In Episode 114 of the Good Scribes Only Podcast, hosts Daniel Breyer and Jeremy Streich hit the road—literally. Kicking off Season 7, themed around a literary road trip across the U.S., they stop in Maine with Stephen King’s Bag of Bones. The novel blends horror, mystery, grief, and ghostly revenge, all wrapped in King’s signature storytelling.
Though often dismissed by literary purists, Bag of Bones showcases King’s ability to create rich emotional depth and compelling characters—especially in the small-town landscapes of his native Maine. This episode unpacks what makes the book simultaneously a literary outlier and a chilling entry in the horror genre.
At its core, Bag of Bones is about grief and writer’s block. The story follows Mike Noonan, a best-selling novelist struggling to write after the sudden death of his wife, Jo. After years of silence, he returns to their summer home, “Sara Laughs,” a lakeside cabin in rural Maine, only to encounter a haunting legacy of racism, violence, and supernatural unrest.
Daniel and Jeremy note how the book moves between emotional realism and eerie, ghost-infested dream logic.
“It’s not just about ghosts,” Daniel explains. “It’s about the psychic residue left by trauma—personal and historical.”
King’s Maine is more than a backdrop. The novel draws heavily on the duality of “Vacationland” as both idyllic and haunted. Jeremy calls it “a perfectly painted small town,” while Daniel notes how King captures the isolation and cold beauty of New England with precision.
“It feels like a real place,” Jeremy says. “Until it turns into a nightmare.”
The hosts appreciate how King renders local communities with a mix of affection and unease, showcasing the tensions between insiders and outsiders.
One of the central mysteries involves Sara Tidwell, a Black blues singer whose horrific death—and the racist violence tied to it—has cursed the families of her killers. Mike learns that his ancestors were complicit in her murder and that Sara’s ghost is now seeking revenge by killing their descendants.
The story taps into America’s unresolved racial trauma, linking supernatural horror to historical injustice.
“It’s a powerful metaphor,” Daniel reflects. “The sins of the past literally come back to haunt you.”
While grappling with hauntings, Mike becomes entangled in a custody battle between young single mother Mattie and her wealthy, villainous father-in-law Max DeVore. The courtroom drama grounds the novel’s emotional stakes, adding another layer of real-world conflict.
“At some point, this book turns into Kramer vs. Kramer meets The Shining,” Jeremy jokes.
Their favorite character? Kyra, Mattie’s adorable daughter, who calls herself “just a little guy”—a line both hosts fell in love with.
The hosts dig into Stephen King’s view on writing, as discussed in an interview at the end of the audiobook. King likens a good story to a reliable car: better to have a rusty frame and a working engine than a beautiful shell with no power.
Jeremy and Daniel debate this metaphor, suggesting that literary fiction often aims to do both—but acknowledge how well King succeeds in building a “car” that runs fast and far.
“He writes stories that move. You don’t always want to climb the mountain—you just want to enjoy the ride,” Jeremy says.
While the book leans heavily into horror tropes, it also examines themes of:
Though it doesn’t dive as deeply into ambiguity or language as other literary novels the podcast has covered, Bag of Bones raises compelling questions through genre fiction.
Jeremy poses the question: Why do we undervalue horror in literary circles? He and Daniel point out that horror can be just as revealing, emotionally resonant, and socially significant as any highbrow fiction.
“Great horror reflects our deepest fears,” Daniel says. “And in this book, it’s not the ghosts—it’s the past.”
Both hosts agree that Bag of Bones isn’t the most intellectually demanding book they’ve covered, but it’s one of the more entertaining and well-paced.
“Not every book needs to be a philosophical masterpiece,” Jeremy notes. “Sometimes you just want a damn good story.”
For a deeper dive into Bag of Bones, literary horror, and how King balances storytelling with social themes, tune in to Episode 114 of the Good Scribes Only Podcast.
