Holly (Holly Gibney, #3) (2024)

“Holly” by Stephen King is a book I’ve been waiting a very long time to finally read. You see, before “Holly” was officially published on 9/5/23, I went on a Holly-inspired reading marathon so I could jump in and be fully caught up. I’m talking about taking an entire week off of work to enjoy a BOOKcation with everything involving Holly. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, I devoured four novels and an entire short story collection written by King that featured Holly and it was such a rewarding reading experience.

Just so you know, to get the most out of “Holly” I highly recommend that you read all five books she is in before reading this novel. The order to read them are…

Mr. Mercedes -> Finders Keepers -> End of Watch -> The Outsider -> If It Bleeds -> Holly

Now before I jump into my review of this novel, here’s a list of the trigger warnings I found while reading…

- hom*ophobic comments
- COVID-19 pandemic
- Cannibalism
- Politics
- Racism
- Sexual harassment
- Rape
- Abortion
- Cancer
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- School shootings

If any of these trigger you, please don’t read this novel. One more thing I’d like to mention is my thoughts on how tons of readers hated the heavy use of politics, COVID-19, masking, vaxxing, and all that jazz in this novel to the point of being rude and mean to each other due to differences of opinion.

As always, reading is subjective and everyone reads for different reasons. Some like the escapism of novels and want to stay away from anything involving world and political events. Others don’t care at all and welcome it for whatever reason. Some will DNF a novel the moment they see things like that because they completely disagree and get all worked up. Others will enjoy it because they agree with that side of the debate.

Whatever the case may be, do whatever makes you happy as long as it’s not at the expense of treating others badly. It’s important to remember that if readers completely disagree with King’s views on politics, masking, vaxxing, etc., it’s okay to stop reading and move on to something else. Just please don’t start attacking your fellow Constant Readers because they agree with him on these kinds of topics or vice versa. We’re all readers at heart with different genres and topics we enjoy so no need to attack or be rude to each other over political differences or how people ultimately feel about COVID, masking, vaccinations, etc.

In my opinion, King is 75 years old and will be 76 years old on 9/21/23. The fact that he is still writing novels at such a high level is nothing short of incredible. I’m just glad he is because he will forever be my all-time favorite author. Regardless of how you feel about his own political views and opinions on COVID, masking, vaccinations, etc., if you are a horror reader at one point or other in your life he probably gave you at least one character or book you enjoyed based on something he wrote. He’s been writing for over 50 years now and is still going strong.

These trigger warnings I mentioned above don’t bother me at all since they’re just words on paper to me. Remember my friends, be kind to each other, no matter where you stand on these political and COVID topics. Whether you agree or disagree, just treat each other with kindness. Trust me, it truly goes a very long way in life.

Anywho, I loved this novel so much, and depending on how the rest of this year goes, “Holly” might very well end up being my favorite book of 2023. It was that extraordinary to me and just like the other novels featuring Holly, King did a wonderful job weaving a story within a story within a story with tons of little subtle references here and there.

Everything from The Princess Bride, Blood Red Sky (I loved this movie on Netflix), Freddy Krueger, Carrie (lost my mind when he did this), and even The Haunting of Hill House all made me smile. I love it when King does things like this, especially with his own legendary work.

The intro to “Holly” was a wild one and my goodness, King dialed up the horror with a very gross twist to things in this one. I made lots of weird faces with those insanely descriptive situations. In general, I was so happy to see Holly get her own novel and not only see what she’s been up to lately but also how she has evolved in the grand scheme of things.

To finally get more of Holly’s backstory and fill in the gaps to what makes her tick was such a great thing to read. I have connected with Holly way before this novel came out and reading this solidified to me that she’s a rockstar. I just love the kind of person she is, how vulnerable she can be depending on what is going on at the moment, and just how she figures things out over time.

Seeing Holly continuing to be Holly as she pieced things together in this horror mystery novel was a lot of fun. The suspense is all throughout this novel and besides Holly, I also enjoyed how King was able to include Jerome and his sister Barbara to also get updates on them which was nice to read. This is a big reason why I highly recommend reading those five novels I mentioned above since it’ll just make it more meaningful.

Besides this incredible unique and disturbing story, King did a phenomenal job breaking down an underlying tone to “Holly” that was evident all throughout this novel. Seeing Holly process grief due to what she’s going through was engrossing. Everyone handles grief differently but to see such a complex and riveting character as Holly goes through this on top of trying to figure out what she’s investigating was nothing short of brilliance.

It goes to show that no matter how strong, weird, or complicated someone is on the outside, grief like that affects everyone to some degree even as they vehemently deny it on the inside. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin anything for you but I just loved seeing Holly turn into the person she is now. Not only am I impressed but well, proud. I know that’ll sound weird but I literally went through a five-novel journey reading them all in a single week and feel like I know Holly. Even King said in recent interviews promoting this novel that there is a bit of Holly in him and well, everyone. I also feel the same as I’ve seen some of my tendencies of handling things as Holly would which makes her so relatable to me.

Another thing I loved is how the presence of Bill Hodges so many moons ago impacted Holly so much that it is still helping her in the present. I swear, the quote that King put to open up this novel (“Sometimes the universe throws you a rope.” - Bill Hodges) just hits you from beginning to end. Speaking of which, my goodness, the climax to the ending was fantastic! The main antagonists in this one were pure evil and I loved how Holly handled everything in stride towards that stupendous ending.

I was on the edge of my seat getting through that ending because I didn’t think that would ever happen and to see Holly do what she did totally made me scream YES!!! so many times in my head because it was so epic. It was quite the buildup and everything ended perfectly. I loved the ending, actually. Mainly because it ended the way it should have when it comes to Holly and the kind of character she has now become. As always with anything I read by King, I was left mesmerized as Holly is now one of my all-time favorite characters he’s ever created.

I give “Holly” by Stephen King a 5/5 as it was so worth reading all five novels Holly was in before this one was published to enjoy watching her evolve into the person she is now. The horror, creepiness, and disturbing aspects of this novel were bloody magnificent. It probably isn’t a good idea to eat or drink anything while reading this one but at the end of it all, Holly rocks. I’m so glad King decided to give this influential character her own novel because this has been quite the reading journey I will never forget for the rest of my life. Finally, the last little thing King left me with besides all this awesomeness involving Holly is that I will never look at vanilla ice cream the same again. Ever.

⛧

Considering the fact that I enjoyed the vast majority of 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨's work, and that he just happens to be one of my favorite authors, I approach this review with frustration, as the highly anticipated 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲 has left me with nothing but a foul taste in my mouth.

