Considering the recent "Mr Mercedes" trilogy, but with reference back to earlier works and statements by the author, this article considers what is the underlying strategies of Stephen King's writing in an attempt to understand his extraordinary popularity. In this regard the article can be considered part of a series of considerations of writers achieving enormous sales (E.L. James, Stieg Larsson, Haruki Murakami). In the case of Stephen King the article suggests that he constantly sets up a particular kind of battle between good and evil (of an uncanny and extravagant nature) that will eventually justify people who are essentially pacifist to use weapons and kill.