Author Guide

Joe Hill Books in Order

Complete reading list for Joe Hill — Stephen King's son — from Heart-Shaped Box to NOS4A2 and beyond.

About

Joe Hill is an American author born Joseph Hillstrom King — the son of Stephen King and Tabitha King. He published under the pen name Joe Hill deliberately to avoid comparison to his father, building a reputation on his own before the connection became public. His horror fiction draws on similar territory to King's — the supernatural invading ordinary American lives — but has a distinct voice: more contemporary pop culture, more interest in road mythology, and a particular obsession with the ways childhood trauma follows people into adulthood. NOS4A2 (2013) was adapted for AMC and stars Zachary Quinto. His graphic novel series Locke & Key was adapted for Netflix.

Where to start: Heart-Shaped Box (his debut) is the cleanest entry point. NOS4A2 is his most ambitious novel and many fans consider it his best.

All Joe Hill Novels

Listed in publication order.

1
Heart-Shaped Box cover
Heart-Shaped Box
2007
Start Here
A retired rock star buys a ghost online as a novelty. The ghost is real. The debut. Bram Stoker Award winner.
2
Horns cover
Horns
2010
A man wakes up with horns growing from his head after his girlfriend is murdered. Dark comedy and grief, beautifully twisted. Film with Daniel Radcliffe.
3
NOS4A2 cover
NOS4A2
2013
Fan Favourite
Charlie Manx drives a 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith and takes children to Christmasland, where the fun never ends. Hill's most ambitious novel. AMC adaptation.
4
The Fireman cover
The Fireman
2016
A plague that causes humans to spontaneously combust. A nurse and a fireman trying to survive. Post-apocalyptic horror on a grand scale.
5
Sleeping Beauties cover
Sleeping Beauties
2017
Co-written with Stephen King
Co-written with Stephen King. Women around the world fall asleep and cannot be woken. What happens to the world they leave behind?
6
Full Throttle cover
Full Throttle
2019
Story Collection
A short story collection. Includes the novella In the Tall Grass (adapted for Netflix).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Joe Hill as good as Stephen King?
Different rather than better or worse. Hill is more interested in pop culture mythology — rock music, comics, road trips — while King's world is more rural and domestic. Hill's prose is slightly leaner. Readers who love King will almost certainly love Hill, and vice versa.
What is the best Joe Hill book?
NOS4A2 is the most commonly cited as his masterpiece. Heart-Shaped Box is the best starting point because it is self-contained and immediately demonstrates his voice.
Is Joe Hill related to Stephen King?
Yes. Joe Hill is Stephen King's son. He published under a pen name to avoid trading on his father's reputation. His mother is the novelist Tabitha King.