A week prior to its release, I heard about the controversy surrounding this book and became even more curious about it, so I decided to take a leap and see what it's all about. Reading it felt like opening the fridge at 3 AM while you're parched, just to realize the only offering is a half empty bottle of juice. You're not quite sure how long it's been open, yet your intuition tells you it has been a while. Your curiosity and desire for something cold overcomes your suspicion, so you get it closer to your nose. When your olfactory bulb fails to provide clarity about whether the juice has gone bad, you decide to take a sip and find out.

Well, I sipped, I gagged. Here are my conclusions:

𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 used 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲 as a vehicle to shove his political views down the readers' throat. Mind you, I enjoy the blend of politics in fiction, when it's done with good taste and expands the mind. Most importantly, I respect other people's rights to think and see things differently. However, I was disappointed to find that 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 has failed to do the same by pointing his finger at people who think differently than him. The audacity. The excessive mentions of Covid, vaccines, masks, and the representation of those against it as the root of all evil, made it impossible for me to show a fragment of appreciation towards what could have been a barely mediocre detective thriller, yet ended up being a slow, toothless, formulated, preachy reading experience. The unnecessary, constant mention of Covid has served no purpose whatsoever to the plot of this book. In my opinion, it did the exact opposite. It buried it.

Holly's character, who once held a spark which I quite liked in 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨's previous work, has been assassinated by her very own maker. 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 has turned her into an intolerant, judgmental hypochondriac. Certain revelations regarding the villains from the get-go made the plot become even more mind-numbing and oh so predictable. This book exhausted my patience sorely and made me roll my eyes one too many times. It was the first time I ever wanted to abandon a book by 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 before reaching halfway through it, yet I decided to finish it in the hope it would get better. It didn't.

"𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟. 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐢𝐭?... 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞, 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲? 𝐍𝐨. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧."

The only thing I liked in this book was this quote. I truly hope 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 has managed to destroy his own itch and get rid of some of his poison.

BREAKING: outspokenly liberal author Stephen King pens a novel about COVID and takes jabs at Trump’s inadequate handling of the crisis.

King has NEVER mentioned politics in his books before, and I am outraged! How dare he cover a time period (2020-2021) in which politics was everything and everywhere all at once and actually mention *gasp* Trump by name! Not to mention the vaccines and mandates!

(Seriously, the 1-star reviews on Amazon are f*cking gold. Since when has politics NOT seeped into King’s fiction? It’s been there since ’Salem’s Lot, at least. I have no love or patience for those “offended moderates” who just want to escape the “real world” into … an art form that often reflects the real world? Because authors are real people living in the real world? The math ain’t mathin’.)

And f*ck it, I love Holly. The character and the novel. King’s caught some crap lately for his output, especially the crime stuff, and that’s valid. I get why it isn’t for everyone. But I love it, it’s always a fun ass time. I didn’t expect this one to get as dark as it does, sitting very comfortably with one foot in the crime-mystery genre and the other in the horror genre. This book even gave me a few bad dreams, something not all (or even many) of SK’s other releases have done.

I won’t go into specifics because spoilers, but yeah, if you’ve liked Holly’s previous adventures you’ll like this too. Reading the Hodges trilogy, The Outsider, and “If It Bleeds” is necessary. Otherwise you’ll be as lost as I was when I tried reading Insomnia before the Dark Tower series. (That’s a hint at what I’m about to reread with my best friend.)

King still has it. And it’s OK to love his new releases.

D.N.F.
The first Stephen King book I have ever had to set down.

First of all, please know I’m a HUGE fan of King’s books. I have read over half of his published works—love his writing, characters, stories.

Holly was my favorite character… I was so excited for this book.

However, this book is so chock full of blatant disrespect for people who have certain political views. Now hear me out, I don’t care what your political stance is—but let’s be clear on ONE thing—I will NOT tolerate DISRESPECT. I don’t care what party you classify as or which candidate you voted for—I don’t agree with disrespecting EITHER or ANY side. That is WRONG for ANYONE to do.

Honestly man! This is supposed to be work of FICTION for crying out loud—I came here for IMAGINARY characters, events, etc. NOT to relive the VID or deal with political jabs at parties and individuals we disagree with. I am here to ESCAPE reality—not have to hear more hate and disunity.

I am so disappointed…

Mr. King, with all due respect, learn to RESPECT those you disagree with, that’s our way to unity.—Not hate. Not fighting. Not making fun of others. Not rude comments and jabs.

Remember the old saying? —If you don’t have anything nice to say… don’t say anything at all.

Be kind. Be better. Learn to listen, learn, respect—even when you disagree strongly. That’s when we become world changers, bearers of truth and light.

3 1/2 stars. After some thought, I have decided to round down on this one. I did enjoy it, but compared to King's other work it's definitely not a standout read.

Here, King returns to 2021 and the middle of the COVID panic. Holly has OCD and so her approach to the virus-- sanitizing, masks, elbow-bumping --is even more extreme than most others during this period. I guess I'm finally at the point where I don't mind revisiting that sh*thole of a time, and it was interesting to see how much more paranoid someone with OCD could be. I hadn't considered that before.

One thing that will likely determine whether or not readers like this book is how much you care about solving the mystery. Here, there is no mystery to solve for the reader. Right from the start, we are presented with both points of view-- the elderly couple kidnapping and killing (eating) people and Holly, who is investigating the disappearance of a young woman --and so we are bystanders watching this game of cat and mouse, not active participants in the detective work.

I actually don't mind this, though. After years of reading mysteries and thrillers, a lot of twists and "surprises" fall flat, so I'm usually more interested in the characters and their motivations. I already liked Holly and was interested in her experiences of COVID, as well as her complex grief for her late mother, but I also really enjoyed the villains here. They were batsh*t, of course, but not without their own batsh*t reasons, which I found bizarrely convincing.

Not King's best, but worth a read if you tolerate ick-factor and characters with very strong political views.

Can you believe it, Constant Readers!?

An all new King for 2023 and it's going to bring back a well-known character. That's right! It's Holly Gibney's time to shine. I love her, always have, and am so happy that she is getting her own full-length novel!

Now, we wait...

