King
The Shining
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Stephen King
Stephen King - 60+ books
His father. The influence is obvious but Hill has his own voice. If you like one, you will like the other.
horrorView author→
Series - Books in order
Joe Hill books in order
by Joe Hill - 5 books - 2007-2024 - Updated June 2026
The Joe Hill books in order follow a straightforward publication timeline, starting with Heart-Shaped Box in 2007. Hill writes horror and dark fantasy with tighter plotting and more visual storytelling than his father, Stephen King. His novels are all standalone, so you can read them in any order, but publication order gives you the best sense of how his style evolved. Readers who want short stories should start with 20th Century Ghosts. Readers who want graphic novels should start with Locke and Key.
Hill
Heart-Shaped Box
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1
Hill
Heart-Shaped Box
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1
Start with this book
Most readers should start with Heart-Shaped Box. It gives you the cleanest entry point before continuing through the full series order.Read on KindleListen on Audible
Buy on Amazon5 books - read in publication order
Show orderPublication order
Contains affiliate links| # | Book | Published | Rating | Where to read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart-Shaped Box Heart-Shaped BoxStart | 2007 | 3.9 | |
| 2 | Horns Horns | 2010 | 3.8 | |
| 3 | NOS4A2 NOS4A2 His longest and most ambitious novel. A woman with a supernatural gift hunts a kidnapper who feeds on children. | 2013 | 4.0 | |
| 4 | The Fireman The Fireman | 2016 | 3.7 | |
| 5 | The House of Sleep The House of Sleep | 2024 | 3.8 |
Our recommended reading order
publication
Hill
Heart-Shaped Box
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Best book to start with
Heart-Shaped Box
Book #1, and still the best on-ramp. It sets up everything that makes this series work.
Similar series
If you love Joe Hill, try these next.
King
The Drawing of the Three
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The Dark Tower
Stephen King - 8 books
King's epic fantasy series. Hill references it in his own work, and both authors share a multiverse.
Various
See recommendations
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Books like Stephen King
Various - 5 books
Five authors who write horror with the same DNA as King and Hill.
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Frequently asked questions
Heart-Shaped Box, published in 2007. It is a horror novel about an aging rock star who buys a ghost online. It is the cleanest novel entry point.
Heart-Shaped Box for novels. NOS4A2 for his most ambitious work. Locke and Key for graphic novels. All are standalone.
No. All five novels are standalone. Heart-Shaped Box is the best starting point because it is the most focused and sets the tone for his later work.
Yes. Joe Hill is Stephen King's son. His real name is Joseph Hillstrom King. He published under a pseudonym to establish his career before the connection became public.
Stephen King is the obvious next step. Start with The Shining. For other horror authors, try Paul Tremblay (A Head Full of Ghosts) or Nick Cutter (The Troop).
Contains affiliate linksUpdated June 2026