TCCDM Dig & Flip: "Billy Summers" - Stephen King (2021)

Billy Sumers
By Stephen King
(2021)
Hardcover, 515 pages


NO SPOILERS:
     Billy Summers...is not a horror novel, but this should not surprise any fan of Stephen King.  At this point in his life, he just writes stories and lets the genre fall where it may.  The story is, however, a fantastic crime novel about a seasoned gun-for-hire (with a moral compass) taking one last job.  What could go wrong, right?  Wrapped up between the pages is an assassination double-cross with an underlying 'story within a story' that King so often likes to employ.  Thankfully, this trope is nicely utilized allowing the reader to more easily empathize with the guy.  That's a big leap, but I can only say it works in this instance. 

The story is suspenseful and meticulous in the telling; relentless in the dotting of i's and crossing of t's.  The pacing is just right.  As expected, characters are drawn to great effect with that confident Stephen King aplomb.  No surprise there.  And there are a couple of Easter Eggs within the pages that no doubt will bring a smile and a nod to faithful readers.  That's always fun.  When I closed the book for the last time and returned the dust jacket to its rightful place, I felt my time was well spent.  I had a few pieces of a broken heart to pick up, but whaddyagonnado?  Redemption is seldom nice and neat. 

"Please Don't Judas Me" - Nazareth / "Hair Of The Dog" (1975)

Good stuff.

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