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Heart-Shaped Box: A Novel | 
 enlarge | Author: Joe Hill
Publisher: William Morrow
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  293 reviews
Sales Rank: 53132
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.4
ISBN: 0061147931
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780061147937
ASIN: 0061147931
Publication Date: February 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
Do you sleep with the light on? Are you in the habit of checking your doors and windows before you go to bed? Maybe even checking under your bed? If you are about to crack open Joe Hill's chilling thriller Heart-Shaped Box, you might want to rethink your nighttime habits--Hill's story about an aging rock star (with a penchant for macabre artifacts) who buys a haunted suit online will scare you silly. But don't take our word for it. We asked bestselling authors (and masters of dark terror tales themselves) Scott Smith, and Harlan Coben to read Heart-Shaped Box and give us their take. Check out their reviews below, and you might want to pick up a nightlight while you're at it. --Daphne Durham
Guest Reviewer: Scott Smith
 In 1993, Scott Smith wowed readers with his stunning debut thriller, A Simple Plan. Thirteen years later, he spooked us again with The Ruins, a horror-thriller about four Americans traveling in Mexico who stumble across a nightmare in the jungle.
The set-up for Joe Hill's novel, Heart-Shaped Box, is appealingly simple. Jude Coyne, an aging rock star, buys himself a dead man's suit. He acquires it online, lured by the promise that the dead man's ghost will be included in his purchase. Jude thinks this is a joke, of course. He also assumes the seller is a stranger. We soon discover that he's wrong on both counts, however, and from this point on the story moves with an exhilarating urgency. Jude wants the ghost gone; the ghost wants Jude dead. We watch, chapter-by-chapter, as they battle for survival. "Watch" is the appropriate word, too, because this is an extremely visual book. Hill's prose is lean and precise, and he renders Jude's world with impressive confidence. It feels solid, every detail both correct and fresh. And this physicality provides a firm platform for the book's otherworldly happenings, which seem all the more frightening for being so securely grounded. Hill has a flawless sense of pacing. His narrative never flags, nor does it ever move so quickly as to outrun itself. And one can sense his literary ambition pushing at the margins of the genre. There are times when his writing, for all its spare efficiency, seems to jump away from him, stopping one small step short of poetry. An e-mail to Jude from the ghost (trust me, it's not as absurd as it sounds) could even pass for something ee cummings might've written, in an especially morbid mood. And toward the end of the book, when Hill describes a trip down death's "night road" in a '65 Mustang, the passage has a startlingly lyrical beauty. The story's horror ultimately has as much to do with Jude Coyne's past--his mistakes, abandonments and betrayals--as with anything supernatural. Jude has caused a lot of pain over the years, moving through life with a carelessness that verges on the callous. His battle with the ghost brings this behavior into sharp relief, forcing him to reflect upon his own capacity for cruelty. This dawning self-awareness leavens the book's bleakness and gore (and it is delightfully gory in places) with an unexpected sweetness. Despite our initial impression, Jude is gradually revealed--both to himself and the reader--as an essentially decent, even kind man. It's this kindness, this fledgling ability to love and be loved, that will ultimately be of crucial consequence in his death struggle with the ghost. And it's what makes Hill's debut not only well-written and terrifying, but also--as it draws to its close--surprisingly moving. So go ahead, take a chance, and open his Heart-Shaped Box. I think youll be happy you did. --Scott Smith
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Guest Reviewer: Harlan Coben
 Harlan Coben is the author of the beloved Myron Bolitar series about a wisecracking sports agent, as well as stunning stand-alone novels like The Innocent and his breakout thriller Tell No One. His new novel The Woods releases on April 17, 2007.
