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    In the Tall Grass
    In the Tall Grass
    In the Tall Grass
    Ebook87 pages1 hour

    In the Tall Grass

    By Stephen King and Joe Hill

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Now a major motion picture streaming on Netflix!

    Mile 81 meets “N.” in this novella collaboration between Stephen King and Joe Hill.

    As USA TODAY said of Stephen King’s Mile 81: “Park and scream. Could there be any better place to set a horror story than an abandoned rest stop?” In the Tall Grass begins with a sister and brother who pull off to the side of the road after hearing a young boy crying for help from beyond the tall grass. Within minutes they are disoriented, in deeper than seems possible, and they’ve lost one another. The boy’s cries are more and more desperate. What follows is a terrifying, entertaining, and masterfully told tale, as only Stephen King and Joe Hill can deliver.

    Editor's Note

    On the hunt…

    One of the many Stephen King stories to get an adaptation in 2019. When they hear a child cry for help, a sister and brother head into a maze-like field, only to discover something very, very frightening lurks in the grass, hunting them.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherScribner
    Release dateOct 9, 2012
    ISBN9781476710822
    Author

    Stephen King

    Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Never Flinch (May 2025), the short story collection You Like It Darker (a New York Times Book Review top ten horror book of 2024), Holly (a New York Times Notable Book of 2023), Fairy Tale, Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, Doctor Sleep, and Firestarter are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. 

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    Reviews for In the Tall Grass

    3.5/5

    438 ratings35 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be a page-turner with a nice gruesome story and a good storyline. Some readers found it creepy but enjoyed it, while others felt it could have been longer. Overall, it is a fast read with well-written content. There were a few negative reviews, but they were unrelated to the book or contained hate speech. The majority of reviews were positive, making this a recommended read.

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      A short but sweet collaboration between Stephen King and his son Joe Hill, a Lovecraftian (an over- as well as misused word, but applicable here) short story about the travels, literally and figuratively, of a brother and sister on a cross-country trip. They end up traveling to a very strange country indeed.
    • 3/5
      Reminiscent of Children of The Corn and Scott Smith's novel The Ruins. Don't eat while reading this one.
    • 3/5
      Creepy and nasty little short story from the King clan. Well worth the read.
    • 4/5
      classic King style story, keeps you on the edge of your seat.
    • 4/5
      short and gruesome. a little gem
    • 3/5
      This story reminded me a lot of vintage Stephen King short stories like "Children of the Corn," except with the ick factor raised 1000% (perhaps that is Joe Hill's influence). The story is really too short to be a single, and would have been better placed in a collection. It is followed by very short previews of King's and Hill's forthcoming books. King's novel, a sequel to The Shining, seems blah, but the Hill book looks worthwhile.
    • 3/5
      Excellent! A good old-fashioned horror story, classic. It's short so you should read it, now.
    • 2/5
      Lacking in subtlety. The first half of this story is effectively atmospheric. The second half tries too hard to be The Walking Dead. All that gore ruined something that could have been much spookier if the authors weren't trying so hard to shock and appall their readers.
    • 3/5
      Something of a conventional King, replete with terrible stereotypes (the "latter-day hippies"), but gripping in how scary a sunny day and some tall grass can be. Also rather unsettling, in the typical horror scenario, in how it advises strongly against ever being "a good Samaritan." Still, I've liked some of King's other stuff, and I have to admit that I'm curious about the upcoming sequel to "The Shining," entitled "Doctor Sleep." There's a preview in this edition...
    • 3/5
      I've gotten out of the horror genre, but still enjoyed this short book. Could have done without the gore which seemed put in for shock value.
    • 5/5
      Wow, that was gruesome! Classic King! A brother and sister, driving across country, stop and hear a child calling for help from the tall grass. They go in and... well, that's when the "fun" starts! Creepy, terrifying, and disturbing, as only Stephen King, and son, can! Not for the faint of heart!
    • 5/5
      "In the Tall Grass" is one of the most disturbing tales I've ever read. This is the first Stephen King story, or Joe Hill story for that matter, that actually turned my stomach. The writing is vivid, filled with brutal simplicity that drives the horror home. I didn't feel all that attached to either Cal or Becky, but what Becky goes through in the later part of this short story would crush the heart of any parent. No, not just crush. Decimate.

