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Jerusalem's Lot
It is 1850, and Charles Boone has taken up residence in his family’s dilapidated mansion. Prompted by the inexplicable shunning he receives from the local village and the mysterious sounds coming from the mansion’s walls, Boone and his manservant Calvin McCann begin to investigate the Boone family history and a dark secret that lies buried beneath the ghost town Jerusalem’s Lot.
230 pages, ebook
First published November 1, 2000
48 people are currently reading
5233 people want to read
About the author
Stephen King
2,574 books886k 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 274 reviews
December 31, 2017
Excellent vampire story by the master. A short story in the book Nightshift I recall. Later became Salem's Lot. The original TV series back in the 1970's was fantastic. Much better than all the remakes. David Soul, James Mason and Jeffrey Lewis if I remember. Scary as hell. The lad floating outside in the moonlight tapping on the bedroom window calling to his friend to invite him in was so scary when I was a child. Also Jeffrey Lewis when he turns into a vampire is really scary too. Nightshift is a good book.🐯👍
February 6, 2017
I loved this short story!! A man's quick descent into darkness after he moves into his family's estate. The idea of moving into a sprawling, haunted mansion is terrifying enough but then the idea that there is this abandoned township on your property is like NO THANK YOU.
The scene where Calvin and the main guy, I don't remember his name, go to the town and into the church was so expertly written and horrifying! Stephen King described all the demonic details perfectly!!! From the sick painting and the upside down cross, I was screaming in my mind for the men to run away!
The story is written in letters in journals which I enjoy--like Dracula. The ending is wonderful. I finished with a devious smile on my face.
The scene where Calvin and the main guy, I don't remember his name, go to the town and into the church was so expertly written and horrifying! Stephen King described all the demonic details perfectly!!! From the sick painting and the upside down cross, I was screaming in my mind for the men to run away!
The story is written in letters in journals which I enjoy--like Dracula. The ending is wonderful. I finished with a devious smile on my face.
June 10, 2019
A short story by Stephen King.
This is a classic gothic horror story by the master of gothic horror.
It may be short on pages but it’s not short on content.
How do some writers manage to get so much atmosphere and tension into so few pages? It’s beyond me. I have enough trouble writing boring reviews.
The one thing that this review and the story above have in common is that they are both short and that’s all folks.
What could be better than a short story by Stephen King when you have a spare hour to fill?
Short but oh so sweet, not sure sweet is the right word but none the less a good read.
4 stars.
This is a classic gothic horror story by the master of gothic horror.
It may be short on pages but it’s not short on content.
How do some writers manage to get so much atmosphere and tension into so few pages? It’s beyond me. I have enough trouble writing boring reviews.
The one thing that this review and the story above have in common is that they are both short and that’s all folks.
What could be better than a short story by Stephen King when you have a spare hour to fill?
Short but oh so sweet, not sure sweet is the right word but none the less a good read.
4 stars.
November 12, 2022
DEAR BONES,
Such a book this is.
An epic short story from the grand master.
If you want claustrophobic, atmospheric and menacing Lovecraftian horror, then this will be your thing. A story you're not likely to forget in a hurry.
Such a book this is.
An epic short story from the grand master.
If you want claustrophobic, atmospheric and menacing Lovecraftian horror, then this will be your thing. A story you're not likely to forget in a hurry.
November 7, 2024
Une short story de Stephen King vraiment très agréable à lire ! C'est gothique, mystique, mystérieux, effrayant, tous les ingrédients d'une bonne histoire !
C'est d'avoir vu la série Chapelwait avec Adrian Brody qui m'a donné envie de découvrir cette histoire. La série m'avait bien plu, le texte qui l'a inspiré m'a encore plus plu ! Et je suis ravie d'avoir trouvé ce court texte dans mon édition de Salem 😜
C'est d'avoir vu la série Chapelwait avec Adrian Brody qui m'a donné envie de découvrir cette histoire. La série m'avait bien plu, le texte qui l'a inspiré m'a encore plus plu ! Et je suis ravie d'avoir trouvé ce court texte dans mon édition de Salem 😜
October 9, 2019
Actual rating is 3.5 stars.
This is a short story that is related to the novel Salem's Lot. This takes place during the nineteenth century and tells the story of Boone inheriting a mansion that is reputed to be a "bad house". This house is also adjacent to a small town that has been abandoned.
This story is told in a series of messages that Boone sends to a friend. I enjoyed this format as we get to see Boone discover the truth behind his mansion's reputation. The strength of this story is the mood. Even though this is a short story, King does an admirable job with the mood and making it tense. I also liked how the parcel of land that will eventually become Salem's Lot is host to a different kind of evil that we learn about in the novel. Some places just have bad vibes and mojo.
