Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Teaser Tuesdays: The Dark Half

This week my teaser lines come from The Dark Half, Stephen King's nightmarish thriller from 1989 (very appropriate, it happens, as today is Mr. King's birthday). I'm only a few chapters into this one, but so far I'm enjoying it much more than I thought I would. It's been a long time since I read anything by King and I had forgotten how expertly he can draw you into his ghastly tales. These lines come from page 49 where Sheriff Alan Pangborn is thinking about the various kinds of crime he's seen in his little town of Castle Rock:
Small-town murder in real life, he had found, rarely bore any likeness to the small-town murders in Agatha Christie novels, where seven people all took a turn at stabbing wicked old Colonel Storping-Goiter at his country house in Puddleby-on-the-Marsh during a moody winter storm.... As a rule, small-town murder in real life was simple, brutal, and stupid.
This snippet caught my eye because at the moment, in addition to the King book, I'm also reading Agatha Christie's Cards on the Table, featuring Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot. Christie and King are two crime writers who could not be more different, of course. And I have to admit, although they each have their attractions, Dame Agatha seems to be more my speed (or make that my cup of Earl Grey).


Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by mizB at Should Be Reading. If you'd like to read more teasers, or take part yourself, just head on over to her blog.

And please feel free to leave me a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in a comment here.

14 comments:

Bev Hankins said...

I'm with you, Joy. Agatha Christie is much more my style. I can't do Stephen King at all.

Here's mine: http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2010/09/teaser-tuesday.html

gautami tripathy said...

I plan to read Stephen King for RIP V!

Wonderful teaser!
Here is my Teaser Tuesday post!

Book Bird Dog said...

Wish I could read Stephen King. Good writer but scary!! Here's my teaser.

Jo said...

Great quote!! I haven't read Dark Half in ages.....

Teacher/Learner said...

Great quote! I devour lots of Stephen King books and am currently reading Under the Dome. Here's my teaser for it. I haven't read Dark Half yet but sounds juicy. Thanks for the recommendation :)

Missy B. said...

I've not read this one by Stephen King. I am just now "branching out" and picking up some of his that I haven't read. I just found Blaze (Richard Bachman) at a yard sale. Great tease!

Lady Q said...

It's been years since I've read a Stephen King book - except for his memoir, On Writing, which was excellent. Nice teaser! Thanks for visiting mine.

Sarah said...

I haven't read Stephen King in a long time, but I just got his son's book "Heart Shaped Box" in trade the other day. Your teaser is helping me get in the mood for it!

Jennifer said...

I adore Christie, however, my oldest would like this King book. My TT: http://www.rundpinne.com/2010/09/teaser-tuesdays-your-presence-is-requested-at-suvanto.html

fredamans said...

My favorite book by him.

carolsnotebook said...

I've read very few King books. I'm just not much of a fan. Agatha Christie, however, I adore.

Mardel said...

Hey - thanks for visiting my blog. I don't usually like Stephen King, but I really did enjoy that snippet from his book. I think I might like his earlier works better than his latest. Could be, I need to give him another try. :)

Mardel said...

I love your blog picture - all those book-marks! I have a thing about book marks. :) Beautiful collection there.

bekkah said...

The Dark Half and The Eyes of the Dragon are my two favorite King novels. Enjoy!!