15 of Stephen King’s Lesser Known Stories

Stephen King is an author widely known for being able to publish a high volume of books, some having been published under other aliases and still finding great success. This makes it only natural that he has a lot of written works that, perhaps, you haven’t heard about.

This is why we went through his published books and decided to bring you the ones not as widely discussed, but still as good as ever. They may not hold the instant classic power as things like Carie or The Shining have, but they still deserve a spot in your bookshelf.

The Colorado Kid

Published by Hard Case Crime in 2005, this mystery novel centers on the investigation of an unidentified body found on an island in Maine. The eerie story also loosely inspired the Syfy television series Haven.

Gwendy’s Button Box

Co-written with Richard Chizmar, this 2017 release is part of a horror and adventure trilogy. It offers a slightly different flavor from King’s solo projects while still delivering the suspense readers expect from his work.

From a Buick 8

This story leans heavily into atmosphere and creeping dread instead of overt violence. It manages to combine wild cosmic horror with surprising emotional restraint, making it a unique standout in his vast catalog.

The Eyes of the Dragon

King stepped away from pure horror to release this fantasy novel. It first arrived as a limited edition hardcover from Philtrum Press in 1984 before hitting the mass market through Viking in 1987.

Cycle of the Werewolf

At exactly 127 pages, this underrated horror novella holds the record as King’s shortest novel to date. It proves he can deliver plenty of scares without needing a massive word count to get the job done.

Hearts in Atlantis

This 1999 collection of novellas and short stories steps away from traditional monsters. Instead, it focuses heavily on the baby boomer generation and the lasting legacy of the Vietnam era through a series of connected tales.

The Dark Half

King wrote this 1989 horror novel about an author in direct response to being publicly identified as Richard Bachman. The clever, meta concept eventually made its way to the big screen in a 1993 film adaptation.

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

This 1999 psychological horror novel traps readers in the woods with a lost child. It was surprisingly adapted into a pop-up book in 2004, and a film adaptation was officially announced in 2025.

Secret Window Secret Garden

Included in his 1990 collection ‘Four Past Midnight’, this tense novella follows a terrorized writer facing a messy divorce. It eventually found a wider audience when it was adapted into the 2004 film Secret Window.

The Library Policeman

It turns out that ordinary family life can spark some truly terrifying ideas. King actually got the inspiration for this unsettling story about a very unforgiving library enforcer from his own 10 year old child.

The Breathing Method

Originally released under the subtitle ‘A Winter’s Tale’ in the 1982 collection ‘Different Seasons’, this strange novella holds a unique distinction. It remains the only story among the four in that book not adapted for film.

The Little Sisters of Eluria

This fantasy novella first appeared in the 1998 anthology ‘Legends’ before landing in the 2002 collection ‘Everything’s Eventual’. It was also included in 2009 alongside a revised edition of ‘The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger’.

The Man in the Black Suit

First published in The New Yorker in 1994, this horror short story won both the World Fantasy and O. Henry Awards. It was later included in multiple collections and even inspired a short film in 2004.

The Things They Left Behind

This emotional short story first found a home in the compilation ‘Transgressions: Volume Two’. It later appeared in King’s 2008 collection ‘Just After Sunset’ and can also be heard on the audiobook ‘Terror’s Echo’.

The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet

Originally published in a fantasy and science fiction magazine in 1984, this novella eventually landed in ‘Skeleton Crew’ in 1985. The quirky title is a direct reference to the main narrator’s unusual beliefs regarding insanity.