Stephen King frequently places his human characters in danger against a supernatural antagonist. These characters, being realists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, must first overcome their disbelief at what is happening to them, and then decide what to do about it. Both their explanations for the strange happenings and their attempts to deal with them can be divided into four main categories: cultural appropriation; Christianity, especially Catholic rites; attempts at utter destruction; and a resignation to simply live--or die--with the supernatural intact. This book examines over 30 of King's works, revealing that the overall success of the characters in removing the supernatural threat from their towns, or perhaps defeating it entirely, does not depend fully on which of these four paths of action they choose. It is possible for any attempt to destroy the supernatural threat to fail, and what works in one of King's books will not have the same outcome in another. For King, the most likely success comes when his characters can choose a course of action that allows them to stand and be true to themselves.

A monumentally devastating plague leaves only a few survivors who, while experiencing dreams of a battle between good and evil, move toward an actual confrontation as they migrate to Boulder, Colorado.

A beautiful photographer is driving home one night when a car swerves past her and kills two pedestrians. Although she escapes the accident without harm, she has trouble shaking off the after effects...and comes to unsettling crossroads in her life. Soon she marries a local hockey star whose raucous lifestyle leads to a divorce. Then a scheming local cop, who has pursued her since the accident, takes advantage of her, and she marries again...and fails into a near-fatal mistake!

Skeleton Crew is one of the titles in Allan Ahlberg's iconic children's picture book series about skeletons, Funnybones. Despite being set in a dark dark house, this brightly coloured book is perfect for early readers "Zzz " The three skeletons enjoy a holiday on-board their little boat. But one night - "Yo-ho-ho" - the pirates come and put them out to sea on a tiny raft, launching them on an oceanful of new adventures. 'By far our best writer for the young' - Daily Telegraph Allan Ahlberg has published over 100 children's books and with his late wife Janet, created many award-winning children's picture books, including Peepo , Each Peach Pear Plum and the Kate Greenaway Medal winning The Jolly Postman. Other titles in the Funnybones series include Funnybones, The Ghost Train, The Black Cat, The Pet Shop, Bumps in the Night, Dinosaur Dreams, Mystery Tour, Give the Dog a Bone and A Brilliant Bone Rattling Collection, all of which are available from Puffin.

A frightening suspense novel about nine-year-old Trisha, who becomes lost in the woods as night falls.

A malevolent presence has come to a small desert town, and the customers of this "superstore" may get more than they realized, in this bloodcurdling entry from horror expert Bentley Little. Juniper, Arizona, is an off-the-map desert town the retail giant called The Store has chosen for its new location. Now everything you could possibly want is under one roof, at unbelievable prices. But you'd better be careful what you wish for. This place demands something of its customers that goes beyond brand loyalty. At The Store, one-stop shopping has become last-stop shopping. Bill Davis is the only one in town who senses the evil lurking within The Store. But he can't stop his two teenage daughters from taking jobs there and falling under the frightening influence of its sadistic manager. When Bill finally takes a stand, he will get much more than he bargained for. . . .

Stephen King meets Pretty Little Liars in this pulse-pounding novel from the author of The Merciless Just back from rehab, Casey regrets letting her friends Shana, Julie, and Aya talk her into coming to Survive the Night, an all-night, underground rave in a New York City subway tunnel. Surrounded by frightening drugs and menacing strangers, Casey doesn’t think Survive the Night could get any worse... ...until she comes across Julie’s mutilated body in a dank, black subway tunnel, red-eyed rats nibbling at her fingers. Casey thought she was just off with some guy—no one could hear her getting torn apart over the sound of pulsing music. And by the time they get back to the party, everyone is gone. Desperate for help, Casey and her friends find themselves running through the putrid subway tunnels, searching for a way out. But every manhole is sealed shut, and every noise echoes eerily in the dark, reminding them they’re not alone. They’re being hunted. Trapped underground with someone—or something—out to get them, Casey can’t help but listen to Aya’s terrified refrain: “We’re all gonna die down here.”