Full Dark, No StarsFull Dark, No Stars
Score Modern
What it's about
Four novellas about what pushes ordinary people over the edge. A Nebraska farmer turns to murder when his wife threatens to sell the family land. A cozy mystery writer plots revenge after a brutal assault. A dying man gets a cure if he'll pass his misery on to an old rival. And a wife discovers a box in the garage that reveals who her husband really is.
Why it's worth reading
It was one of the ten best-selling books of 2010. Some of King's darkest and most gripping short fiction, it asks how well we can ever know anyone.
You'll love it if you liked
Different Seasons
The Shining
MiseryGood to know
These are long stories, each readable in a sitting. They include graphic violence, including sexual violence.
By the numbers
- Readers48 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller72 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #22 of the 86 horror books we rank
- #590 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1123 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Dark, Gripping
More by Stephen King
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
The Stand
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ItIf you like this, read next
The Road
Acheron
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Dark SlayerExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →Quick answers
Is Full Dark, No Stars worth reading?
Yes. It was one of the ten best-selling books of 2010. It ranks #1,123 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Full Dark, No Stars about?
Four novellas about what pushes ordinary people over the edge. A Nebraska farmer turns to murder when his wife threatens to sell the family land. A cozy mystery writer plots revenge after a brutal assault. A dying man gets a cure if he'll pass his misery on to an old rival. And a wife discovers a box in the garage that reveals who her husband really is.
How long does it take to read Full Dark, No Stars?
About 11 hours (453 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Full Dark, No Stars?
If you liked it, try Different Seasons by Stephen King, The Shining by Stephen King or Misery by Stephen King.
















