Barring Mr Mercedes I think that this is the first full length Stephen King novel not to fall into the horror/supernatural/sci-fi/fantasy genres, and Mr Mercedes is only the first part of a trilogy which does end up going there. Of course we know he can write other stuff, and is really good at it too, but that’s mainly been the novellas - Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and The Body are the two most obvious examples. Now Billy Summers is additional proof, it it was needed, that Stephen King is not a fantastic [insert genre here] writer, he’s a fantastic teller of all kinds of stories. Retired veteran Billy Summers is a hit man. He only kills bad guys, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he earns his keep by shooting people. He’s also a likeable guy. He is happy to let the people who employ him underestimate him. He’s happy to talk to anyone, making them fee comfortable with him while still keeping a distance. His latest job, his last job, is very different from the norm. He’s not just killing someone, he’s building a life, making connections, building a deep cover. I loved this story. Billy is a fantastic character, and throughout the novel we get to understand him in a way which goes beyond the surface plot. His relationships with his friend Bucky and a girl he rescues add a real depth to the story. At 400+ pages it’s a decent length novel. In a different writer’s hands the story of Billy and his last hit could have been covered in half the time. But, it’s not about the hit. It is, as it always is with Stephen King books, about the people. The people who invite darkness into their lives, the people who are pushed into darkness by situations they have no control over. How do they react, what will they do next? This book is my new answer to the often asked question of what Stephen King book to recommend to someone who doesn’t like horror stories.

Hi everyone, Ridiculously this was my first Stephen King book, (I know shameful) and one I thoroughly enjoyed. It is your classic ‘Last Job’ story but written with a SK flair, with subtle references to the Shining to look out for. It’s full of twists and the unique way it’s written (no spoilers) makes it easier to fall right into them. It starts off a little slow but once the action begins it keeps going and held my attention right to the last sentence. A great read and well worth your time. Is it SK’s best? Probably not (but that bar is awfully high). Is it worth reading? Absolutely. You won’t regret it.

If you’re looking for a classic King horror/supernatural story then this book is not for you. What we do have is well characterised story that delves into some of the more horrific traits of humans as a species. It’s been said time and time again that Kings attention to detail is fantastic and his protagonists are well rounded here. Whilst the ending was not a shock, the journey there although harrowing at times was well worth it. There are a couple of nods to seasoned vets of the well established universe if you look closely enough and I heartily recommend this story.

Title - Billy Summers Author - Stephen King Release Date - August 3rd 2021 Page Count - 448 Read Time - 13hrs Rating - ⭐️⭐️⭐️/3 stars Any release from Stephen King is always a treat and I always eagerly await it dropping through my door. However, early reviews really put me off so this was sat on my shelf for quite some time. I finally got around to it and quickly found myself agreeing with those early reviews. Now, this is not a bad book, not by any stretch, it is King after all, a seasoned pro who knows how to develop characters and story lines to reel the reader in. My disappointment is that this didn’t really feel like a King novel; no eerie undertone, no ghosts and ghouls or horror of any kind, in fact no scares at all - the is simply a fiction thriller. Synopsis - Billy Summers is an assassin with a moral code; he only kills bad people. When faced with one last job with a bumper payday Billy takes it on with his usual style, but something is niggling at him, something doesn’t feel right - but for this type of money, that could pave the way to retirement, he is willing to quieten his inner voice, get the job done and get out. When the job doesn’t go according to plan Billy goes into hiding where he comes across a young woman in need of his help. Together they help each other in their pursuit of vengeance and a life of freedom. Not a book that I will ever re-visit or indeed stick in my mind but worth a read nonetheless. Excellent characters and overall storyline. A great double ending in the style of the Dark Tower and there is also a nod to other King works in there too for the King constant reader. 3 stars.

2/5 Stars Interesting premise, but sadly this one flew wide of the mark for me. Dead Eye Billy Summers is an ex-Marine Sniper who only offs bad guys. Cool, right? His latest - and last - payday is his biggest yet; 2 million to take out Joel Allen, a fellow shooter who killed a fifteen year old boy. Billy agrees, because he really is a bad guy but to pull off the hit he has to maintain cover as a Writer in the suburbs, befriends the neighbours, plays with their kids. He takes the shot and gets out of Dodge, but something isn't right. The other 1.5 million doesn't show up in his account, turns out Nick was planning on having him offed in turn, courtesy of Roger Kirke a mega rich paedophile who happens to be Joel Allen's father. While Billy is hiding out on Pearson Street as Dalton Smith, he meets Alice Maxwell, a 21 year old Rape Survivor. Billy exacts revenge on Alice's attackers, and together they set a trap for Kirke. Ultimately, the book ends on a happy note for Alice after she shoots Kirke in the stomach, but Billy dies from an infected bullet after Marge - Frank Mackintosh aka "Frankie Elvis" or "Solar Elvis" dings him in the hip in revenge for killing her son. Character work was exacting, as always. Billy's backstory tugged at my heartstrings more than once - poor Cathy - but aside from being intrigued by how Billy separates into his "dumb self", I couldn't connect with this book.