If It Bleeds by Stephen King --> Starting June 9th, 2020

[Aly]

A collection of four uniquely wonderful long stories, including a stand-alone sequel to the No. 1 bestseller The Outsider.

News people have a saying: 'If it bleeds, it leads'. And a bomb at Albert Macready Middle School is guaranteed to lead any bulletin.

Holly Gibney of the Finders Keepers detective agency is working on the case of a missing dog - and on her own need to be more assertive - when she sees the footage on TV. But when she tunes in again, to the late-night report, she realizes there is something not quite right about the correspondent who was first on the scene. So begins 'If It Bleeds' , a stand-alone sequel to the No. 1 bestselling The Outsider featuring the incomparable Holly on her first solo case - and also the riveting title story in Stephen King's brilliant new collection.

Dancing alongside are three more wonderful long stories from this 'formidably versatile author' (The Sunday Times) - 'Mr Harrigan's Phone', 'The Life of Chuck' and 'Rat' . All four display the richness of King's storytelling with grace, humor, horror and breathtaking suspense. A fascinating Author's Note gives us a wonderful insight into the origin of each story and the writer's unparalleled imagination.

[Trisha]

Mr. Harrigan's Phone

I loved this one. 4 Stars

Craig(view spoiler)[ I loved how he was such a good kid but how he did use Mr. Harrigan's phone to right what he felt were "wrongs." but I also like Mr. Harrigan's reaction: St.......
I wonder, if Mr. Harrigan hadn't told him too, if he would have kept the phone and maybe used it another time or two. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Trisha, can you list the stories for me? I am going to be listening to this one since I don't want to pay $14.99 and it's WEEKS before I can get it. I know myself and I'll probably get confused just having audio only, unless I give in. LOL

Good to see that you liked the first story so much. :)

[Jammin Jenny]

Mr. Harrigan's Phone - So far, I'm liking this - Mr. Harrigan is a bit odd...I wonder what is up with him (view spoiler)[ that was spooky when the phone kept answering after seven years, and when that guy that killed the kids favorite teacher died after he left a message for Mr. Harrigan (hide spoiler)]

[Jammin Jenny]

Trisha wrote: "Mr. Harrigan's Phone

I loved this one. 4 Stars

I really liked that one too!

[Jammin Jenny]

Vicki wrote: "Trisha, can you list the stories for me? I am going to be listening to this one since I don't want to pay $14.99 and it's WEEKS before I can get it. I know myself and I'll probably get confused jus..."

I set up a thread in our private group and listed the stories there.

[Vicki]

Thanks, Jenny. :)

[Vicki]

Mr. Harrigan's Phone 4/5 stars

Oh my gosh, I can't even imagine (view spoiler)[to keep getting phone calls from a dead person. lol What I wouldn't give to get a call from my parents! I liked Harrigan a lot.

Question: (view spoiler)[Did I miss something? Why do you think that Stand By Your Man was alluded to so many times? I was a little surprised to see so many biblical references, too. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

The Life of Chuck 5/5 stars

Well, this one was different! (view spoiler)[ I don't know if I've ever read a story that begins with the last act and moves its way to the 1st. This story reminded me of 11/23/6211/22/63. Not sure if you read it, Jenny, but Trisha and I buddy read it quite a few years ago. I got some real feels for it, talking about California and in ways reminded me exactly of what's going on right now with the pandemic. I did feel like Act III was better than Acts II and I, so the reverse order fell a little short for me. And I can't hear "Chuckie" without thinking of the movie. lol I completely could see Chuck dancing to the beat of the drums. I would envision that more in San Francisco, but I've never been to Boston. I recall another story (not positive it was King's) of electricity dying and the technology and the Internet going awry. (hide spoiler)] Overall, I really liked this one.

