The best Stephen King books to add to your reading list

Different Seasons is a collection of four novellas. The book includes Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, which is what the Oscar-nominated film The Shawshank Redemption was based upon.

That novella follows Andy Dufresne, a banker wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his wife and her lover. Once in Shawshank Prison, Andy forms a transformative friendship with fellow inmate Red, and begins navigating the harsh realities of prison life with hope and resilience… It’s a beautiful read.

Set in the 1930s, The Green Mile follows Paul Edgecombe, a prison guard on death row, as he encounters John Coffey, a gentle giant with a mysterious, miraculous gift.

As Paul’s life intertwines with John’s, they uncover profound truths about justice, humanity, and redemption in this emotionally gripping and supernatural tale. If you’re wanting a good cry, The Green Mile is for you.

In 11/22/63, high school teacher Jake Epping discovers a portal to the past and sets out on a mission to prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

It sounds like a wild premise but the intricate narrative blends time travel with historical events, and ultimately explores the complexities of altering history and the unforeseen consequences of such actions.

Salem’s Lot follows writer Ben Mears as he returns to the town of Jerusalem’s Lot, only to discover that it is being preyed upon by a vampire.

As the town falls into darkness, Ben and a small group of allies must confront the evil that threatens to consume everything in its path in this chilling, immersive horror classic.

The Shining introduces us to Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic, who has just become the winter caretaker of the isolated Overlook Hotel.

But as winter sets in, the hotel’s malevolent forces influence Jack – leading to a terrifying descent into madness, endangering his wife and young son. The book’s a psychological horror masterpiece, and if you’ve seen the film adaptation, just know the book is quite different.

A group of young friends in the town of Derry, Maine, confront a shape-shifting entity that emerges from the sewers every 27 years to feed on fear and children in IT.

The story then time jumps and, as adults, the group reunites to face their deepest fears and the monstrous creature that haunted their youth. Expect an epic tale of horror and friendship from IT.

The Mist is a novella that was originally published in 1980 as a part of the Dark Forces anthology. However, an edited version of The Mist was then included in Skeleton Crew, a collection of short stories, poems and novellas all by Stephen King.

The story follows a group of people trapped in a supermarket by an otherworldly mist that hides terrifying creatures. As fear and paranoia grip the survivors, they must find a way to escape the encroaching horror. Gripping and suspenseful, The Mist is a must-read.

The first book ever published by Stephen King, Carrie tells the story of Carrie White, a high school girl tormented by her peers and abused by her fanatically religious mother.

But when Carrie discovers her telekinetic powers, her quest for acceptance and revenge leads to a prom night that no one will ever forget…

The Stand is widely regarded as one of the best (if not the best) of Stephen King books. First released in 1978, it’s a post-apocalyptic epic where a deadly pandemic wipes out most of the world’s population.

The survivors are then drawn into a battle between good and evil, led by the saintly Mother Abagail and the sinister Randall Flagg. It’s a great read that explores themes of survival, morality, and the ultimate struggle for humanity’s future – and hey, isn’t it impressive that King predicted a deadly pandemic 42 years before COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the world?