Mr. Mercedes *Possible Spoilers*

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Mar 12, 2010
6,538
29,004
Texas
I'm only on page 128 so I can't read y'alls posts yet :( but I gots to say something. I had been picturing Jerome as looking like Isaiah Mustafa ("the man your man could smell like" in the Old Spice commercials) and then on page 128, Hodges says Jerome has the faint scent of Old Spice aftershave! I wonder if Mustafa's image was also in SK's head when he created Jerome lol.

I've been picturing Hodges as looking like Michael Rooker (aka Mearl Dixon, Daryl's older brother in The Walking Dead) which I'll bet is not how SK has Hodges pictured in his mind lol. I like Michael Rooker, I think he'll be great as Hodges when Mr Mercedes is filmed :)
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
I had been picturing Jerome as looking like Isaiah Mustafa ("the man your man could smell like" in the Old Spice commercials) and then on page 128, Hodges says Jerome has the faint scent of Old Spice aftershave! I wonder if Mustafa's image was also in SK's head when he created Jerome lol.

Jerome is only 17, so I kind of doubt it. But that is funny!
 

Sigmund

Waiting in Uber.
Jan 3, 2010
13,979
44,046
In your mirror.
Hi.

Loved the book. Have mercy! I was just on page 10 the first time my stomach plummeted, "...this was Keith Frias, whose left arm would shortly be torn from his body."

'Member when you were on the roller coaster all excited and then you would start going up? *click* *click* *click* With each click you would start anticipating the top and then the plunge?
This one had me *click* *click* clicking all the way through.

I'm going to re-read it starting tomorrow. Yay!

Peace.
 

jchanic

Well-Known Member
Jul 11, 2006
3,164
6,097
79
Cleveland Ohio
Regarding the unnamed city where Mr. Mercedes takes place, Hodges tells Aunt Charlotte that she will be able to claim her niece's body at the Huron County morgue. Huron county in Ohio is the location of the amusement park Cedar Point. The county government is the city of Sandusky.

John
 
Mar 12, 2010
6,538
29,004
Texas
Regarding the unnamed city where Mr. Mercedes takes place, Hodges tells Aunt Charlotte that she will be able to claim her niece's body at the Huron County morgue. Huron county in Ohio is the location of the amusement park Cedar Point. The county government is the city of Sandusky.

John
Good detective work, John! And there's a Krogers in Sandusky. Jerome told Hodges his folks were off Krogering :)
 

Haunted

This is my favorite place
Mar 26, 2008
17,059
29,421
The woods are lovely dark and deep
I had the same concern. I would have been really po'd at SK if he killed another dog. I guess I shouldn't spoil this for you but I want to relieve your mind. The dog lives :)
Oh a million HUGS!!!!!! Now I can go back to the book.
We used to breed Irish Setters when I was still living at home. I would have had to put the book away if anything happened to Odell
 

RichardX

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2006
1,737
4,434
I found this to be a middling detective novel. There is absolutely no way in he-double hockey sticks that the FBI or NSA would not be able to trace the computer postings of a mass murder suspect. He would have been in jail about 30 minutes after his first response. The whole thing about the circuits being overloaded at the concert was silly as well. It never happens. I still enjoyed the book though. But it was like reading a modern account by someone out of touch with technology and younger people.
 
Mar 12, 2010
6,538
29,004
Texas
I finished! :) Do not read my spoiler unless you've already read the first chapter :)
Most of y'all are probably to young to remember the tv series Colombo. I loved Columbo :) but the first few times I watched it, I thought, WTH... they're telling us who the bad guy is from the start instead of letting us try to figure out who the bad guy is. Mr Mercedes' Columbo-like opening made me happy :)
 
Jan 28, 2013
11
3
Indiana
Been meaning to come see what others were saying. I'm in agreement with many comments...some of the situations were a bit underwhelming...like a major concert in a 4000 seat arena. I bet there aren't many "arenas" that small and of the ones that are, they typically wouldn't host a major performing act (I have teenage daughters and kept thinking of the band One Direction!!). All in all, a good read. I like the occasional "non-horror" SK novel. Well, there was horror but not supernatural horror. I have read several reviews on Amazon that were not very kind and most were in complaint of the lack of horror. SK can write anything he wants and this isn't the first time he's gone non supernatural. There is no doubt it's King. Regardless of the genre he chooses to write within, there's always the shocking statement that stops you in your tracks! Like the job seeker who is going to be separated from his arm near the beginning. I really liked the characters...I especially liked the way Holly's character was written and developed and the interesting friendship between Holly and Jerome. Lots of feel good moments to offset the sad or "pissed me off" moments!! Mr. Mercedes wasn't Doctor Sleep but it still has merits. People have to read stories for the sake of entertainment rather than expectations of greatness; even SK can't be great everytime but I think he's always good. I've read all the books and never been disappointed. Anxiously awaiting Revival!! Oh, I was going to ask if anyone else thought SK started writing this as soon as the Boston Marathon bombings hit the news? Brady's "elegant plan" smacked of that incident. Surprised me a bit...SK has said he regrets writing Rage but in this case, HE mimicks something which had already happened rather that the other way around, such as happened with Rage.
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
Mr. Mercedes wasn't Doctor Sleep but it still has merits.

A prefect example of how we all like SK for different things. Having read all of his novels, I feel that Doctor Sleep is my least favorite; in fact, I flat out just do not like it at all. On the other hand, I think Mr. Mercedes is a fast, fun thrill ride of a read with a lot of the typical SK bells & whistles that I love!
 

shookme

Obscure Member
Mar 19, 2013
608
1,243
Michigan
A prefect example of how we all like SK for different things. Having read all of his novels, I feel that Doctor Sleep is my least favorite; in fact, I flat out just do not like it at all. On the other hand, I think Mr. Mercedes is a fast, fun thrill ride of a read with a lot of the typical SK bells & whistles that I love!
That's good to know. Thank you. I didn't like Doctor Sleep much either and have been reluctant to start Mr. Mercedes.
 

Haunted

This is my favorite place
Mar 26, 2008
17,059
29,421
The woods are lovely dark and deep
Finished Mr. Mercedes yesterday and have been mulling over this story over since. I stated somewhere here when I had first started reading that it was like 'listening' to a different voice. I initially started out looking for that wonderful sense of humor I have come to expect but as the story went on and the characters were fleshed out more I became more interested in their incongruous growth as detectives. Pooh on you nitpickers 'bout arenas and circuits and smart 'gummit' agencies. This was a wonderful story and I am so glad that there is more to come.