Holly

Written by Stephen King

Narrated by Stephen King and Justine Lupe

#1 New York Times Bestseller * New York Times Notable Book * NPR Best Book of the Year

Holly Gibney, one of Stephen King’s most compelling and resourceful characters, returns in this chilling novel to solve the gruesome truth behind multiple disappearances in a midwestern town.

“Sometimes the universe throws you a rope.” —BILL HODGES

Stephen King’s Holly marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly’s gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr. Mercedes to Bill Hodges’s partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in The Outsider. In King’s new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries.

When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has Covid. Her (very complicated) mother has just died. And Holly is meant to be on leave. But something in Penny Dahl’s desperate voice makes it impossible for Holly to turn her down.

Mere blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared live Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. They are the picture of bourgeois respectability: married octogenarians, devoted to each other, and semi-retired lifelong academics. But they are harboring an unholy secret in the basement of their well-kept, book-lined home, one that may be related to Bonnie’s disappearance. And it will prove nearly impossible to discover what they are up to: they are savvy, they are patient, and they are ruthless.

Holly must summon all her formidable talents to outthink and outmaneuver the shockingly twisted professors in this chilling new masterwork from Stephen King.

“I could never let Holly Gibney go. She was supposed to be a walk-on character in Mr. Mercedes and she just kind of stole the book and stole my heart. Holly is all her.” —STEPHEN KING

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Sep 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9781797161419

Stephen King

Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes the short story collection You Like It Darker, Holly, Fairy Tale, Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, Doctor Sleep, and Firestarter are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. 

Reviews for Holly

[Bryan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm glad that Holly is back and with her own book too. She is a good natured person with some quirks. She's smart and can fight good. Great mystery and action book.

[jacki miller · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mr. King never fails to entertain! If you enjoy dark subject matter this might be the story for you.

[Sean Bigard · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thoroughly enjoyed it, worth the wait! "Holly" is a great book and she is a fantastic study in character development across multiple works. I do wish the book contained more of King's supernatural style, but 5 stars all the way.

[Jaro Patrick · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It was more then fantastic, it was the best! Enjoy.

[John Noftsker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This one kept me coming back everyday excited to pick up where I left off!

[Emily Woodall · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

don’t listen to the negative reviews. Holly might be the best book in the the Holly Gibney Trilogy. A fun, solid read.

[Natalie Zwaan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed this one a lot. Read a previous review about it all being Trump bashing, political etc, I didn’t find that way at all, it could’ve been an actual news story given how many guano theories and people came out during the years this story spans.

[Shawnda Crase · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic read! Loved seeing Holly’s progress and it’s full of HOLY SHIT moments!

[Paulette Brown · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved the story. There were some glaring truths about the pain and sadness of growing old. Although these two loons were nuts. Love the growth of Holly’s character and how she has come out of her shell since we first met her.

[Brandon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Holly is the light that halts the darkness, the candle extinguishing the silhouette. Thank you King for this masterpiece. The monsters scared me but I had to keep going just like her.

[Patricia S · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

He still has it! And I love Holly. She is one of my favorite characters!

[Mercy · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

DNF. This is not the Holly story I was expecting. Boring!

[Mônica De Alvarenga Feijó Bianchi · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think the author has all the right to write about his political views but I would like to have been warned. I started the book thinking that I would meet another thrilling monstrous villain that I would love to hate. But they were overshadowed by the shallow and prejudiced speech about a much deeper and painful tragedy that the mankind endured those last years. The author seems to have tried to make a great point about two different things and did the opposite. The villain couple seemed more creepy when they talked about their beliefs about the Covid pandemic than when they were actually doing the bad things they were supposed to do. And the narrator made a Holly much different from the one I’ve learned to love. Frustrated with the way things were conducted in this story

[g569874ngy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed the story of Holly. As a audiobook I really missed having Will Patton as the narrator. I feel he made Holly character realistic with how he did a great job with the quirkiness of Holly. I look forward to more books from Will as the narrator.

[hannah · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

absolutely amazing!! i couldnt stop listening. one of those books i wish i could experience for the first time over and over again.

[Angela · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sucked me in! When I wasn't listening I was wondering what was happening next! So good, read it!

[Nicole Stack · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this story. I think that Holly Gibney may be one of my favorite King characters, (definitely one that I relate to,) and I am so glad to see her back for another story, along with Barbara and Jerome. It's an equally scary story when the villains are humans as opposed to the supernatural and leave it to King to make them real nuts.

[Teresa · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I can't get past the narration, it is just not engaging.

[jcmhawke · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very good story with an unsuspecting outcome. Kept me wanting more!

[TANUKA GUPTA · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lovely King. Amazing Justin. I love Holly. First rate audiobook.

[kathleen.joy71 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it! This story easily keeps you engaged. The narrator chosen was phenomenal! Love Stephen King's dark stories!

[Ashley Mattson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This Hass to be one of Stephen King’s best pieces of work. Justine’s booth reading of Holly is incredible. She plays the rule of all the characters perfectly. It’s a great audiobook, and I highly recommend it.

[Elaine Akins · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My favorite kind of Stephen King novel.It has everything I love about his work.

[janellemb78 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoy Holly as a character and really liked this book for her. It wasn’t my favorite King by a long shot but it was an easy listen. Having thee Holly Gibney reading her own book was the only way to listen to it in my opinion. So I’m happy this exists.

[Shafiq Pontoh · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

wonderfully gripping storytelling, very insightful and beautifully read. Pure dark entertainment. Love the story.

[Todd Hoskins · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I like that King keeps story line interesting and continued to keep reader pulled in.

[Janell Slifka · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love Uncle Steve. And I love Holly Gibney. And I loved this book.

[LiZa Sims · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

He (King) Does it Again! I greatly enjoyed this story and the narrator. Stephen King Rocks my Fiction Addiction for sure!

[Linda Ivey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Holly is a character I am happy to see again. Continuing in after Bill’s death was the bravest and confident action to convince her mother she was good in her own. Years later she accepts a case that leads her to others who also disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Along with Izzy, Pete, Barbara and Jerome, she doesn’t miss a beat. Loved the ending and the accuracy of the Covid affected time.

[Lisa Burch-Eisele · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love how easily we get attached to characters in King novels. Very good story.