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Uncle Otto's Truck
Quentins oude oom Otto is in zijn jonge jaren rijk geworden van de houthandel, heeft in de jaren zestig zijn compagnon vermoord. Hij heeft hun oude kapotte truck van zijn blokken te laten schuiven, boven op die compagnon. Sindsdien lijkt oom Otto gek: hij weet zeker dat de truck wraak komt nemen...
27 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1983
About the author
Stephen King
2,138 books902k followersStephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 15, 2021
Two Castle Rock businessmen are getting very wealthy in the post-depression era, buying a huge piece of land. One of them dies when he gets crushed beneath his derelict truck. The other becomes obsessed with the truck and thinks that it is out to kill him. Or has Uncle Otto gone crazy and murdered his partner?
Had its moments.
Up next in my quest to read all the stories in the Castle Rock Cycle: Mrs. Todd's Shortcut
Had its moments.
Up next in my quest to read all the stories in the Castle Rock Cycle: Mrs. Todd's Shortcut
September 16, 2026
First published in 1983, "Uncle Otto's Truck" is a part of the "Skeleton Crew" collection.
In this Castle Rock episode we follow the tale of one Quentin Schenck who tells a story about his family, more specifically about his father's uncle Otto. Being the eldest, Otto inherited the family fortune and managed to increase it even the Depression thanks to his shrewdness and help of his partner McCutcheon. Their business flourished and after WW2 they had a really respectable company. However, an accident occurs and both partners end up in a ditch when Otto loses control of McCutcheon's truck being 'shithouse drunk' in 1953. They both survive, but McCutcheon experiences some kind of a revelation and decides to build a house and settle right there where the truck had landed...Two years later he ends up dead being hit by his own (wrecked) truck which had no wheels anymore...Uncle Otto inherits McCutcheon's stake in the company, as well as his truck which becomes something of a tourist sensation on the road.
Quentin, however, ever since he was 5 has an ominous feeling about the truck...and as the time goes on uncle Otto becomes weirder living like a hermit right across the truck. We follow the tale to its (unexpected) conclusion.
I liked the premise of the story, even though it felt already used (and abused) many a time, and not only by King.
It's not particularly scary tale, not too suspenseful either. Usually, King's stories tend to bloat (as he remarks himself), but this one could have been a bit longer, for a change. We could have used some more tension, dread and fright...
Overall, it is quite a decent story.
In this Castle Rock episode we follow the tale of one Quentin Schenck who tells a story about his family, more specifically about his father's uncle Otto. Being the eldest, Otto inherited the family fortune and managed to increase it even the Depression thanks to his shrewdness and help of his partner McCutcheon. Their business flourished and after WW2 they had a really respectable company. However, an accident occurs and both partners end up in a ditch when Otto loses control of McCutcheon's truck being 'shithouse drunk' in 1953. They both survive, but McCutcheon experiences some kind of a revelation and decides to build a house and settle right there where the truck had landed...Two years later he ends up dead being hit by his own (wrecked) truck which had no wheels anymore...Uncle Otto inherits McCutcheon's stake in the company, as well as his truck which becomes something of a tourist sensation on the road.
Quentin, however, ever since he was 5 has an ominous feeling about the truck...and as the time goes on uncle Otto becomes weirder living like a hermit right across the truck. We follow the tale to its (unexpected) conclusion.
I liked the premise of the story, even though it felt already used (and abused) many a time, and not only by King.
It's not particularly scary tale, not too suspenseful either. Usually, King's stories tend to bloat (as he remarks himself), but this one could have been a bit longer, for a change. We could have used some more tension, dread and fright...
Overall, it is quite a decent story.
January 20, 2025
Stephen King has a storied reputation for crafting tales that blend the mundane with the macabre, often delivering stories that haunt you long after the last page is turned. However, "Uncle Otto's Truck" feels like a flat tire on the otherwise well-traveled road of King's prolific career.
Set in the familiar small-town backdrop that King excels in, "Uncle Otto's Truck" starts with a seemingly intriguing premise: a cursed vehicle that exacts revenge on those who wronged its owner. The idea has potential, but King's execution here feels more like a rough draft than a polished narrative.
The characters lack the depth we've come to expect from King. Otto, the titular uncle, and the other figures in this story are painted with broad, unsubtle strokes, making it hard to invest in their fates. They are caricatures rather than characters, with motivations that seem forced to fit the plot rather than organically developed.