I liked this short story for the mood and atmosphere. It was a quick read. It was tense just like the novel that it is associated with. It was a different kind of evil but still one that gripped me with its story.
This is a short story that is related to the novel Salem's Lot. This takes place during the nineteenth century and tells the story of Boone inheriting a mansion that is reputed to be a "bad house". This house is also adjacent to a small town that has been abandoned.
This story is told in a series of messages that Boone sends to a friend. I enjoyed this format as we get to see Boone discover the truth behind his mansion's reputation. The strength of this story is the mood. Even though this is a short story, King does an admirable job with the mood and making it tense. I also liked how the parcel of land that will eventually become Salem's Lot is host to a different kind of evil that we learn about in the novel. Some places just have bad vibes and mojo.
I liked this short story for the mood and atmosphere. It was a quick read. It was tense just like the novel that it is associated with. It was a different kind of evil but still one that gripped me with its story.
December 4, 2014
But a shadow had touched my heart, and I was afraid as I had never been. I have walked beneath death's umbrella and thought there was none darker. But there is. There is.
This short story is from King's Night Shift collection which was, I think, the second work I ever read by the master of horror.I think I read it in about 8th grade or so. If memory serves me correctly, I believe I read it because it contained the short story "Children of the Corn" which was, at the time, one of the scariest movies my little thirteen year old self had ever seen and was one of my first introductions to the horror genre. Some of the stories in that collection (The Ledge, The Boogeyman) have stuck with me, and others (like Jerusalem's Lot) I barely remember reading.
So, after I finished King's 'Salem's Lot, I vaguely remembered that this story existed, but remembered next to nothing else about it, and thought a quick re-read was in order to see if any connections to the larger work could be made. And once I began reading, I realized why my thirteen year old self remembered nothing about it. Because it is a little bit more appropriate for the more mature reader with a taste for tighter and higher horror stories than Children of the Corn. The whole thing is written as a series of letters from a man named Charles Boone to his enigmatic friend, known only to the reader as BONES, in the 1850s. Thrown in are a few journal entries from Boone's friend?/servant? named Calvin who follows Boone on the crazy adventures told herein.
Charles and Calvin have moved to a huge mansion on the hill that was owned by Charles' family (who all seem to have met unexpected and grisly ends) that peers over the community and a town known as Jerusalem's Lot. From the very beginning I was thrown into the plot as I started to imagine this story as an eerie prequel to the great classic vampire story I had just read and that maybe Boone and Calvin were going to be some kind of human beginning for Barlow and Straker and they were living in an 1850s version of The Marsten House. I quickly realized though that this wasn't the case, and really, the only thing this story shares with the novel is the town of Jerusalem's Lot. Sorry, guys. No vamps here.
But that's ok. I made the discovery and readjusted accordingly. And I'm really glad I did because this story is awesome. Charles and Calvin begin to hear creepy things going on in the basement and behind the walls, and apparitions of the house's former inhabitants begin to appear, making the two men curious. They do some research and talk to some of the locals and discover that Jerusalem's Lot has been a ghost town for sixty years ever since the entire town disappeared without a trace. Charles discovers some old journals and an old map that leads the two men to head to Jerusalm's Lot to investigate. What ensues is a totally creeptastic adventure of Lovecraftian proportions.
Even though I was slightly disappointed that this story doesn't share that much in common with Salem's Lot, the elements of this one, I believe, are better executed. This story has everything I love about this genre. It is definitely a throwback to the classic works of H.P. Lovecraft and even Mary Shelley, and is very reminiscent of the old black and white horror movies starring Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, heck even Orson Welles. This story blends the best of old creature horror, creepy religious cults, satanic old preachers, haunted houses, ghost towns. The tone and atmosphere sucked me in and kept me glued to every page.
The town became a settled community built around the church where Boon preached--or held court. My grandfather intimates that he also held commerce with any number of ladies from the town, assuring them that this was God's way and will. As a result, the town became an anomaly which could only have existed in those isolated and queer days when belief in witches and the Virgin Birth existed hand in hand: an interbred, rather degenerate religious village controlled by a half-mad preacher whose twin gospels were the Bible and de Goudge's sinister Demon Dwellings; a community in which the rites of exorcism were held regularly; a community of incest and the insanity and physical defects which so often accompany that sin.
I love incest-laced religous fervor. Add to that some satanic ritual books, a haunted crumbling estate, an awesome underworld creature, and the constant threat of madness, and you've got a story right down my alley. Plus, its a short little thing. Go read it, for crying out loud!