Political trash. I'm so very disappointed. I was really looking forward to another Holly Gibney story. King has really misjudged his audience. I think everyone is sick of Covid by now and no one wants a reminder of the divisiveness in our country, especially in a freaking horror novel. I don't read King for social commentary or his take on current events. I just wanted a creepy supernatural antagonist a la The Outsider. And the same spunky nero-divergent detective protagonist that kicked ass in If It Bleeds. Instead I got serial killing, bigoted, and racist octogenarians, whom one cannot help but think are a substitute for Trump himself, and the new Holly is just sad. This book is poopy.

Writing: cozy mystery | Plot: had potential | Ending: salvation!!!!!

SYNOPSIS

Holly is back and trying to track down a missing young woman who has most likely been kidnapped by a husband and wife cannibal team.

MY OPINIONS

This is my first Stephen King, so by default, my first exposure to Holly. The reviews for this book are VERY opinionated; you either hated it because of the nonstop covid mentions and political rants or you loved it because you're a King stan and he can do no wrong. No shade.

I am very much in the first camp, and to save myself from getting attacked I want to make it clear: I do not care that the rona and former president cheeto were mentioned. It is sheer number of times this was mentioned that made this insufferable. Here are the numbers:

COVID is mentioned 78 times (every 5.5 pages)
Mask is mentioned 63 times (every 7 pages)
Trump mentioned 14 times (every 31 pages)
Vaxxed mentioned 13 times (every 34 pages)

That's all I'm gonna say about the matter so debate your mama. BTW if you come into my comment section condescendingly telling me that this book was written during COVID/trump time I will just block you. Being rude will never change my mind on a topic.

Moving on... despite the plot having tons of grisly potential, the book gave me cozy mystery vibes. It didn't creep me out in the slightest, and I'm the type of person that will scream at the top of their lungs if someone walks into a room too loudly. And while I don't mind knowing the who/what/where/why/when of the crime, it was boring as hell watching Holly judge everyone while puffing down a pack a day and going in circles before finally solving the crime. If you go with this type of structure, it needs to be entertaining af. Sadly, it was not. TO ME.

However, I definitely want to read another Stephen King. Maybe Carrie? I don't think this is the best representation of his skill level and creativity, so I'm keen to read something that shows what he's really all about.

PROS AND CONS

Pros: I finally read a Stephen King book! the cover is pretty, the premise had lots of potential

Cons: too many mentions of miss rona and politics (see the numbers above), not entertaining, no thrills, too long

An engaging thriller after all! 3.5 stars

Holly was a bit repetitive at times with the Covid details and

I was okay with the subject matter because as an author, you can write whatever you want.
Plus, if you've ever seen his social media, I'm sure you know how he feels. 🤣😂

Read Holly or don’t.

I feel that as an author, you’re writing for yourself, and

I’m still struggling to understand why my husband didn’t like the movies for The Lord of the Rings but I still love him. I think?! 🧐

You can like or love someone and they don’t have to like your favorite movie or book.
Don’t take it personal. I see a lot of tribalism on Goodreads and other social media and it turns me off. It's a bit bonkers and seems to squash individuality or thoughts that are different then yours.

I felt that Holly finally gets some momentum at the halfway point and I was enjoying the plot and villains' more.

The pacing was off for me in the beginning and dragged more then I was expecting from a

I’m glad I hung in there because the mystery and tension does start coming together and I had a hard time putting this book down from that point on.

I enjoyed how Holly puts all the pieces of the puzzle together involving the missing woman. It was engaging to me to see how this character's mind works with OCD and being on the spectrum. That's my guess in regards to those two conditions especially with the daily interactions she does.

Plus, I do think she's a hypochondriac and seeing Covid through her eyes was an interesting take.
During this time in history, I didn't think about what this pandemic would do to someone who would have a condition like this and I liked the representation of it.

Overall, Holly was a good crime thriller to read and had some crazy horror elements thrown in for good measure.

I do have some fatigue about Covid along with US politics so I'm sure that played into my rating.
I don't go much on Facebook for a reason since I don't care what my Aunt Betty thinks about President Trump and vaccines, and what Uncle Henry thinks about President Biden and Black Lives Matter.
It will be curious to see how this will work for me in 10 years when I do a reread.

Other then that, I'm looking forward to reading what Stephen King decides to write next!

I have loved Holly Gibney’s character ever since the Mr Mercedes trilogy. I am so glad that SK loved her just as much to give Holly her own book.

I’ve seen a few comments complaining about the Covid element in this book. I think it’s really important to talk about topics relevant to the time the book is set. This has always been the case in Mr Mercedes too. Stephen King writes about the unemployment crisis in America, he has never shied away from the hard topics.

When people read this book in later years it will provide information about the years covid was rife. I also believe it strongly fits Holly’s personality - she was always quite extreme when it came to germs etc.

When a young woman’s bike is found but with her nowhere to be seen, her mother asks Holly to investigate. What she unravels is terrifying and dangerous.

Another thrill ride from Stephen King, I throughly enjoyed it.

**********************

Yessss to more Holly Gibney!!!!

I can't believe this has actually happened! I am unable to finish a Stephen King book! I get it, Mr. King. You're of a more liberal mindset, and the evil conservatives have ruined EVERYTHING!! I'm not interested in having your politics CRAMMED down my gullet when all I want is to read a thrilling detective novel! I don't care if you're left-wing, right-wing, or a chicken wing! I read fiction to get away from the grind! I thought the premise would carry me through to the end of the story. I was wrong. I'm very disappointed.

What the frak was this!?

I have a list:

📃 Too slow
📃 Too much political garbage
📃 I don't mind a bit of covid talk, but every chapter had some sort of reference to it
📃 All of the above overshadowed the actual storyline.

I loved hearing about Holly and how far she has come but I feel the narrator didn't portray her correctly, didn't come across as the Holly we know. If you can get past all of the above the story and plot was great. Loved the added plot of canabalism but its probably not everyone's cup of tea.

I am a fan of the King and have devoured his previous works like they were the last edible things on earth.
I agree with his viewpoint on almost everything. I believe an author is free like any other citizen to voice his opinion and express them in his books. That’s what writing is about, right?

But in this book, the King goes against his own golden rules and well…
He over-explains and repeats everything.
He mentions masks/covid/sanitizer/elbow salute/vaccination and double vaccination so may times, you feel like you are reading a guidebook on how to prevent catching Covid and the terrible consequences if you don't mask/vax.

I have been there…I have lived that sh*t…I have washed my hands millions of times a day, sterilized my belongings, put masks and double masks, vaxxed etc. I don’t want to be reminded of it in a crime/mystery fiction every step of the way.

Why would I care if a very minor character whom I will never encounter again is wearing a mask or what does she think about trump or how does she feel about vaccination? Why?

