Holly: The chilling new masterwork from the No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller (Holly Gibney, 3)
£11.90£23.80 (-50%)
*THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER*
Holly Gibney, one of Stephen King’s most compelling and ingeniously resourceful characters, returns in this thrilling novel to solve the gruesome truth behind multiple disappearances in a Midwestern town.
Stephen King’s HOLLY marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly’s gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr Mercedes to Bill Hodges’s partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in The Outsider. In King’s new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries.
When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has Covid. Her (very complicated) mother has just died. And Holly is meant to be on leave. But something in Penny Dahl’s desperate voice makes it impossible for Holly to turn her down.
Mere blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared live Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. They are the picture of bourgeois respectability: married octogenarians, devoted to each other, and semi-retired lifelong academics. But they are harbouring an unholy secret in the basement of their well-kept, book-lined home, one that may be related to Bonnie’s disappearance. And it will prove nearly impossible to discover what they are up to: they are savvy, they are patient, and they are ruthless.
Holly must summon all her formidable talents to outthink and outmanoeuvre the shockingly twisted professors in this chilling new masterwork from Stephen King.
‘I could never let Holly Gibney go. She was supposed to be a walk-on character in Mr Mercedes and she just kind of stole the book and stole my heart. Holly is all her.’ STEPHEN KING
‘Lavished with the kind of dialogue most mortal writers can only dream of crafting … King’s portrait of Holly is sympathetic, subtle and seductive’ INDEPENDENT
‘King’s wonderfully awkward private detective Holly Gibney returns in this black-hearted parable of American life in the Covid era… As horrifying as anything King has written’ MAIL ON SUNDAY
‘Stephen King’s prolific late flowering continues with a new outing for his detective Holly Gibney, chasing down serial killers in Holly’ GUARDIAN
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Additional information
| Publisher | Hodder & Stoughton, 1st edition (5 Sept. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 448 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1399712918 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1399712910 |
| Dimensions | 23.4 x 3.6 x 15.4 cm |
by Rev
It is always nice to see a new release from Stephen King and you never really know what you are going to get but you know it will be a good read.
I don’t think everyone will enjoy this book. I did. The reason I say this is that the story takes place during Covid and is linked to social distancing and mask use throughout. I feel that Mt King is a great people watcher and he picks up lots of things to use in his book simply by watching people. He can put social events and feelings into his writing without it feeling wrong. Whatever you believe, it is fiction so go with the flow.
I am not sure if the author is a smoker, or ex-smoker, but throughout the book, he kept making me want to have a cigarette, and I packed in years ago. It is just the way he writes, he gets into your head and your thought processes.
The gist of the story has been used before by other authors, but he gives the character voices that come alive and as usual his writing style is spot on. Well worth a read
by Graham G Grant
Holly Gibney is the hypochondriac, OCD-suffering private investigator (she hates the term ‘private eye’) whose previous adventures have brought her into contact with the supernatural. In Holly, the first novel where she is the lead protagonist, it’s crime fiction all the way, albeit with a very heavy dash of horror. The incredibly gory plot revolves around the disappearances of young people, most with connections to the local university. Academia provides some of the backdrop to the story – ivory tower boffins living in relative opulence, not far from families languishing in trailer-park misery. The novel is, as you’d expect, a brilliant thriller. It’s superbly macabre stuff from beginning to end. We learn more about Holly and her fellow investigators – who, in fairness, are more or less bit-part players in Holly’s mission, for most of the novel. It’s shot through with references to Covid and Trump. In an interesting afterword, King says he knows some fans will find this preachy – or ‘soapboxing’. It’s not meant to be, he maintains – it’s done to enhance the realism. If Holly was a Covid-denying Republican, King likes to think he’d do a decent job of representing those views (anyone who follows his Twitter feed will know he doesn’t share them). He’s probably right – but Constant Readers will make up their own minds. I could’ve done with a lot less of it, but in the end it didn’t matter. Although it’s straight crime fiction, Holly is, like King’s last book, a kind of fairy tale, albeit a desperately dark one (all the best ones are…) Read it now – it’s a mouth-watering treat, and you’re sure to wolf it down…
by Dáithí Farrell
“Holly: The chilling new masterwork from the No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller” is a gripping novel and the third volume in the popular Holly Gibney series. In this installment, Holly must confront her past while trying to solve a mysterious case involving missing children.
The book is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged throughout. The author skillfully builds tension and suspense, making it difficult to put the book down. The characters are well-developed, and their relationships with each other are complex and nuanced.
The themes of trauma and resilience are present throughout the book, as Holly grapples with the effects of her childhood abuse. The author handles these sensitive topics with sensitivity and care, making them an integral part of the story.
In conclusion, “Holly: The chilling new masterwork from the No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller” is a riveting read that will have readers on the edge of their seats. Whether you are a fan of the Holly Gibney series or new to the author’s work, this book is sure to satisfy your craving for suspense and mystery.
by Mrs B
I’m going to give this a solid 4 stars although if I had to rank this book amongst other Stephen King novels then it’s probably somewhere in the middle. It’s a decent and at times exciting effort – anyone who’s enjoyed either the Bill Hodges books or Outsider won’t go far wrong.
Have to admit I’ve not been a massive fan of either Holly as a character or the other books she’s been in. She’s OK but not a character I’ve grown to love much so the stuff around her personal life I found a bit boring. Luckily that doesn’t overshadow the story too much. Jerome and Barbara are also back as the kids that can do no wrong. Plot is pretty standard fare until the end which is actually quite gruesome – it’s not SAW type horrible but it’s not a walk in the woods either.
Fair warning – this is a COVID novel and it does feature a lot. Personally I don’t think it’ll age too well but we’ll see. I did get a bit fed up of the constant references and the dislike of anti-vaxers. I agree with the arguments but I’m not sure it makes a good novel even if it is a fair reflection of it’s time.
by Graham G Grant
What can I say, Stephen King never disappoints, his style of writing and story telling is superb, a perfect holiday read I couldn’t put it down. I love the awkwardness of Holly and the way she has become a bold sometimes fearless woman. The story gets you hooked from the beginning, it wasn’t a shocking story for me as I’m really into true crime but nevertheless gripping. If you are not aware of Holly’s journey I recommend you start with Mr Mercedes. Now I have the anticipated wait for Stephen’s next book.