The Book of Accidents

A Novel

By: Chuck Wendig

Narrated by: Xe Sands, George Newbern

Length: 16 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A family returns to their hometown—and to the dark past that haunts them still—in this masterpiece of literary horror by the New York Times bestselling author of Wanderers

LOCUS AWARD FINALIST • “The dread, the scope, the pacing, the turns—I haven’t felt all this so intensely since The Shining.”—Stephen Graham Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Only Good Indians

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Public Library, Library Journal

Long ago, Nathan lived in a house in the country with his abusive father—and has never told his family what happened there.

Long ago, Maddie was a little girl making dolls in her bedroom when she saw something she shouldn’t have—and is trying to remember that lost trauma by making haunting sculptures.

Long ago, something sinister, something hungry, walked in the tunnels and the mountains and the coal mines of their hometown in rural Pennsylvania.

Now, Nate and Maddie Graves are married, and they have moved back to their hometown with their son, Oliver.

And now what happened long ago is happening again . . . and it is happening to Oliver. He meets a strange boy who becomes his best friend, a boy with secrets of his own and a taste for dark magic.

This dark magic puts them at the heart of a battle of good versus evil and a fight for the soul of the family—and perhaps for all of the world. But the Graves family has a secret weapon in this battle: their love for one another.

©2021 Chuck Wendig (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“[The Book of Accidents] is Chuck Wendig’s magnum opus, blazing with imagination, humanity, and a tiny glimmer of hope for a world drowning in cruelty. It’s horror for right now, and it’s Wendig’s best so far.” (Christopher Golden, New York Times best-selling author of Road of Bones)

“Only Chuck Wendig can blend horror, fantasy, and science fiction into a propulsive thriller that is as funny as it is frightening, clever as it is uncanny, tender as it is terrifying. A magical ride.” (Alma Katsu, author of Red Widow and The Deep)

“Chuck Wendig’s The Book of Accidents transported me to the golden age of sprawling horror novels that I loved so much as a kid. Sweeping yet intimate, multilayered and bighearted, this is a novel to sink deeply into.” (Dan Chaon, New York Times best-selling author of Ill Will)

if you love Stephen King you'll love this author

this author has gained a new fan in me. the book grabbed me from the first chapter. great listen. not a huge fan of the female narrator but the male narator was great.

Entertaining

Fun book. We follow along the family of 3 on a peculiar adventure. Not all the storylines were fully explained or vetted. But that is what makes this a unique offering. It keeps you guessing while reminding you that it's us that can be our worst enemy, not the people or things we dilute ourself with.

Wendig at his best

Felt like Steven King in his heyday - great big book, neatly packaged, and wisely presented. It calls to mind a lot of other greats, and echoes with its own ring. Great solid narration, too.

Narration on point

This is an amazing novel to go in completely blind with if you are a sci-fi/horror fan. I absolutely loved the narration of this story and was blown away by the story!

lots of political references

if you can get past the political stereotypes a very good story. The worst placed reference was to the Rittenhouse rapist

Gets confusing

the story was ok but a little long. if you walk away to do something else and come back you will be lost.

Enjoyed thoroughly, Very Creative and Creepy!

First off, Xe Sands is an A list narrator and my favorite female narrator easily! She nailed this read and George Newbern also did a very good job with his portion of the reading!

Chuck Windig has really grown own me and “The Book of Accidents” has now secured a permanent place on my shelves! “The Book of Accidents” is a very creative well built story of supernatural horror and two people that come from domestic and or childhood tragedies that find their hauntingly creepy connection after married with a young boy moving to a small coal mining town full of disturbing lore, and horrific history including a serial killer recently captured. Some might call this suspenseful thriller a slow burn, but I found it more of a larger good book that moves just right building the characters with different narratives to a deeper marriage that brings this twisty tale together for a gripping conclusion. Great read for fans of Harlan Ellison, SK, Chuck Palahniuk and Van Wey!

Wow! Absolutely Riveting

This book absolutely keeps you on the edge of your seat! It starts off a touch, slow, but just roll with it. As the book progresses, it gets better and better until well, it’s over with. This needs to be made into a movie for sure!

Are these fake bad reviews?

You don’t often see so many 1 star reviews clogging things up, and I’ve only listened to the first few chapters and I’m hooked. Glad I looked at reviews elsewhere instead of just these!

Different

Different.... in a good way. This book was not what I was expecting. A part horror / part sci-fi tangled web that sparks your curiosity early on and keeps you fascinated as it unfolds.