The plot itself is predictable, lacking the twists and turns that King usually masterfully orchestrates. The horror element, which should be the story's backbone, is underwhelming. Instead of building suspense or delving into psychological terror, the narrative feels rushed, with the supernatural elements more of an afterthought than a central, chilling force.
King's writing, typically so vivid and engaging, here seems lazy. The prose lacks the descriptive richness and emotional resonance that fans cherish. Descriptions of setting and action are perfunctory, making the world feel less immersive than King's Castle Rock or Derry.
Moreover, the theme of revenge or justice, which could have been explored with depth, comes off as simplistic and somewhat juvenile. The moral implications of a vehicle taking revenge are glossed over for the sake of shock value, missing an opportunity for a more nuanced discussion.
In summary, "Uncle Otto's Truck" is a rare misfire from Stephen King. It feels like a story he might have penned in his sleep - lacking the terror, complexity, and character development that define his best work. For those looking for a new King tale to get lost in, this book is a disappointing detour. Longtime fans might find it a quick read, but it's one that's quickly forgettable, leaving readers wishing King had left this particular truck in the garage.
Set in the familiar small-town backdrop that King excels in, "Uncle Otto's Truck" starts with a seemingly intriguing premise: a cursed vehicle that exacts revenge on those who wronged its owner. The idea has potential, but King's execution here feels more like a rough draft than a polished narrative.
The characters lack the depth we've come to expect from King. Otto, the titular uncle, and the other figures in this story are painted with broad, unsubtle strokes, making it hard to invest in their fates. They are caricatures rather than characters, with motivations that seem forced to fit the plot rather than organically developed.
The plot itself is predictable, lacking the twists and turns that King usually masterfully orchestrates. The horror element, which should be the story's backbone, is underwhelming. Instead of building suspense or delving into psychological terror, the narrative feels rushed, with the supernatural elements more of an afterthought than a central, chilling force.
King's writing, typically so vivid and engaging, here seems lazy. The prose lacks the descriptive richness and emotional resonance that fans cherish. Descriptions of setting and action are perfunctory, making the world feel less immersive than King's Castle Rock or Derry.
Moreover, the theme of revenge or justice, which could have been explored with depth, comes off as simplistic and somewhat juvenile. The moral implications of a vehicle taking revenge are glossed over for the sake of shock value, missing an opportunity for a more nuanced discussion.
In summary, "Uncle Otto's Truck" is a rare misfire from Stephen King. It feels like a story he might have penned in his sleep - lacking the terror, complexity, and character development that define his best work. For those looking for a new King tale to get lost in, this book is a disappointing detour. Longtime fans might find it a quick read, but it's one that's quickly forgettable, leaving readers wishing King had left this particular truck in the garage.
October 28, 2019
2.5 stars rounded up to three.
Christine lite? Nah, not quite...
I better watch it, I'm slipping into verse.
Anyway, as with most of the stories in Skelly Crew, this wasn't a time waster, but it wasn't anything great either. I had a little trouble following this because the timeline jumped around a lot. That might be more my own failing since my short-term memory sucks like a... you know, my old standby quip from years ago was tasteless even back when I was much younger, but now it's just downright sick since I'm 40. But it's still such a fun line. What to do, what to do?... I know, I'll spoiler tag it so as to be covertly offensive instead of overtly offensive. . And speaking of my memory, it seems the short-term isn't the only one that's suffering here. The original bon mot was . Oh well.
To get back to my main point, my short-term memory isn't what it used to be, and I had trouble keeping the chronology of events straight. He'd be talking about 1933, then 1955, then 1953, then 1981, then 1979, then 1955 again, then 1972... Okay, maybe the memory isn't as bad as I thought because I'm certain all those years were mentioned, and I don't have to look back at the story to know it. Though they probably didn't go in that order, but still... selective memory. That's what it must be. Regardless, he'd be in one year, then mention an event, and I'd get confused thinking that had already happened, or happened in a different year than the one mentioned. Then he'd state "what happened in 1955," and I was all "okay, what was it that happened then again?" It was like trying to study for a damn history test. Plus, I read it in fits and starts because, you know, life...
...and reading something a page here, a couple pages there, is not conducive to good retention. So, if you don't have memory problems and can commit to the whole thing in one sitting, you probably won't have that hang-up. It shouldn't take long since it's only 16 pages... another thing I remember without having to look it up... My brain is so weird.
