Holly (novel)
A crime novel featuring private investigator Holly Gibney.
Holly is a 2023 crime novel by American author Stephen King, published on September 5, 2023, by Scribner. The novel centers on Holly Gibney, a character who first appeared in King's 2014 novel Mr. Mercedes and later featured in several other works. An excerpt from the novel was published in Entertainment Weekly on January 23, 2023.
Quick Facts
- Author
- Stephen King
- Read by
- Justine Lupe
- Cover artist
- Will Staehle
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Genre
- Crime fiction
- Publisher
- Scribner
- Published
- September 5, 2023
Facts from the source article.
Plot
In July 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, private investigator Holly Gibney is mourning the death of her mother, with whom she had a complicated relationship. While taking a break from work, she is contacted by Penelope Dahl, whose daughter Bonnie disappeared earlier that month. Holly agrees to work on the case. She learns Bonnie was last seen at a convenience store near Deerfield Park before leaving on her bike, which was later found with a note reading "I've had enough."
Holly also finds one of Bonnie's earrings near her last known location. Interviewing leads, including Bonnie's best friend Lakeisha, Holly learns of two other missing individuals: Peter Steinman and Ellen Craslow, a janitor at the local college. Flashbacks reveal the culprits are Emily and Rodney Harris, a retired elderly couple and former professors who are cannibals. They target victims they know, imprison them in their basement, force them to eat raw liver, and kill and consume them, believing human flesh heals their ailments.
As the Harrises' health declines, they take Bonnie. Holly connects the victims to the Harrises and sneaks into their home to find evidence, but is subdued by Rodney with a taser and taken captive.
Reception
Flynn Berry, writing in The New York Times, commented that Holly's decisions feel genuine and that her presence balances the novel's darkness. Brian Truitt of USA Today gave the novel three out of four stars, calling it a fitfully freaky thriller and a solid exploration of the title character as a soulful beacon of hope. David Pitt for Booklist wrote that Holly shines in her leading role, describing her as tough, relentless, and compassionate, and praised the story as dark, mysterious, and deeply unsettling.
Kirkus Reviews assessed the novel as catering mostly to loyal King fans but criticized its pacing, King's language, and his "creaky" cultural references, also noting that waiting for the heroine to catch up to where the reader is feels interminable. Several reviewers criticized the novel for overt political content. Conservative columnist Christian Toto said the book reads as if Rob Reiner took over King's laptop, tying into King's rage against anti-vaxxers and MAGA nation.
King responded in a Rolling Stone interview, saying he anticipated annoyance from some readers and told them, "Knock yourself out."
More in Works
Elsewhere in Stephen King
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