11 Thrilling Stephen King Books From the Last Decade That Prove He’s Still a Literary Genius
With novels like The Shining and The Stand, Stephen King has been captivating readers for over 40 years. The horror guru still has plenty of stories to tell, and he’s written a number of riveting titles in the last decade. Here are 11 thrilling Stephen King books from the last decade that prove he’s still a master of his craft.
1. ‘Full Dark No Stars’ (2010)
King’s award-winning collection of novellas, Full Dark No Stars features four stories – 1922, Big Driver, Fair Extension, and A Good Marriage. The first Novella, 1922, is set in Hemingford Home, Nebraska, which also served as Mother Abigail’s hometown in The Stand. The story was also adapted into a film for Netflix.
2. ‘The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole’ (2012)
Despite being the eighth book of King’s The Dark Tower series, The Wind Through The Keyhole chronologically falls between volume four and five. It is part of a larger series, but the novel can be read as a standalone book,
“Roland Deschain and his ka-tet — Jake, Susannah, Eddie, and Oy, the billy-bumbler — encounter a ferocious storm just after crossing the River Whye on their way to the Outer Baronies,” the book’s synopsis reads. “As they shelter from the howling gale, Roland tells his friends not just one strange story but two…and in so doing casts new light on his own troubled past.”
3. ’11/22/63′ (2011)
A riveting time-travel story, 11/22/63 follows a man named Jake Epping who discovers a portal that takes him back to 1958. Hoping to change history for the better, Jake embarks on a quest to prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which is set to happen on November 11, 1963.
J.J. Abrams adapted the book into a miniseries for Hulu, starring James Franco in the lead role.
4. ‘Doctor Sleep’ (2013)
In Doctor Sleep — the sequel to King’s 1977 thriller, The Shining — Jack Torrance’s son, Danny returns as a troubled adult who lives with the “shine” he inherited from his father. But just as he is settling into a better life, Danny connects with a mysterious young girl named Abra. He soon discovers that she’s being hunted by a group of vampire-like beings, and sets out to help her.
Doctor Sleep was recently adapted as a film, starring Ewan McGregor as Danny Torrance.
5. ‘Mr. Mercedes’ (2014)
Mr. Mercedes is the first book in the Bill Hodges Trilogy. It follows retired police detective Bill Hodges, who is still plagued by an old unsolved case. But when Bill gets a letter from the killer, he sets out to find the psychopath before someone else gets hurt.
Mr. Mercedes was adapted into a series by David E. Kelly, with Brendan Gleeson in the role of Bill Hodges.
6. ‘Finders Keepers’ (2015)
Finders Keepers is the second book of the Bill Hodges Trilogy. It picks up with Bill and his associates, Holly Gibney and Jerome Robinson. After the team unearths mysterious clues, they must track down strange leads that could help solve a decades-old cold case.
7. ‘End of Watch’ (2016)
The final book of the Bill Hodges Trilogy, End of Watch, finds Bill and his colleague Holly Gibney once again entangled with the Mercedes Killer. The psychopath is somehow driving people into madness, and Bill must stop him before he becomes the next victim.
8. ‘Sleeping Beauties’ (2017)
Written by King, and his son, Owen King, Sleeping Beauties tells the story of Lila Norcross, a local Appalachian Sheriff who finds herself in the middle of a mysterious illness that is causing women to fall asleep in cocoon-like webs, only to wake up in a murderous rage.
9. ‘The Outsider’ (2018)
Centered on his Mr. Mercedes character Holly Gibney, The Outsider follows a mysterious pattern of murders in which killers are discovered to be in two different places at the same time.
The Outsider was adapted into a series for HBO in 2019 and stars Cynthia Erivo, Ben Mendelsohn, and Jason Bateman.
10. ‘The Institute’ (2019)
One of his most recent novels, The Institute tells the story of a group of children with extraordinary abilities who are kidnapped and taken to a mysterious facility called the Institute. As ruthless researchers try to extract their powers, the kids must band together and find a way out.
11. ‘If It Bleeds’ (2020)
King’s latest work, If It Bleeds, is a collection of four novellas – Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, The Life of Chuck, Rat, and If It Bleeds. The latter features the author’s recurring character Holly Gibney, who finds herself investigating a mysterious reporter she believes is connected to a recent school bombing.
