You Like It Darker

Published: 2023

You Like It Darker (2023) is King's latest short story collection, containing twelve tales ranging from psychological suspense to outright horror, with several stories exploring the boundary between life and death. The title story features a police officer who discovers he can enter old photographs and potentially change the past. 'Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream' follows a young boy whose nightmares predict catastrophic events. 'Rattlesnakes' examines the aftermath of a traumatic attack and the victim's supernatural revenge. 'The Answer Man' presents a young woman who discovers her boyfriend has a terrifying ability to know everything—including how and when people will die. 'Two Talented Bastids' tells of rural Maine sign painters with unusual artistic gifts that extend beyond their craft. Other stories explore themes ranging from road rage ('Red Screen') to time slips ('On Slide Inn Road') and the corrupting influence of technology ('The Turbulence Expert'). As with King's previous collections, the stories showcase his range—from quiet literary pieces to visceral horror—while maintaining his characteristic exploration of everyday people confronting extraordinary circumstances. Though released later in King's career, the collection demonstrates his continuing commitment to the short story form and his ability to find fresh approaches to his recurring themes of fate, mortality, and the thin boundaries between different realities. The stories reflect King's late-career interest in mortality and life's fragility, while maintaining the edge and imagination that has defined his work for five decades. Through its varied approaches to darkness—from subtle dread to outright terror—the collection lives up to its provocative title, offering readers the darker fare they've come to expect from King while still finding new shadows to explore.

Themes

• Death and afterlife
• Hidden abilities
• Time distortion
• Revenge
• Technology's dangers

Adaptations

Collector Notes

King's most recent short story collection, showcasing his continued commitment to the form into his 70s. The title comes from Leonard Cohen's song 'You Want It Darker,' reflecting the collection's unflinching approach to mortality and horror.