June 1, 2022
Este relato fue traducido como Los misterios del gusano, y se encuentra en la antología El umbral de la noche la cual ya leí, sin embargo, aproveché para volver a leer este relato debido a que HBO max incluyó en su catálogo la adaptación de este llamada Chapelwaite, es una mini-serie de 10 capítulos, y quería tener fresca la historia original para encontrar las diferencias.
Este sin duda es mi relato favorito de King, me encanta la ambientación, y la manera en que los personajes van decayendo de a poco en el horror y la locura, sin duda es un relato que leo y no puedo soltarlo. Lo leeré cada vez que pueda, es maravilloso.
Por ahora veré la mini-serie a ver qué tal está. Saludos y buenas lecturas.
Este sin duda es mi relato favorito de King, me encanta la ambientación, y la manera en que los personajes van decayendo de a poco en el horror y la locura, sin duda es un relato que leo y no puedo soltarlo. Lo leeré cada vez que pueda, es maravilloso.
Por ahora veré la mini-serie a ver qué tal está. Saludos y buenas lecturas.
September 9, 2022
3.75 ⭐
January 7, 2017
Well, it looks like we're all here. We've come into the new year just fine, haven't we? This is my first review since the start of 2017. I am happy to be around, still; I hope you are too.
I've begun a new reading project! Well, I'm actually adding to an old one: in addition to continuing my reread of Stephen King's novels and novella collections in chronological order (and I really hope to get my behind in gear on that; I've only reached The Dark Half after doing this for two years!), I am now going to reread and review one King short story per week. That's why my reading goal is so ungodly: 100 novels (which in itself might be impossible for me—who knows?) and 52 short stories. The plan is to make it through Night Shift in twenty weeks and move on from there. I'm still not sure if I'm going to spend time on Skeleton Crew or not; I did, in fact, review it just a few months ago. However, that review was a broad look at the collection as a whole and did not consider the individual stories as just that—individual stories—in any meaningful way. So, I'm leaning toward covering it.
As I said, this is a reread of the short stories; no "The Mist" or "N." or "Blockade Billy" will be considered. Sorry, sports fans. I gotsa keep it fair. I'm also not including the nonfiction or poetry pieces, either; you people do not want me to review those. Trust me. I'll go back and review the fictional novellas when I finish this project, which will probably be in mid-2019 or thereabouts. Oh, boy. That almost turned my hair white. At least Trump's first (and, if there's a God, only) term in office will almost be up. There's that. And, in the meantime, I'll still be reviewing King's novels when I'm not reviewing fiction by other authors. Can you now tell why I made my reading goal so excessive? Here's to hoping I get through the SK's '90s output this year. It's doable. It's my favorite decade as far as his writing goes, and I just can't wait to talk about it. I'm chomping at the bit to finally reach Needful Things.
As far as King's short stories go, "Jerusalem's Lot" is not one of my favorites, and I feel like I'm in the minority on that one. I'm intrigued by the town of 'Salem's Lot as anyone, and it always brings a smile to my face when King references it in his work. I just can't totally get into this one, which drives me a little crazy. It seems so highly regarded by my fellow Constant Readers, and I can't get past the pretentiousness of it all.
The story is about a man named Charles Boone and his friend, Calvin, taking up residence in Chapelwaite, a sprawling, gothic mansion just two miles away from the township of Jerusalem's Lot. Said house has been in Boone's family for generations, and Charles has inherited the old place; he has moved in and becomes intrigued by the history of the local area. The house and the town are the stuff of folklore: they have evil reputations, both of 'em. Is Chapelwaite the infamous Marsten House, as seen in 'Salem's Lot? I'm going to say yes, though it is not made entirely clear within this story. And if it isn't, I'm going to pretend it is anyway.
This tale is written in epistolary fashion, and it is in that that my dislike lies. "Jerusalem's Lot" is set in 1850, and King tries his damn best to make the letters seen here come off as authentic for the age as possible. For me, it reeks of insincerity. King's writing style is simply too modern; he's trying to cover the setting with dust and grime; it is painfully apparent that he wants this story to read like something straight out of the Victorian Age. In short, it's like he wanted to write his own Dracula — he even went so far as to make this an epistolary story, just like Stoker's most well-known novel —but didn't yet have the tools to do so successfully. Keep in mind this story was written when King was still a very young author. Growing pains are on display here.
I do like the fact that a good deal of history of Jerusalem's Lot is given. In this story the reader learns the town was under siege by supernatural entities centuries before the events of 'Salem's Lot. I just wish the clunky writing didn't get in the way.
