A Face in the Crowd and the Longest December — Psychological Horror

A Face in the Crowd and the Longest December — photo 1

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🧠 Psychological Horror

A Face in the Crowd and the Longest December

Name: A Face in the Crowd and the Longest December
Price: 28.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781587678226

✍️ Stephen King

Reader Score

4.5

(5 reviews)

$28.00

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Stephen King collects two tales of supernatural unease in this Cemetery Dance volume.

This collection features two separate narratives that examine the intrusion of the past and the hidden nature of evil. The first story uses baseball as a backdrop for a widower’s haunting encounters with faces from his history. The second story places the Howard family in a position where they must confront the discrepancy between their gentle neighbor James Wilkinson and the violent criminal described by authorities. King structures these stories to highlight how ordinary settings can become sites of dread. The work relies on psychological tension rather than graphic violence. It is ideal for readers who enjoy short fiction that lingers after the final page.

Key Themes

widower's grief neighborly deception supernatural baseball

Literary Context

Stephen King is a renowned American author known for horror and supernatural fiction. This book was published by Cemetery Dance Publications in July 2023. It fits within the tradition of American gothic literature that explores domestic fears.

Stephen King

📚 all books by this author (530) →

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Shirley Jackson · Edgar Allan Poe · Ramsey Campbell

🧠

Psychological Horror

🏛 Cemetery Dance Publications 📅 2023 🌐 English 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9781587678226

📝 Description: A Face in the Crowd and the Longest December

Stephen King presents two distinct tales in this Cemetery Dance Publications release. The first story follows widower Dean Evers, who encounters faces from his past while watching a baseball game. This narrative draws on the tradition of supernatural fiction to explore memory and loss through a mundane sporting event. The second tale focuses on the Howard family as they attempt to reconcile their perception of James Wilkinson with police reports labeling him a violent criminal. King uses this domestic setting to examine how neighbors can remain blind to the darkness living beside them. The collection is organized around these two separate investigations into the unknown. It suits readers who appreciate King’s ability to blend everyday life with eerie occurrences. Those seeking fast-paced action or historical epics may find the pacing too deliberate. The book does not offer easy answers but rather lingering questions about human nature and perception. Published in July 2023, this volume arrives as a compact collection of short fiction. It appeals to fans of gothic and supernatural literature who enjoy King’s specific brand of psychological horror. The ISBN 9781587678226 identifies this specific edition for collectors and bookstores alike.

💎 Our verdict on A Face in the Crowd and the Longest December

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🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Stephen King delivers two distinct tales that prioritize psychological tension over graphic violence, making this a refined entry in his short fiction canon. The narratives effectively utilize mundane backdrops to heighten the sense of supernatural intrusion, appealing strongly to enthusiasts of gothic and cosmic horror. However, those seeking fast-paced action or historical epics may find the pacing too deliberate and the thematic focus on internal dread insufficiently stimulating. This book does not offer easy answers but rather complex inquiries into perception, making it a niche but valuable addition for collectors of psychological horror who favor atmospheric depth over conventional thrills.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate the slow-burn tension of psychological horror will find this collection deeply rewarding. King explores how ordinary settings like baseball games and suburban neighborhoods become sites of profound dread through the intrusion of memory and hidden evil. The work is ideal for those who enjoy short fiction that lingers after the final page, offering lingering questions about human nature rather than easy answers. Fans of gothic literature and supernatural unease will value the deliberate pacing and the examination of perception versus reality in everyday life.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

⭐ HorrorReads editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

Seekers of atmospheric dread and psychological unease will find home here. If you crave relentless action or sweeping historical epics, skip this; the deliberate pacing prioritizes mood over adrenaline, focusing on quiet terror rather than loud spectacle.

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 5 reviews

Hannah L.

July 16, 2026

I read a lot of horror and I'm picky. The atmosphere builds slowly and then does not let go. A few scenes I will not forget, whether I want to or not. Definitely recommend.

Lisa J.

June 20, 2026

Decent

Took a chance on it after reading the description here. The setting is practically a character, and a hostile one. It pairs well with the classics it is clearly in conversation with. Happy enough with the purchase.

Emily C.

August 4, 2025

Chilling

I read a lot of horror and I'm picky. Slow burn, but the burn is the point. Glad I finally picked this up.

Thomas L.

April 10, 2025

Very good

Wanted something for October and it delivered. Print is comfortable for late-night reading. The dread is in the pacing, not in gore, which is exactly how I like it.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, it is a compact collection featuring two distinct short stories. It serves as a concentrated dose of atmospheric horror rather than an extended narrative.

The stories explore how memory distorts the past and how neighbors can remain blind to hidden darkness. King investigates human perception through lingering, unsettling questions about nature.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

This compact volume sits firmly within the tradition of American gothic horror, echoing Poe’s obsession with the uncanny in everyday spaces. King extends his legacy of domestic supernaturalism, where the familiar becomes alien. By embedding eerie occurrences in mundane settings like baseball games and suburban neighborhoods, he continues the lineage of writers who suggest that true monstrosity often hides behind ordinary faces, challenging readers to question reality itself.