Best Stephen King books to read depending on your mood

Stephen King.

Whether you’re a hardcore reader or you only pick up a book every now and then, chances are you’ll have heard his name. Not only is the horror master one of the best selling, highest-earning authors in the world, but he’s also responsible for some of the most famous films ever made.

The Shining? Stephen King. IT? Stephen King. The Shawshank Redemption? Yep, that one was based on a Stephen King novella, too.

For now, though, we’re going to focus on the books. If you’re new to King books, what should you dive into first? Or if you’re an ardent fan, what should you read next?

I’ve been reading King since I was about 12 years old, and although I haven’t read everything he’s written (not yet, at least), I’ve read the majority of his work. The following novels, novellas, and short stories are some of my favourites of his — from page-turners and epic reads to the more poignant tales and hidden gems.

Depending on what mood you’re in, these are — at least in my opinion — some of Stephen King’s best books…

If you’re looking for a good starting point…

Never read a single King book? Here are a few good places to start. Below we have two very famous novels (one short, one long), and a lesser-known novella that’s one of my all-time favourite King stories.

Carrie

What’s it about?

A bullied teenager who wreaks brutal revenge on her tormentors after discovering she’s telekinetic.

Why should you read it?

Released in 1974, King’s first published novel is full of the kind of tropes he’s now well-known for: dark, coming-of-age horror, a fair bit of gore, and a journey into the minds of some impressively well-drawn, troubled characters. Because of this — and because of its fairly short length — Carrie is one of a handful of King books I usually recommend to people who’ve never read his work before.

The Long Walk

What’s it about?

100 teenage boys take part in a life-or-death walking event in dystopian America.

Why should you read it?

Oh man, this one’s good. The phrase “unputdownable” is often bandied around in the world of fiction, but 1979’s The Long Walk is one of the few stories I’ve read where I genuinely think it applies. The characters are brilliant, the stakes are high, and the whole story has this horribly inevitable pull to it that keeps you reading even though you know things can’t possibly end well. If you want a quick, fast-paced introduction to the world of King, you could do a lot worse than stepping up to the starting line alongside Garraty and McVries.

IT

What’s it about?

Childhood friends return to the town they grew up in to take on an evil being that stalked them when they were young.

Why should you read it?

I could probably just as easily have put this one in the “epic read,” “page-turner,” or “properly scared” sections further down — but I ended up placing it here because it’s one of the first books I think of when someone mentions King’s name. Published in 1986, IT is also one of his most iconic novels, and probably one of the most famous horror books of all-time. Fair warning, though, it is a long one — it clocks in at over 1,000 pages — but as soon as you start reading, you’ll be glad about that. You won’t want it to end. And when it does, you’ll never look at clowns in quite the same way. Or turtles.

If you’re looking for an epic read…

Got some time on your hands? Want a narrative that you can get completely lost in? Well, good news — Stephen King has plenty of those.

The Stand

What’s it about?

When a virus wipes out 99 percent of the world’s population, a group of survivors band together to take on an evil force assembling in the West.

Why should you read it?

This one is epic in length, and epic in nature — if you’re looking for a classic tale of good versus evil on a sprawling, post-apocalyptic battlefield, The Stand is the tome for you. The great thing about a story this length (i.e. well over 1,000 pages) is that you really get time to know the characters — and the characters in The Stand are well worth knowing. The plot races along, too, unfolding in a way that evades stereotypes or predictions. I’d tell you not to get too attached to anyone, but that’s almost impossible with this book — so just make sure you brace yourself. 

The Stand was originally published in 1978, but many have referenced its fictional pandemic when speaking of more recent crises, including King himself.

Under the Dome

What’s it about?

The residents of a small town in Maine suddenly find themselves trapped inside an invisible — and impassable — glass dome.

Why should you read it?

When you have a concept as wonderfully mysterious as Under the Dome‘s, it would be all too easy to have an anti-climactic ending — but that isn’t the case here. Not even a little bit. The tension in this tale builds like trapped water boiling in a pot, and the ultimate payoff is as tense as it is mind-frazzling. If there are two things King always does well, it’s 1) writing about the darkness in small town America, and 2) writing about how people react when they’re trapped together in a confined space. Both of those themes are executed perfectly in this 2009 novel, and the result is a claustrophobic exploration of the extreme lengths people will go to in times of desperation.

The Dark Tower (series)

What’s it about?

Set primarily in a desolate land known as Mid-World, this eight-book story revolves around a gunslinger named Roland who undertakes a quest to reach The Dark Tower — a structure that stands at the centre of all time and space.

Why should you read it?

