
Narrator: Will Patton
Series: Bill Hodges Trilogy #2
Published by Simon & Schuster Audio on June 2, 2015
Genres: Mystery
Length: 13 hours, 5 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
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1978: Meet Morris Bellamy, the man who robs the safe of America's most famous reclusive writer, John Rothstein. But it isn't just the money he is interested in. Morrie is obsessed with the author's notebooks and is prepared to kill the author for them.
2009: Meet young Pete Saubers, whose father was knocked down by an out-of-control Mercedes in a job line-up. When he discovers a buried trunk of money and notebooks of a famous writer, he has the means to rescue his family from poverty. If he can keep it secret.
2013: Morrie is up for parole. And he's hell-bent on recovering the notebooks.
That's when retired detective Bill Hodges - who has set up a company called Finders Keepers - discovers the scheme.
Read It, Rate It and Record
A short review to update challenges
The Bill Hodges trilogy. is a great way for me to read Stephen King even though I am not into horror. This series is a dark mystery, crime book, the kind of story I read quite often. Also, I get to enjoy the talents of this author.
As in the previous book, we get two primary points of view, the school boy, Pete and the criminal. We get just a bit of the retired detective, Bill Hodges. I really like having those different perspectives. The story takes place over almost 40 years. The criminal did not have an easy time but he also took whatever he wanted and didn’t care who was hurt.
Pete and his family also have had many of the problems with the poor economy as other did. His younger sister, Tina, plays a key role being friends with Barbara who is Jerome’s younger sister. That is how they get hooked up to Bill Hodges when things go to hell.
Bill and Holly are working together in private investigations. It’s great for Bill having purpose and Holly has a real head for things. Pete got himself into a situation which I thought I would have a heart attack. I was terrified for him and his family. Who would survive? I’ll definitely be reading the next book.
Narration:
The male and female voices all seemed to be comfortable. It was mostly male voices, but I liked the female voices better than in Mr. Mercedes. There were children in this and the voices for those were well performed. I was glad to be able to listen at 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2019 Audiobooks
- 2019 Library-Love
- BTB 2019
I’ve listened to the first book late last year. I plan to finish the series. I do love King’s stories. I’ve read mostly horror and I was originally a little disappointed this wasn’t as horror as I wanted (I was in a horror mood at the time), but still really enjoyed the story.
Melanie @ Hot Listens & Books of My Heart
Well yes, it’s not horror but some of it is dark enough to seem like horror. Horror always seems pointless to me, like just shock factor. Dark mystery or fantasy is more where the dark happens around plot events? I’m not sure I’m expressing that quite well enough.
There are some horror stories that are for the shock and gore factor (and even more movies), but good horror has a lot of good and dark suspense in it. Silence of the Lambs, The Shining, IT, The Stand (hell, most of King’s work isn’t that gory), NOS4A2 (which is coming out as a TV show this summer on AMC), those are all great horror with a ton of suspense and I don’t think there is anything for just gore and shock. To give a comparison, like people that think Romance books are all sex, and some are, but the good ones are a lot more than just sex. I feel the same about horror. Not to get preachy or anything. 🙂
Melanie @ Hot Listens & Books of My Heart
That’s a good perspective on it. It may not be the horror aspects which I don’t choose it may be that I want the mystery or thriller parts more or in combination at least, so I look for those books.
WOW! You have soooo many audiobook reviews! I know where to come if I need a recommend. It sounds like the voice actors really worked well in this. To me its key to whether I will enjoy it or not. ❤️
Yes I increased my reading by about 100 books a year by listening to audio while doing chores, running errands, doing crafts, long car trips, etc. I can listen to many shorter audios in a day while doing the routine activities. Plus I listen in a lot of genres so I can certainly recommend some. I know narrators I love and I have done a couple features on favorite narrators. I sometimes chose review ARCS based on the narrator
I read the first book and need to read this one now. Maybe I’ll try the audible. Thanks for your review.
It was what I expected and not. I like the continuation with these characters from the first book but they are a bit in the background, until the last 20% or so.
I really need to try Stephen King, Anne! I’ve not read a single book! You’ve given me an idea, though. I can do an audio! Loved this review and happy it was a great read for you. ♥️
These are the first of his I have read since I don’t really do horror. These are dark and full of horror but it is part of a mystery / thriller. I guess I would say I don’t like horror (dark) just to be gruesome and scary but to be part of a plot like mystery with law enforcement or in dark fantasy with battles.
I haven’t read any SK in a long time. I have to get some of his new stuff and read it. I will just when I have more time to do so. This review makes me want to do this right away.
Mary
I’ve never read much of his work because I’m not a horror fan but this is more like dark mystery crime or with a bit of horror. So I’m enjoying them