I loved Holly’s character in the previous books, but in this one, she annoyed the hell out of me with her “I assume you are vaccinated”, “are you double-vaxxed?” Did you wash your hands how many times? Her elbow-saluting and her judging others. Automatically assuming that the hospitalized people "obviously" aren't vaccinated or were against putting masks..."obviously!!"
And it is out of character for someone this fussy and obsessed, to chain smoke like a chimney. What do you think the f*cking smoke does to your lungs? Caress them?

The story itself was of middling quality and knowing the identity of the perpetrators right from the beginning didn’t help either.

I have never considered to skip pages of a King, but this one begged for it. I persevered!
Sorry for the rant, Mr. King!

Overshadowed by Covid and Trump, Holly is drawn into her most intriguing case so far. Missing persons. She is book by the mother of the recent missing person, a librarian. Where did she go to? Step by step she is able to establish connections to other missing persons. Who abducted them and why? Stephen King comes up with a very remarkable novel. Evil is old and comes in a form you wouldn't suspect. Is there any serial killer out there? Nail biting crime meets issues we all face everyday: old age and death. Can old age and declining fitness stopped in a way? The master of horror comes up with an outstanding, unusual and extremely compelling novel here. All the ingredients are known, true, the references to Covid and Trump are sometimes as annoying as the items themselves, but to me this definitely is the crime/horror novel of the year. We get deep insight into Holly's personality, his most complicated character so far. This is storytelling on highest level, can't say otherwise. Hope we hear more of Holly in the next years. Highly recommended!

Full review plus a ranking of every Holly Gibney story now on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/0x4-gmw5Jmc?si=63hB_...-

Ignore the negative reviews. This is the best Holly story King has written.

I received an automated call from my local library on Tuesday, September 5 informing me one of my holds had arrived. I only had one book on hold, and it just so happen to be that book’s release date. Did my library actually get a copy of a brand new book on release day, put my name on it, and call me to come pick it up? They did. That had never happened to me before, so I dropped what I was doing (which was of much, if anything) and rushed to the library.

HOLLY was on a shelf right up at the front, waiting for me. I grabbed the book, and a copy of Yellowface since I was mildly interested in that, too, and ran back to my car. I might not have actually ran, but I definitely power-walked. I grabbed the book and power-walked to my car.

I spent the past month reading back through the Bill Hodges trilogy, The Outsider, and the If It Bleeds novella. I actually enjoyed most of those stories more on a second read, but I still didn’t have a very high bar set for HOLLY. I thought she was a decent minor character in other books, but I wasn’t sure what else King had in store for her, especially in the spotlight with her own story. Also, I have now learned my issues with Holly is less about her character and much more related to Sill Patton’s impression of her in the audiobooks. It’s just not good at all. I wouldn’t recommend learning about Holly’s backstory that way. Just read the other books with your eyes.

Anyway, HOLLY greatly exceeded my expectations. She’s grown tremendously as a character and so has all of the supporting cast around her. Jerome and Brenda are back. Pete’s still kind of around, I guess. But this story is much better than anything from the Hodges trilogy or whatever came after it. All of the issues I had with the other Holly stories are nowhere to be found in this book, and King actually sticks the landing this time. Seriously, halfway through the book I started wondering when it was going to all fall apart. With 50 pages left, I waited for something ridiculous to happen to ruin the whole book. None of that ever happened. The book is fantastic from start to finish. It’s very grounded compared to the other stories Holly appears in, and the villains of this story are completely unexpected… and gross.

Alright, so let’s address the elephant in the room. You’re gonna bump into plenty of one-star reviews that talk about how politically charged this thing is and how King’s left wing liberal work agenda blah blah blah. Here’s the thing - the book is set primarily in 2021 with prior events occurring several years prior to that. There’s a lot of COVID stuff, there’s some election stuff, there’s some jabs at Trump, but it never bothered me. It doesn’t distract from the plot, and it helps ground the book in the reality of the time. King definitely has his opinions, and, if you’ve read anything from him recently, you know what those are. Even if you disagree, I don’t think it takes away from the overall story. I actually enjoyed reading a book set during COVID because it reminded me of how crazy things were just a short time ago. Just two years ago, but it feels like much longer than that. It will be interesting to read this again a decade or two from now as a little time capsule of what things were like in 2020-2021. If you can’t get past his politics or don’t want that stuff included in your reading, I guess you could skip this, but you’re missing out.

Honestly, the biggest issue isn’t King’s politics, it’s his interpretation of how young adults in 2021 talk to each other. I think he’s stuck in the 1950s when he writes dialogue for younger people. It’s not Stand By Me anymore, man. There’s a scene with a group of kids that felt like it was decades old, and one character says “mondo” at one point. That stuff is much more distracting or pulls you out of the story than anything political injected into this story. That’s my only real complaint here, but it’s fine.

Really glad I was able to grab this so quickly from the library. I ripped through it in just a few days, and it was much better than I expected. Now, I should probably be a good little library patron and return it so the next person on the list can read it as soon as possible.

As always, the King creates memorable characters.

Holly, having just lost her mom to COVID, and having taken up smoking again, (something I recently did myself after my mom's passing last year), she needs to keep her mind occupied. Enter the case of a missing beautiful teen girl, and we are off with Holly as she gets to work.

This is King writing crime at his best. Yes, there are horrific elements here and plenty of them, but at heart this is the story of Holly, and I freaking love her. I recommend that you read the Mr. Mercedes crime trilogy and then The Outsider before you read this. So much background will be lost if you don't, and you will never be able to understand just how far Holly has come. You would be cheating yourself of the best part of all these books-Holly's growth.

The two villains here are elderly, retired professors. That's why it's so jarring and terrifying to learn about the depth of their crimes. I'm not spoiling anything, but be prepared for a bit of gore and many genuine ewwwwws.

I imagine a certain group of folk out there will not like this book and will down vote it or 1 star it, based on their politics. I am rating it based on my heart. I originally gave this 4 stars, but after some mulling I have upped it to 5. Holly has wormed her way deep into my heart and I hope that we haven't seen the last of her.

Being a fan of Stephen King's novels, I know he doesn't always include supernatural characters in his stories. Nevertheless, I loved Holly's novel and I can only hope it won't be the last time we hear from her.

I haven't read the previous five books of the series, but Holly works perfectly well on its own and now I'm in need of getting to know how she came to being.

I loved the story for what it is, and not because of the political or health views it has in it. I think that would be the wrong way of rating this novel.