Before going, I must note this: King has touched on Lovecraftian themes several times in his career; "Jerusalem's Lot" is his first story to include said themes. "The Rats In the Walls" is an obvious inspiration. This story, I think, paved the way for later stories and novels such as "Crouch End," "The Mist," Revival, and "N." From a purely historical standpoint, that is pretty neat: the first entry in the first Stephen King short story collection introduces many themes and ideas that would become so prevalent in his later, more mature works.
King Connections
Obvious connections to 'Salem's Lot are obvious.
Charles Boone's uncle, Philip, who was thought mad by his neighbors, uses and studies De Vermis Mysteriis, a book described by one character as "a profane Bible writ in the old tongues — Latin, Druidic, others. A hell-book." As I mentioned before, "Jerusalem's Lot" introduces Lovecraftian themes King would come back to again and again; De Vermis Mysteriis, a fictional grimoire written by Robert Bloch and incorporated by H.P. Lovecraft into the Cthulhu Mythos, is also studied by Charles Jacobs in 2014's Revival. Jacobs, like Philip Boone, gets himself entangled with a realm beyond his understanding; the overabundance of knowledge is his damnation. The prominence of De Vermis Mysteriis connects "Jerusalem's Lot" and Revival with each other and to the Cthulhu Mythos in a firm way.
Favorite Quote
"Nothing seemed to live or move in all of this but ourselves. We saw no insects, no birds, not even a cobweb fashioned in a window corner. Only dust."
Up Next
Next week we will be looking at "Graveyard Shift," one of King's earliest short stories.
I've begun a new reading project! Well, I'm actually adding to an old one: in addition to continuing my reread of Stephen King's novels and novella collections in chronological order (and I really hope to get my behind in gear on that; I've only reached The Dark Half after doing this for two years!), I am now going to reread and review one King short story per week. That's why my reading goal is so ungodly: 100 novels (which in itself might be impossible for me—who knows?) and 52 short stories. The plan is to make it through Night Shift in twenty weeks and move on from there. I'm still not sure if I'm going to spend time on Skeleton Crew or not; I did, in fact, review it just a few months ago. However, that review was a broad look at the collection as a whole and did not consider the individual stories as just that—individual stories—in any meaningful way. So, I'm leaning toward covering it.
As I said, this is a reread of the short stories; no "The Mist" or "N." or "Blockade Billy" will be considered. Sorry, sports fans. I gotsa keep it fair. I'm also not including the nonfiction or poetry pieces, either; you people do not want me to review those. Trust me. I'll go back and review the fictional novellas when I finish this project, which will probably be in mid-2019 or thereabouts. Oh, boy. That almost turned my hair white. At least Trump's first (and, if there's a God, only) term in office will almost be up. There's that. And, in the meantime, I'll still be reviewing King's novels when I'm not reviewing fiction by other authors. Can you now tell why I made my reading goal so excessive? Here's to hoping I get through the SK's '90s output this year. It's doable. It's my favorite decade as far as his writing goes, and I just can't wait to talk about it. I'm chomping at the bit to finally reach Needful Things.
As far as King's short stories go, "Jerusalem's Lot" is not one of my favorites, and I feel like I'm in the minority on that one. I'm intrigued by the town of 'Salem's Lot as anyone, and it always brings a smile to my face when King references it in his work. I just can't totally get into this one, which drives me a little crazy. It seems so highly regarded by my fellow Constant Readers, and I can't get past the pretentiousness of it all.
The story is about a man named Charles Boone and his friend, Calvin, taking up residence in Chapelwaite, a sprawling, gothic mansion just two miles away from the township of Jerusalem's Lot. Said house has been in Boone's family for generations, and Charles has inherited the old place; he has moved in and becomes intrigued by the history of the local area. The house and the town are the stuff of folklore: they have evil reputations, both of 'em. Is Chapelwaite the infamous Marsten House, as seen in 'Salem's Lot? I'm going to say yes, though it is not made entirely clear within this story. And if it isn't, I'm going to pretend it is anyway.
This tale is written in epistolary fashion, and it is in that that my dislike lies. "Jerusalem's Lot" is set in 1850, and King tries his damn best to make the letters seen here come off as authentic for the age as possible. For me, it reeks of insincerity. King's writing style is simply too modern; he's trying to cover the setting with dust and grime; it is painfully apparent that he wants this story to read like something straight out of the Victorian Age. In short, it's like he wanted to write his own Dracula — he even went so far as to make this an epistolary story, just like Stoker's most well-known novel —but didn't yet have the tools to do so successfully. Keep in mind this story was written when King was still a very young author. Growing pains are on display here.
I do like the fact that a good deal of history of Jerusalem's Lot is given. In this story the reader learns the town was under siege by supernatural entities centuries before the events of 'Salem's Lot. I just wish the clunky writing didn't get in the way.
