Finders Keepers
Stephen King
Scribner
June 2, 2015
Reviewed by Tim Potter
Finders Keepers, the latest from Stephen King, is a follow-up to last year’s Edgar Award winning Mr. Mercedes. The book has some real highlights and, unfortunately, some real problems and ends up being a very good example of what King does best and what he does worst. A novel with a huge deal of promise at the outset ends up being nothing more than an average, entertaining book by one of the masters that falls short of any greatness.
The first third or so of the book is relentlessly compelling, introducing new characters and mysteries that will have readers turning pages as fast as they can. The narrative ranges from 1978 to 2014 as the story of Morris Bellamy and his unhealthy obsession with reclusive American author John Rothstein unfolds. As this story unfolds, the reader is also introduced to young Pete Saubers and his family, a family that was damaged horribly by the Mercedes Killer’s act of violence that kicked off Mr. Mercedes. This is the only connection to the previous novel until quite a ways into the book. A reclusive genius, an obsessed fan and buried treasure make for an explosive beginning.
As the story moves into the second act things slow down. The timeframe is firmly in the present and the heroes of the previous installment of the series make their first appearances. Likeable as Bill Hodges and Jerome may be, they never seem to fit naturally into this story. Their actions and motivations seem forced, as though they have been shoehorned into a story where they don’t belong. When the story focuses on Morris and Pete and his family the book continues to work well, but too much of the story is about Hodges and the pacing and flow suffer greatly.
The only time the Bill Hodges part of the narrative succeeds is when he visits Brady Hartsfield, also known as the Mercedes Killer, in the long term care facility in which he resides after receiving a crippling brain injury. The interaction between Brady and Hodges is fascinating, though Brady is completely non-communicative, and the scenes serve well to set up the third and final installment in the series. It takes a long time to get there, but it does leave the reader looking forward to End of Watch. During these scenes keep an eye out for a callback to The Shining, it’s quick but fun.
Had Finders Keepers stood alone as a novel and eschewed the ties to Mr. Mercedes it could have been absolutely fantastic. The Hodges-Hartsfield scenes could have been relegated to a short story on prologue and been likewise great. As it stands it is still fun and worth a read. Even when he’s not at his best King is still a gifted storyteller and Finders Keepers is undeniable fun.
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