"Will Keep You Up": Stephen King's Praise For This Bonkers Thriller Book Proves The TV Show Needs To Happen
Stephen King is known for his generosity when speaking about other writers' works, and a recent book he praised will make for an excellent TV series when it finally hits screens. These days, King is a champion of books, even if they're not his, lending his name and thoughts to many new publications to help boost their visibility. After all, the King of Horror's words carry weight with lots of readers, with Stephen King's recommendations for horror and thriller books being particularly strong. As such, plenty of writers have benefited from his reviews, whether in an official blurb or simply his own thoughts on social media.
One of those he's praised is Riley Sager's 2019 book Lock Every Door. The story follows Jules, a down-on-her-luck woman who agrees to take a job as a professional "apartment sitter" for the rich and famous denizens of the posh, mysterious Bartholomew apartment building. She quickly bonds with her fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who reminds Jules of her late sister. Ingrid hints that there is something beneath the Bartholomew's surface, something darker. When Ingrid disappears, however, Jules realizes that she wasn't just imagining it and something sinister lurks between the building's walls. It all leads to an ending twist that makes the book even better.
Stephen King's Praise For Lock Every Door By Riley Sager Is Spot On
It's A Page-Turner To Keep You Up At Night
Stephen King had this to say in his blurb for Lock Every Door: "Looking for a suspense novel that will keep you up until way past midnight? Look no further than Lock Every Door, by Riley Sager." He's not wrong. Sager's book was an immediate New York Times bestseller when it hit shelves in 2019, and earned lots of praise for its intense, creepy atmosphere and the claustrophobic sense of dread that grows as Jules gets pulled deeper into the mystery of the Bartholomew.
Part of that intensity is thanks to the setting of the Bartholomew, with the old building becoming almost a character in its own right, similar to The Overlook in Stephen King's own book, The Shining.
Part of that intensity is thanks to the setting of the Bartholomew, with the old building becoming almost a character in its own right, similar to The Overlook in Stephen King's own book, The Shining. While it's definitely more in the mystery and psychological thriller genres, the setting and the unsettling vibe definitely give it a tinge of horror, too. It's a great page-turner, the kind of thriller book that can be read in a day if you don't put it down.
Lock Every Door's Bonkers Premise Will Make Its TV Adaptation Great
The Themes Are Perfect For The Current Zeitgeist
All of the above is why it's so exciting that Lock Every Door was optioned by Paramount to be developed as a TV series. That was five years ago and there hasn't been much movement on it. But that's the case with plenty of TV shows right now after the one-two punch of the Covid pandemic and then the writers' and actors' strikes, so it doesn't necessarily mean the Lock Every Door TV series is dead in the water. That's good - while Riley Sager's books are all solid, Lock Every Door would make the best TV show, especially in 2025.
For starters, mystery is big right now, especially weird mysteries with bonkers twists, and Lock Every Door certainly has that. Without spoiling anything, the thriller book's wild ending twist was somewhat divisive among readers, but it's exactly the kind of wild plot twist that TV audiences eat up. The theme of the rich and powerful doing evil things and getting away with it is top of mind for many right now. Likewise, the dream of taking the powerful down for their crimes is also firmly in the zeitgeist right now thanks to current events. Stephen King had it exactly right in his assessment five years ago; hopefully, Lock Every Door does get that adaptation.
- Birthdate
- September 21, 1947
- Birthplace
- Portland, Maine, USA
Discover the latest news and filmography for Stephen King, known for The Dark Tower series, The Stand, IT, The Shining, Carrie, Cujo, Misery, the Bill Hodges trilogy, and more.
- Notable Projects
- The Shawshank Redemption, The Shining, It, The Stand, Misery, The Dark Tower, Mr. Mercedes, Carrie
- Professions
- Author, Screenwriter, Producer, Director, Actor
