Black House

Published: 2001

Black House (2001), co-written with Peter Straub, reunites readers with Jack Sawyer from The Talisman, now a retired Los Angeles homicide detective living in rural Wisconsin. Though Jack has repressed his childhood memories of traveling through the Territories, he's drawn into investigating a series of child murders by a killer known as the Fisherman. As the investigation progresses, Jack reconnects with his ability to 'flip' between worlds, discovering that the murders are connected to the Crimson King from King's Dark Tower series, who is harvesting the children's psychic abilities. Jack must fully reclaim his past to stop the killer and assist in the larger battle for the Dark Tower. While The Talisman was primarily a coming-of-age fantasy adventure, Black House adopts a darker, more explicit horror approach, reflecting its adult protagonist and serial killer narrative. Written seventeen years after its predecessor, the novel strengthens connections to King's broader fictional universe, particularly the Dark Tower series. Critics generally responded positively to the sequel, praising its blend of police procedural with supernatural horror while noting its more mature themes compared to The Talisman. The audiobook received particular acclaim for Frank Muller's narration. Though film adaptations have been discussed, none have materialized. King and Straub expressed satisfaction with their second collaboration, with King noting that their writing styles had grown more compatible over time. For readers, Black House serves dual purposes—as a sequel to The Talisman and as a Dark Tower companion novel explaining how forces across multiple realities are gathering for the series' climactic confrontation. Jack Sawyer's development from child hero to world-weary adult adds emotional depth, while the novel's exploration of small-town dynamics connects it to other King works set in insular communities. The book's shift from fantasy adventure to horror thriller demonstrates the authors' versatility while maintaining character continuity.

Themes

• Serial killers
• Small-town secrets
• Parallel worlds
• Past trauma
• Sacrifice

Adaptations

Collector Notes

Co-written with Peter Straub as a sequel to The Talisman. Contains significant connections to King's Dark Tower series, serving as both a sequel and a companion novel to the larger mythology.