Monsters in the Archives by Caroline Bicks is a nonfiction work that analyzes five early Stephen King novels along with their drafts before publication. It offers a rare glimpse behind the curtain into King’s writing process, something fans have wanted for years. This marks the first time King has granted access to his private archive.
The drafts include publisher notes, notes from King to himself, correspondence with his publisher, and even maps of his fictional towns. The notes to himself are the most fascinating, as you can see his instincts as a writer, recognizing where something is too much or not enough. His notes to the publisher focus heavily on language, not just word choice but also rhythm and repetition. Sometimes a character saying something slightly wrong can make it more memorable. A great example is Jud’s line from Pet Sematary: “Sometimes dead is better,” which went through many drafts before King settled on it.
This book also revealed that one of my favorite side characters in a Stephen King novel survived in every draft except the final version. I will not say who it is, as that is part of the fun of reading the book. There are also examples of characters who die in early drafts but survive in the final version. I found all of this incredibly interesting.
Bicks is a Shakespeare scholar, and sometimes that perspective works well, while other times it feels forced. I did enjoy learning that King was thinking about Hamlet while writing The Shining. Hamlet and Macbeth are referenced frequently, to the point where it became a bit of a running joke while I was reading.
I felt that The Shining and Salem’s Lot had the most significant changes across drafts. Carrie and Pet Sematary featured more language-focused revisions, which were still very interesting. Night Shift, being a short story collection, had fewer drafts to examine. However, that section dives into King’s personal life at the time, including his work with a college newspaper where many of those stories originated.
I am a big fan of Stephen King and regularly listen to podcasts like Kingcast and The Loser’s Club, so I was already familiar with many of the stories behind his work. Even so, Bicks uncovered a few details I had never heard before. I think casual fans will get even more out of this book.
Monsters in the Archives was first published on April 21, 2026, by Random House Hogarth.
Why did I read Monsters in the Archives by Caroline Bicks?
I am a massive Stephen King fan and have read over half of his work. About five years ago, I started focusing on books of his that I had not read yet. I had already read The Shining, Carrie, and Night Shift when I heard about this book. After receiving an ARC from NetGalley and Random House, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to finally read Salem’s Lot and Pet Sematary.
I usually include a “what I learned” section when reviewing nonfiction, but since most of those insights would involve spoilers, I chose not to include it here.
Recommendation:
Monsters in the Archives accomplishes its goal of making me appreciate Stephen King’s work even more. I was impressed by how much he cares about every word and how willing he is to fight for what feels right.
This is a deep dive into the material, and all five books are discussed in detail, so spoilers are unavoidable. I recommend reading those works beforehand. This book is ideal for readers who want deeper insight into Stephen King and his writing process. It pairs perfectly with King’s On Writing.
Rating:
Monsters in the Archives by Caroline Bicks
4 out of 5
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