Oh, we also go back to Castle Rock, ME again, but I don't think any of the characters in this cross over into King's other works. But every work that takes place in the Rock enriches it for me, and I love getting a better feel for the community and the area's history.
Christine lite? Nah, not quite...
I better watch it, I'm slipping into verse.
Anyway, as with most of the stories in Skelly Crew, this wasn't a time waster, but it wasn't anything great either. I had a little trouble following this because the timeline jumped around a lot. That might be more my own failing since my short-term memory sucks like a... you know, my old standby quip from years ago was tasteless even back when I was much younger, but now it's just downright sick since I'm 40. But it's still such a fun line. What to do, what to do?... I know, I'll spoiler tag it so as to be covertly offensive instead of overtly offensive. . And speaking of my memory, it seems the short-term isn't the only one that's suffering here. The original bon mot was . Oh well.
To get back to my main point, my short-term memory isn't what it used to be, and I had trouble keeping the chronology of events straight. He'd be talking about 1933, then 1955, then 1953, then 1981, then 1979, then 1955 again, then 1972... Okay, maybe the memory isn't as bad as I thought because I'm certain all those years were mentioned, and I don't have to look back at the story to know it. Though they probably didn't go in that order, but still... selective memory. That's what it must be. Regardless, he'd be in one year, then mention an event, and I'd get confused thinking that had already happened, or happened in a different year than the one mentioned. Then he'd state "what happened in 1955," and I was all "okay, what was it that happened then again?" It was like trying to study for a damn history test. Plus, I read it in fits and starts because, you know, life...
...and reading something a page here, a couple pages there, is not conducive to good retention. So, if you don't have memory problems and can commit to the whole thing in one sitting, you probably won't have that hang-up. It shouldn't take long since it's only 16 pages... another thing I remember without having to look it up... My brain is so weird.
Oh, we also go back to Castle Rock, ME again, but I don't think any of the characters in this cross over into King's other works. But every work that takes place in the Rock enriches it for me, and I love getting a better feel for the community and the area's history.
May 29, 2018
Obsession or apparition? This duality sometimes defies the sanity and the healthy consciousness. And how difficult is it for an individual to prove to society that he is not crazy, that what he sees is incredibly real and it just challenges the status quo?
This is a story of psychological terror. Something that resembles the tales of Ambrose Bierce and some narratives of Charlotte Perkins Gilman. A story that points to our cognitive processes and memory, where a simple childish fear can become a cruel reality.
This is a story of psychological terror. Something that resembles the tales of Ambrose Bierce and some narratives of Charlotte Perkins Gilman. A story that points to our cognitive processes and memory, where a simple childish fear can become a cruel reality.
July 28, 2021
3.5 stars
August 3, 2021
Goed opgebouwd en spannend verhaal van King. Leuk voor tussendoor. Deed me denken aan Christine. Boontje komt om zijn loontje.
July 19, 2023
4.75*
From Skeleton Crew
From Skeleton Crew
February 13, 2025
Not bad, I’m somewhere between a 3 and a 4 and most people rate it a 4 star so I’m gonna stand out. The ending was the best part!
February 2, 2024
4 ⭐️- 3 for most of the story and 5 for the very, very end.
There’s a lot of page space given to setting this story up. King does one of the things he does best: give us a lot of details and make us feel something for the characters. Some people may say the beginning and middle of the story are boring-and I’m not sure they’re wrong about that. This story comes full circle with its ending, which is incredible. But! You have to make it thru the rest of the story to get the big payoff.
I was hoping this one would be a little more like Christine, where an inanimate object becomes a murderous villain. We kind of get that, but not enough to really satisfy me. My favorite of King’s stories are where cars or laundry machines or lawn mowers or transfer trucks come to life and terrorize people. This one didn’t really get that far. But a good story nonetheless.
Included in the Skeleton Crew collection.
There’s a lot of page space given to setting this story up. King does one of the things he does best: give us a lot of details and make us feel something for the characters. Some people may say the beginning and middle of the story are boring-and I’m not sure they’re wrong about that. This story comes full circle with its ending, which is incredible. But! You have to make it thru the rest of the story to get the big payoff.
I was hoping this one would be a little more like Christine, where an inanimate object becomes a murderous villain. We kind of get that, but not enough to really satisfy me. My favorite of King’s stories are where cars or laundry machines or lawn mowers or transfer trucks come to life and terrorize people. This one didn’t really get that far. But a good story nonetheless.
