2 Bloggers 1 Series - Finders Keepers

 

I am pretty sure that Stormi is silently cursing me under her breath (except I'm pretty sure she doesn't swear) for roping her into reading this series.  I am almost 100% certain that I am enjoying it much more than she is and if it wasn't for the fact that we have already slated to read It during spooky season, I am not sure I could convince her to read another King book with me.  So read on to see my thoughts on the next Bill Hodges installment and then hop over to Stormi's to see what she thought as well.

TITLE: Finders Keepers (Bill Hodges Trilogy #2)

AUTHOR: Stephen King

PUBLISHER: Scribner

PUBLISHING DATE: June 2, 2015;

SOURCE: Own Personal Library

FROM GOODREADS: 

Wake up, genius. 

The genius is John Rothstein, an iconic author who created a famous character, Jimmy Gold, but who hasn’t published a book for decades. Morris Bellamy is livid, not just because Rothstein has stopped providing books, but because the nonconformist Jimmy Gold has sold out for a career in advertising. Morris kills Rothstein and empties his safe of cash, yes, but the real treasure is a trove of notebooks containing at least one more Gold novel. 

Morris hides the money and the notebooks, and then he is locked away for another crime. Decades later, a boy named Pete Saubers finds the treasure, and now it is Pete and his family that Bill Hodges, Holly Gibney, and Jerome Robinson must rescue from the ever-more deranged and vengeful Morris when he’s released from prison after thirty-five years. 

MY THOUGHTS: So Finders Keepers is told in three parts and goes back in forth in time.  It tells the story of Morris Bellamy, who in the 1970's, breaks into the home of an exclusive author and not only steals his money, but also books and books of hand-written manuscripts of material never published.  Rothstein wrote Morris' favorite series up until he "ruined" the character in the third installment and ticked Morris off royally.  Morris is hoping somewhere there are some answers to why.  However, he ends up burying the goods and then goes and get arrested for a totally unrelated crime and spends years and years in prison. Fast forward several decades and a young boy, Pete Saubers, finds the hidden chest and in a very creative way, uses the money to save his family from financial ruin and also his mom and dad's marriage. 

At times I will admit this book is rather slow. Yet, I often love character driven books, so it worked for me.  I will admit that Finders Keepers gives off a strong Misery vibe in that you have an individual obsessed with an author which drives him to do horrible things.  It takes quite a while before Bill, Holly and Jerome make an appearance but early on we learn the connection between this tale and Mr. Mercedes.  I will add that I am also grateful there wasn't a lot of Brady in this book because he isn't my favorite King creation.

Holly once again steals the show in my opinion and basically Pete's tale is another coming-of-age story which I believe King does expertly.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and devoured it in under two days.  The ending really picked up pace and by the time I reached Part 3 of the novel, I steamrolled right through it.

As for my rating, I have gone back and forth and while I will admit this wasn't a perfect tale as a few parts really drug out, I will also admit it is one of my favorite King novels for some reason.  I keep thinking back on it and since it's been so long since I've looked at a King book so fondly, I have to give it a 5/5!  If you love King and haven't started this series - do it!

RATING: 5 PAWS