If you thought The Stand was an epic read, you ain’t seen nothing yet. The Dark Tower series — which is referred to on King’s official site as his “magnum opus” and the center of his “creative universe” — is an absolutely sprawling beast, a kind of neo-Western-meets-dark-fantasy hybrid with plenty of mystery and horror thrown in for good measure. That quote about the series being at the center of his universe is no exaggeration, either; The Dark Tower contains myriad references and characters that feature in King’s other books, acting as a kind of nucleus that everything else swirls around. At its core, though, it’s just a great adventure — the wild journey you go on with the characters, and the mind-bending things they discover along the way, are evidence of just how spectacularly vast King’s imagination truly is. 

The series begins with The Gunslinger, published in 1982, and ends with 2012’s The Wind Through the Keyhole.

If you’re looking for a page-turner…

Sometimes you just want a story you can blast through in a weekend, or maybe even a single day. King has plenty of those, too. This category could have 30+ additions, in all honesty, but I’ve somehow narrowed it down to three of my favourites.

Misery

What’s it about?

A writer who becomes a prisoner of his “number one fan.”

Why should you read it?

Annie Wilkes, the sadistic nurse who keeps author Paul Sheldon hostage in Misery, may be one of fiction’s all-time greatest villains. Genuinely terrifying in her unpredictability, she switches from fawning to monstrous at the drop of a pin. The cat-and-mouse relationship between Wilkes and Sheldon leads to some horribly, horribly tense scenes in this 1987 book, with the latter desperately plotting various ways to escape the superfan’s obsessive clutches. The result is of the most suspenseful stories I’ve ever read — sometimes you really won’t want to reach what’s about to happen next, but at the same time you won’t be able to look away.

The Mist

What’s it about?

When a strange mist envelops their neighbourhood, a man and his son become trapped in a gas station with a group of strangers.

Why should you read it?

Published in 1980, this is the sort of story that feels like it could easily have become a massive novel. It’s not, though — it’s actually a novella of around 150 pages, which can be found in King’s collection Skeleton Crew released in 1985. The Mist pretty much encapsulates that “caught between a rock and a hard place” expression, with the “rock” in this case being a rapidly-forming religious cult and the “hard place” being an unknowable fog filled with flesh-eating monsters. Not a great situation for the characters to be in, sure, but it certainly makes for an addictive read.

The Green Mile

What’s it about?

The lives of a group of death row prison guards are changed by the arrival of mysterious new inmate.

Why should you read it?

This one’s the longest of our three page-turners, but that doesn’t make it any less riveting. King originally released this story in 1996 in six parts, one per month, which might say something about why it’s so well paced — King says in the book’s introduction that he tried to craft it “so that each part would have its own mini-climax.” The result is a tale that’s packed full of foreshadowing, cliffhangers and characters whose fates you’re desperate to find out. As you read this magical realism/crime hybrid, you’ll be glad you’ve got the whole thing in one piece. And you’ll feel for those poor ’90s readers who had to wait a month for each chapter.

If you like your horror with a slice of crime…

Another thing that King’s well-known for is the way he blends horror with realism. It lends a familiarity to the situations and characters that makes all the otherworldly stuff even more unsettling. It also lends itself well to crime stories. If you enjoy very dark crime (or very crime-y horror) you should definitely check out these next three.

Joyland

What’s it about?

A student who investigates the legend of a murdered girl during a summer job at an amusement park.

Why should you read it?

This one could comfortably have gone in the “hidden gem” section further down. Published in 2013, it’s not one of King’s best known stories, but it should be — it has that mixture of nostalgia, mystery, and coming-of-age angst that he does so well in his writing. Although the crime theme is there (Joyland has a whodunnit element and some amateur detective work), this novel is really a blend of several genres. And in this case, it’s all the better for it.

Mr. Mercedes

What’s it about?

Retired detective Bill Hodges receives a letter from a man claiming to be responsible for a mass murder that was never solved.

Why should you read it?

Unlike many detective stories, this one isn’t a whodunnit — we know exactly who’s responsible, because we get a bunch of chapters from the culprit’s perspective. This doesn’t detract from the suspense at all, though. Released in 2014, Mr. Mercedes is essentially a cat-and-mouse game, coupled with a grim psychological insight into the kind of person capable of carrying out very disturbing crimes. The journey into his mind, and his childhood, is almost as dark as the things he does. But if you don’t mind some fairly dark and unpleasant scenes, there’s good news — Mr. Mercedes is the first in the Bill Hodges Trilogy, which means there’s more where that came from.

The Outsider

What’s is about?

When the police arrest a baseball coach for the murder of an 11-year-old boy, they’re certain he’s guilty. They have cast-iron forensic evidence. But the coach has an alibi that’s just as strong.

Why should you read it?

