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Group Read - Finders Keepers Part 1 Pages 1 - 59 13% Spoilers welcome
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Part 1: Buried Treasure1978
Rothstein, 80 years old and dreaming of when he was 19. He wakes to masked men in his New Hampshire farmhouse. In the days of JFK, he had been on the cover of Time as John Rothstein, America’s reclusive genius. He does not have much cash to offer, but the invaders find a large safe. The safe has money and notebooks. He is willing to lose the money, but does not know what the 3 invaders are after.
They are after both, and one is mad that Rothstein, as an author, turned his series hero into a denizen of suburbia. They argue, and the invader, Morris Bellamy, shoots him.
2009 (p15)Tom and Linda Saubers are arguing about money (in front of the kids!). Peter needed a job. But the job fair was the next day, and he had confidence in himself. He headed off with his friend Todd, who was taking a nip or two for confidence. They never get into the fair though. This is the job fair that started Mr Mercedes, and Benz crashing into the crowd breaks Tom’s hips. He awakes in the hospital, but at least he awakes.
2010 (p39)The Sauber’s kids were Pete and Tina. The parents were still arguing, and Tom was on crutches and Oxy. Pete goes for a walk to escape the arguments. While sitting by a stream he sees a cave. Buried in the cave was a trunk. Coincidentally, Morris put the cash and books he stole in a trunk. Pete cannot get the trunk free though. He waits for his opportunity, gets some tools and goes back. He frees the trunk, opens it, expecting little, and finds notebooks and money. The money home, leaves the notebooks in the trunk and returns the trunk to hiding.
The moleskin notebooks fascinated Morris, and me too I must admit. I would not expect to be able to sell an author's work out from under them dead or alive so we know pretty early in that no matter what Morrie thinks of his own intelligence he isn't playing with a full deck.
I knew we had a Misery-like scene to start, as Carol mentioned in the general comments, the first chapter was posted online as a teaser. I had also heard that we revisited the scene that began Mr Mercedes (and if you haven't read it, you should!) I was as prepared as I could be for that cold morning when the Mercedes crashed into the crowd of people at the job fair, and yet I wasn't. It was as chilling being told from Tom Sauber's POV as it had been the first time.
Barry: Those kids almost broke my heart doing homework, watching cartoons and trying to be normal after their lives were torn apart by the Mercedes killer. Stephen King can really pull you into the moment with such a casual set of knowing looks between siblings and a poignant portrayal of a family in crisis and kids faced with domestic abuse. No matter the reasons for Tom's actions, it is a horrible situation. Barry wrote: "2010 (p39) The Sauber’s kids were Pete and Tina. The parents were still arguing, and Tom was on crutches and Oxy. Pete goes for a walk to escape the arguments...."
http://stephenking.com/promo/mr_merce...This link lists the victims involved in the Mercedes killer's attack at the job fair.
I loved Tina's "arkie-barkies" name for her parent's arguments - so descriptive.
I had Misery in my head as I began the book, and especially in the scene with Morris and Rothstein. But after that start it was clear it was a very different novel unfolding, even thought some of the underpinnings are the same (reader irate at the turn the author takes with the character. I can think of books where I've been outraged by the turn it takes with characters (Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta, for one) but not so incensed that I would hunt the author down, LOL.Ann wrote: "I knew we had a Misery-like scene to start, as Carol mentioned in the general comments, the first chapter was posted online as a teaser. I had also heard that we revisited the scene that began Mr M..."
I know!!!! King is so good at this, coining phrases the come from the situations he creates. I loved this term.Ann wrote: "I loved Tina's "arkie-barkies" name for her parent's arguments - so descriptive."
Ann wrote: "The moleskin notebooks fascinated Morris, and me too I must admit. I would not expect to be able to sell an author's work out from under them dead or alive so we know pretty early in that no matter..."It was so interesting (and beyond this section) to watch the backstory develop of Morris' fascination with the Rothstein books. I wonder how our favorite authors feel about people getting so attached to their books/characters. It must be a mixed blessing.
It was a surprise to see this dovetail with the Mercedes killer in this way. A surprise and sad, as we get to know other victims of that devastating car crash. I find myself wondering when and how Bill Hodges will come into the story (I know, later).Barry wrote: "2009 (p15)
Tom and Linda Saubers are arguing about money (in front of the kids!). Peter needed a job. But the job fair was the next day, and he had confidence in himself. He headed off with his f..."
