New here, reading Mr Mercedes

[mattimaki]

Hi fellow Clevelanders! I grew up near mentor and initially the tale of woe concerning a great city (I possibly added the great in my mind, especially now that we're champions again!!!) on the mend reminded me very much of Cleveland. I started thinking Toledo for a few reasons, but the Tigers may be closer to Toledo than the tribe (windians). Like many of you, I have a chest high collection of SK works and have read all but maybe two of those. The man does love his small towns by and large. I would love to know if there's actually a specific locale that inspired the settings in this trilogy and will be occasionally cursing my favorite author as unread End of Watch for his intentional ambiguity regarding the heartland, my home.

 

[mattimaki]

It's definitely the greater Cleveland area...Solon makes a lot of sense to me in terms of geography, but I'm sure someone can poke holes in that theory and I welcome them to do so

 

[Nomik]

I know I haven't welcomed you yet!
It's a good trilogy, you'll love it by the end. I should mention that Steve King sets his stories in fictional towns. I'm from Derry, but not the same state his Derry is in. Chances are that it is set in a region that does exist somewhere, just not exactly where it should be according to the book.
Welcome to the SKMB!

 

[GNTLGNT]

...he went into the reason behind Cleveland being the locale on his book tour...something to the effect of being disenchanted with his beloved Red Sox, and choosing the Tribe as a respite and really enjoyed the town while there....I think that's how it shook out...

 

[stacy270]

Hello and welcome

 

[Nomik]

Hello, forgive me, I not entirely myself today. Who am I kidding?
Let me get this . . train of thought back. I just felt a surge of electric warmth. Empath?

 

[Deena]

I believe you are right because in Finders Keepers Holly is going to drive to Cincinnati --4hrs away

 

[Nomik]

Hello Deena and welcome

 

[GNTLGNT]

I believe you are right because in Finders Keepers Holly is going to drive to Cincinnati --4hrs away

...Hi Deena and many welcomes!....he has acknowledged that Cleveland is the model for the city in the trilogy...he thought it was ideal and better yet, southwest Ohio will be a featured locale coming up...

 

[Cjreads]

I believe you are right because in Finders Keepers Holly is going to drive to Cincinnati --4hrs away

Holly actually say 400 miles. I'm thinking from cincy the only marjor city on a lake that far away is Milwaukee.

 

[Pep's person]

Hello Katianna,
I'm pretty new here as well. Great post!

 

[Scoopohio]

I think it's an amalgam of Cleveland, Buffalo and Gary, In. He makes reference to big storms, which is Cleveland and East. The Indians would make sense to be on tv and radio. But then in the third book, he describes the big lake as being to the east. Lake Erie would be north or northwest of all three of those cities. He also does some time zone math in the third book, where the nurse's daughter receives an email time stamped 10:44 pm and translates that to 8:44 pm west coast time. Nowhere in Ohio is the time difference to SFO two hours. You have to go to central Indiana to get to central time. It was bugging me until I realized all he needed was someplace tough, a little bleak, past its prime and in the rust belt. Just a thought.

 

[Scoopohio]

Buffal

Holly actually say 400 miles. I'm thinking from cincy the only marjor city on a lake that far away is Milwaukee.

Buffalo is about that far

 

[Dana Jean]

I think it's an amalgam of Cleveland, Buffalo and Gary, In. He makes reference to big storms, which is Cleveland and East. The Indians would make sense to be on tv and radio. But then in the third book, he describes the big lake as being to the east. Lake Erie would be north or northwest of all three of those cities. He also does some time zone math in the third book, where the nurse's daughter receives an email time stamped 10:44 pm and translates that to 8:44 pm west coast time. Nowhere in Ohio is the time difference to SFO two hours. You have to go to central Indiana to get to central time. It was bugging me until I realized all he needed was someplace tough, a little bleak, past its prime and in the rust belt. Just a thought.

Scoop!!!! Welcome!

 

[GNTLGNT]

.....Scoooooooop!!!.....