You, dear reader, are obviously somewhat versed in making online purchases, so today, immediately after you click on the yellow "Add to Shopping Cart" on the top right hand corner of this page, why not do an online search and buy something totally unique? Like, say, a vengeful ghost. That is what rock-star Judas Coyne does, thinking it will be a laugh, fun for his "sick-o" collection of such things. It seems a random buy, but Judas soon learns that it is anything but. This particular ghost is one Craddock McDermott, step-father to recent suicide victim and boy, is he cranky. He demands revenge for his step-daughters death, which he blames on Judass shabby treatment of her. Or is he after something else? There are Amazon readers who will give you a better plot summary. Don't read them too closely because Joe Hill provides plenty of fun surprises. Heart-Shaped Box is a true spine-tingler. I dont use that hyphenated word much anymore. We have seen and read it all, haven't we? But right away, in the first chapter, there was a subtle line that made the hairs on the back of my neck go up in a way I haven't experienced since I first discovered great horror as a teenager. Hill writes with a sure hand. The prose is compelling. Like most memorable tales of horror, this book is more about redemption than scary moments--though Heart-Shaped Box has plenty of scares. They are visceral, shocking and very well done. The characters are flawed and real. The father-son relationship adds texture and surprising poignancy. So here's the thing. My guess is, you wont find a ghost to buy online, but if you read the Heart-Shaped Box, you will be getting something that will haunt you and startle you and stay with you and yes, visit you in your dreams. Sleep well, dear reader. --Harlan Coben
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Product Description
Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals . . . a used hangman's noose . . . a snuff film. An aging death-metal rock god, his taste for the unnatural is as widely known to his legions of fans as the notorious excesses of his youth. But nothing he possesses is as unlikely or as dreadful as his latest discovery, an item for sale on the Internet, a thing so terribly strange, Jude can't help but reach for his wallet. I will "sell" my stepfather's ghost to the highest bidder. . . . For a thousand dollars, Jude will become the proud owner of a dead man's suit, said to be haunted by a restless spirit. He isn't afraid. He has spent a lifetime coping with ghosts—of an abusive father, of the lovers he callously abandoned, of the bandmates he betrayed. What's one more? But what UPS delivers to his door in a black heart-shaped box is no imaginary or metaphorical ghost, no benign conversation piece. It's the real thing. And suddenly the suit's previous owner is everywhere: behind the bedroom door . . . seated in Jude's restored vintage Mustang . . . standing outside his window . . . staring out from his widescreen TV. Waiting—with a gleaming razor blade on a chain dangling from one bony hand. . . . A multiple-award winner for his short fiction, author Joe Hill immediately vaults into the top echelon of dark fantasists with a blood-chilling roller-coaster ride of a novel, a masterwork brimming with relentless thrills and acid terror.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 288 more reviews...
 A Dissapointment November 30, 2008
I was very excited to read Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill - between the advertising, summary and title it sounded downright cool.
I bought and finished the book, and personally I was quite dissapointed.
The characters were shallow - they didn't seem real, I felt no connection to them or liking for them.
The story was ridiculously farfetched (I know it was a ghost story, but still - it doesn't have that creppy edge that lets you imagine for just a moment that its real. It's too ridiculous to be scary, moving or even enjoyable.)
There were some scenes of ridiculous violence that came off as a lame attempts to seem dark and goth-y, sort of like a cheap shiny vinyl trench coat from Hot Topic.
Extraordinary first novel. November 27, 2008
I must admit I only picked up this book because I'd read that Joe Hill is Stephen King's son, and I'm a long-time King fan. Perhaps that wasn't fair to Hill, so I'll avoid comparisons with his father's work.
Hill has written a dark tale about an aging rocker, Jude, and his girlfriend, Georgia, who are pursued by a ghost seeking revenge. This sounds like pretty standard horror-genre fare, but Hill avoids the usual cliches in both plot and prose. His characters are complex and interesting, his dialogue natural yet compelling, and the pacing is just about perfect. His flashbacks provide necessary background without being intrusive or taking over the story. His use of language is impressive; it's easy to read, yet bold, subtle and textured, with none of the awkwardness you often see in a new writer's work. In fact, it's hard to believe this is Hill's first novel, his writing is so confident, yet so well-crafted.
I read this novel because it was written by Stephen King's son. I'll read his next novel because it's written by Joe Hill.
 A Treat for those identifying with Goth I guess November 16, 2008
This may be a treat for those who can identify with, depression, self-mutilation, suicide, and other low forms of human behavior exclusive of there being anything better in life. An interesting start, it's as if the reader (or audiobook listener in my case) jumps onto a literary sinking ship and goes down, down, blub, blub, blub. Aging rock star musician Judas Coyne and his victim-of-life girlfriend "Georgia," have to figure a way to end being chased by a murderous ghost who was the father of one of Judas' many former slutty girlfriends, "Florida." She committed suicide after Judas tossed her aside in his pursuit to screw his way through all 50 states.
Although not scary as was stated in the review that got me to pick this one up, I could have really appreciated this story as a short story leaving out the numerous acts of horrendous injustices the main characters experienced as naive youth at the hands of close family members. Each incident is related during periods of ghostly inaction, and each character is able to whip out an incident that tops that of the last told. By disc six I was calling to have them put out of their misery...
