SK says this is the book that freaks him out the most. I think that's because a lot of it is based on his own family life, and it involves bad things happening to those family members. After writing it he put it away because he wasn't going to publish it. However, he had to fulfill a contract, had some writer's block, and this made its way out of the drawer and to the publisher. I, for one, am glad it did. I don't have his dilemma with the family thing, and I rather enjoyed the story. Plus, the image of Jud Crandall in my head is that of Fred Gwynne (who plays him in the movie adaptation), and how can you go wrong with that?! I definitely recommend this one, and I also recommend seeing the movie. Of course the book is much better, but the movie is a scream (scream "ha ha," not scream of terror).