King is constantly coming up with those “why didn’t I think of that first?”concepts. Published in 2018, The Outsider is a great example of this. There’s a horrible sense of injustice in the novel’s first section, as we watch coach Terry Maitland being flayed for a crime he didn’t commit — and it’s that injustice, coupled with the overarching mystery of why he appears to have been in two places at the same time, that makes this one so compelling.

If you like your horror with a slice of sadness…

Horror isn’t typically a genre you associate with poignant, tear-jerking moments, but that doesn’t mean they don’t pop up every now and then — and there are plenty of lines in King’s stories that will provoke a lump in your throat.

The Dead Zone

What’s it about?

After spending five years in a coma, a man wakes to discover he has the power to see into the future.

Why should you read it?

When people talk about 1979’s The Dead Zone nowadays, the main topic that usually comes up is the similarity between the novel’s main villain and the current U.S. president. But as well as being a prescient exploration of political populists, this early King novel also contains a moving love story at its core. Although the main character’s coma has resulted in certain gifts, it also takes away a huge chunk of his life — snatching with it the possibility of a relationship with a woman he meets just prior to it. Their story has a melancholy note of “what could have been” to it, and the final scene — which I won’t describe for fear of spoilers — may well have you reaching for the tissues.

The Last Rung on the Ladder

What’s it about?

A haunted older brother remembers an episode from his childhood where he saved his little sister’s life.

Why should you read it?

This one’s only a short story — it appears in King’s 1978 collection Night Shift — but it packs one hell of a punch. An emotional gut-punch, to be exact. Scenes from the narrator’s childhood lay the foundation of the tale, and then the ultimate realisation of what’s happened to the siblings as adults — which comes in the form of a letter and a newspaper article — pulls the rug from under you. Ultimately, The Last Rung of the Ladder is a lesson in just how important a final line can be. In this case, it’s a line repeated throughout the tale, and its final use is devastating.

L.T.’s Theory of Pets

What’s it about?

Things take a dark turn after a discontented married couple buy each other a pet as a gift.

Why should you read it?

Originally published in King’s 1997 collection Six Stories, this one was my favourite short story from his Everything’s Eventual collection, published later in 2002. It’s also another one with a haunting final line, which I’ve often found myself thinking about in the years since I first read L.T.’s Theory of Pets. I think the reason this one’s so powerful is because it catches you off guard — the bulk of the narrative is an almost humorous account of two disgruntled pet owners, but the final section takes a very grim (and surprisingly poignant) twist.

Under the Weather

What’s it about?

A troubled husband tries to keep going as normal after his wife falls ill.

Why should you read it?

I was only planning on including three stories in each of these sections, but this short tale (available as a bonus in King’s 2010’s collection Full Dark, No Stars, and in 2015’s The Bazaar of Bad Dreams) is so good that I couldn’t leave it out. It’s one of those stories where the final twist probably won’t shock you — it feels almost inevitable after a certain point, and you’ll likely see it coming. But that doesn’t matter. Whether you guess what’s going to happen or not, the way the final section of Under the Weather is written will still get under your skin. Even now, just the thought of the last couple of pages is enough to make me well up.

If you’re looking for a hidden gem…

King has a hell of a lot of well-known books, but he also has a hell of a lot of books, full-stop (over 75, if you can believe it). And not all of them are as popular as IT or The Shining. The ones I’ve picked out below are up there with my all-time favourite King stories, even if they haven’t quite reached that same level of fame yet.

Hearts in Atlantis

What is about?

A series of five interconnected stories weave a tale about the Vietnam War, and a young boy who befriends an older man fleeing a mysterious group.

Why should you read it?

Words can’t describe how much I love this 1999 book. I’d probably put it in my top five King stories of all time, and that is a hotly contested list, let me tell you. On the surface, you may be thinking that five loosely connected tales set in the ’60s is a bit of a hard sell — but the concept completely works. The first two (longer) stories, especially — “Low Men in Yellow Coats” and “Hearts in Atlantis” — are very different thematically, but they’re both incredibly poignant, original concepts with some brilliant overlapping characters. I can’t do this one justice, but I’d 100 percent recommend it to anyone.

Lisey’s Story

What is about?

A widow follows a strange trail of clues left by her late author husband.

Why should you read it?

This is one of those stories that’s well worth sticking with. It took me a little while to get into it, if I’m completely honest — but in the end I was so glad I kept going. Published in 2006, Lisey’s Story feels like another hybrid: part mystery, part fantasy, and part thriller, combining the real-life threat of an obsessed stalker with the superbly-envisioned lure of a new world. Overall, it’s a beautifully written insight into King’s spectacular imagination.

Revival

What is about?

