Set in America and written Lex Jones, Nick and Abe tells the story of Abe (God) and his son Nick. (Lucifer) They come to earth together to spend a year as normal people and the one who learns the most wins the bet they made between themselves. Seems like an easy thing to do, but as is the case with most people, their lives quickly become more complicated than they could ever have imagined. They both agree to refrain from using their powers, and they do everything the humans do whilst they're here.

A lot of late career King seems to have divided opinion somewhat. 11/22/63 seems to have received damn near universal acclaim, but Dr. Sleep, Under The Dome, and Revival have all attracted significant criticisms from some quarters, as well as some staunch fans. From what I can gather, Mr. Mercedes seems to fit into that ‘marmite’ pattern somewhat.
 
In some ways, I can see why. For starters, it’s entirely non-supernatural - I guess by strict genre definitions a crime thriller - though, I mean, so is Misery, if you think about it, so I’m not sure the label is all that helpful. And, you know, it’s King, so crime thriller it may be, but it goes pretty dark in places.
 
Take for example, the opening. I confess to not having read every King novel and story, but I have read the majority, and I’m not sure that he’s written an opening this powerful and gripping since IT - and candidly, depending on your taste, it may even be better than that. The standard King playbook is in effect, with a ticking clock to an uncertain doom. It’s exactly the kind of trick that he makes seem so effortless, and yet is almost impossible for a lesser writer to pull off without seeming awful. Here’s it is not awful. It is magnificent. I spent the entire opening few pages with my heart in my mouth and a sinking feeling in my stomach, and when I got to the end, I remember thinking ‘Bloody hell, how’s he going to keep that up?’
 
Well, for my money, he didn’t, quite. That said,I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Mr Mercedes, and there’s a lot to recommend it. I personally love King in non-supernatural mode, so this is a relatively rare treat for me, and his character work is as strong as ever, especially the retired cop protagonist and the villain.
 
Ah, the villain. For large sections of the running time, the book runs on the classic crime thriller parallel track - once chapter with the hero, one with the villain. It’s a classic approach for a reason, and King offers a casual masterclass in why, with the way the villain chapters give us insight not available to the hero leaving us in a constant state of tenderhooks, with occasional bursts of sheer panic as matters escalate.
 
The plot twists and turns neatly, and the 400 page running time, while not short by genre standards, nevertheless feels lean compared to King’s other more recent efforts, which for me paid dividends in terms of pacing.
 
It’s not perfect. It’s clear the villain understands technology rather better than the author at times, and while I really respect King’s efforts to come to grips with these necessary elements of a modern setting, there was the odd moment that felt a little awkward, if not cringe worthy. Additionally, whilst I enjoyed the individuals that end up forming a team with the hero, some of the elements of how they came together felt just a little forced, to me, somehow.
 
That said, I found reading this book to be a real joy overall, and while I don’t think it’ll go down as one of his classic works, it’s still a very exciting book from a novelist of incredible talent. I also cannot help but applaud a writer who, in his fifth decade of professional writing, is still pushing himself to try something new.  We should all be so driven.
 
And seriously, read that opener. It’s a doozie.
 
KP
2/2/16

Emily and Biff are dead, brutally murdered there corpses hidden from the world in an abandoned warehouse, they seek revenge and redemption from a world that has no idea they are dead and from each other.  

Angels of the Silence is an impressive and bewitching ghost story that tackles some powerful and emotional topics with a sensitivity and a maturity that you expect from such a seasoned writer as Simon Bestwick.  

This novella is as much about friendships, fitting in and the finality of friendships as it is about revenge and supernatural going ons. Apparently taking its cues from a real life case Bestwick has written an empathic and wholly believable story that places us right in the centre of the girls plight.  Disenfranchised from society at large the girls and their goth friends have flocked together and exist on the periphery of their world, never fully fitting in, subject to attacks from the larger youth culture, you would think that their death would free them from the banalities of their everyday life.  Sadly this isn't the case for this pair of revenants.  They soon find out that thanks to unknown process their ghost form allows them to exist as though nothing had ever happened  they possess corporeal spirits that can touch and feel and even consume food and drink, for all intents and purposes they are still alive.  This is a stroke of genius from Bestwick, and the passage where this is explained to the girls by a friendly fellow spirit sent a shiver down my spine.  It's a wonderful concept where the spirits of the deceased can exist on a spectrum that runs from mere hint of a memory, a sort of mote in the minds eye, right up to the the fully formed physical spirit Emily and Biff possess.  The wider picture that scene implied is inspired - a world where we would have no idea if a person was alive or dead.  It gave a strange comforting, but tinged with fear  feeling that still haunts me a few days after finishing the book.  

This scene and the revelation that there is an elevator to the afterlife that the girls can take should they ever feel that their time on earth had come to an end reminded me in a good way of Randell and Hopkirk (Deceased), even down to setting the scene in a tearoom / cafe.  It also highlighted the perfectly balanced way in which Bestwick uses a subtle line of wit and humour in the story to give the girls a fantastic and realistic characterisation.  

This is a heartfelt and deeply moving novella, with many stand out scenes, such as when the girls encounter a group of bullies who may or may not have been responsible for the death of a friend, the sense of exhilaration that the girls feel when they enact their brand of vengeance, thanks to a set of developing afterlife powers, is delectable.  And the final scene where the girls finally come to terms with their fate and where there lives are going is a deeply moving and candid love at friendships,  guilt and redemption.  

Purchase a copy here