Stephen King is one of the most prolific authors of all time. His second novel of 2023, simply titled Holly, follows the eponymous private investigator named Holly Gibney, who has appeared in several of King's novels. Holly sees Gibney as she sets out to solve the disappearance of a young woman in the Midwest named Bonnie. At first, Gibney isn't eager to take on the case, but she quickly realizes that Bonnie's disappearance and the disappearance of several other young women are directly related to an elderly couple who are engaged in the dark arts. The couple is chiefly concerned with using the energy of young women in an effort to stay young. Holly struggles to stop the older couple, solve the case, and deal with personal issues in her life, like dealing with the COVID pandemic and other interpersonal relationships.
As with most of King's novels, Holly received incredibly positive reviews when it was published in 2023. As with his previous novels, Holly became an overnight bestseller, clocking in at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. The New York Times wrote a glowing review of the novel, saying that "when Holly appears on the page, you never have the sense of an author pulling her strings. Her decisions feel genuine like Holly herself is running the show." Booklist wrote in their review that "Holly shines" and that King gave her the "story that she deserves."
