Stephen King Reveals New Book Called Later

Stephen King has definitely become a genre-defining author, with works that transcend genre and audience expectations in so many ways. King’s work has dominated the horror and sci-fi domains — and it looks like his next book will head into the world of crime. On Monday, King took to Twitter to announce that his next novel, titled Later, will be published this March. King also revealed the cover for the book, which channels the aesthetic of old pulp novels, and reveals that Later will be published among Titan Books‘ Hard Case Crime imprint. King previously contributed to the imprint with 2005’s The Colorado Kid and 2013’s Joyland.

Entertainment Weekly revealed additional details around the novel, including a bit more info about its plot. The book will follow Jamie Conklin, a boy whose unusual abilities could aid his single mom and her police detective lover — but only at a terrible cost.

“I love the Hard Case format, and this story — combining a boy who sees beyond our world and strong elements of crime and suspense — seemed a perfect fit,” King said in a statement.

“Later is a beautiful story about growing up and facing your demons — whether they’re metaphorical or (as sometimes happens when you’re in a Stephen King novel) the real thing,” Charles Ardai, the editor of Hard Case Crime, added. “It’s terrifying, tender, heartbreaking, and honest, and we’re so excited to bring it to readers.”

Later will initially be published as a paperback original, with a cover painted by iconic artist Paul Mann. That will then be followed by a limited-edition hardcover, featuring two new paintings from Gregory Manchess — one for the novel itself, and one for a fictional novel within the universe of the book.

This is King’s latest novel in almost two years, after the 2019 release of The Institute.

Will you be checking out Stephen King’s Later? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Later is now available to pre-order on Amazon, with the Kindle version of the book currently scheduled to be released on March 2, 2021.

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