      This is also the first collaboration of father and son where I was able to pinpoint which author wrote what sections. I've come to know Hill's work well enough that I can catch certain sentence structures he commonly uses. I couldn't imagine writing such a piece with my son or daughter, but these two pulled it off.

      "In the Tall Grass" garnered five stars simply for affecting me as much as it did. I will never forget this story.

      E.
    • 3/5
      When I read this novel I definitely expected more! What little content we were given was very well written packed with lots of details and I didn’t want to put the book down once... I just think it could be longer that’s all!
    • 2/5
      Boring and confusing. Sometimes I feel like just because the author is famous, anything he writes becomes acceptable
    • 4/5
      Supremely weird and creepy - this father son duo certainly know how to scare readers in a matter of no time at all. Even though this is a novella - it really packs a punch with it's unique and chilling vibes. When a brother and sister hear a child scream for help they immediately pull their car over and look to see where it's coming from. It's coming from this sea of grass but they can't determine where in the grass the kid is. They take off into the field and within no time they terrifyingly lost in the grass. How did they lose each other and where is that kid? Sublimely creepy.
    • 4/5
      The second father and son pairing of King and Hill (after Throttle) is, to me, a better story. More simple, more straightforward, and quite enjoyable. And the novella format seems to augment their pairings. Short enough to not be tedious, long enough to get solid characterization. And speaking of characters, it was absolutely surreal to listen to the audiobook and hear someone yelling "Tobin." Thanks, King and Hill, for putting me into a story, even if I was the little bastard that started all the shenanigans
    • 3/5
      Short story (audiobook checked out via my library) with a classic King horror vibe: A brother and sister are traveling across the country when they hear a child calling out for help just off of the road. Bad things happen, including child death.
    • 5/5
      the book was great I loved it, too bad it ended
    • 2/5
      Too much grass,not a very good story,typical foul adjectives from these two.
    • 3/5
      It was a nice gruesome story, I would recognize the writing style any day.
    • 4/5
      It was quite creepy, but it was quite quick and definitely a page turner. I enjoyed it.
    • 5/5
      Great show... It's always nice when the show is is good... I love the genre so I watch them all, so it's really nice when the show gets and keeps your interest.. great show from beginning to end.. you won't be disappointed watching this one
    • 4/5
      This is a novella, or a short story released as a single. It is heavy on horror and light on character development, as King sometimes is. Still, he is the master. In the beginning, he manages to make tall grass terrifying. Of course, in the end, the true terror is always other human beings.
    • 4/5
      What the fuckening fuck of all fuckening fuck fuckers???? Seriously? Omyggggaaaddddd.
    • 4/5
      This was my first audiobook I've ever listened to! I thought the narrator was great with his different voices for each character. The story was good and creepy (just what I expected with Mr. King and Mr. Hill). Basically a brother and sister are on their way to a new home and driving through Kansas and hear a boy's pleas for help in the tall grass. They set off to find the boy and get lost in the grass. This isn't your typical grass and it gets really weird and creepy. A must listen for any fan.
    • 5/5
      Read this book in one sitting!
    • 4/5
      I rated it 4 stars only because this book left me feeling sad and I'm quite tired of Mr. King doing this to me (I read "Mile 8" before this) :-). It's a pretty good book but some things were just so disturbing to me, although I should expect that. It's Stephen King for goodness sake. Reader, you won't be disappointed because it's a fast read and a good story line.
    • 3/5
      This is a novella by Stephen King and his son, Joe Hill. While I enjoyed the story, there seemed to be something missing. The end seemed to come abruptly and I was left hanging. At first I thought that part of the book was missing. Still, it's written in typical King style, taking a simple field of grass in Nowhere, Kansas, and turning it into something frightening.

