Two of the main characters are sheriff Alan Pangborn and his girlfriend Polly Chalmers. Secrets begin to be revealed as insecurities and doubts begin to get the best of some of the townspeople, all because Leland Gaunt sets things in motion. I spent most of the summer dipping in and out of these 790 pages in between my other reads.Īs the book progresses, the characters weave in and out of each other’s lives. I settled right into Castle Rock again and enjoyed my visit there. This is a classic story about the battle between good and evil. I feel that Needful Things might not be one most think of when thinking of a Stephen King novel but it is a solid read. The customers leave with the perfect item but not quite remembering how they promised Leland Gaunt what they would pay for it. It is akin to making a deal with the devil. Everything is for sale but everything comes at a steep price.

When you walk into this store you find the perfect item for yourself that you didn’t even know you were looking for until you lay your eyes on it. The owner is a man named Leland Gaunt who seems to mesmerize his customers. There is a new shop in the small town of Castle Rock called Needful Things and the townspeople are very curious about it. I love that about his writing, he takes his time introducing his characters and giving us a feel for them. In this classic, King takes us to Castle Rock and sets up the scene quite nicely. It is hard to believe my copy is over 20 years old. Needful Things was a re-read and is a toughie to review because it is such a long book with so many characters and events. And no one takes heed of the little sign hanging on the wall: Caveat emptor. Everyone in town seems willing to make a deal at Needful Things, but the devil is in the details. The heart’s desire for any resident of Castle Rock can easily be found among the curiosities…in exchange for a little money and-at the specific request of Leland Gaunt-a whole lot of menace against their fellow neighbors. Nothing has a price tag in this place, but everything is certainly for sale. Its mysterious proprietor, Leland Gaunt, seems to have something for everyone out on display at Needful Things…interesting items that run the gamut from worthless to priceless.

The town of Castle Rock, Maine has seen its fair share of oddities over the years, but nothing is a peculiar as the little curio shop that’s just opened for business. Master storyteller Stephen King presents the classic #1 New York Times bestseller about a mysterious store than can sell you whatever you desire-but not without exacting a terrible price in return. First line: In a small town, the opening of a new store is big news.

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