Included in the Skeleton Crew collection.
July 11, 2020
Another great horror short story! I can only describe it as a big old truck with the personality of Christine. It would make a fun movie!
January 3, 2022
Fun short. Worth the read.
July 22, 2024
Creepy and to the point. Nice campfire story
December 12, 2025
Stephen King’s Uncle Otto’s Truck is a chilling parable about guilt that refuses to stay buried. The story follows Uncle Otto, who betrays his business partner and then becomes obsessed with the truck they once shared. What begins as a simple machine parked in the woods transforms into a silent witness, a constant reminder of Otto’s crime. King builds dread not through gore or spectacle but through repetition and silence—the truck never moves, yet its immobility becomes oppressive, a mechanical embodiment of guilt that immobilizes Otto’s life as well.
Symbolically, the truck represents the weight of unresolved betrayal and the inevitability of moral reckoning. Otto’s isolation mirrors the collapse of social safeguards when guilt erodes trust, and the narrator’s detached account functions like audit-friendly documentation of his decline. In this way, King turns ordinary industrial imagery into a supernatural punishment, showing how guilt can become a machine that grinds down the human spirit. The story resonates as a memento mori, reminding us that death is not the only end—sometimes it is the refusal to reconcile that truly destroys.
Symbolically, the truck represents the weight of unresolved betrayal and the inevitability of moral reckoning. Otto’s isolation mirrors the collapse of social safeguards when guilt erodes trust, and the narrator’s detached account functions like audit-friendly documentation of his decline. In this way, King turns ordinary industrial imagery into a supernatural punishment, showing how guilt can become a machine that grinds down the human spirit. The story resonates as a memento mori, reminding us that death is not the only end—sometimes it is the refusal to reconcile that truly destroys.
December 31, 2025
OH MY GOD, I JUST FINISHED UNCLE OTTO’S TRUCK AND HONESTLY... IT WAS A TOTAL DRAG! 2.5 STARS BECAUSE IT WAS JUST TOO BORING TO BE SCARY! 🚛🏚️📉 I was literally screaming for the truck to just do something already—I cannot believe I spent that much time waiting for a vehicle to move!
The idea of a haunted truck slowly "creeping" closer to a house over the years sounds like it could be peak spooky, but in reality, it was just a lot of watching a stationary object! 😭🛑 I was clutching my head because the pacing was so slow it felt like I was watching paint dry on a rusty fender. Even when the "payoff" finally happens with the oil and the spark plugs, I was already so bored that I just didn't care! It’s a 2.5 because the vibe of the abandoned truck in the field was immaculate and creepy, but the story had zero gas in the tank! ⛽💤
I am literally shifting gears and leaving this story in the rearview mirror! If you want to see if you have the patience to watch a truck "walk" across a field, you can find it in the Skeleton Crew collection at Simon & Schuster or Amazon, but honestly, just keep on driving! BEWARE THE RUST! ✨🚛🏚️📉🚫
The idea of a haunted truck slowly "creeping" closer to a house over the years sounds like it could be peak spooky, but in reality, it was just a lot of watching a stationary object! 😭🛑 I was clutching my head because the pacing was so slow it felt like I was watching paint dry on a rusty fender. Even when the "payoff" finally happens with the oil and the spark plugs, I was already so bored that I just didn't care! It’s a 2.5 because the vibe of the abandoned truck in the field was immaculate and creepy, but the story had zero gas in the tank! ⛽💤
I am literally shifting gears and leaving this story in the rearview mirror! If you want to see if you have the patience to watch a truck "walk" across a field, you can find it in the Skeleton Crew collection at Simon & Schuster or Amazon, but honestly, just keep on driving! BEWARE THE RUST! ✨🚛🏚️📉🚫
February 25, 2021
What is with King and killer cars? I mean, other than the fact King was almost killed by a car that one time…but yet, some of his car murderer stories are pre-crash. Uncle Otto’s Truck is about an abandoned truck owned by Otto Schenck and George McCutcheon. Early on, Otto murders George with the vehicle and makes it look like an accident, but after that the car seems intent on revenge. Otto insists that the car is creeping imperceptibly closer to him and intends on killing him. He refuses to go outside and begins to lose his sanity. The story ends with Otto being found dead, body full of oil and a spark plug jammed down his throat.
