Stephen Kinghas written over 70 books throughout his extensive career, and while most of his novels are standalone stories, there’s one fictional location that connects many of them. The town ofCastle Rock appears in several of King’s most beloved works; the town is situated somewhere in Maine and serves as the setting for some of the author’s scariest, most frightening stories to date. There was even a TV show calledCastle Rockthat explored many of King’s works, proving once again that his books are often subtly connected.
Most King fans will be aware of the author’s affinity for the town of Derry, which either appears or is referred to in over thirty stories, but the connections to Castle Rock are often more subtle. The books that feature this location are frequently some ofKing’s most underrated and lesser-known works, which has allowed this little easter egg to fly undetected among more casual readers. However, there may be more to the town than first meets the eye, withCastle Rock potentially being cursedwith all the supernatural horrors that happen there.
10Elevation
Released In 2018
Elevationis one of Stephen King’s shorter works, technically classed as a novella, but that doesn’t stop it from containing one of his most complex and gripping narratives ever. The story follows a man with a mysterious illness that causes strange afflictions to his body; while battling this disease, he continues fighting against public unrest in the city. It’s a fascinating story that’smuch more mysterious and ambiguous than most of King’s works, but it succeeds nevertheless.
Stephen King’s 10 Best Non-Horror Books, Ranked
Stephen King is most famous for his chilling horror stories, but the author has made several attempts to break free of that genre over the years.
While the majority of King’s bibliography is littered with social commentary, the concept of social justice and togetherness lies at the heart ofElevationand gives it a strong political message that most of King’s horror books fail to achieve. It’s acall to arms for unity and compassion, giving the novella an uplifting tone despite all the horrors and frightful imagery that appear along the way.
9The Sun Dog
Released In 1990
The Sun Dogis a novella that was originally released as part of King’sFour Past Midnightcollection in 1990 but is now available as its own standalone story. The narrative follows a young boy who receives a special camera for his birthday, but when he begins to use the gift, he notices the shadow of a menacing dog growing larger and larger in each new photo that he develops.The Sun Dogis classic Stephen King storytelling: captivating writing, spooky imagery, and an explosive ending that makes all the set-up worth it.
It’s impossible to tell where this story is going until you’ve arrived there, and King’s writing makes the journey just as enjoyable as the destination.
Like most ofStephen King’s best books,The Sun Dogmight not have the intricate plotting or detailed twists that you’d expect from the horror genre, but it’s a non-stop thrill ride that just keeps getting bigger with every turned page. It’s impossible to tell where this story is going until you’ve arrived there, and King’s writing makes the journey just as enjoyable as the destination.
8The Dark Half
Released In 1989
The Dark Halfis one of the few full-length novels that takes place in Castle Rock, recounting the story of an author who struggles to find the boundary between his real self and the pseudonym he created. When a journalist threatens to expose his true identity, he goes public with his real name first, but the pseudonym puts up a dangerous fight. It’s aninteresting look into the boundary between reality and creativity, which is a theme that King has frequently explored.
There’s a level of meta-commentary on the writing industry inThe Dark Half, and the protagonist often serves as a voice for King to express his own views and beliefs about being an author. It’s a very interesting addition to the writer’s bibliography, and the fact that it’s set in the cursed town of Castle Rock is just a bonus for long-time fans.
7Gwendy’s Button Box
Released In 2017
Gwendy’s Button Boxis one of Stephen King’s newer works, and it was written alongside his frequent collaborator Richard Chizmar. The story follows Gwendy Peterson, a high school student who comes into possession of a magical box that has extremely destructive properties. It’sa return to the kind of coming-of-age horrorthat King made his name in books likeCarrie, though this is much larger in scale.
Chizmar has worked on some of the bestStephen King movie adaptations, but his work on this novella is perhaps his most underrated. WithGwendy’s Button Box, the pair craft an innately relatable and hugely entertaining story that’s very familiar to the rest of King’s work but also distinct in its ways.
6Skeleton Crew
Released In 1985
Skeleton Crewis a collection of short stories released in 1985 during the height of King’s rise to popularity, and it features several different narratives that interweave throughout Castle Rock.The collection is most popular for housingThe Mist, which quickly became one of King’s most popular novellas - but the short stories that fill out the rest of this volume are just as interesting.
