Sleeping Beauties

Stephen King and his son Owen King present a speculative narrative set in Dooling, West Virginia. The story begins with a global phenomenon where sleeping women encase themselves in gauze-like cocoons. Disturbing this wrapping triggers feral violence in the afflicted. The plot centers on a local women's prison where the condition spreads among inmates, leaving only one woman, Evie, unaffected. Evie’s ability to sleep and wake normally raises questions about her nature. Is she a medical anomaly or a demon? Meanwhile, the men of Dooling descend into primal conflict without female presence. Sheriff Lila Norcross struggles merely to remain awake during this chaos. The narrative examines the collapse of social order when half the population vanishes into slumber. This father-son collaboration explores themes of demonology and gender dynamics through a supernatural lens. It appeals to readers who enjoy high-stakes fiction involving occult elements. Those seeking gentle romance or non-fiction will find this work unsuitable. The text is organized as a continuous novel rather than an anthology. King’s reputation for horror grounds the speculative premise in tangible dread.