Synopsis

After the purchase of an old house in a New England town, people start disappearing.

History

First publication: Doubleday, September 1975

1976 World Fantasy finalist for best novel.

Review

Don’t read this if you want to be completely unaware of what the story is about, but is there anyone who doesn’t know at least the basics?
This is an excellent updating of the classic vampire legends. No shining in the sunlight or battles between vampires and werewolves. This story is like an hommage to Lugosi and Lee and Schreck. This is the vampire that destroys and currupts, strikes fear at the same time he seduces. This is the spawn of hell that we grew up with as kids in Carmilla and Dracula and the movies. Except this vampire doesn’t just go after a couple of women. He turns and destroys an entire small town. A handful of men and a boy plot to destroy the vampire. This story is done with the usual King mastery of suspense and of interesting character. But King goes further with this to reveal his love of old-time horror and brings in all of the old legends—the birch stakes, the garlic, no reflections, transforming into smoke, etc. This book is a love letter to all the great horror of the past. Yet King makes it fresh and new. Definitely recommended, Top Tale!