Typical Stephen King – slow burner, horror doesn’t really hit until middle to end of book and opens with a tragedy.
Mike Noonan is a famous novelist who’s wife dies secondary to a brain aneurysm while leaving the pharmacy with a pregnancy test – yes, she was pregnant. Mike eventually decides to travel to him and his late wife’s summer home – a placed called Sara Laughs. Almost immediately, Mike is having some pretty odd dreams. There’s also some paranormal stuff going on inside his summerhome.
He meets Kiya and Maddie shortly after arriving when he saves Kiya off the side of the road – she’s a young toddler who ran away from home. Her mother is almost immediately behind her in her jeep looking for her. Maddie is a good mother with an evil father-in-law and a deceased spouse. Max Devore, a local billionaire, despises his daughter-in-law and will do everything he can to gain custody of his granddaughter – including spreading lies about Maddie.
At this point in the novel, the typical Stephen King themes are seen: recovery from loss (Mike – the loss of his wife and Maddie – the loss of her husband), fighting a great evil (facing and destroying Devore as well the evils that occurred centuries ago on his land) and the power of love (Mike’s involvement in Kiya and Maddie’s life).
I initially didn’t like this book but I know Stephen King has a way of starting a bit slow and reaching a very effective climax – I continued the book and I’m glad I did. It has become one of my favorite of his books. Definitely give this one a chance but keep in mind, it’s a slow burner.