A musician’s life becomes entwined with that of a minister-turned-healer who cures his drug addiction.

Why should you read it?

Released in 2014, Revival is a bit like Lisey’s Story, in the sense that it’s very hard to predict where the plot is going to go — and the place it does end up going is awe-inspiring in scope. Ultimately, Revival is a novel about death. It’s about the fear of dying, and the mystery of what might happen when we do. If you’re a fan of H.P. Lovecraft, you’ll like this one.

If you want dark psychological horror…

Stephen King’s horror doesn’t just deal with external, otherworldly threats. Often his monsters come in human form. (A warning, before we start, too: the stories in this section are not pleasant. They deal with a lot of grim subject matters, and might be best to skip completely if you want to avoid reading about real-life evil.)

Full Dark, No Stars

What’s it about?

This collection of four novellas explores the darker side of the human condition.

Why should you read it?

I couldn’t just pick one, here. The stories in 2010’s Full Dark, No Stars are all exceptional in their own way, and work well as a collection. But as King says in his author’s note at the back, they’re also “harsh.” You need to be prepared going in. A Good Marriage deals with a woman who discovers she’s married to a serial killer, while Big Driver follows a woman who tracks down the man who violently attacked and left her for dead. Like the other stories in the collection, they’re disturbing — but they’re also compelling studies of people who have been pushed to the very edge.

The Library Policeman

What’s it about?

After an unsettling trip to his local library, a man is forced to grapple with a dark supernatural force — and his own past.

Why should you read it?

Published in 1990, The Library Policeman (available as one of four novellas in the collection Four Past Midnight) is a monster story, but it’s also one of repressed trauma. King uses the ominous figure of the dreaded “library policeman” to weave real and supernatural threats together, hinting at something buried deep in the main character’s past. The story King builds around this idea is incredibly effective, but don’t go into this one lightly — it’s easily one of the most disturbing King stories I’ve ever read.

Apt Pupil

What’s it about?

When a young teenager blackmails a Nazi war criminal, their lives become inextricably entwined.

Why should you read it?

While the majority of stories in this section are told through the eyes of the victims, Apt Pupil gives us the perpetrator’s perspective. Both of its main characters are deeply unpleasant. The resulting novella (which is one of four featured in the 1982 collection Different Seasons) is not something to read if you’re looking for heroes. But if you want an unflinching character study that shows how a young mind can be corrupted, it’s a chilling read.

If you want to be properly scared…

When you think of horror, you most likely think of fear. So what better way to end this list than a roundup of King’s scariest books?

The Shining

What’s it about?

A caretaker and his family move in to an isolated hotel over winter — but when they get snowed in, things go very wrong.

Why should you read it?

You probably already know this one’s a classic. Even if you’ve yet to read 1977’s The Shining, there are certain elements of Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 movie adaptation — the twins, “Redrum,” blood spilling from an open elevator — that you’ll surely have stumbled across at some point. Those moments (and the film in general) are undoubtedly scary, and it’s probably fair to say that the book isn’t quite as frightening as the adaptation. But it’s still a creep-fest. There are the horror elements, of course, and the isolation of knowing these characters are trapped in an empty, echoing hotel, so far from help, but there’s also the psychological fear that’s central to Jack Torrance’s character.

Pet Sematary

What’s it about?

A doctor and his family move into a new house situated close to an ancient burial ground.

Why should you read it?

It’s been years since I read 1983’s Pet Sematary, but there’s a passage from the novel — where the main character, Louis Creed, wakes from what he thinks is a sleepwalking nightmare, only to find the tell-tale signs of dirt in his bed — that’s always stuck with me. The book has quite a few moments like that. There’s also Louis’ wife Rachel Creed’s disturbing memories of her sister’s childhood death, and Louis’ desperately misguided attempt to bring a loved one back to life. You know where the story is headed, and that horrible inevitability hangs over every page like a shadow.

Cujo

What’s it about?

A woman and her young son are trapped inside a car by a rapid St. Bernard.

Why should you read it?

When people think of 1981’s Cujo, they inevitably think of the snarling dog on the front cover. It’s fair enough — it is the main focus of the plot. But even though the situation Donna Trenton and her son Tad find themselves in is terrifying, it’s not the main reason Cujo makes the “properly scared” section. No, that’s all thanks to the monster that visits Tad’s room at night. I was young when I read this book, and the scenes in which Tad lies awake in bed, struggling to ignore the voice whispering from his dark closet, really had an effect on me. Partly it’s the fact that nobody believes Tad, but mainly it’s just how effectively King channels such a base childhood fear.

Somehow need more King-related and approved fiction? Here’s a handy and lengthy list of all the books, TV shows and films the author recommended last year.