 

[Neesy]

I think it's an amalgam of Cleveland, Buffalo and Gary, In. He makes reference to big storms, which is Cleveland and East. The Indians would make sense to be on tv and radio. But then in the third book, he describes the big lake as being to the east. Lake Erie would be north or northwest of all three of those cities. He also does some time zone math in the third book, where the nurse's daughter receives an email time stamped 10:44 pm and translates that to 8:44 pm west coast time. Nowhere in Ohio is the time difference to SFO two hours. You have to go to central Indiana to get to central time. It was bugging me until I realized all he needed was someplace tough, a little bleak, past its prime and in the rust belt. Just a thought.

 

[JayBlackwood]

I believe that Sugar Heights is (fictionally) in Huron County. Hodges tells Janey's mother that Janelle's body was taken to the "Huron County Morgue" so by implication they are in Huron County. Huron County is in North central Ohio, just south of Erie county where Sandusky is located.

Of course I could be wrong - the funeral home could be in part of the city that's in another county. So it's technically possible Janey's death was in a different county than the others. This happens in a place like Bellevue, Ohio which straddles 3 counties: Huron, Erie, and Sandusky.

When I read Sugar Heights, my brain wants to goes to Shaker Heights which is East and a bit South of Cleveland.

I'm definitely in the amalgam camp. It's just a place that supposed to be in NE Ohio, probably S or SE of Cleveland (despite the fact that Huron County is SW of Cleveland).

View attachment 17537

 

[Neesy]

I believe that Sugar Heights is (fictionally) in Huron County. Hodges tells Janey's mother that Janelle's body was taken to the "Huron County Morgue" so by implication they are in Huron County. Huron County is in North central Ohio, just south of Erie county where Sandusky is located.

Of course I could be wrong - the funeral home could be in part of the city that's in another county. So it's technically possible Janey's death was in a different county than the others. This happens in a place like Bellevue, Ohio which straddles 3 counties: Huron, Erie, and Sandusky.

When I read Sugar Heights, my brain wants to goes to Shaker Heights which is East and a bit South of Cleveland.

I'm definitely in the amalgam camp. It's just a place that supposed to be in NE Ohio, probably S or SE of Cleveland (despite the fact that Huron County is SW of Cleveland).

Have you read either Finder's Keepers or End of Watch? I have read Finders Keepers which was really good but still need to read End of Watch.


Wooops - I just replied to the little picture I posted and that you quoted

(Sorry for the multiple posts # 38 and maybe # 39?)

 

[GNTLGNT]

I believe that Sugar Heights is (fictionally) in Huron County. Hodges tells Janey's mother that Janelle's body was taken to the "Huron County Morgue" so by implication they are in Huron County. Huron County is in North central Ohio, just south of Erie county where Sandusky is located.

Of course I could be wrong - the funeral home could be in part of the city that's in another county. So it's technically possible Janey's death was in a different county than the others. This happens in a place like Bellevue, Ohio which straddles 3 counties: Huron, Erie, and Sandusky.

When I read Sugar Heights, my brain wants to goes to Shaker Heights which is East and a bit South of Cleveland.

I'm definitely in the amalgam camp. It's just a place that supposed to be in NE Ohio, probably S or SE of Cleveland (despite the fact that Huron County is SW of Cleveland).

....Welcome Jaybird!......King has stated that the locale is indeed based on Cleveland......with a lot of make believe sprinkled in.....

 

[JayBlackwood]

Thanks. It surprising to me that he puts it in Cleveland based on what I've read. But if he says so, it is so - especially because it's fiction. Plus he's taken license with locations in other novels. I believe in at least one of the Gunslinger books he mentions that he has taken liberty with street locations in New York. In the end it doesn't matter to the story even though it matters just a little bit to those familiar with the locales. (FYI - I grew up in Huron County about 60 miles West of Cleveland. I was (and still am) a fan of the Cleveland Indians and not the Detroit Tigers.