[Jammin Jenny]

The Life of Chuck 4.5 stars
(view spoiler)[I liked this little ghost story - a young boy lives with his grandparents after his parents die - and there's a scary cupala at the house = Chuck sees himself dead in the Cupala - (hide spoiler)]

[Jammin Jenny]

If it Bleeds - 5+++ stars
(view spoiler)[Ralph Anderson he receives a disk from Holly Gibney (Mr. Mercedes fame) - what does it mean???
OMG I can't believe it's the Outsider again - Holly is kick-ass and so far from her original entry in the Bill Mercedes trilogy - I love her!! I'm so glad she escaped but I'm sure it's not the last we'll see of The Outsider (hide spoiler)]

[Jammin Jenny]

Rat 4/5 stars
(view spoiler)[
Oh this one is narrated by Stephen Weber. I love him. Can't wait to see what happens!! Nice quirky fairy tale by Stephen King where a rat seems to have granted a wish to finish a great book, but with consequences... (hide spoiler)]

[Jammin Jenny]

Vicki wrote: "Mr. Harrigan's Phone 4/5 stars

In answer to your question (view spoiler)[I think it was referring back to one of Stephen King's other works - The Long Walk, which I believe turned into a movie Stand By Me (hide spoiler)]

[Jammin Jenny]

Vicki wrote: "The Life of Chuck 5/5 stars

Well, this one was different! [spoilers removed] Overall, I really liked this one."

I loved 11/22/63. Alternate histories always intrigue me, and the ending of the book just blew me away...they always say a drop in the pond causes an unknown ripple effect and that's just what that book delivered.

[Vicki]

You know what my favorite thing was about 11/22/63? I felt like I was there! Meaning, there were so many things that I LIVED through that were used in the book, including some allusions that most younger people I'm pretty sure wouldn't understand or notice. One was something like "happy trails" or it used those words and in context I knew it was an allusion to Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. It just brought back so many good and bad (the assassination of Kennedy). It's one of my favorite books. In fact, I think I'll read it again. lol

[Vicki]

If it Bleeds - 5 amazing stars!

Holly (view spoiler)[ is back again! I loved her in the outsider and I love, love, LOVE her in this one! Hahaha! I'm sure she'll be resurrected too! He can't let Holly go for sure. She's too much a fan favorite. (hide spoiler)]

I really didn't know what to expect of this book, but I should've known that with Stephen King it would be a winner!

[Vicki]

RAT 4/5

Any time I see the word RAT I cringe! Literally...so I wanted to hate this one. Lol But I really, really liked it, but it didn't meet the love I had for If It Bleeds. King is just so dang good, but that's so redundant to say!

When Drew (view spoiler)[convinces his wife to go to the cabin with him, I know something very creepy is going to happen. I love the suspense (in my own head) when reading King's stories. I already know it's going to be eerie! lol I mean who makes a deal with a rat?! lol (hide spoiler)] I loved it!

Even though I rated 2 stories 4 stars, If It Bleeds blew me away and it overrides the 4 star stories. And I don't really do points, like 4.5 but overall this book is a 5 star book for me.

[Trisha]

So glad you loved it! i'm finally getting back to it!

Life of Chuck 4 stars
(view spoiler)[ I love the idea that we are multitudes and we are 1 and many. The idea that all his memories and people were living inside his head and their world ended as his did. Crazy interesting way to tell a story (hide spoiler)]

I was(view spoiler)[ So sad for his Grandpa. Who would want to see their loved ones death and just sit and wait. Ugh, the waiting. awful (hide spoiler)]

I LOVED the dancing in this one.

[Jammin Jenny]

I know I really liked when the whole group started moonwalking...

[Vicki]

Trisha wrote: "So glad you loved it! i'm finally getting back to it!

Life of Chuck 4 stars
[spoilers removed]

I was[spoilers removed]

I LOVED the dancing in this one."

Trisha, I have to agree with your comment on The Life of Chuck. That just shows how clever King is...never a banal plot or writing style.

[Trisha]

It it Bleeds 5+++++ stars (I agree!)

Wow!

Holly(view spoiler)[ and here she is . she's so much stronger and wiser than when we met her in the first Mr. Mercedes.
I can't believe the risks she took though! I'm glad it worked out but she has to have someone (like a detective) that can help her out with these things. It's too much for Jerome or Barbara to get injured..... (hide spoiler)]

I can't(view spoiler)[ wait to get an Outsider #2 book for Holly (hide spoiler)]

SO Do you think(view spoiler)[ that means the outsider, that chet or whatever he is - that he jumped to her Uncle?? Do you think that's what the end means?? (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

The Rat

I can just imagine the storm and the slight scraping of something on the door......eeee!!

(view spoiler)[ this one was a creepy fairy tale but highly entertaining with the secondary story told in it (the one he was writing) but also his real life. to be so sick and stuck in that house - I'd think I'd imagined it too! Well told short story! (hide spoiler)]

so glad we read this one!!