“A dazzlingly shapeshifting novel . . . equally good at action scenes and in-depth psychology.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
Just finished Billy Summers by Stephen King. King leaves the horror genre behind to write a crime and adventure novel.
Billy Samuels is a top notch sniper who perfected his craft in Iraq. Now he is a paid hit man, but he insists he will only kill really bad people. Now he is being offered a huge amount of money for one job, the job that will be his last. He needs to shoot a man who has killed others, but he is being paid to kill this man so he won’t be able to talk. Billy accepts the deal, but one thing Billy knows deep down in his gut. The last job always presents problems, and because Billy has no idea who Is the man paying for the kill he is deeply suspicious of the same men he has worked with for years.
After the job is done, Billy decides not to take advantage of the offer of an escape vehicle but hides out on his own, not telling his employer where he is. When he doesn’t get his final payment for the job, he knows he is a hunted man. The story now becomes one of survival and revenge, and to spice it up, a young woman comes into Billy’s life under the worst of circumstances and at the wrong time. BIlly also has only one friend he can truly trust, so there is no one other help coming his way.
As usual, King is a great storyteller and he puts some really nice extra touches to this story. He even pays homage to one of his great early horror stories. I guess King just can’t help himself, he needs to get a little something supernatural in there.
King writes great fiction besides horror. This is a good example of his abilities in that direction and those who avoid his writings because they don’t like horror might want to try this one.
For those who are devoted King readers, you won’t be disappointed
Highly recommended.
Reviewed by:
Richard Franco
Added 8th October 2021