Before going, I must note this: King has touched on Lovecraftian themes several times in his career; "Jerusalem's Lot" is his first story to include said themes. "The Rats In the Walls" is an obvious inspiration. This story, I think, paved the way for later stories and novels such as "Crouch End," "The Mist," Revival, and "N." From a purely historical standpoint, that is pretty neat: the first entry in the first Stephen King short story collection introduces many themes and ideas that would become so prevalent in his later, more mature works.
King Connections
Obvious connections to 'Salem's Lot are obvious.
Charles Boone's uncle, Philip, who was thought mad by his neighbors, uses and studies De Vermis Mysteriis, a book described by one character as "a profane Bible writ in the old tongues — Latin, Druidic, others. A hell-book." As I mentioned before, "Jerusalem's Lot" introduces Lovecraftian themes King would come back to again and again; De Vermis Mysteriis, a fictional grimoire written by Robert Bloch and incorporated by H.P. Lovecraft into the Cthulhu Mythos, is also studied by Charles Jacobs in 2014's Revival. Jacobs, like Philip Boone, gets himself entangled with a realm beyond his understanding; the overabundance of knowledge is his damnation. The prominence of De Vermis Mysteriis connects "Jerusalem's Lot" and Revival with each other and to the Cthulhu Mythos in a firm way.
Favorite Quote
"Nothing seemed to live or move in all of this but ourselves. We saw no insects, no birds, not even a cobweb fashioned in a window corner. Only dust."
Up Next
Next week we will be looking at "Graveyard Shift," one of King's earliest short stories.
February 11, 2023
Charles Boone and his faithful servant Calvin McCann leave behind a series of disturbing letters addressed to a friend recounting their terrible experiences in the haunted town of Chapelwaite where Charles was promised to inherit an ancestral home from his dead relative. The locals say the house has a sad and disturbing history. Charles believes the house to be haunted by nothing more than rats in the walls, but hidden within the home is a decrepit map linking the house to the town of Jerusalem’s Lot which may be hiding something far more sinister.
King gets in touch with his inner Lovecraft and Stoker to write a gothic thriller that serves as a loose prequel to Salem’s Lot. King discards his usual writing style in favor of replicating the verbose, melancholy and melodramatic style of the penny dreadful era of classic horror fiction. While he replicates the style extremely well, it comes at the sacrifice of the things that make me enjoy his work so much in the first place which is his incredible character writing, emotional storylines, as well as his heavy hitting prose and dialogue.
Nice to see King experiment with a totally different style and he did a good job accomplishing what he set out to do, but I definitely prefer his usual style over this.
My rating: 3.0/5
King gets in touch with his inner Lovecraft and Stoker to write a gothic thriller that serves as a loose prequel to Salem’s Lot. King discards his usual writing style in favor of replicating the verbose, melancholy and melodramatic style of the penny dreadful era of classic horror fiction. While he replicates the style extremely well, it comes at the sacrifice of the things that make me enjoy his work so much in the first place which is his incredible character writing, emotional storylines, as well as his heavy hitting prose and dialogue.
Nice to see King experiment with a totally different style and he did a good job accomplishing what he set out to do, but I definitely prefer his usual style over this.
My rating: 3.0/5
February 5, 2017
I had no memory of this short story,although I have read Night Shift before - ages ago. I loved this story! It's written in letter&journal entries,which I really enjoyed. The stort is really short,but still manages to tell a pretty good and scary tale. I liked Boone,but even more Calvin. He seemed like a friend everyone should have.
I would not go into Jerusalem's Lot even if I was paid to. No way. That place is scary as hell. Without giving anything away,there's some really bad shit going on in that town.
The ending was perfect.
I would not go into Jerusalem's Lot even if I was paid to. No way. That place is scary as hell. Without giving anything away,there's some really bad shit going on in that town.
The ending was perfect.
October 20, 2015
This novella has been described as a homage to H. P. Lovecraft. I have read Lovecraft and I am a fan. Stephen King has done a masterful job of recreating Lovecraft's writing style in this story which explains the origins of Jerusalem's Lot.
June 1, 2025
I don’t write reviews.
“I believe… that there are spiritually noxious places, buildings where the milk of the cosmos has become sour and rancid. This church is such a place, I would swear to it.”
This wasn’t terrible, but for some reason, it didn’t speak to me. I think having just been immersed in Lovecraft and Smith, King’s writing seems flat. It’s not a bad story. There’s definitely a cosmic threat. However, there are way more loopholes in this pastiche than you’d get with an OG Lovecraft tale.
“I believe… that there are spiritually noxious places, buildings where the milk of the cosmos has become sour and rancid. This church is such a place, I would swear to it.”
