Sample
  • NOS4A2

  • A Novel
  • By: Joe Hill
  • Narrated by: Kate Mulgrew
  • Length: 19 hrs and 41 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (17,529 ratings)

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NOS4A2

By: Joe Hill
Narrated by: Kate Mulgrew
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Editorial reviews

Editors Select, May 2013 - Christmasland is a place where every day is Christmas morning and every night is Christmas Eve. This might not sound like fertile ground for a horror novel, but rest assured; just as there's nothing funny about Pennywise the Dancing Clown in Stephen King's It, there's nothing merry about Christmasland in NOS4A2. Joe Hill tells the story of decrepit child thief Charlie Manx, who travels the country in his Rolls Royce Wraith taking mistreated kids to Christmasland, where they live happily forever playing games like "bite the smallest" and "scissors for the drifter". The only girl who managed to escape his clutches and put Manx in prison for life finds that even Manx's death can't keep him from his quest to make sure every mistreated child is taken to Christmasland. As eerie as a Bing Crosby album played at half speed, NOS4A2 is a thoroughly creepy and compulsively readable supernatural thriller. Kate Mulgrew shines as narrator, turning in a spot-on performance as Victoria McQueen, a tough-as-nails if emotionally frail heroine. (Michael, Audible editor)

Publisher's summary

The spine-tingling, bone-chilling novel of supernatural suspense from the number one New York Times best-selling author of The Fireman and Horns - now an AMC original series starring Zachary Quinto, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Ashleigh Cummings.

"A masterwork of horror." (Time)

Victoria McQueen has an uncanny knack for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. When she rides her bicycle over the rickety old covered bridge in the woods near her house, she always emerges in the places she needs to be.

Charles Talent Manx has a gift of his own. He likes to take children for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the vanity plate NOS4A2. In the Wraith, he and his innocent guests can slip out of the everyday world and onto hidden roads that lead to an astonishing playground of amusements he calls Christmasland.

The journey across the highway of Charlie's twisted imagination transforms his precious passengers, leaving them as terrifying and unstoppable as their benefactor.

Then comes the day when Vic goes looking for trouble...and finds her way to Charlie. That was a lifetime ago. Now, the only kid ever to escape Charlie's evil is all grown up and desperate to forget. But Charlie Manx hasn't stopped thinking about Victoria McQueen. On the road again, he won't slow down until he's taken his revenge. He's after something very special - something Vic can never replace.

As a life-and-death battle of wills builds, Vic McQueen prepares to destroy Charlie once and for all - or die trying.

©2013 Joe Hill (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Quite simply the best horror writer of our generation, Joe Hill’s masterful storytelling is on full display in NOS4A2. It is by turns terrifying and hilarious, horrifying and full of heart, and relentlessly compelling." (Michael Koryta, New York Times bestselling author of The Prophet)
"Fascinating and utterly engaging, this novel is sure to leave readers wanting more. One thing is for certain, however. After reading this book, readers will never hear Christmas carols in quite the same way again." ( Library Journal, starred review)
"[A] new take on the fantasy-horror genre...Highly recommended." ( The Sun Herald Sydney, Australia)

Featured Article: Authors Like Stephen King


Best-selling author Stephen King has published a staggering amount of work, from gripping crime thrillers to epic fantasy series, winning prestigious awards. Yet King’s varied writing is united by common themes, styles, characters, and settings. King fans will recognize a book by him for elements ranging from child characters to atmospheric settings, from eerie psychological horror to New England locations. Undeniably, King’s influence is evident in many of the horror genre’s leading and emerging authors. If you're a fan of Stephen King, these horror authors should be on your radar.

What listeners say about NOS4A2

Average customer ratings
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amazing

the story was fantastic, but mulgrew's narration was next level. I could listen to her read as shampoo bottle.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good story needs better narrator.

Good story line didn’t care for the whole Christmas thing made the story cheesy.
Narrator was horrible. Literally noted her name so as not to buy another book read by her. Her voice/reading style was extremely annoying. Couldn’t focus on the story due to the distain for her voice.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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So good!

A terrific book and great reading! From children to monsters she can do it all.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent performance!

Great book, great performance!

One trivial comment: the town Haverhill is pronounced “Hay-vrille”, similar to Mayville. Have-er-hill is just wrong.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fabulous Introduction

This book was a fabulous introduction to Joe Hill’s writing and I loved every minute. The writing style is such that you aren’t sure what’s happening until the author is ready for you to know.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

this says optional but is making me put a headline

loved the narrator.
I'm giving 4 stars for the story , while I enjoyed this book immensely I saw it going in a different place than where it did. so it was slightly out of my preference for horror literature.

but still great book. word of advice listen to the "end credits" there's a nice little gem hidden in the end credits.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A dynamic duo

The author writes an incredible story that amazingly ties everything in it together by the end in the most intricate and unforeseen ways. You can really see as the reader narrates. She does an amazing job at conveying emotion and bringing the descriptions to life. Together they rock this story and it’s so cool.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Polar Express from hell

4.5 ⭐ rounded to 5. This was my first Joe Hill novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. His writing reminds me of his famous father's a lot, just a little fresher. This was a great horror story to read around the holidays. One might describe it poorly as, Polar Express with a demented conductor. I'll definitely be looking for another Joe Hill novel soon.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Kate Mulgrew is amazing

The story is good. There were times I was a little confused but overall really enjoyable. But Kate Mulgrew reading it just did it for me. Her Charlie Manx was so creepy and the stutter of Maggie Leigh was so realistic. She really brought the characters to life! Outstanding!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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What a Narrator

A masterful reading by Kate Mulgrew. What an incredible narrator. The added appendix by the narrator is great too.

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