Stephen King’s Moment of Doubt: How Mr. Mercedes Changed His Career

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Stephen King’s creativity is like an unending wellspring, but what truly sets him apart is his exceptional self-assurance as a storyteller. Unlike many authors who meticulously plan their books from start to finish before they put pen to paper, King prefers to delve into an idea and let it guide him on its journey. This approach showcases remarkable confidence, making it even more intriguing to discover instances in King’s creative career where that certainty was tested.

This week’s issue of The King Beat showcases an exemplary instance, serving as a great example. I’ve coupled it with some intriguing facts about one of King’s finest short stories. There’s plenty of engaging material to explore, so let’s dive right in!

How Mr. Mercedes Changed The Course Of Stephen King’s Career

My Stephen King book collection isn’t just every single one of his books, it also includes numerous titles about those very same books. The author’s five decades of literary and cultural impact have sparked fascinating critiques since the 1980s, and I’ve reserved a specific area in my library for these pieces. Last week, I obtained a new addition to this section – the pre-ordered copy of “King Noir: The Crime Fiction of Stephen King” by Tony Magistrale and Michael J. Blouin. To my delight, I found that the first chapter features an original essay by King himself titled “The Influence of Crime Fiction on My Writing and My Love for It.

The main topic of this piece revolves around his personal journey through the genre, starting from the thrilling tales of Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys, progressing to the gritty detective stories penned by Raymond Chandler and Ross Macdonald, and delving into the enigmatic mysteries crafted by Patricia Highsmith and Agatha Christie. However, what truly captivates in this work is the turmoil he encountered when conceiving Mr. Mercedes, effectively marking a fresh chapter in his career.

Before the 2014 publication of “Mr. Mercedes,” Stephen King had penned mystery novels like “Bag of Bones,” “Black House,” and “Joyland.” However, he found this particular work unique within his body of work because it did not contain any supernatural elements. Instead, it was a gripping detective tale centered on the cat-and-mouse chase between a retired cop and a dangerous driver who ran over a crowd waiting for a job fair with a stolen Mercedes. This was a fresh direction for King, and he wondered how his devoted fans would react to this change. He writes,

I’ve never considered myself as a writer specializing in horror, supernatural, or crime/suspense genres. Instead, I simply enjoy crafting tales. However, there was a brief hesitation when I came up with the concept of Mr. Mercedes. It felt like a significant turn, almost a crossroads. I worried that readers might not appreciate the shift from novels like Under the Dome to a gritty, hard-hitting crime novel, devoid of any supernatural elements.

Without a doubt, Stephen King has often felt apprehensive about the reception of his works. After all, this is the man who penned “Misery,” a story featuring an overzealous fan who kidnaps her favorite author and compels him to write a novel that brings back the main character from his most successful series. Additionally, he adopted the pseudonym Richard Bachman because he questioned whether it was the strength of his writing or simply his name that was driving book sales in the early 1980s. Regardless, King described the process of crafting “Mr. Mercedes” as a mentally grueling experience.

King explains that the choice to write the book was driven by the unstoppable stream of thoughts he had about it.

On numerous afternoon strolls, I had some sincere introspective talks with myself. The conclusion I reached was that I should cease trying to second-guess what readers desired and instead focus on following my own desires. The ideas just kept flowing, and this story seemed eager to be penned down. In truth, if readers disliked it, would it cause my family to go hungry? Absolutely not.

It turned out that Mr. Mercedes’ worries were unnecessary, as not only was he warmly welcomed, but he also initiated a substantial shift in Stephen King’s literary image. Although he still writes horror stories (he even published a collection of them last year), Mr. Mercedes marked the beginning of a trilogy and introduced readers to Holly Gibney, who has since become King’s most notable character since Roland Deschain from The Dark Tower.

Beyond her appearances in “Mr. Mercedes” and its subsequent novels “Finders Keepers” and “End Of Watch,” Holly has resurfaced in “The Outsider,” a novella titled “If It Bleeds,” and more recently, she took center stage as the main character in the 2023 release named “Holly.” He describes this character as follows:

Initially, Holly Gibney was only meant to have a small role in the story – a melancholic woman with an unusual name, haunted by her mother. I hadn’t anticipated that she would become a recurring character. However, she made it clear that there was depth to her beyond this initial portrayal, so I chose to explore her further. I don’t dictate the actions of my characters; instead, they guide me through their own stories. This approach may not work for everyone, but it suits me perfectly.

Remarkably, Mr. Mercedes starts off as a traditional mystery, but later on in Holly Gibney’s world, we encounter elements of the unexplained, such as mind control and mythical creatures. However, these occurrences aren’t consistent throughout, as demonstrated by the mystery in Holly (and not knowing whether or not there are supernatural aspects adds to the book’s appeal).

If you haven’t been following the exploits of Holly Gibney so far, now is an ideal moment to immerse yourself or re-immerse yourself, as she will once again take center stage in Stephen King’s upcoming novel Never Flinch, which is scheduled for release on May 27 in bookstores nationwide.

Stephen King Explains The TV-Centric Origins Of One Of His Best Short Stories: “Umney’s Last Case”

Among the many highlights of Stephen King’s works, his tendency to explore writers’ lives is particularly noteworthy. Although there are many outstanding instances, the short story “Umney’s Last Case” stands out as a cherished one for me. Originally published in the 1993 collection titled “Nightmares & Dreamscapes“, this captivating tale starts off as a tribute to Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler but later transforms into an engaging observation about the bond between creators and their creations.

The narrative in question is notably highlighted in “My Love of Crime Fiction and Its Impact on My Writing” (available for purchase directly from University Press Of Mississippi), as King himself delves into its genesis. In the “Notes” section of Nightmares & Dreamscapes, he discussed that “Umney’s Last Case” was a blend of hard-boiled style exploration and investigation of an author’s identity, but in the updated essay, he reveals that the concept initially stemmed from contemplating classic police procedurals.

In discussing Umney’s Last Case, I found the inspiration from TV shows such as Mannix and Magnum P.I. I pondered, “Don’t these characters ever sense they’re trapped in an existential crisis? Couldn’t it cross their minds that they could be figments of someone else’s imagination? After all, how many thrilling escapades can a single person realistically experience?” Writing this story allowed me to delve into some tough-talking, style reminiscent of Chandler. I truly enjoyed the process.

Umney’s Final Enigma”

Detective Clyde Umney, a quick-witted private eye based in 1930s Los Angeles, finds himself grappling with a peculiar sensation one ordinary day – it seems as if everything and everyone he holds dear is slipping away from him, from the newsboy to his faithful assistant, Candy Cain. This unsettling revelation leaves Umney bewildered until he encounters an unexpected client: Samuel D. Landry, the author of a string of novels featuring Clyde Umney as the protagonist. The twist? Umney learns that not only is he a fictional character, but the writer plans to exchange their lives.

This remarkable and intelligent tale not only stands out but also sparked a fantastic portrayal in the underrated 2006 anthology series “Nightmares & Dreamscapes.” Remarkably, William H. Macy’s performance as Clyde Umney/Sam Landry even earned him an Emmy nomination. Regrettably, this show isn’t accessible on any popular streaming platform, and individual episodes can’t be bought online, but the entire series on DVD is still available at a reasonable cost.

This week concludes The King Beat, but I will return here on TopMob next Thursday with a fresh column. My aim is to share intriguing news about upcoming Stephen King adaptations from CinemaCon, as I will be reporting live from Las Vegas the entire week at the movie-focused convention. For those eager to learn about all the projects currently in development, my article on Upcoming Stephen King Movies And TV can provide a helpful overview.

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2025-03-27 19:11