Duma Key

A Novel

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: John Slattery

Length: 21 hrs

Publisher's summary

Winner of the 2009 Audie Award for Fiction

A terrible accident takes Edgar Freemantle's right arm and scrambles his memory and his mind, leaving him with little but rage as he begins the ordeal of rehabilitation. When his marriage suddenly ends, Edgar begins to wish he hadn't survived his injuries. He wants out. His psychologist suggests a new life distant from the Twin Cities, along with something else:

"Edgar, does anything make you happy?"
"I used to sketch."
"Take it up again. You need hedges...hedges against the night."

Edgar leaves for Duma Key, an eerily undeveloped splinter of the Florida coast. The sun setting into the Gulf of Mexico calls out to him, and Edgar draws. Once he meets Elizabeth Eastlake, a sick old woman with roots tangled deep in Duma Key, Edgar begins to paint, sometimes feverishly; many of his paintings have a power that cannot be controlled. When Elizabeth's past unfolds and the ghosts of her childhood begin to appear, the damage of which they are capable is truly devastating.

The tenacity of love, the perils of creativity, the mysteries of memory, and the nature of the supernatural: Stephen King gives us a novel as fascinating as it is gripping and terrifying.

©2008 Stephen King (P)2008 Simon and Schuster, Inc.

He's done it again!

I'm a big fan of Stephen King and he and I have spent many hours together over the years. I consider him a literary genius and a true American treasure; "Duma Key" proves that I'm right. This book has it all: engaging characters, beautifully drawn locations, great timing, a masterful story that unpeels like an onion and like that onion, even made me cry! Get this book and travel with Stephen King to Duma Key. It's a trip of a lifetime!

keeps you interested

My brain gets bored easily when I am in a painting trance. In order to keep me sharply focused, I always have a book blaring in the background with the hopes that it will keep me so entertained, I will by dying to paint so that I can listen to it. Good books help me meet deadlines. This book made me want to paint day and night because it was so interesting. It kept me constantly wondering what would happen next. I highly recommend it.

My First listen, and I've been hooked ever since!

If you could sum up Duma Key in three words, what would they be?

Thrilling, fresh and Creepy!

What did you like best about this story?

Fun and lovable characters, and fast paced until the end. Classic King with a fresh feel.

Florida Calls

I listened to the story on a recent trip home from Florida. King captured the people and the scenery perfectly. I felt the story was awesome but a tad long. Some parts were repetitive. Excellent book.

Duma key a tropical horror

this book was amazing it really felt grounded to reality even when it strayed away from it my only complaint is it wasn't longer

Disappointing ending.

I really liked this book up until the science fiction took over. The characters were well developed and likeable, but almost the entire third section was filled with the "other worldly" stuff that keeps me from being a real Stephen King fan. I felt the ending was the weakest part, and by the last page, I really didn't care what happened.

just dive in

no spoilers...just let it wash over you...one of Kings best! I had no idea what this book was about, glad I didn't ruin it for myself. Top notch storytelling with great narration.

Gr8 Book

I have to be honest, I had to listen to the first part of the book a few times before I thought I knew what was going on. After I finished the book, I went back to the beginning and it then made all the sense in the world. So after that statement - the book was a great read, and I was sorry when it ended.

Thoroughly enjoyed. Rich character development

I really enjoyed getting to know the main character in this novel. The first half was all about getting to know this man as he recovered from a critical injury. This was absolutely fascinating. The second part takes us into King supernatural land. That was the more exciting part but, it is supernatural, paranormal stuff... like the Shining etc.. You spend the novel in the mind of the main character so the only minor gripe I have is the very short scene near the end where the reader is misled to think one thing is happening when another really is. This is made possible by not knowing what the main character was thinking...but it was incongruous because ther reader was in the main character's head for the entire novel to that point... it was a cheap plot/suspense point that was out of place. It didn't spoil the book in any way. King's writing style was enjoyable and informed from beginning to end. There was a nice ongoing narrative on appreciating art. The writing was definitely carefully constructed with interesting phrases etc.

The narration was excellent. His different voices were well done..not distracting and his tone of voice made it more interesting.

Loved it. kept my interest .

a must read. kept me wanting more. audio book read with character and not boring.