Heart-Shaped Box

By: Joe Hill

Narrated by: Stephen Lang

Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals...a used hangman's noose...a snuff film. An aging death-metal rock god, his taste for the unnatural is widely known. But nothing he possesses is as unlikely or as dreadful as his latest discovery, a thing so terrible-strange, Jude can't help but reach for his wallet.

I will sell my stepfather's ghost to the highest bidder.

For a thousand dollars, Jude will become the proud owner of a dead man's suit, said to be haunted by a restless spirit. He isn't afraid. He has spent a lifetime coping with ghosts: of an abusive father, of the lovers he callously abandoned, of the bandmates he betrayed. What's one more? But what UPS delivers to his door in a black heart-shaped box is no imaginary or metaphorical ghost. It's the real thing.

And suddenly the suit's previous owner is everywhere: behind the bedroom door...seated in Jude's restored vintage Mustang...standing outside his window...staring out from his widescreen TV. Waiting - with a gleaming razor blade on a chain dangling from one hand.

A multiple award-winner for his short fiction, author Joe Hill immediately vaults into the top echelon of dark fantasists with a masterwork brimming with relentless thrills and acid terror.

©2007 Joe Hill (P)2007 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

• Audie Award winner, Thriller/Suspense, 2008
• Thriller Award, Best Novel, 2008

"Powerful....[Hill's] subtle and skillful treatment of horrors that could easily have exploded over the top and out of control helps make this a truly memorable debut." (Publishers Weekly)
"Mr. Hill elicits honest empathy for Jude, who turned his stage persona into a nightmare version of his fears and must now figure out what strength he has left for legitimate battles. This dynamic is both frightening and funny, and the book weaves together those two threads in clever ways." (The New York Times)

Great concepts, poor excution.

Any additional comments?

Some cool ideas here, and unlike many reviewers, I didn't mind the characters (and their poor moral attitudes). But what I didn't like was that many of the ideas really didn't matter, and the writer needed to make some big stretches to make things fit (or at least partially fit). For example, once you finish the book, ask yourself if the heart shaped box theme was needed or if maybe it was just a cool title that the writer wanted to make fit into the story. This was a problem in a few areas of the book, as in it felt like there were many good ideas that were afterthoughts, or maybe thrown in and then forced to fit (the sin of plotting too much and not allowing the characters to create the story). But overall, this is entertaining and worth the listen (unlike Strange Weather, which was most definitely not).

Another favorite!

Another great book by an awesome story teller!!!Im now onto the next one! HORNS! so excited!

Good Story

Ok it was a good story but I didn't think it was scary at all.

I usually hate horror, this was awesome.

What made the experience of listening to Heart-Shaped Box the most enjoyable?

Some parts are very dark and twisted. If you are easily offended, don't purchase this. I love the really dark stuff.

What other book might you compare Heart-Shaped Box to and why?

This is the one horror novel I've read. No good comparision. I'm afraid it might have ruined horror for me, it was such a good book.

Which character – as performed by Stephen Lang – was your favorite?

Craddock. Really well described, really well written, very scary. Tons of fun when he shows up.

Any additional comments?

All around tons of fun. Not a complaint here.

Oh...my...God...

Joe Hill is every bit (I dare say "if not more") than his father Stephen King and the narrator was absolutely spot on.

Fantastic from start to finish

Creepy, yet not scary. Has a Dean Koontz feel to it. Stephen Lang has an excellent voice for reading. I enjoyed this very much.

Really Good Story

I wasn't terrified while listening to this book, but it was scary. It's a good story.
I'm not crazy about 6-8 hour books. I always feel like they are a waste of money/credit. I like a longer book and this was one thing I liked about this book, 11 hours.
Very good plot and main characters. It's a fun listen.

Great Story! Aside from the Techno in between some chapters

It’s a fantastic book and beautifully read. Only downside is random bursts of techno music in between some chapters. Kinda of pulls you right out of the story and what’s happening.

if you like early Stephen King then read this book

I love early Stephen King and this surpasses all but his very best works.

I loved the characters, the story, the feel of it all.

What an excellent ride!

All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not hopelessly fighting for my life against such an entity. I love Hill's characters; imperfect people trying their best to survive.