Holly is a private investigator who's recently lost her mother to Covid, and although she's really far from properly grieving over her, she receives a call from Penny Dahl, a woman whose daughter recently went missing, and who can only hope for Holly's willingness to take the case to help her find out what happened to her.

Although a bit reluctantly, Holly takes the case only to find out that Bonnie's (Penny's daughter) disappearance may be linked to some other disappearances that somehow lead all to the Harris (Rodney and Emily). Why and how would they be linked to all this? Holly isn't sure, but her curiosity and her investigative skills might help her unveil some facts that she may later regret knowing.

As usual, it seems that the only possible way to find out is by getting immersed into Holly's world.

This is perhaps (in my view) one of the best books I've read this year.

Holly is the sixth in the Holly Gibney series. I read the first and none in between. So, it’s safe to say it works fine as a stand-alone.
The story takes place in 2021, smack dab in the middle of Covid. In fact, Holly’s partner, Pete, is recovering even though he was vaxxed. And her mother has died of Covid, having refused to get the vaccine. Holly is hired to find a young woman that has gone missing and the police don’t have time or resources to devote any attention to her case. As Holly investigates, it starts to look like others have gone missing and may be somehow related. And, as odd as it seems, the evidence points to an octogenarian couple of retired professors.
With the cold weather here and the arthritis in my fingers starting to really give me fits, I’m almost tempted to see if Rodney and Em’s fix would work. (Just kidding.) King has the ability to create some of the creepiest bad guys and this couple is no exception. This is the antithesis of a cozy mystery and there were numerous times that I was grossed out.
Holly is a fascinating main character. She’s come a long way since Mr. Mercedes and I really want to go back and see her transformation. She’s strong and resourceful. I do wish she’d quit smoking. (See, she’s that real that I want what’s best for her health.) She’s dealing with some really weird sh** that she discovers after her mom’s passing.
The book moves quickly and I was engaged throughout. I listened to this 15 hour book in three days. It was that entertaining.
Anyone who doesn’t want to read about Covid needs to steer clear of this book. Likewise,Trump fans should avoid this as King makes no secret of his political stand. He’s also a big believer in vaccines and the whole “are you vaccinated?” plays out front and center throughout the story. King has a big presence on X (formerly Twitter), so his political beliefs shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.
I listened to this and was impressed by Justine Lupe’s narration.

This has motivated me to go back and read the earlier books.

Oh, buckle up for the triumphant return of Holly Gibney, Stephen King's ingenious detective, in this chilling novel that dives deep into a midwestern town's sinister secrets.

In "Holly," King weaves a masterful tale, throwing readers headfirst into a horror-laden journey. The suspense is palpable, the twists are stomach-churning, and my goodness, did he amp up the horror with some seriously gross twists. But let's talk about Holly. Finally, our beloved recluse turned detective gets her own spotlight, and it's a wild ride. King peels back the layers of Holly's character, delving into her backstory and evolution, and it's an absolute joy to witness.

Holly, with her vulnerabilities and uncanny ability to piece things together, shines as the star of this horror mystery. The suspense keeps you on the edge, and the inclusion of familiar faces like Jerome and Barbara adds a layer of depth that fans will appreciate. King's storytelling prowess doesn't just stop at crafting a unique and disturbing narrative; he brilliantly delves into an underlying theme — grief. Watching Holly grapple with her emotions while navigating a twisted investigation is nothing short of brilliance.
And let's not forget the impact of Bill Hodges. The quote that kicks off the novel

The climax to the ending is nothing short of fantastic, with pure evil antagonists and Holly's epic handling of the situation. I was on the edge of my seat, screaming "YES!!!" in my head. The ending is spot-on, reflecting the growth and strength of Holly's character.

Now, for the naysayers bringing politics into the mix—come on! King has always infused his fiction with real-world elements, and "Holly" is no exception. As for me, I love Holly, the character, and the novel. King effortlessly straddles the crime-mystery and horror genres, delivering a dark narrative that even invaded my dreams. If you've enjoyed Holly's previous adventures, this one's a must-read.

And here's a gentle reminder to heed the trigger warnings: hom*ophobic comments, the COVID-19 pandemic, politics, racism, rape, abortion, Alzheimer’s Disease, school shootings etc.

Holly's journey, post her mom's COVID-related demise, is gripping, and King excels at writing crime at its best. For the full experience, dive into the Mr. Mercedes trilogy and "The Outsider" before embarking on this enthralling journey. The villains may be elderly professors, but the depth of their crimes will leave you horrified and saying plenty of genuine "ewwwwws."

Holly has nestled her way deep into my heart, and I'm crossing my fingers that this isn't the last we've seen of her. In the realm of King's new releases, this one is a winner.

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DNF at 7%. You’d think I would learn by now. More politics and constant Covid talk. Nah. I lived through 2020 and Trump and I did just fine. Don’t need the rehashing or bashing.

Okay. Let me just explain two things.

One.

Stephen King scares me. So, I have not been a particular fan of his, which means I have not read his books. I know. It started as a youngster when I saw a couple of movies that were based on his novels. That did me in. So, anytime his books came out, I just stayed clear.

Until now.

So…

What changed?

This one.

But…

I know I am in trouble.

Because…

I am coming in with the 6th book in the series. My second thing to discuss.

So…

Two.

This may have put me at a disadvantage.

Although, in reading the synopsis, prior to making the decision to read the book, it assured me, that Holly was on her own for the first time.

Which…

Made me feel, that maybe Holly and I could be comfortable in this circ*mstance.

Let’s see if it worked.

It begins with Holly Gibney, a private investigator, our main protagonist, (Hence: the title of the book), attending her mother’s funeral.

When…

She is approached by a woman asking for her help to find her missing daughter.

And…

Thus, the story goes.

Into…

Darkness.

A lot of darkness.

Apparently, the missing young woman vanished from Red Bank Avenue, a derelict strip of self-storage units, warehouses and empty lots. Up the hill from the avenue, the retired professors Emily and Rodney Harris live in a row of expensive Victorian houses.

Now…

The Harrises are considered respected members of the college community.

But…

What really goes on in their basem*nt?

And…

This is why I haven’t read a Stephen King novel before.

Can I just say the crimes described felt a bit queasily believable?

Perhaps that should be considered a compliment to this writer.

But…

Even though this book does have a high body count, please note…

Most of the deaths through these pages aren’t caused by its villains – they are from Covid. Holly’s investigation begins in July, 2021, as hospitals are piling up with patients and temporary morgues.