This wasn’t terrible, but for some reason, it didn’t speak to me. I think having just been immersed in Lovecraft and Smith, King’s writing seems flat. It’s not a bad story. There’s definitely a cosmic threat. However, there are way more loopholes in this pastiche than you’d get with an OG Lovecraft tale.
November 21, 2017
This one was written in the same vein as Dracula with a series of journal entries and letters. The reason this one gets one star more than the classic Dracula is because Jerusalem’s is only 35 pages where as the later is 400+. If you are going to go with journal entries you must be brief.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2021
A really excellent Lovecraft pastiche, brimming with malevolent foreboding. It is hardly a vampire story, despite a reference or two to "Nosferatu", but rather revolves around the cosmic, otherworldly and unspeakably ancient horrors that were Lovecraft's bread & butter.
August 25, 2023
Lovecraftian Eldritch horror that serves as prequel to 'Salem's Lot. Very atmospheric and written in old style of prose in form of letters/diary entries. As a standalone excellent short story, as prequel to the novel not so much. Ruins the mystery. I'm not sure about publication order, if novel was first or not, but I kind of wish the origin story was either never told or it was something more akin to Midnight Mass TV show. Not this family knot tied to Jerusalem's Lot. Oh well... definitely worth a read and better than the novel. And look at that gorgeous illustration/cover!
November 25, 2018
Tο ακουσα σε audiobook στα ελληνικα και ειναι αρκετα καλο και spooky.
October 17, 2023
I liked it. I just couldn't see the relevance of it in the grand scheme of things especially when none of this lore was included in the original Salem's Lot.
Plus, it went into this cosmic horror direction which wasn't explored further at all. Would have paid to see it. I love when horror stories start going back to the origins.
Oh well, still a good read.
Plus, it went into this cosmic horror direction which wasn't explored further at all. Would have paid to see it. I love when horror stories start going back to the origins.
Oh well, still a good read.
March 18, 2017
I did not enjoy it ... the language is very complicated and twisted, and after reaching page 12 I discovered that the date of the story is 1850 not 1950 that cleared my vision a little by the reason behind the archaic expressions.
April 22, 2021
Didn’t hold my interest... And too bad, since I was thrilled to find a historic New England horror story. Unfortunately, King uses precious little of the local folklore, though a narration through letters was initially exciting. IMO, H.P. Lovecraft is far, far better.
January 28, 2024
Jerusalem's Lot is a short story included in the anthology collection Night Shift, reminiscent of a Lovecraftian nature.
I appreciated the literary format used here - utilizing a series of written letters crossing multiple generations of the Boone family, relaying the origins of a deserted town called Jerusalem's Lot, a place deprived of modern civility and overtaken with corrupted religious worship.
King is perhaps my favorite author by familial default - his early work was among the first books I ever read thanks to my mother who was also a long time fan. I have an early copy of Night Shift, but the print was so small in those days, so I purchased a modern copy with larger print.
My point about King's early work is this - the writing he did then may have been fueled/inspired by drugs, but it was also all encompassing, creating entire worlds isolated from this reality. We go into King's world, where it may be morbid but we can hang out there for a while.
King's new titles do not have the same genuine touch. Perhaps his work is too combed over by editors, telling him to include this and that to "check the boxes" rather than "complete the story in a satisfying manner". I appreciate the absence of political promotion, and the annoying little things like cell phones and modern slang that butcher today's short stories and novels...
King is the master of writing pre/early internet horror - if he could only write more stories TODAY in 2024 reminiscent of this, I would be so happy. Just write the setting in the 80's so you can write the way your stories should be read... we want out of this decade, not more of it.
Love this story, and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the stories included in this anthology (for the second time, 15 years later).
I appreciated the literary format used here - utilizing a series of written letters crossing multiple generations of the Boone family, relaying the origins of a deserted town called Jerusalem's Lot, a place deprived of modern civility and overtaken with corrupted religious worship.
King is perhaps my favorite author by familial default - his early work was among the first books I ever read thanks to my mother who was also a long time fan. I have an early copy of Night Shift, but the print was so small in those days, so I purchased a modern copy with larger print.
My point about King's early work is this - the writing he did then may have been fueled/inspired by drugs, but it was also all encompassing, creating entire worlds isolated from this reality. We go into King's world, where it may be morbid but we can hang out there for a while.
King's new titles do not have the same genuine touch. Perhaps his work is too combed over by editors, telling him to include this and that to "check the boxes" rather than "complete the story in a satisfying manner". I appreciate the absence of political promotion, and the annoying little things like cell phones and modern slang that butcher today's short stories and novels...
