Holly by Stephen King is a combination of crime and horror genres. It can be read as a stand-alone book, but fans of King’s books will recognize the title character from the Mr. Mercedes books. This time out, she is going it mostly alone as she investigates a series of abductions. This novel is more about the why of the crimes rather than the who did it.
The villains in the story are married retired professors. No one suspects them of the crimes due to their ages and their reputations as academics. However, Roddy and Emily Harris are not at all whom they appear to be.
Holly Gibney is unsure of her future as a private investigator, but she still gives this job her best endeavor. Her partner is under the weather battling COVID, but they do communicate via phone calls. Holly is especially sensitive to his health as she just recently lost her mother to the virus.
The author moves between two timelines, beginning with flashbacks to a series of abductions that began in 2012. The reader is already introduced to the perpetrators before Holly even becomes aware of the crimes. Holly is brought in by Penny Dahl whose daughter is missing. While working that investigation, Holly becomes aware of other missing persons. The race is on to try to save Dahl’s daughter.
Unspeakable things happen in the basement of the Harris house. Why are these professors kidnapping people? Why are they killing them? What do they do with the bodies? Will Holly be able to solve the crimes, or will she throw caution to the wind and make a terrifying mistake?
King does use the book to put forth his own political views, but the plot is solid. Holly has blossomed into a smart and strong protagonist. King has delivered yet another page-turner. This book is a skillfully rendered combination of crime and horror. Check it out.
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