Joe Hill can write, the audio narration was fine, I just didn't care for the story as entertainment. In this genre what pops to mind at this moment that I have liked was Apt Pupil by Stephen King, the audio version of The Mist also by Stephen King, the Odd Thomas books by Dean Koontz, A Watcher by the Dead an old short story by Ambrose Bierce, it's worth finding.
 Creepy Beginning, Slow Ending November 13, 2008
I expected a lot from this novel - not only because the author is Stephen King's son, but it received many 5-star reviews and generally positive reception from the critics.
This book started out as a very promising horror story; but after the first 150 pages, the plot slowed down and it did not captivate me as much compared to the beginning. The beginning was truly creepy (the first appearance of the old man's ghost, Danny's call, and all the weird events happening in the house), and I thought Hill's writing was flawless in describing all the chilling details. But as the story progressed, the plot got a little far-fetched and dragged out, and the old man's motive for killing the main characters, Jude and Georgia, became more and more unconvincing and vague (maybe it's just me, but I thought the motive in the beginning made a lot more sense). Also, the relationship between Jude and Georgia got a little dull and generic compared to the beginning (when they still have some personalities). The timing of the book was also very weird; it felt like the author omitted time when Jude and Georgia were on the road... it was like as if the characters were jumping places to places (this novel isn't the Dark Tower series... when time didn't matter). I was also disappointed by the ending because it didn't fit in with the horror theme and felt a little forced.
I would give this book 5 stars for the first 150 pages because it was really freaky to read, but overall an average rating because of the dragged out plot and anticlimactic progression of the book.
 A legacy in horror honored November 11, 2008
This first novel by Joe Hill, author of the acclaimed collection 20th Century Ghosts, makes its US debut with no little fanfare. And it lives up to its billing.
From the moment aging Ozzy Osbourne-style rocker Judas Coyne is tricked into adding one more item to his collection of bizarre artifacts, he is faced with what one might call "a situation." What he buys on an internet auction site as a lark (to go along with other questionable things such a real snuff film), is a supposedly ghost-bearing "dead man's suit" that comes packed in a heart-shaped box. Unfortunately, the ghost is real enough, and of the seriously disturbing kind. No surprise here. The seller won't take a return, oh no. In fact, the seller has manipulated the sale. You see, the ghost of Craddock McDermott seems to be intent on seeking vengeance for the way Jude neglected a troubled groupie-girlfriend -- one in a long line of them -- who committed suicide after Jude threw her out. But there's more to it than that, as the ghost threatens to wreak his revenge by killing first everyone around Jude, and then Jude himself. Ghosts may have lost some of their luster in the digital age, but this ghost isn't just creepy, it's the ghost of a very creepy customer indeed, and his haunting is horrific enough for any novel. (Note to movie director: Please don't let CGI kill this ghost. Thank you.)
Accompanied by current girlfriend Marybeth and a pair of very loyal dogs (whose personalities really shine), Jude embarks on a desperate cross-country road trip to unlock some deep secrets, many of them his own. The destination will surprise you as it surprises him. Judas Coyne (real name Justin Cowzynski) is a well-depicted old death-rocker. Half his band is dead, his joints hurt and, at 54, he's not much for the road any more. He's not one to take a lot of crap from a girlfriend, either, and it's this part of his character that gets him into trouble in the first place. Delicately handled to be both a little superficial and yet introspective, Jude grows perceptibly from chapter to chapter, thus humanizing what might have been a caricature. His tendency to name his dogs after other rockers is an affecting aside and foreshadows the dogs' real role in the plot. Marybeth handles the suit and pricks her finger, putting her in the ghost's crosshairs too, and her character is a well-drawn catalyst to drive Jude toward self-awareness. Ultimately you'll be the judge of whether the psychology of Heart-Shaped Box works or not - but you'll definitely enjoy the ride to possible redemption.
This first novel crackles with supernatural energy and the expectation of what's to come with very little faltering, though the Ouija board strikes one as a bit obvious. It's also the moving character study of a man whose life as a rock star has almost leached away his humanity. While not as complex as it could have been, Hill keeps it fast and lean and proves his chops with well-turned phrases, making this a solid debut from a talent who'll be fun to watch. The music references are welcome, too, for music geeks everywhere. Psst, if you haven't already heard the whispers, you might have heard of Hill's dad... goes by the name of King, Stephen King.
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