Stephen King has opened up about his favourite books of all time ahead of his latest release.
The veteran novelist gave a reading from Never Flinch, which comes out May 27, before outlining the genres and authors he personally likes to read.
Appearing on the Simon & Schuster Books YouTube channel, he said: “I like detective fiction, and I like horror fiction, and I like suspense fiction, but not necessarily in that order”.
King is best-known for his contributions to the horror genre, having released titles such as IT, Cujo, Salem’s Lot and more.
But in recent years, partially down to his Mr Mercedes series, he’s forayed into the world of detective fiction, and his latest book is no different.
King said he’d be interested in writing a ‘whodunnit’ story, where the reader is confronted with different characters who may have done something terrible and are made to consider who may be the perpetrator of a crime.
Speaking of who he admires, he said: “Agatha Christie, and people like Ruth Ware”.
King continued: “But I also like books like The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, where you know right away from he start who the bad guy is, and this once, I wanted to try to write something different”.
He then expressed that this meant he “had to have a plot,” saying that “plotted novels” are nothing but “trouble” to him.
In the video, he then read an excerpt from Never Flinch, explaining that the protagonist Holly Gibney will be “seen as a bodyguard for a famous person.”
He shared that he likes Holly as a character, and that’s why he wanted to continue her story further, after his 2023 novel ‘Holly’.
In the comments of the video, someone wrote: “There will never be an author that is better than Stephen King.”
Another fan penned: “And I am so glad this man continues to write. I am grateful.”
“His stories have been entertaining me for some 50 years. Thank you, Mr. King. From a lot of us,” a horror fan praised.
A man wrote: “Growing up with him as a writer…and I’m going back to the 80s…he is like this crazy uncle you’ve known all your life who gives you some comfort still being around in this crazy world.”
Another said: “I love to see him in such great spirits. He really looks like he had fun with this one!”