And…

In this regard, even Holly shares…

“When this is over, no one will believe it really happened. Or if they do, they won’t understand how it happened.”

Still…

The evil within the characters is on full display...

And…

It is obvious that King is bending the rules of a police procedural, by revealing the perpetrators’ identities in the opening chapter.

But…

As readers knowing this early, gives the narrative more urgency, especially as the gruesome nature of their crimes becomes more obvious.

As an author he knows how to point the difference between right and wrong – and evil.

The question to readers is what toll does it create? After staring directly at the worst sorts of evil a human can commit…

Do we come away stronger? Or just very, very sad?

To be honest, I had nightmares at least two nights in a row.

And…

I know it was from reading this book.

So…

This book is my one and done.

Book is awful with very little story. It mostly spews Kings views on Politics, Covid, climate change and racism. I care nothing for the views of a wealthy and spoiled man on these subjects.

8,5/10

"A veces el universo te echa un cable" (Bill Hodges)

He disfrutado mucho con esta lectura. No es el mejor noir que ha escrito King, pero ya quisieran muchos otros de los que he leído este año llegarle a la altura.

Dice la sinopsis:
La nueva novela del Rey del Terror recuerda a joyas como Misery y cuenta con un personaje muy querido por sus lectores, Holly Gibney, la detective privada que, por primera vez, protagoniza una novela en solitario. Cuando Penny Dahl contacta con Finders Keepers para que la ayuden a encontrar a su hija, algo en la voz desesperada de la mujer hace que Holly Gibney se vea obligada a aceptar el trabajo. A poca distancia del lugar en el que Bonnie Dahl desapareció, viven los profesores Rodney y Emily Harris. Son la quintaesencia de la respetabilidad un matrimonio octogenario y dedicado de académicos semiretirados. Nadie diría que, en el sótano de su impecable casa forrada de libros, esconden un secreto directamente relacionado con la desaparición de Bonnie. Son astutos, pacientes y despiadados, y obligarán a Holly a emplear sus habilidades al máximo y a arriesgarlo todo si quiere cerrar el caso más oscuro al que se ha enfrentado jamás.

Mis impresiones.

King nos ofrece en esta novela un buen noir, construido, con la minuciosidad que le caracteriza. Como es habitual en él, crea y recrea atmósferas e integra lo cotidiano. El ritmo, aunque con la marca de la casa, es más ágil de lo que el maestro acostumbra. Es notable como en una novela en la que, desde el principio, sabemos quiénes son los asesinos, King vaya aumentando la intriga en cada capítulo. Tras un comienzo impactante, la tensión se mantiene. Me enganchó desde el principio y el enganche fue a más a medida que avanzaba. La manera en que Holly descubre poco a poco todo el lío es lo que mantiene la tensión.

Desarrolla una trama principal, la de las desapariciones, y dos subtramas, una, relativa a la vida personal de Holly, bien integrada, y otra, a la incipiente carrera de Bárbara como poeta, que no tanto. Cronológicamente se sitúa en julio del 2021, cuando la variante delta del covid hacía estragos entre la población, atmósfera, que el autor recrea de forma magistral. La investigación de las desapariciones está bien llevada. Es cierto que el universo le echa un cable a Holly de vez en cuando, pero son cables bien trabajados y mejor presentados al lector, de esos que no chirrían.

Los personajes son magníficos, tanto los conocidos como los nuevos. King le da otra vuelta de tuerca a Holly, un grandísimo personaje que sigue evolucionando. Junto a ella volvemos a encontrarnos a Pete y Jerome (con menos presencia de la que hubiese querido), y a Bárbara, con subtrama propia de la que luego hablaré. Entre los nuevos, los Harris, la pareja de villanos en tonos de gris.Tremendos ambos y lo que hacen, pero qué relación tan entrañable la que tienen como matrimonio de cuarenta años juntos, y qué bien lo plasma el maestro.

Resaltar el amplio bagaje cultural de King, que vuelve a poner en juego en esta obra. Sus alusiones a la literatura, son las de alguien que ha empleado y emplea muchas horas de su tiempo en la lectura. Desde Cormac MacCarthy hasta Shakespeare, pasando por otros muchos autores. Que todavía haya quién dude de que este hombre posee cultura para dar y tomar es algo que no consigo explicarme.

El final es bueno, fluye bien, es coherente y deja todo cerrado.

¿Y los peros?

La subtrama protagonizada por Bárbara me ha parecido metida con calzador. En sí misma todo lo que nos cuenta es interesante, pero su relación con la trama principal es tangencial y las pistas que proporciona las más discutibles.

Me ha gustado mucho Holly, pero es un personaje con un toque que funciona mejor cuando tiene un contrapunto. Esta novela la protagoniza en solitario y toque y contrapunto se echan de menos.Tampoco descarto que sea un pero subjetivo (los personajes evolucionan), la nostalgia por Bill Hodges, o que me haya faltado más presencia de Jerome.

Como buena novela negra y como todas las de King, contiene mucha crítica político social. Lo que expone es real y lo subscribo, pero es demasiado reiterativo, se le ha ido un poco la mano.

No quiero terminar esta reseña sin señalar la profesionalidad de King, escritor prolífico donde los haya, que, como debe de ser, está al tanto de la cronología que establece en sus obras y su encuadre en la realidad. "Holly" se sitúa después de "La sangre manda". Entre ambas, una laguna ajena a la voluntad del autor de la que él mismo nos cuenta que está ahí y es consciente de ello. Igualito que otros escritores a los que he leído este año, que o bien sacrifican en el altar del ritmo frenético la cronología de sus obras o bien ni son conscientes de ella.

En conclusión. Un noir de la factoría King con el que he disfrutado mucho. No es tan bueno como la trilogía de Mr. Mercedes, pero sí recomendable.

Crime Mixed With Horror!

Small backstory:

Holly Gibney is on the trail of a kidnapped girl named Bonnie. Her mother Penny Dahl pleads with Holly to take the case of finding her daughter as she just wants her daughter found safe and sound as the police seem to be doing nothing to look for her daughter so Holly finally decides to take the case.

Holly slowly works her way through with tracking down leads which almost takes her down a rabbit hole as she pulls in some resources and friends to help her out as she tries to find out what happened to Bonnie but as time goes on the mystery deepens as she finds out there have been more disappearances in the same area. What Holly soon realizes is someone is doing something within the town and she has a feeling that all the disappearances are tied together, but finding the link is going to take some work and she hopes to find Bonnie alive before it is too late!