King’s pacing and suspense is spot-on. The fact that he can make this premise compelling is a testament to the fact that when King is on, he’s really on. But why waste being on with this? I’ve no idea.
King’s pacing and suspense is spot-on. The fact that he can make this premise compelling is a testament to the fact that when King is on, he’s really on. But why waste being on with this? I’ve no idea.
January 5, 2026
Uncle Otto lives opposite the truck that killed his late business partner and swears it’s coming for him next - or is it guilt talking?
This story has a slow build, blending sane ‘facts’ about the characters with Uncle Otto’s madness to keep the question of the truck’s intentions - or not - in the air. The ending switches up without tonal whiplash owing to its opening; the story feels like the nephew grappling with the shock of what he’s witnessed in a sensible, relatable way.
This story pulls together King’s pacing and trick of describing characters by the circumstances around them - especially small town gossip - to make a story that is chilling and well-finished. 4.5/5, rounded up to 5 on relevant platforms.
This story has a slow build, blending sane ‘facts’ about the characters with Uncle Otto’s madness to keep the question of the truck’s intentions - or not - in the air. The ending switches up without tonal whiplash owing to its opening; the story feels like the nephew grappling with the shock of what he’s witnessed in a sensible, relatable way.
This story pulls together King’s pacing and trick of describing characters by the circumstances around them - especially small town gossip - to make a story that is chilling and well-finished. 4.5/5, rounded up to 5 on relevant platforms.
April 29, 2025
3.7 rounded up 4 ......
I like that king takes time with setting his stories even if it's a short one and he's one of those writers who makes predictable stories enjoyable.
Wish we got more of this truck, it's character and action but from the description of events throughout the decades I realised maybe that was not king intended to do.... it's like more about truck, it's owners and town's history, their inter-relationship and impact on eachother than only about the truck and it's sinister quality.
I like that king takes time with setting his stories even if it's a short one and he's one of those writers who makes predictable stories enjoyable.
Wish we got more of this truck, it's character and action but from the description of events throughout the decades I realised maybe that was not king intended to do.... it's like more about truck, it's owners and town's history, their inter-relationship and impact on eachother than only about the truck and it's sinister quality.
December 22, 2025
Uncle Otto is a loony who found great success after killing his business partner over a landowner dispute. The truck that Otto used to crush his partner to death still lurks outside of his house in Castle Rock Maine, staring menacingly through his window, almost as if it could spark up back to life and get revenge by charging right through his home.
A good story with a dark yet oddly funny ending. A truck getting revenge is funny on its own, but the way the haunted vehicle goes about exacting it is... interesting.
A good story with a dark yet oddly funny ending. A truck getting revenge is funny on its own, but the way the haunted vehicle goes about exacting it is... interesting.
April 18, 2020
An abandoned truck owned by Otto Schenck and George McCutcheon, wealthy Castle Rock businessmen in the post-depression era. Otto who was responsible for the murder of George has become obsessed with his truck. His nephew known of the truck too. It's that truck which act abnormally as his uncle Otto’s say. But the story didn't end here but by making a final fate of his uncle Otto later...
July 17, 2026
Un cuento entretenido con una premisa interesante y una buena atmósfera de tensión. Me gustó la forma en que mezcla la culpa con el elemento sobrenatural, manteniendo el interés hasta el final. No llegó a convertirse en uno de mis favoritos de la colección, pero igualmente me pareció un muy buen relato.
October 10, 2023
Good story - I especially liked that there are a lot of phrases that King uses in other stories that seem to be very specific to him like "sh**house rat" & references to a poem about the one hoss shay.
March 4, 2025
Reads like a piece of small town folklore, and the magic of King is that he makes the reader feel like someone who just moved into said small town.
The story’s final moments are positively chilling.
The story’s final moments are positively chilling.
October 23, 2025
Hmm, I don't really understand the hype around it. It has a Lovecraftian feel to it because of the structure of the story, but overall it's predictable and doesn't have any interesting characters.
Also, what's the deal with King and killer cars?
Also, what's the deal with King and killer cars?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2018
atrapante historia con un final que eriza los pelos, gran obra
February 12, 2019
Actually quite funny
June 7, 2020
A short story in Memoir Fiction format, about a man who starts to lose his marbles. Later it is hinted that he murdered his partner, and the cause of his lunacy is somewhat supernatural.
September 14, 2021
King really loves haunted cars and crazy people. This one was just so-so for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews