As an avid fan of mysteries and the supernatural, I eagerly picked up Stephen King’s novel Later – but ended up giving it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
This supernatural thriller follows Jamie, a young boy who can talk to the dead. When a detective asks for his help solving a murder, Jamie gets pulled into using his gift to identify the killer.
The premise blending crime and the spiritual drew me in right away. I’m a big fan of King’s work like The Dead Zone and Salem’s Lot that balance the paranormal with gripping suspense.
Jamie’s abilities add an intriguing element as he communicates with ghosts to gather clues about the murderer. Trying to stop a killer as a child makes for high stakes!
However, the way Jamie’s gift was used to aid police investigations didn’t fully sit right with me. I wanted a deeper exploration of the moral implications. The family drama also felt slightly underdeveloped.
While I was hoping for a more layered thriller, King’s writing still shines through in the vivid setting and engaging central relationships. Fans of his trademark suspense will enjoy the mysterious unfolding of clues.
This book also has a really cool cover. The art and ominous tagline first caught my eye and drew me in to picking up the book. The visuals did an excellent job of setting the tone.
In the end, I wish there was more nuance given the thought-provoking premise. But it delivered on creepy atmosphere and kept me curious about solving the crime. I’d recommend it for King fans hankering for a good ghostly murder mystery!
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