer unerwarteten Trilogie
    Reviewed in Germany on June 12, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Billy Hodges und Holly Gibney sind wieder da. Ihre Angentur „Finders Keepers“ ist weiterhin erfolg-reich, doch Hodges fühlt sich zunehmend unwohl. Der mittlerweile nahezu 70 Jahre alte Polizist im Ruhestand hat Verdauungsprobleme und fürchterliche Leibschmerzen, die seine Partnerin dazu gebracht haben, ihn mit strengen Worten zum Arzt zu schicken. Und dort wartet er auf eine Diagnose, als ihn ein Anruf seines Expartners bei der Polizei erreicht. Eines der Opfer des sogenannten Mercedes-Killers, das seit dem Ereignis gelähmt gewesen ist, ist von der sie pflegenden Mutter umgebracht worden, kurz bevor diese sich im Bad selbst umgebracht hat. Irgendetwas verstört Hodges‘ Expartner an dieser Sache, weswegen er gegen den Wunsch seiner neuen Partnerin Hodges zu Hilfe gerufen hat, damit dieser sich die Sache einmal ansieht.

    Tatsächlich kommt Hodges das ganze Tableau eher seltsam vor – und ganz besonders die Anwesenheit eines Ladegeräts an einer Steckdose über die der Buchstabe Z an die Wand geschrieben ist und zu dem ein entsprechendes Endgerät fehlt. Aber Izzy, die karriere-orientierte neue Partnerin von Hodges Expartner Pete will den Fall als Mord-Selbstmordkombination so schnell wie möglich abschließen – besonders, da dieser durch die Anwesenheit der von ihrer Mutter Ermordeten unangenehm viel Presseecho erzeugen kann.

    Der Architekt der Behinderung und etlicher weiterer Verletzungen und vieler grausamer Tode liegt zur gleichen Zeit scheinbar unansprechbar in Raum 217 der Lakes Region Traumatic Brain Injury Cli-nic, nachdem ihm zwei heftige Schläge auf den Hinterkopf nicht nur daran gehindert haben, einen Konzertsaal voller Jugendlicher und ihrer Eltern in die Luft zu jagen, sondern auch sein Gehirn nach-haltig geschädigt hat. Doch er ist nicht wirklich ohne Wahrnehmung und tatsächlich ist er durch eine Verknüpfung verschiedener Umstände in der Lage, aus seiner Stummheit und seiner Bewegungslosigkeit heraus in die Welt hinein zu greifen – und das auf überaus ungewöhnliche Art und Weise.

    Der Mann, der sich selbst mal als den „Selbstmordprinzen“ bezeichnet hat, wegen seiner Fähigkeit, andere Menschen in den Selbstmord zu reden, hat eine Möglichkeit gefunden, Menschen in seinem näheren Umfeld direkt zu manipulieren und über diese Manipulation auch über die Grenzen von Raum 217 hinaus zu agieren. Und dies tut er mit unglaublicher Zielstrebigkeit in seinem Wunsch sich nicht nur an Holly und Hodges, sondern auch an der ganzen Stadt zu rächen, die ihm seiner Meinung nach unsägliches Unrecht zugefügt haben. Und so muss Hodges nicht nur gegen einen unerbittlichen inneren Feind antreten, sondern auch gegen einen Gegner, der geradezu gottähnliche Macht zu entwickeln scheint, die zunächst erst einmal die Menschen in seinem näheren Umfeld bedroht, die aber letztendlich auf die breite Masse gerichtet ist.

    Dieser dritte Teil der Krimireihe, die mit „Mr. Mercedes“ ihren Anfang genommen hat, ist voller phantastischer Element in Bezug auf Brady „Mercedes“ Hartsfield neue Fähigkeiten, aber die Ent-wicklung der Bedrohung, die er hier auf zwei Angriffslinien aufbaut ist sowohl vom technischen wie auch vom soziologischen mehr als real. Selbstmord spielt in diesem Roman eine sehr große Rolle und auch die Art, wie Selbstmord in bestimmten Populationen zu einer Art Epidemie werden kann – was eine der Grundlagen von Hartsfields Plan darstellt. Besonders, da das Internet die Wirkung eines „viruellen“ Selbstmords noch verstärken kann – was darüber nachdenken lassen sollte, wieviel Internetzugang man seinen Kindern – besonders über schwer zu kontrollierende Smartphones – gewähren sollte.

    Ein interessanter Abschluss der Trilogie, der wieder ein wenig „klassischen“ King durchscheinen lässt.
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  • VERILHAC Michel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Le dernier Stephen King en VO
    Reviewed in France on April 11, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Avoir le dernier Stephen King livré à domicile, en version originale, et bon marché ( moins de 10 €) avant même sa parution en France, est un privilège que j'ai bien apprécié. Merci 鶹 !
    Livré rapidement dans un bon emballage, j'ai pu commencer la lecture deux ou trois jours après la commande. Seul petit reproche : les caractères sont un peu petits et moins confortables que la version brochée française 3 fois plus chère.
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  • Abraham Tharakan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book.
    Reviewed in India on July 16, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Very powerfully written. Vintage King. Can't wait for his next book. Pity he ended this series as a trilogy - would have loved to read more of the same
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  • Henk Zeeman
    4.0 out of 5 stars For ends same...
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on June 3, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I needed to read this book to fulfill a duty. It was with scintillating pleasure, I read! Death seems to win always. Luckily the grace of some good people keep up.
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