Heart-Shaped Box

"Wild, mesmerizing, perversely witty....A Valentine from hell."
--Janet Maslin, New York Times

The publication of Joe Hill's beautifully textured, deliciously scary debut novel Heart-Shaped Box was greeted with the sort of overwhelming critical acclaim that is rare for a work of skin-crawling supernatural terror. It was cited as a Best Book of the Year by Atlanta magazine, the Tampa Tribune, the St. Louis Post Dispatch, and the Village Voice, to name but a few. Award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling Neil Gaiman of The Sandman, The Graveyard Book, and Anansi Boys fame calls Joe Hill's story of a jaded rock star haunted by a ghost he purchased on the internet, "relentless, gripping, powerful." Open this Heart-Shaped Box from two-time Bram Stoker Award-winner Hill if you dare and see what all the well-deserved hoopla is about.

Aging death-metal rock legend Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals...a used hangman's noose...a snuff film. But nothing he possesses is as unique or as dreadful as his latest purchase off the Internet: a one-of-a-kind curiosity that arrives at his door in a black heart-shaped box...a musty dead man's suit still inhabited by the spirit of its late owner. And now everywhere Judas Coyne goes, the old man is there--watching, waiting, dangling a razor blade on a chain from his bony hand.

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400 pages

Average rating: 7.12

65 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

MeatSuit
May 19, 2023
9/10 stars
Absolutely love this book. It's my first Joe Hill read and it gave the best heart palpitations.
LiziB
Feb 23, 2023
8/10 stars
Solid ghost story from Stephen King's son... some gore but mainly just nice and scary.
monidipadutta51
Feb 18, 2023
8/10 stars
It's a horror novel that follows the story of an aging rock star named Judas Coyne, who purchases a ghost on an online auction site as a macabre addition to his collection of oddities. When the ghost arrives, Judas and his girlfriend Georgia are plunged into a nightmare of supernatural horror that threatens to destroy them both. The book is well-written, with a dark and chilling narrative that is both suspenseful and disturbing. The author effectively uses vivid and evocative descriptions to create a haunting and eerie atmosphere, with well-drawn characters that are both sympathetic and flawed. Judas Coyne is a complex and intriguing protagonist, with a tragic past that is explored in detail throughout the story. The novel also features a cast of secondary characters, each with their own motivations and secrets. The book also explores complex themes, such as the nature of grief and loss, the power of guilt and regret, and the limits of redemption. The story raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of evil and the consequences of one's actions. However, some readers may find the book's pacing slow at times, as the story is more character-driven than action-packed. The ending may also be divisive, as it leaves some questions unanswered and may be unsatisfying for some readers. Overall, "Heart-Shaped Box" is a well-crafted and suspenseful horror novel that explores complex themes and features well-developed characters. It is recommended for readers who enjoy horror stories with a focus on character development and thought-provoking themes.
SindySin666
Nov 10, 2022
10/10 stars
I could not put this down, I was hooked immediately. Definitely a fun take on a ghost story .

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