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If It Bleeds

Written by: Stephen King
Narrated by: Will Patton, Danny Burstein, Steven Weber
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Publisher's Summary

Number one New York Times best seller

From the legendary storyteller and master of short fiction Stephen King comes an extraordinary collection of four new “exceptionally compelling novellas that reaffirm [King’s] mastery of the form” (The Washington Post).

Readers adore Stephen King’s novels, and his novellas are their own dark treat, briefer but just as impactful and enduring as his longer fiction. Many of his novellas have been made into iconic films, including The Body (Stand by Me) and Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (Shawshank Redemption).

Four brilliant new tales in If It Bleeds are sure to prove as iconic as their predecessors. Once again, King’s remarkable range is on full display. In the title story, fan-favorite Holly Gibney (from the Mr. Mercedes trilogy and The Outsider) must face her fears and possibly another outsider - this time on her own. In Mr. Harrigan’s Phone an intergenerational friendship has a disturbing afterlife. The Life of Chuck explores, beautifully, how each of us contains multitudes. And in Rat, a struggling writer must contend with the darker side of ambition.

If these novellas show King’s range, they also prove that certain themes endure. One of King’s great concerns is evil, and in If It Bleeds, there’s plenty of it. There is also evil’s opposite, which in King’s fiction often manifests as friendship. Holly is reminded that friendship is not only life-affirming but can be life-saving. Young Craig befriends Mr. Harrigan, and the sweetness of this late-in-life connection is its own reward.

“Exactly what I wanted to read right now,” said Ruth Franklin in a rave on the cover of The New York Times Book Review. “Phenomenal," said Brian Truitt in USA Today. “King still owns the fright business like none other.”

©2020 Stephen King (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio
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What listeners say about If It Bleeds

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Holly Gibney is the best.

I too love Holly Gibney she is the very best protagonist. Almost delicate but with such a strong backbone and resolve abounds. I love her flaws and her dedication to the few friendships that she has acquired over time.

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Oh Mr. King you did it again

particularly liked The Life of Chuck, it brought the waterworks on me. King is excellent in adding meaning to quotes from literary works and giving it his signature tear jerker style

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great read

overall excellent book. SK did not disappoint. love the Rat 🐀. This book has the suspense & horror that the reader will love.
highly recommend .

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J'ai beaucoup aimé!

Plein de petites histoires et j'ai été surprise de regarder le soir même le filme Mrs. Harrigan phone sur Netflix.

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great narrative..excellent story..captivating

loved it.. I absolutely loved the narrative. Couldn't wait to see how it was going to end. Stephen King can't put them out fast enough for me. A constant reader since the age of 13. Somehow he makes the unbelievable believable.

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He is the King

Now I know why my brother loved his books. Great stories. Can’t wait to start The Institute.

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Love the novella format

Over 40+ years I've read/listened to nearly everything King has written. I have not loved them all. These are good, solid stories and worth a listen. Holly is narrated perfectly. I can't imagine her character coming to life as well if it were up to me to create her voice in my own head!

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I ripped through this!!

All of the stories were great! I couldn't stop listening. all four stories were very unique! I was super happy to see the character Holly Gibney in her first front and center story

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A collection of short stories

This is a collection of short stories although If It Bleeds might be considered a novella. I did not know this as I began to listen (audiobook) and was taken back a bit as the first story changed abruptly to another storyline that had me confused as I missed the fact that it was not a separate tangent of the main piece of work.

However, when the third story began, featuring the return of Holly Gibney who first appeared in Mr. Mercedes and most recently, The Outsider, I finally and excitedly figured it out. I love the Holly character and have followed all her exploits. Although King’s writing is flawless, If It Bleeds was my favorite. But the other stories are just as riveting.

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Interesting

I’ve never read a Stephen King novel. I’ve watched a few movies of his novels, over the years. I didn’t realize it was in three parts! The first part was captivating. The second part was unique! The third part sort of fizzled off, for me. I am glad I listened to the audio version! The audio performance in each part were fantastic!!!
Thank you for producing this book!!!

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