Book review: The Colorado Kid by Stephen King

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The Colorado Kid by Stephen King

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


As a general rule, I don't "read" audiobooks. I prefer the weight and heft of a real book in my real hands. But, when I decided to take a cross-country road trip, I set aside that general rule and purchased two books on CD from the bargain bin at my local megachain bookstore.

Like many reviewers before me, I picked up The Colorado Kid because I love the television series Haven, which cites this story as its base.

Before we go any further, let's make one thing perfectly clear. The only thing the book and the TV show have in common are the two crusty old newspapermen who know more than they let on, yet less than they want.

Stephanie McCann, a University of Ohio journalism student, is serving an internship at a tiny newspaper in Moose-Lookit, an island off the coast of Maine. Her mentors, Vince Teague and Dave Bowie, have lived on the island their entire lives and know everything and everyone. They school their young charge in the ways of a small town, and specifically in the ways of a small town newspaper. Along the way, they tell her about the biggest mystery they ever encountered: the death of a Colorado businessman on their local beach.

How he died isn't the mystery. The mystery lies in the fact that he was in Moose-Lookit at all. As Vince and Dave relate the tale of their investigation into the "why" of it all, we are treated to a marvelous character study: of Vince and Dave themselves, of Stephanie and her questioning nature, of the insularity of a small coastal village, and even of the Colorado Kid himself: although he says not a word, he speaks volumes through his death.

Jeffrey DeMunn reads the novella with excellent down East accents and engaging, easily differentiated character voices. And with only four CDs, it's a good choice for a day's drive.



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