You’ll be five-tenths of the way to the end of the road after reading this month’s installment of “The Green Mile,” Stephen King’s serial thriller which has been making best-seller lists around the country. For those who have been wondering if this literary experiment is going to hit the skids or hit the gas, “Part 3: Coffey’s Hands” may be the clincher read. It restores faith in King’s natural-born storytelling prowess and, best of all, leaves you wanting more.

Narrator Paul Edgecombe picks up his tale by describing a miraculous occurence at Cold Mountain, a Depression-era penitentiary he oversees in the Deep South. It’s tempting to describe the event, which involves Paul and Coffey (an inmate who allegedly raped and killed two young girls). But to do so would be a nasty stroke for readers who have been waiting for some suspense and fun from “The Green Mile” series. Suffice it to say that the miracle doesn’t come a line too soon for Paul or for readers.

Mixed in with a dizzying number of subplots, Paul explains the process of preparing for the execution of Delacroix, one of three inmates scheduled to sit in the electric chair in the near future. Delacroix’s pet mouse also features prominently — but we’re still not told why.

The most interesting part of “Coffey’s Hands” is a long central chapter in which Paul visits Burt Hammersmith, a local reporter who covered Coffey’s crime and wrote about it for the newspaper. Hammersmith is a backwoods guy who has secrets and fears, and King fills the chapter with the type of moody spookiness that has made him the boss of horror. It’s just plain creepy — and it’s about time.

Thankfully, the plot is moving in “Coffey’s Hands.” It’s the best segment yet and even includes an endearing description of Paul and his lady loves. (He has two in the novel: his wife who appears in flashbacks, and a friend who lives in the same nursing home at which he is writing his memoirs.)

You won’t find any mention of Charles Dickens in this one. At least not overtly, but keep your eyes open. Especially in the dark.