Ann wrote: "The moleskin notebooks fascinated Morris, and me too I must admit. I would not expect to be able to sell an author's work out from under them dead or alive so we know pretty early in that no matter..."To me the fact that he would even hunt Rothstein down with the rumored manuscripts in mind shows me he ain't right in the head.... I shudder at the inevitable confrontation between Morris and Pete....
Ann wrote: "http://stephenking.com/promo/mr_merce...This link lists the victims involved in the Mercedes killer's attack at the job fair."
Thanks Ann. It's intriguing to think of who else on this list we will meet during the course of this book and the next in the trilogy. And I like the way King further piques our interest by saying that we are in for some sharp turns ahead.
Morrie is definitely off, and spookier as time goes on. He may know what he wants, but exhibits a distinct detachment from reality.
Carol: It must be a mixed blessing. And with Rothstein, Kings explores the idea that even when an author doesn't publish later books it might not be that they stopped writing, and it might not be that - what they then continued to write would not be "publishable", but that a reputation might be something bigger than the money and more intimidating than some could handle. With our July group read book coming up being Go Set a Watchman, the previously unpublished Harper Lee first novel this sort of author angst and emotional reluctance is top of mind. I imagine there are a lot of different feelings regarding something that must be very personal to the writer and then taken on as personal property by the readers too.
Carol/Bonadie wrote: "It was so interesting (and beyond this section) to watch the backstory develop of Morris' fascination with the Rothstein books. I wonder how our favorite authors feel about people getting so attached to their books/characters. It must be a mixed blessing.
"
Yes. One wonders how many unpublished works are tucked away in the closets/drawers of the King household.I was sorry we didn't get to spend more time with John Rothstein to understand what was going on there, but then we would have been more devastated at his ultimate demise.
Ann wrote: "Carol: It must be a mixed blessing. And with Rothstein, Kings explores the idea that even when an author doesn't publish later books it might not be that they stopped writing, and it might not be t..."
You all have so many good thoughts! It was sad to relive the death of the young mother and baby at the job fair. Interesting to have the books overlap like that. King sure knows how to keep it fresh and interesting!You've brought up an interesting thought, on the possible downside of fans being attached to characters. Wonder if this storyline had any real life basis. Scary thought. Morris is a sick dude...I imagine that he is worse when we see him again in 2010.
Dawn: agreed, it is fresh and interesting right off the bat. The overlapping events are a bit like looking through the other side of the glass, and as if it is one big novel. (I love big novels by my favorite storyteller!)
Dawn wrote: "You all have so many good thoughts! It was sad to relive the death of the young mother and baby at the job fair. Interesting to have the books overlap like that. King sure knows how to keep it fresh..."
Dawn, I wonder if the final one in the trilogy will also start with the story of another of the victims of The Mercedes Killer. Dawn wrote: "You all have so many good thoughts! It was sad to relive the death of the young mother and baby at the job fair. Interesting to have the books overlap like that. King sure knows how to keep it fr..."
Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Dawn, I wonder if the final one in the trilogy will also start with the story of another of the victims of The Mercedes Killer.Carol, I keep waiting for Brady (The Mercedes Killer) to jump out at me. I wonder if he'll be making a re-appearance?
I wondered the same thing, Dawn! The connections between the novels at this point are not clear, but very intriguing! Dawn wrote: "Carol, I keep waiting for Brady (The Mercedes Killer) to jump out at me. I wonder if he'll be making a re-appearance? "
Brady was such a powerful character in the first book it makes sense our minds would wander back to him....
With the girl with the baby getting killed being specifically spotlighted again, I'm thinking it will come into play somehow in the next book. I may be wrong, but seems there must be something special about it for it to be highlighted like that again. I would have liked to know more about Rothstein, too. I had friends when I was growing up who put up with lots of "arkie-barkies" between their parents. As an adult I've always wondered why they stayed together because they fought ALL the time! I also REALLY disliked Morrie's bookseller buddy!
Kindle readers this segment goes up to location 745 and for audio listeners this segment goes through 13% of the book.
The "chapters included in this first segment of Part 1 are:
1978
2009
1978
2010