Just finished Billy Summers. For some reason I have not really seen or heard much discussion about this one. I liked it, but had some issues with it as well. Anyone else read it?

SPOILERS included.

From Wikipedia, “Billy Summers is a hitman contemplating retirement when he is approached by a familiar mobster, Nick Majarian. Majarian offers him a final job that will set Summers up for a more than comfortable retirement. The target, wanted hitman Joel Allen, is facing a possible death penalty for shooting two men during a poker game, one fatally. Fearing that Allen would incriminate his previous employers in an attempt to lessen his sentence, Majarian seeks to tie up a loose end on behalf of wealthy media mogul, Roger Klerke.
Klerke, unbeknownst to Summers, had employed Allen as a hitman in a successful attempt to kill his son, Patrick, who upon finding out that he was not set to inherit his father's company, began to blackmail his father through evidence he had acquired of his abuse of young girls. Once Allen had completed the hit on Patrick, he found out about the content of the blackmail and continued to blackmail Roger.
During the course of the job, Billy becomes gradually more suspicious of Majarian with his concerns being confirmed when, after successfully killing Allen, Majarian refuses to pay him and it is revealed that there has been a bounty placed on Billy's head.
While hiding out, Billy is witness to a young woman being dumped from a van after being sexually assaulted. Alice Maxwell is 21, and after being rescued by Billy joins him as he seeks to locate Nick. During his search for Nick, Billy finds Alice's attackers and punishes them.
Upon locating Nick, Billy kills and severely injures several of Nick's workers. Namely, Billy injures and permanently handicaps a man named Frank whose mother, Marge, also works for Nick.
Once Nick reveals Klerke's identity, location, and role in the hit, Billy and Alice work to lure Klerke into a meeting under the guise that Alice is an underaged girl. Once Klerke arrives, Alice shoots him. As Alice and Billy leave the scene, Billy is shot by Marge who is then killed by Billy.
It appears that Billy survives, although it is later revealed that he died as a result of the shooting and the remainder of the story is written from Alice's perspective as she considers what Billy would have done if he had survived.”

I liked it. For me, what makes SK’s stories so good are the characters. While I read this though, I was wondering if Jeffrey Epstein gave him the idea of Klerk. Maybe even some of Trump in there too.
This novel is a crime thriller and I love those, but in SK’s case I wish he wouldn’t have so many children being victims. This was particularly troubling for me with The Outsider as well. I don’t remember his older work having so many kids being raped and tortured. I know this happens in real life too, but I don’t need it in details in books. Anyone else feel the same? Other than that, I liked it. Thoughts?

Quoted from Grandma Bear Just finished Billy Summers. For some reason I have not really seen or heard much discussion about this one. I liked it, but had some issues with it as well. Anyone else read it?

I haven't read the rest of the review because I want to bypass spoilers but there has been a ton of discussion on Billy Summers in the Stephen King groups on Facebook.

Most people seem to love it. I've only really seen a couple of people who have said anything negative about it. Everyone seems to agree it's quite sad.

That's all I know

Finished Billy Summers back in September and loved it. Agree about the increased use of kiddie violence the past couple years (I thought it was just me) and I find it a bit excessive.

Regardless, loved the book. ****

Quoted from JEStaats Agree about the increased use of kiddie violence the past couple years (I thought it was just me) and I find it a bit excessive.

He has always featured a lot of kids in his books and he is great at that. Especially coming of age stories. It just seems to me he has become more graphic in his descriptions and I find that unnecessary. Maybe because I'm getting older, but I find it off-putting and it makes me enjoy the books less.

Oooooh. I'd pay to see this in theaters with all the snacks they have available.
https://bloody-disgusting.com/.....sMuoL4rfMa9eWYRSrNag