      Brother and sister are heading west and stop in Kansas. From the weeds across the road they hear a child calling for help. They cross the road and enter the tall grass and the terror begins.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I enjoyed this short dose of horror and I hated to see it end. How I wish it were longer! King and Hill do a great job at drawing you in and making you hold your breath with anticipation. I was totally immersed while reading and pretty creeped out as well. I could almost see and smell the tall grass. There is gore and some nasty bits in here and this one is not for the faint of heart. Not a short story I will soon forget.

      I'm glad I read this one and I recommend it to fans of horror. It one of those stories where you are afraid to turn the page, but you just have to know what is coming next. This is by far, my favorite short story of 2012. These two need to write a full length novel.

      Also included at the end of In the Tall Grass are a few chapters of King and Hill's upcoming books.

      This review is my honest opinion. I purchased a copy of this book and did not receive any type of compensation for reading and reviewing it.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Becky and Cal are inseparable siblings. When Becky finds out she's pregnant, Cal is the most supportive member of their family. The two end up on a road trip that takes them by a field of tall grass out in the middle of nowhere. They happen to hear a lost young boy calling for help somewhere in the field, so they pull over. It's weird, though, because there's also a woman in the field, the boy's mother, and for some reason she keeps telling him to be quiet. By the time Cal and Becky realize there's something off about this situation, it's too late, they're already in the grass.

      I saw the trailer for the movie adaptation of this on Netflix and was intrigued. However, I also realize that I'm a huge wimp when it comes to horror movies and TV, so I decided to listen to the audiobook first (instead?).

      I loved the overall atmosphere. The setting was perfect - isolated, with iffy cellphone reception, and yet not obvious about its dangerous aspects. Incidentally, I hate driving through "middle of nowhere" places because I can easily imagine ending up stranded by a place like this field of grass. Although hopefully not exactly like this.

      In terms of horror main character intelligence, Becky was the smarter one of the two. If Cal hadn't been so impulsive, and if the two of them hadn't practically been joined at the hip, Becky might have managed to call 911 before they both got lost in the grass. Considering how things turned out, it's actually kind of painful to recall that, for a few seconds, her call did manage to go through.

      Anyway, my wimpy self enjoyed the first part of the story the most, the period of time when Cal and Becky first realized that they were lost and that finding their bearings might be impossible. The second half of the story was harder for me to get through, especially the last 30 or so minutes. Bad, gross things happened, and I particularly wanted to cry for Becky. I listened to most of this audiobook while I was at work, but I listened to the last bit at home, and that was probably for the best.

      My curiosity is now satisfied, but I think I'll pass on the movie adaptation. Although it sounds quite a bit different from the novella (yes, I read the detailed and spoiler-filled description on Wikipedia), it still has two of the moments from the original story that I think would be most difficult for me to watch. (Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)

    Book preview

    In the Tall Grass - Stephen King

    Cover: In the Tall Grass, by Stephen King and Joe Hill

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    In the Tall Grass, by Stephen King and Joe Hill, Scribner

    IN THE TALL GRASS

    He wanted quiet for a while instead of the radio, so you could say what happened was his fault. She wanted fresh air instead of the AC for a while, so you could say it was hers. But since they never would have heard the kid without both of those things, you’d really have to say it was a combination, which made it perfect Cal-and-Becky, because they had run in tandem all their lives. Cal and Becky DeMuth, born nineteen months apart. Their parents called them the Irish Twins.

    Becky picks up the phone and Cal says hello, Mr. DeMuth liked to say.

    Cal thinks party and Becky’s already written out the guest list, Mrs. DeMuth liked to say.

