Finders Keepers: A Novel (2) (The Bill Hodges Trilogy) Mass Market Paperback – March 22, 2016

I personally feel that Finders Keepers by Stephen King is better than Mr. Mercedes. I found myself totally engrossed within the novel after just the first few pages. This book is definitely a keeper!As many of you already know, the story deals with Morris Bellamy who murdered his favorite author, John Rothstein, because the writer took the character in his trilogy, Jimmy Gold, in a slightly different direction from what was expected. Bellamy felt the author had sold out and punished him for it. The young man also stole a lot of money and dozens of personal notebooks from the author’s safe and then killed his two accomplices. A few weeks later, Morris has buried his treasure, had a fight with a young man whom he thought would help him sell the notebooks, and ends up in prison for life after having raped a woman while angry and drunk.Move ahead in time.Teenager, Pete Saubers, and his family now live in the house where Morris and his family used to reside. His dad was one of the people injured in the Mr. Mercedes crimes and has been out of work for several years. One day, while taking a back path through the nearby woods, Pete finds the trunk with the hidden treasures. Once he's sure nobody is looking for the trunk, he uses the money to help his family out of debt and then keeps the notebooks for himself, quickly becoming a fan of the “Jimmy Gold” novels, as well as the unpublished ones.Jump ahead a few more years.Morris Bellamy has finally gotten out of prison and wants his money and notebooks. Thinking about them was the only thing that kept him sane while in the slammer. He soon discovers that the young man he had a fight with over the selling the notebooks, is now preparing to buy them from Pete. The hidden money has run out, and Pete needs funds to send his younger sister to a private school. The notebooks have to go even though he hates giving them up. What he isn’t prepared to do is fight Morris to the death for them.But, that’s exactly what he'll have to do. After thirty-five years in prison, Morris is old, but no pussycat. He killed three times, and now he’s ready to do it again.Of course, the team of Bill Hodges, Holly Gibney, and Jerome Robinson are back from Mr. Mercedes and quickly find themselves immersed in the situation to keep Pete alive and to put Morris back in prison.Nothing, however, turns out the way they expect or hoped.Like other of King’s books, this novel was a pleasure to read and had a more than satisfactory ending. In fact, since the author plans on doing a trilogy, the ending leads directly into the third upcoming book.One of the many things that Stephen King does to absolute perfection is create believable children and teenagers in his novels. He has a particular magic for this and succeeds tremendously with Finders Keepers.Another thing is that the author always manages to pace his novels with suspense, allowing the reader to take the dark journey with him from beginning to end. The reader is seldom permitted to be bored, though some claim that many of his books are simply too long.Finders Keepers is certainly a winner in my book, though not quite as fantastic as 11/22/63 or The Green Mile or It or some of his first published novels. Still, you won’t be disappointed in giving this novel a try, especially in preparation for the third book that's to come in 2016.

After finishing Mr. Mercedes I could not wait to jump into Finders Keepers and man this one did not disappoint. I was excited to see where the great Stephen King would take this series and what he did with Finders Keepers was outstanding.Finders Keepers: A Thrilling Continuation of the Bill Hodges StoryThe genius is John Rothstein, an iconic author who created a famous character, Jimmy Gold, but who hasn’t published a book for decades. Morris Bellamy is livid, not just because Rothstein has stopped providing books, but because the nonconformist Jimmy Gold has sold out for a career in advertising. Morris kills Rothstein and empties his safe of cash, yes, but the real treasure is a trove of notebooks containing at least one more Gold novel.Morris hides the money and the notebooks, and then he is locked away for another crime. Decades later, a boy named Pete Saubers finds the treasure, and now it is Pete and his family that Bill Hodges, Holly Gibney, and Jerome Robinson must rescue from the ever-more deranged and vengeful Morris when he’s released from prison after thirty-five years.Stephen King is best known for his horror stories, Finders Keepers showcases his prowess in crafting intricate mysteries that keep us guessing. The tension builds steadily throughout the story, culminating in a heart-pounding climax. Finders Keepers takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of suspense, mystery, and literary exploration that push boundaries and challenge traditional genres.King expertly weaves together themes of obsession, literature, and revenge in Finders Keepers. He delves into how literature can shape our lives in profound ways and explores the consequences when that influence turns dark. The characters are richly developed, each with their own motivations and secrets that add depth to the story.Finders Keepers seamlessly ties it into Mr. Mercedes while also setting up the next installment in the Bill Hodges Trilogy. This interconnectedness adds layers to the narrative and keeps readers engaged as they uncover new connections between characters and events. However, it also allows us as the reader to focus on the novel in hand instead of the previous or future installments.Finders Keepers is a thrilling installment in the Bill Hodges storyline. Stephen King combines elements of mystery, suspense, and literary exploration to create a truly immersive reading experience. King once again reminds us why is considered one of the greatest storytellers of our time with this gripping tale that left me eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.

For nearly the first two hundred pages, you’d be forgiven for not knowing that this was actually a sequel and not just a story within the same world. King’s expansion of the Mercedes story is masterful, as always, and the last hundred pages are difficult to put down, just like its predecessor. Fans of King and fans of mystery/thrillers will both find something they like in this entry.