There’s a supernatural element that runs through all four stories, and while they’re not technically related, their shared location adds an extra dimension of terror that makes them all great reads.
Skeleton Crewincludes the storiesUncle Otto’s Truck, Gramma, Mrs Todd’s Shortcut, and Nona, which all take place in (or feature characters hailing from) Castle Rock. There’s a supernatural element that runs through all four stories, and while they’re not technically related, their shared location adds an extra dimension of terror that makes them all great reads.
5You Like It Darker
Released In 2024
Stephen King’sYou Like It Darkeris a collection of twelve short stories, and while the majority are standalone adventures that don’t have any connection to the rest of King’s works, there’s one story in this anthology that harks back to Castle Rock.Two Talented Bastidsis the opening story of the collection, and not only does it take place in Castle Rock, but it also mentions several specific locations that have appeared in previous works.
The most obvious reference is the “Suicide Stairs”, which are mentioned both here and inGwendy’s Button Box,alongside a few other Castle Rock stories. The cabin from King’s 1998 novelBag of Bonesis also mentioned, though it’s said to have been refurbished since that story. Interestingly,Bag of Bonesdoesn’t take place in Castle Rock- suggesting that even the stories outside of this location are all connected in some kind of Stephen King literary universe. This is something King likes to allude to, withconnections betweenThe StandandThe Dark Towerhaving already been discovered.
4Different Seasons
Released In 1982
There are four different novellas within theDifferent Seasonscollection, but the most relevant (and arguably most successful) isThe Body. The film is best known for serving as the inspiration forStand By Me, in whicha group of children hear word that a dead body has been discoverednear their neighborhood and set out on a macabre mission to find it before the police.
The story takes place in 1960, long before the events of most other Castle Rock stories, so it’s relatively unconnected in that sense. There are no hidden easter eggs that connect to other books - but that’s evidently becausethis was among the first stories to feature Castle Rock. Still, the fact that King had this fictional town mapped out in 1982 and continues to include it today is a testament to his dedication and admiration for the fans who notice these connections.
Released In 1979
Although there are certainly elements of horror inThe Dead Zone, this novel was one of Stephen King’s first non-horror stories. It’s more of a science fiction thriller than anything else, followinga man who wakes from a five-year coma with the ability to read mindsthrough touch. With his powers, the protagonist is forced to protect Castle Rock from a deadly serial killer and a manipulative politician who is rising to power.
It’s some of his best writing, displaying a mixture of both disturbing horror and creative sci-fi concepts.
The Dead Zoneis among the fewStephen King books with multiple adaptations, having been turned into both a movie and a television show, but the real magic of the story remains confined to King’s original text. It’s some of his best writing, displaying a mixture of both disturbing horror and creative sci-fi concepts.
2Cujo
Released In 1981
Cujoranks among King’s most recognizable stories, but it often (undeservedly) goes unmentioned when discussing the writer’s best work. Despite the simple story and the lack of outlandish horror tropes that King would include in his later works,Cujoisan incredibly strong bookthat takes its terrifying premise and fleshes it out as richly as possible.
The story ofCujofollows a once-friendly family dog that’s bitten by a rabid bat and becomes bloodthirsty, terrorizing the family and attempting to make it its next meal. It’s one of King’s shorter novels, butevery single page is filled with action and tensionas the author displays exactly why he’s considered the best in the business.
1Needful Things
Released In 1991
Needful Thingsmay be Stephen King’s most underrated work of all time. It’s rarely discussed among the author’s best stories, but this incredibly dark narrative of commerce and revenge is some of hisrichest and most mature writing to date. Even thoughNeedful Thingswas originally intended to be a comedy, the story takes many dark and gritty turns that are unpredictable and filled with creativity.
The story ofNeedful Thingsfollows a new shop that’s opened up in Castle Rock, in which an antique dealer named Leland Gaunt asks his customers to perform a mysterious action in exchange for the item they’re most drawn to. It’s a gripping story that’s unlike anything else thatStephen Kinghas written, and the way he pulls everything together in the final act is a masterclass in storytelling.
Stephen King
Discover the latest news and filmography for Stephen King, known for The Dark Tower series, The Stand, IT, The Shining, Carrie, Cujo, Misery, the Bill Hodges trilogy, and more.
