Do you have TBR books on your shelf? I do. I bought an untouched paperback copy of Stephen King’s Joyland at a book sale a while back in anticipation of the Halloween reading season. I finally picked it up. It was the perfect spooky read.
Many readers I have talked to haven’t heard of this title from King. A quick background…Joyland is part of a series of books called Hard Case Crime, founded in 2004 by Charles Ardai and Max Phillips. They include reprints of books, as well as new novels. What I learned is that this series recreates American crime writing from the old 1940s and ’50s paperback crime novels. Check out the fantastic cover. Apparently, all art in this series of over 100 books is originally illustrated for the style that fits this era. Honestly, I chose this book by its cover..lol
As you probably noticed by this fantastic cover, Joyland takes place in an amusement park in a small North Carolina beach town. The protagonist is a college student, Devon Jones, who takes a job at Joyland over the summer of 1973.
It’s a coming-of-age story marked by his first love, new friendships, including the park’s resident fortune teller, the supernatural, and an unsolved murder. It’s written in the first person, then occasionally jumps to a narrative when Devon is an older man telling the story.
I started reading it during our city’s annual county fair. A couple of nights back in late August had a chill to it, making it the perfect time for reading. It wasn’t a typical Stephen King book. In my view, it was a mystery. No gore. No true horror. I didn’t know what to expect when I started it. If you’re a person who likes mysteries but wants to sleep at night, I would recommend this book!
I think I will be checking out other titles in this Hard Crime Case series. I love the concept, and the book covers are truly unique. I feel they have a modern Nancy Drew look to them.
If you’re a seasonal reader like me, I hope you’re enjoying everything spooky between the pages. Bookmark this post so you can keep it on your Halloween TBR list. Enjoy!
Kari
This sounds really good! I would watch a movie of this!
myheartinpen
I was surprised when I read it. Honestly, I like a really spooky book! Most SK fans say I need to read The Shining. I’ve seen the film a million times but they say the book is much better, of course! Next year…!
Suz
I was totally thinking Nancy Drew when I saw the cover! I’ve never heard of this series, and how fun for you to save this for Spooky Season. 🙂
myheartinpen
Right? The cover is amazing! I’m such a seasonal reader. I can’t read a book with a beach setting in March. It just doesn’t work for me..lol