by Stephen King
First published 1719
It's a typical summer afternoon in Wentworth, Ohio - kids playing, neighbors grilling. But a sinister red van looms on the hill, and soon the killing begins. As the bloodshed rages through the streets, one house on Poplar remains a dark refuge where a woman and her autistic nephew fight their own battle for survival. This relentless tale of suburban horror explores the fragility of safety when unspeakable violence strikes without warning.
Genres: suspense, horror, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: survival, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Ohio, Poplar Street, Wentworth, Desperation, China Pit, Ohio State University, Mohonk Mountain House, Boston University, Meermont College of Dentistry, Brooklyn
Period: 1969-95, 20th century
334 pages · Hardcover · Hodder & Stoughton
Content warnings: gore, violence