King is the master of writing pre/early internet horror - if he could only write more stories TODAY in 2024 reminiscent of this, I would be so happy. Just write the setting in the 80's so you can write the way your stories should be read... we want out of this decade, not more of it.
Love this story, and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the stories included in this anthology (for the second time, 15 years later).
September 12, 2022
“The house was built in unhappiness, has been lived in with unhappiness, there has been blood spilt on its floors, there has been disappearance and accident.
I am neither blind nor deaf. I’ve heard awful sounds in the walls, sir, awful sounds—thumpings and crashings and once a strange wailing that was half-laughter. It fair made my blood curdle. It’s a dark place.
(…)
Ghosts there may be. But it’s not ghosts in the walls. It’s not ghosts that wail and blubber like the damned and crash and blunder away in the darkness. It’s—
Some die not. Some live in the twilight shadows Between to serve—Him!”
- Mrs. Cloris
——
“If I could leave, I should fly from this house of horror with my nightdress flapping at my heels. But I cannot. I have become a pawn in a deeper, darker drama. Do not ask how I know; I only do.
I fear that I have wakened a Force which has slept in the tenebrous village of ‘Salem’s Lot for half a century, a Force which has slain my ancestors and taken them in unholy bondage as nosferatu—the Undead. And I have greater fears than these.”
- Charles Boone
I am neither blind nor deaf. I’ve heard awful sounds in the walls, sir, awful sounds—thumpings and crashings and once a strange wailing that was half-laughter. It fair made my blood curdle. It’s a dark place.
(…)
Ghosts there may be. But it’s not ghosts in the walls. It’s not ghosts that wail and blubber like the damned and crash and blunder away in the darkness. It’s—
Some die not. Some live in the twilight shadows Between to serve—Him!”
- Mrs. Cloris
——
“If I could leave, I should fly from this house of horror with my nightdress flapping at my heels. But I cannot. I have become a pawn in a deeper, darker drama. Do not ask how I know; I only do.
I fear that I have wakened a Force which has slept in the tenebrous village of ‘Salem’s Lot for half a century, a Force which has slain my ancestors and taken them in unholy bondage as nosferatu—the Undead. And I have greater fears than these.”
- Charles Boone
February 23, 2017
Well, I sure as hell underestimated King's early works. I have read his earliest novels and loved some of them but I always thought his shorts would be kind of "expired" to say, living in 2017. I thought they couldn't possibly be scary as they were in the 80s when he wrote them.
Joke's on me. I did not care for Salem's Lot not one bit but this short story is amazing, truly creepy.
I'll just have to read the whole damn collection now. Quitters Inc and The Boogeyman were also great, but this one.. man, oh man.
5* from me! ♥
Joke's on me. I did not care for Salem's Lot not one bit but this short story is amazing, truly creepy.
I'll just have to read the whole damn collection now. Quitters Inc and The Boogeyman were also great, but this one.. man, oh man.
5* from me! ♥
March 9, 2024
I actually liked this short story more than Salem's Lot- and I thoroughly enjoyed Salem's Lot. Although I am not a big fan of King's writing style, he always delivers when he deals with the Cthulhu mythos
December 11, 2023
"Jerusalem's Lot" ('Salem's Lot #0.5) by Stephen King.
Rating: 3.5/5.
Review:
"Jerusalem's Lot" is a short story contained within the 'Night Shift' collection of short stories. It is tangentially related to his popular novel "Salem's Lot". I haven't read 'Salem's Lot yet, but I have been told by Stephen King fans that this short story serves as a prequel to the novel.
Charles Boone, a recently widowed man, inherits his estranged cousin's estate, Chapelwaite, located in Preacher's Corner. Upon arriving, Charles is confounded by the townspeople's erratic behavior towards him and his estate. As he delves deeper into the town's history, he discovers a horrid truth about his family's connection to an ancient and malevolent entity – that threatens to consume Boone and all those around him.
Stephen King masterfully employs an epistolary format using Boone's letters to his friend Bones (and sometimes, through Boone's loyal manservant Calvin's notes) to narrate this story. These letters provide an intimate glimpse into Boone's thoughts and experiences and his growing unease as the events escalate around him. King, with his evocative prose and vivid descriptions, creates a palpable sense of dread and unease. The epistolary format, along with the isolated setting, oppressive atmosphere, and the presence of supernatural elements, combine to create a truly chilling and eerie story.
"Jerusalem's Lot" is a classic example of Stephen King's writing prowess to blend the supernatural with the psychological, creating a story that is both terrifying and thought-provoking. It is a short but powerful tale that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.
Rating: 3.5/5.