That is about all I can give on a small backstory so if you want to know more then go read this book!

Thoughts:

The core of this story was exceptionally good - I love the horror that was weaved into the crime aspects of the story as King just slowly added horror bits to the story lacing it with his special touch. The suspense and build up of what was happening took a little time to get going almost like a slow burn but there were so many other things to focus on as the story gained speed.

King dropped a few Easter eggs within the story with connections to some of his books which was cool. He name dropped some movies that I have seen along with name dropping an author I have read. Just different things like that which were slowly added to the story which was almost like adding seasonal herbs to a dinner with a dash of wine!

Now onto some other thoughts with this book and I am not dragging the book or the author threw the pits of hell or over hot coals as I have seen some reviews so far for this book that does just that so all I am going to say is this on that subject matter.

This book was set during the time of the pandemic and yes there is quite a bit of everything that took place during that time in this book but truly this book would be considered "historical fiction" as that is basically what is laid out in here.

There are lots of fiction books out there set in times of historical upheaval whether it be wars or conflicts throughout a country or countries and this book is no different. Yes for some people it is hard to read about but it did happen - history has already been set - no one can go back in time to change the past. I watched an interview with King about this book and he said that the book is like a time capsule meaning for future generations that read the book they will know about what happened during the time of the pandemic.

So after laying out my thoughts on all that with the pandemic - this story was classic King - he takes the reader deep into a crime/mystery story with the character Holly who has some detective skills that she hones as the story progresses. The puzzle pieces start really interlocking past the 50% mark of the book and the book goes into overdrive past the 70% mark as things become known within the storyline.

All in all it was a great story with all the crime and horror weaved together that kept me glued to my seat as the more the pace picked up the less I wanted to put it down! This is why King is the Master of Horror! He knows how to take you places that you don't want to go and drops you into a viper pit for no way out - well maybe he will throw down a rope! :) Giving this book five "Terror Thriller" stars!

Noted statement for this review as I know this book is a hotbed with diverse opinions so I am adding this statement to my review.

Golden Rule: If you have nothing nice to say do not say anything at all.

I had to write this book to write one scene, which I saw clearly in my mind. Holly attending her mother’s zoom funeral. I didn’t have a story to go with it, which was unfortunate, but I kept my feelers out because I loved Holly from the first and wanted to be with her again. Then one day I read a newspaper story about an honor killing. I didn’t think that could be my story, but I loved the headline, which was something like this: everyone thought they were a sweet old couple until the bodies began turning up in the backyard. Killer old folks, I thought. That’s my story. - from Author’s Note

Stephen King - image from New Hampshire Magazine – illustrated by John R. Goodwin

Holly is on her own, as her partner is laid up with COVID. She has just attended her mother’s funeral. So Holly is emotionally laid low. People close to her have urged her to take some time to grieve. Still, a case might be a way to keep moving, so the game is afoot. It is not long before another missing person case shows up in her research, and another. Tough to prove, but Holly suspects there is a serial killer at work. The book opens with

It's an old city, and no longer in very good shape, nor is the lake beside which it has been built, but there are parts of it that are still pretty nice. Longtime residents would probably agree that the nicest section is Sugar Heights, and the nicest street running through it is Ridge Road, which makes a gentle downhill curve from Bell College of Arts and Sciences to Deerfield Park, two miles below. On its way, Ridge Road passes many fine houses, some of which belong to college faculty and some to the city's more successful businesspeople—doctors, lawyers, bankers, and top-of-the-pyramid business executives. Most of these homes are Victorians, with impeccable paintjobs, bow windows, and lots of gingerbread trim.

Holly is assisted in her investigation by two associates from prior cases. Jerome and Barbara Robinson are both game to help, but both have other things going on, so are not entirely available. This is a crucial element in sustaining tension, (along with hoping Holly can figure out what is going on in time to save Bonnie) as their disconnection from Holly keeps her from figuring everything out much sooner. What happens if you have, among the team, all the pieces to the puzzle but simply cannot get them all on the table at the same time?

The story proceeds as, um, a procedural. Discover this clue, follow it, find another clue, follow that, and so on. Keep the unconnected breadcrumbs floating about in one’s consciousness until it becomes clear where they lead. There is nothing paranormal going on in this one, although abnormal would certainly fit.

Two time-lines swap back and forth. In the present, July 2021, Holly pursues her investigation. In the other we flash back to each of the victims, who they were, how they were taken, and how they were treated once captured.

King wrote this book during the height of the COVID pandemic, and wanted to make that a major part of the novel. We encounter Holly when she is disconnecting from her mother’s funeral. She, and others, had attended via Zoom. Mom was a diehard, literally, anti-vaxer. Buh-bye. And from what Holly expresses about the dearly departed, she is not all that sad to see her go. Throughout the story, Holly has to decide, mask-or-no-mask, for every interview. Shake hands or bump elbows? She is maybe OCD, or even somewhere on the autism spectrum, but she certainly has an enhanced intuition that some think might be a form of the shining made famous in the book by that name. Maybe she is just a really gifted detective? There is no overt diagnosing of Holly’s abilities or limitations in the book.

In addition to the presence of COVID, King offers looks at a range of people and their political attitudes. A bowling alley manager is a full-on conspiracy theorist. Emily Harris’s diverse bigotries are baked in. Speaking of bigotries, one that 76-year-old King addresses is ageism. It usually manifests in presuming the elderly to be incapable of or disinterested in this or that based simply on their age. This is a bit of bias that Holly shares, to her own peril.

I know that there are a lot of people out there on X, or whatever you want to call it, that are convinced that Covid is over and it’s not a going concern anymore. What do you think of that idea?
Well, Holly’s mother is a Covid denier, and she dies in the hospital of Covid. And to the very end, she’s saying, “I’ve just got the flu. The flu is what I have.” And I think that it goes back to this is not a new thing. There have been people for years who have just been vaccination deniers who say that if you get a vaccination for a certain kind of thing, you’re going to cause birth defects in your children, this and that. Or if you vaccinate your children, they could have strokes. And you see the same things about the Covid vaccinations. There’s this constant story that thousands of people are dying of heart disease because of the vaccinations. It’s not true, but it’s gained a lot of credence. So there’s a lot of that. And I tried to put that in the book. There are characters in the book who just say, “I don’t believe in this bullsh*t. It’s all crap.” And that’s the life that we live. And I always try to reflect the time that I’m writing in. – from the Rollingstone interview

This may not be to everyone’s taste. “I’ve had enough” was the note left on Bonnie Dahl’s bicycle. But I bet that by the time you finish reading Holly you will be hungry for a second helping.

