BOOK REVIEW: End of Watch by Stephen King

BOOK REVIEW: End of Watch by Stephen King

Hachette Australia
June 2016
Paperback, $32.99
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar

Crime/Thriller

8/10

Stephen King, the master of horror fiction, has been turning his hand more to the chilling and macabre recently, rather than out-and-out Fangoria-favoured horror.

No bad thing when his characters and stories are as riveting as this, though, and End Of Watch wraps up his trilogy of books featuring retired detective Bill Hodges, his PI partner Holly Gibney, and the Mercedes murderer Brady Hartsfield.

In End Of Watch Hartsfield has emerged from his coma and – whilst ostensibly in a vegetative state in hospital and unable to stand trial for his crimes – has found a way to occupy the bodies of weaker souls around him. Not only that but he raises very relevant and scary possibilities about subliminally influencing kids and adults using video games – Pokemon Go, anyone?

King brings this utterly chilling premise to life so vicariously that reading Hartsfield’s excursions in other people’s bodies – each time losing more of their own humanity and soul – is creepy in the extreme. Hodges and Gibney are, likewise, completely believable and sympathetic characters, and it’s impossible not to emotionally invest in the ups and downs of their lives as they try to stop Hartsfield murdering hundreds of teenagers.

Category: Book Reviews