Billy Summers

In this departure from horror, King has penned a truly entertaining crime thriller.

His protagonist is much like that in my latest book. He’s a hitman who has ethics and only shoots bad people. The characters are strong, unique, and, most importantly, human. Unlike many protagonists, Billy Summers has flaws, doubts, and worries.

The book engrossed me and kept me up all night. King captures the essence of life in small-town America and has a great mix of both psychological and physical action. I look forward to more of this type work from one of our most prolific writers.

You may have heard of this King guy. Popular in the horror genre, I hear. Turns out he writes a cracking good crime novel.

Billy Summers takes the hitman-with-a-heart trope and invests it with such depth of character and so many plot turns that it feels entirely fresh. I had to force myself to put it down to, you know, eat and sleep.

King's later career has been amazingly prolific (three fat novels in two years) and more personal than his better-known horror fiction. I loved his inclusion of a recovered alcoholic in Fairy Tale, and his hot takes… show more.

This is a story about a contract killer who only kills bad people and what is an assassin if not a paid serial killer? This is not Stephen King’s traditional fayre, but it is unmistakably a Stephen King story. Essentially, the book explores Summer’s past, waiting for his next hit and his life after the job is complete. King effortlessly takes us into a world of war, injustice, revenge, and love, all the while unravelling the complexities that comprise Billy Summers. It really was one of those books I didn’t want to end. I will definitely explore further crime-themed books… show more.

What is it like to be a hitman? We learn all about it from Billy Summers, one of the most refreshing and engaging felons in crime fiction. Stephen King outshines even Elmore Leonard with a character whose kindness and natural sweetness balance an almost scary level of focus and professionalism. Through Billy, we see every nuance of pulling off a hit. Getting a clean shot at the man he’s hired to kill means waiting, possibly for weeks, in a building across from the courthouse. He tells neighbors there he’s renting the office there to minimize distractions while writing a… show more.