HollyHolly
What it's about
Holly Gibney, the private investigator from several Stephen King novels, reluctantly takes the case of Penny Dahl's missing daughter, Bonnie, even though her partner has Covid and her complicated mother has just died. A few blocks from where Bonnie disappeared live Rodney and Emily Harris, devoted married octogenarians and respected retired academics, who are also hiding something monstrous in their basement.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Goodreads Choice Award for horror and reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's a chilling detective story with one of King's most loved characters.
You'll love it if you liked
The Shining
Misery
Full Dark, No StarsGood to know
It works on its own, though Holly appears in earlier books such as Mr. Mercedes. It's set during the pandemic and includes graphic violence.
By the numbers
- Readers48 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller65 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz13 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #24 of the 86 horror books we rank
- #167 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #213 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1205 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Dark
More by Stephen King
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
The Stand
11/22/63
ItIf you like this, read next
The Only One Left
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter
Hidden Pictures
Stag Dance
House of Leaves
The BottomsExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Holly worth reading?
Yes. It won the Goodreads Choice Award for horror and reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,205 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Holly about?
Holly Gibney, the private investigator from several Stephen King novels, reluctantly takes the case of Penny Dahl's missing daughter, Bonnie, even though her partner has Covid and her complicated mother has just died. A few blocks from where Bonnie disappeared live Rodney and Emily Harris, devoted married octogenarians and respected retired academics, who are also hiding something monstrous in their basement.
How long does it take to read Holly?
About 12 hours (474 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Holly won?
Goodreads Choice (horror) winner (2023).
What should I read after Holly?
If you liked it, try The Shining by Stephen King, Misery by Stephen King or Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King.