Review:
"Jerusalem's Lot" is a short story contained within the 'Night Shift' collection of short stories. It is tangentially related to his popular novel "Salem's Lot". I haven't read 'Salem's Lot yet, but I have been told by Stephen King fans that this short story serves as a prequel to the novel.
Charles Boone, a recently widowed man, inherits his estranged cousin's estate, Chapelwaite, located in Preacher's Corner. Upon arriving, Charles is confounded by the townspeople's erratic behavior towards him and his estate. As he delves deeper into the town's history, he discovers a horrid truth about his family's connection to an ancient and malevolent entity – that threatens to consume Boone and all those around him.
Stephen King masterfully employs an epistolary format using Boone's letters to his friend Bones (and sometimes, through Boone's loyal manservant Calvin's notes) to narrate this story. These letters provide an intimate glimpse into Boone's thoughts and experiences and his growing unease as the events escalate around him. King, with his evocative prose and vivid descriptions, creates a palpable sense of dread and unease. The epistolary format, along with the isolated setting, oppressive atmosphere, and the presence of supernatural elements, combine to create a truly chilling and eerie story.
"Jerusalem's Lot" is a classic example of Stephen King's writing prowess to blend the supernatural with the psychological, creating a story that is both terrifying and thought-provoking. It is a short but powerful tale that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.
March 8, 2022
پیش درآمد سیلمزلات که در قرن نوزدهم داستانش روایت میشه و نحوه نگارشش به صورت داستان نامه نگارانه است. در این داستان یک فردی از یک خاندان با اصل و نسب به عمارت چپل ویت که عمارت آبا و اجدادیش بوده، در نزدیکی روستای سیلمزلات (بله اون زمان روستا بوده) نقل مکان میکنه که میتونه ما رو به یاد داستان موش های درون دیوار لاوکرفت بندازه. اینجاست که طی نامه نگاری های نقش اصلی و یادداشت های خدمتکارش ما با تاریخچه واقعی شهر سیلمزلات آشنا میشیم که مربوط به قرن هجدهم میشه. داستان به شدت لاوکرفتیه و اگر رمان سیلمزلات رو خونده باشید به خیلی از سوالاتتون جواب داده میشه و میفهمید منشا برخی از ماجراهای اون رمان از کجاست؛ به طوریکه مطالعه ش از رمان اصلی بیشتر برام لذت بخش بود. پایان بندی جالبی هم داشت فقط اگه میخواید درست متوجه داستان بشید حتما بعد از سیلمزلات بخونیدش و اگر اطلاعاتی از مولتی ورس کینگ داشته باشید که چه بهتر، همینطور آشنایی با وحشت کیهانی به فهم درست داستان کمک میکنه
January 7, 2022
Unforgettable.
No matter how many Lovecraftian tales you might have read, no matter how many tales of old sin grabbing the innocent present have etched deep carvings upon your mind, this one would simply be on top of them.
King's classic— that's all that I can say about it.
And yes, if you can get hold of it, read it in one sitting ASAP.
Yes, it's THAT good.
No matter how many Lovecraftian tales you might have read, no matter how many tales of old sin grabbing the innocent present have etched deep carvings upon your mind, this one would simply be on top of them.
King's classic— that's all that I can say about it.
And yes, if you can get hold of it, read it in one sitting ASAP.
Yes, it's THAT good.
June 12, 2022
قريتها مترجمة من ضمن قصص كتاب وردية الليل
قصة مرتبطة ب رواية ارض سالم و احداثها قبل احداث الرواية الأصلية
مقبضة و ليها جو قوطى
حجمها صغير و مليانة احداث كثير
استمتعت بيها جدا
قصة مرتبطة ب رواية ارض سالم و احداثها قبل احداث الرواية الأصلية
مقبضة و ليها جو قوطى
حجمها صغير و مليانة احداث كثير
استمتعت بيها جدا
June 12, 2017
The apparent prequel to 'Salem's Lot, included in the back of my paperback along with the short sequel "One For The Road" is an interesting read. Composed similarly to Dracula, the letters of one Charles Boone make up the story. Mostly these letters are address to "Bones" whom we never meet. This style of writing creates some serious mystery!
Boone moves into his family home in Preachers Corners, which just so happens to be Jerusalem's Lots neighbouring town! Obviously things all go downhill from there. The uncertainty as to whether Boone is insane or has genuinely seen what he describes in his writings is the truly scary part of this short. Another quick little horror read from the King.
Boone moves into his family home in Preachers Corners, which just so happens to be Jerusalem's Lots neighbouring town! Obviously things all go downhill from there. The uncertainty as to whether Boone is insane or has genuinely seen what he describes in his writings is the truly scary part of this short. Another quick little horror read from the King.
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