The outsider masquerading as Terri Maitland was evil. So was the one masquerading as Chet Ondowsky. The same was true of Brady Hartsfield, who found a way to go on doing dirt (Bill’s phrase) even after he should have been rendered harmless. Rendered that way by Holly herself. But Roddy and Emily Harris were worse.

Publication date – 9/5/23

This review will soon be cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!

=============================EXTRA STUFF

SK's personal and FB pages

my reviews of some other books by this King
-----2022 - Fairy Tale
-----2020 - If It Bleeds
-----2019 - The Institute
-----2014 - Revival
-----2014 - Mr. Mercedes
-----2013 - Doctor Sleep
-----2009 - Under the Dome
-----2008 - Duma Key
-----2006 - Lisey's Story
-----1977 - The Shining

Other King Family (Joe Hill) books I have reviewed:
-----2019 - Full Throttle
-----2017 - Strange Weather
-----2016 - The Fireman
-----2013 - NOS4A2
-----2007 - Heart-Shaped Box
-----2005 - 20th Century Ghosts

Interviews
-----Rollingstone - Stephen King Knows Anti-Vaxxers Are Going to Hate His Latest Book: ‘Knock Yourself Out’ by Brenna Ehrlich
-----GMA - Stephen King talks new book, ‘Holly’ - lightweight, but with some nice personal details re SK
-----Talking Scared – Episode #155 - with Neil McRobert – audio - 1:08:56

Songs/Music
-----Pretty Little Angel Eyes - chapter 9 – Roddy sings this to Emily while serving her supper

Items of Interest from the author
-----Entertainment Weekly - excerpt from Chapter 2
-----SK reads - excerpt - video- 8:00
-----Entertainment Weekly - excerpt - print

Items of Interest
-----League of Gentlemen - Special Stuff
-----Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou - A Little Priest - original cast recording

Thank you GR for removing my review because some butthurt fanboy flagged it.

Anyways, I still think "Holly" sucks arse. Am I going to elaborate? No, but I think it's sh*te.

This book is a very clear indication of Stephen King's personal political bias. The book is so clearly anti-republican that it damages the storytelling. To think that this came from the same author that wrote Salem's Lot, It, The Green Mile, Pet Semetary, The Perfect Storm and more is flabbergasting! This book makes a very conscious effort to attack Republicans and Trump (by name) frequently. I'm 54 tracks into the audiobook and I'm hoping that the story gets good enough to justify listening to all the political berating. So far, it's not fulfilling that hope. I'm glad that I used an audiobook subscription credit for this instead of paying for it.

3.5 stars. Mostly enjoyed the story, but there were so many irritating aspects and felt like I was rolling my eyes a disproportionate number of times while reading it

Occasionally someone comments on reviews to let me knowit wouldhave been a great! review had I not included politics. They go on to inform me that politics has no place in fiction, and I ruined my review by inserting politics.

To those people:
1. You mistake me for someone who cares that a complete stranger who has their head in the clouds doesn't like my review.

2. Have you never read Tolstoy, Hugo, Dickens, Dostoyevsky or other many, many classic writers?Dante with his Inferno full of politicians?

3. Don't bother with Stephen King's Holly because you'll get butt-hurt, especially if you're a trumper and anti-vaxxer.

To everyone else, dive right in!

I didn't realize that Holly Gibney (Jibba Jibba) appeared in 5 previous novels. I no doubt missed some references, and didn't know who a couple mentioned characters were because of that.

I still enjoyed it and don't think it is necessary to have read those other novels before this one.

I'm ambivalent about Holly's character. She didn't make me feel anything. I should have, especially sinceshe's a hypochondriac like me who wore latex gloves and N95 masks even after getting vaccinated (I only ceded those things this summer and still don an N95 at the doctor's).

I don't know what it was about Holly, she was a bit of a bore. She also annoyed me with her use of "fracking". Just say "f*cking" already.

Remember Annie Wilkes in Misery with her dirty birdies and co*ckadoodies. That was some entertaining non-swearing Annie Wilkes delivered. Holly and her fracking though, that just made my eyes roll.

At one point she let loose with "f*cking" and I had hope for her. It didn't last long.

I loved reading every other character's POV except hers.

The story comes together through several characters. My favorites were young Barbara the aspiring poet and her mentor Olivia, and those geriatric, creepo professorsemerti.

Those two were bonkers. sad*stic and crazy both. Talk about believing sh*t without proof... Old Professor Harris was a pro at that.

I was simultaneouslyamused and appalled by them. I don't want to say too much and give anything away, though the truth about them is apparent early on.

It's no secret Stephen King dislikes trump and he makes that clear in this novel as well. There's also quite a bit about Covid, mask-wearing, vaccinations, anti-vaxxers, BLM, police brutality, racism, and -is this really a thing?- elbow bumps.

To those who are turned off by this, King writes in the afterword, "I think fiction is most believable when it coexists with real-world events, real-world individuals". I agree.

This is a fun read in spite of the seriousness. There's some gore. I don't think I'll ever want a strawberry parfait again.

I am quite dissappointed. I couldn't wait to get my hands on Holly, but this was one of the weakest, blatantly political books I've read this year.

Part of every character's profile was whether he/she was vaxed and how many times. I don't care. It's like reading a novel with several female characters and comparing their gyno appointments or pap tests. It doesn't add up anything to the character, it doesn't make them good or bad which was undoubtedly the intention in this case.

Covid and vaccines were mentioned 107 times, masks 66 times, and there were 14 comments on whether or not a character was double-vaxxed. I understand that Holly herself is a bit of a hypochondriac but.. Seriously? I also get Mr. King's personal opinions on politics and Covid, I always expect a pinch of liberalism in his books. But I hardly need them to be shoved in my face from every paragraph. I would've watched an interview if I cared that much about his personal beliefs.

Where's the thriller, the mystery of what's lurking behind dark corners, the gritty suspense that keeps you on your toes, the supernatural that's unbelievable and unpredictable?

80% of this book felt like some boomer ranting on Twitter about all the dreadfully overtalked subjects of Trump-bad, his supporters-bad, covid sceptics-bad, white people-racist, and so on.

The other 20% of the book, which, sadly, were all in all the actual thriller, weren't bad at all. Twisted villains, disturbing revelations and Holly trying to piece everything together on her own. The last few chapters, where some real action was happening, were the best. If it wasn't for all the liberal ramblings this would have been a great book.