    Never a cross word between them, even when Becky, at the time a dorm-dwelling freshman, showed up at Cal’s off-campus apartment one day to announce she was pregnant. Cal took it well. Their folks? Not quite so sanguine.

    The off-campus apartment was in Durham, because Cal chose UNH. When Becky (at that point unpregnant, if not necessarily a virgin) made the same college choice two years later, you could have cut the lack of surprise and spread it on bread.

    At least he won’t have to come home every damn weekend to hang out with her, Mrs. DeMuth said.

    Maybe we’ll get some peace around here, Mr. DeMuth said. After twenty years, give or take, all that togetherness gets a little tiresome.

    Of course they didn’t do everything together, because Cal sure as hell wasn’t responsible for the bun in his sister’s oven. And it had been solely Becky’s idea to ask Uncle Jim and Aunt Anne if she could live with them for a while—just until the baby came. To the senior DeMuths, who were stunned and bemused by this turn of events, it seemed as reasonable a course as any. And when Cal suggested he also take the spring semester off so they could make the cross-country drive together, their folks didn’t put up much of a fuss. They even agreed that Cal could stay with Becky in San Diego until the baby was born. Calvin might be able to find a little job and chip in on expenses.

    Pregnant at nineteen, Mrs. DeMuth said.

    "You were pregnant at nineteen," Mr. DeMuth said.

    "Yes, but I was mar-ried," Mrs. DeMuth pointed out.

    And to a damned nice fellow, Mr. DeMuth felt compelled to add.

    Mrs. DeMuth sighed. Becky will pick the first name and Cal will pick the second.

    Or vicey-versa, Mr. DeMuth said—also with a sigh. (Sometimes married couples are also Irish Twins.)

    Becky’s mother took Becky out for lunch one day not long before the kids left for the West Coast. Are you sure you want to give the baby up for adoption? she asked. I know I don’t have a right to ask, I’m only your mother, but your father is curious.

    I haven’t entirely made up my mind, Becky said. Cal will help me decide.

    What about the father, dear?

    Becky looked surprised. Oh, he gets no say. He turned out to be a fool.

    Mrs. DeMuth sighed.

    •  •  •

    So there they were in Kansas, on a warm spring day in April, riding in an eight-year-old Mazda with New Hampshire plates and a ghost of New England road salt still splashed on the rusty rocker panels. Quiet instead of the radio, open windows instead of the AC. As a result, both of them heard the voice. It was faint but clear.

    "Help! Help! Somebody help me!"

    Brother and sister exchanged startled looks. Cal, currently behind the wheel, pulled over immediately. Sand rattled against the undercarriage.

    Before leaving Portsmouth they had decided they would steer clear of the turnpikes. Cal wanted to see the Kaskaskia Dragon in Vandalia, Illinois; Becky wanted to make her manners to the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, Kansas (both missions accomplished); the pair of them felt they needed to hit Roswell and see some groovy extraterrestrial shit. Now they were well south of the Twine Ball—which had been hairy, and fragrant, and altogether more impressive than either of them had anticipated—out on a leg of Route 400. It was a well-maintained stretch of two-lane blacktop that would take them the rest of the way across the flat serving platter of Kansas to the Colorado line. Ahead of them were miles of road with nary a car or truck in sight. Ditto behind.

    On their side of the highway there were a few houses, a boarded-up church called the Black Rock of the Redeemer (which Becky thought a queer name for a church, but this was Kansas), and a rotting Bowl-a-Drome that looked as if it might last have operated around the time the Trammps were committing pop-music arson by lighting a disco inferno. On the other side of 400 there was nothing but high green grass. It stretched all the way to a horizon that was both illimitable and unremarkable.

    Was that a— Becky began. She was wearing a light coat unzipped over a midsection that was just beginning to bulge; she was well along into her sixth month.

    He raised a hand without looking at her. He was looking at the grass. "Sh. Listen!"

    They heard faint music coming from one of the

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