Has any other writer, through all of history, ever rivalled the imagination and storytelling gifts of Stephen King? I think you know the answer. This collection—two novellas and ten short stories—underscores his genius. This is King dialling into the dark, externalising our most intimate fears and worst instincts. He’s tapping into the menacing undercurrent of my favourites, “Pet Sematary” and “The Shining.” It’s King at his very best.

There’s not a bad story in “You Like It Darker.” That’s such a rarity for any collection by any writer. There’s always a stinker, or at least some filler there to pad the page count. But if I had to choose three favourites? Sure, I can do that.

I read “The Answer Man” with a creeping sense of dread. It’s a masterclass of melancholy, and supremely unsettling, as a young man encounters the ‘Answer Man’ on the side of a road, who promises to answer questions for five minutes for $25. What price would you put on knowing your future—and is it worth the cost?

“Rattlesnakes” is a sequel to another old favourite novel, “Cujo.” Set decades after the horrific events detailed, newly widowed Vic Trenton moves to Florida where he encounters a disturbed neighbour whose twin boys died tragically years ago. Nowadays she walks the streets with an empty stroller. Empty, that is, of a tangible presence. This is probably as close to Classic King as it gets: a slow-burning, disturbing tale, likely to raise gooseflesh.

“Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream” is the longest story here, about a high school janitor who experiences a psychic flash revealing the location of a murdered woman. When he alerts the police to her whereabouts, he becomes the main person of interest for a deranged detective who will do anything to put Danny away.

Honourable mentions to “The Dreamers” and “Willie the Weirdo.” But honestly, “You Like it Darker” is just a spellbinding collection. What a treat. Five hundred pages of brilliance.