Perhaps it’s just my finickiness, but the inclusion of Night Surf and Graveyard Shift seem to clash with the title of this book; a set of mostly previously published Stephen King stories from Cavalier and other monthly magazines.
They’re promoted as horror and most are indeed eerie while The Last Rung On The Ladder and The Woman In The Room, the latter of which seems tacked on after what would’ve been Salem’s Lot bookends, aim for mere poignancy.
Stephen King stories, at least these, are usually best during the build-up. The endings can be rather anticlimactic; namely in the cases of Quitters Inc, The Boogeyman and The Lawnmower Man. Strawberry Spring is downright stupid.
my rating : 3 of 5
1978