Reading order · 6 books · 1979 to 2017 · Set in the fictional Castle Rock, Maine
Castle Rock Books in Order
Castle Rock is the fictional Maine town where many of Stephen King’s stories are set, and its residents turn up from book to book.
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Series facts
- Books
- 6
- Published
- 1979 to 2017
- First book
- The Dead Zone
- Latest
- Gwendy's Button Box (2017)
- Setting
- Set in the fictional Castle Rock, Maine
The reading order
Every Castle Rock book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
6 books · Set in the fictional Castle Rock, Maine
- 1The Dead Zone1979With Johnny SmithJohnny Smith wakes from a five-year coma with the ability to see into people’s futures, and foresees disaster in the career of a rising politician.Buy on Amazon
- 2Cujo1981A gentle St Bernard is bitten by a rabid bat, and a mother and her young son are trapped in their car by the dog in the summer heat.Buy on Amazon
- 3The Body1982With Gordie LachanceIn 1960, four boys from Castle Rock set off on a journey to see the body of a missing boy.Buy on Amazon
- 4The Dark Half1989With Thad BeaumontWriter Thad Beaumont stages a mock burial of his violent pen name, George Stark.Buy on Amazon
- 5Needful Things1991With Alan PangbornA new shop opens in Castle Rock, where the owner sells each customer their heart’s desire, for a price.Buy on Amazon
- 6Gwendy's Button Box2017With Gwendy PetersonIn 1974, twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson is given a mysterious box by a stranger in Castle Rock.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Each book stands alone. Read in publication order to follow the town’s history.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Alan Pangborn | Johnny Smith | Gordie Lachance | Thad Beaumont | Gwendy Peterson | George Bannerman | Ace Merrill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 The Dead Zone | LLead | MMajor | |||||
| 2 Cujo | ·Minor | ||||||
| 3 The Body | LLead | MMajor | |||||
| 4 The Dark Half | MMajor | LLead | |||||
| 5 Needful Things | LLead | MMajor | |||||
| 6 Gwendy's Button Box | LLead |
Characters in the Castle Rock books
8 characters from Stephen King’s chart, with the number of Castle Rock books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Alan PangbornCastle Rock sheriff | 2 | The Dark Half 1989 |
| Johnny SmithTeacher who wakes from a coma with second sight | 1 | The Dead Zone 1979 |
| Gordie LachanceBoy who goes to see a dead body | 1 | The Body 1982 |
| Thad BeaumontNovelist haunted by his pen name | 1 | The Dark Half 1989 |
| Gwendy PetersonGirl given a strange button box | 1 | Gwendy's Button Box 2017 |
| George BannermanCastle Rock sheriff | 2 | The Dead Zone 1979 |
| Ace MerrillCastle Rock bully | 2 | The Body 1982 |
| Leland GauntProprietor of Needful Things | 1 | Needful Things 1991 |