Imprint

  • Hodder Paperbacks

Danse Macabre: Non-fiction from the No. 1 bestseller

Formats & Editions

It was not long after Halloween when Stephen King received a telephone call from his editor. 'Why don't you do a book about the entire horror phenomenon as you see it Books, movies, radio, TV, the whole thing '

The result is this unique combination of fantasy and autobiography, of classic horror writing honed to an unforgettable edge by the bestselling master of the genre.

DANSE MACABRE ranges across the whole spectrum of horror in popular culture from the seminal classes of Count Dracula and Frankenstein. It is a charming and fascinating book, replete with pertinent anecdote and observation, in which Stephen King describes his ideas on how horror works on many levels and how he brings it to bear on his own inimitable novels.

Read More

Praise for Danse Macabre

  • The indisputable king of horror - Time

  • Absolutely fascinating - The Sunday Times on On Writing

  • A fascinating combination of autobiography and personal voyage through the books and films that have inspired this phenomenally successful author - Publishing News on On Writing

  • A writer of excellence - The Sunday Times

Read More

Discover more

Latest Articles Videos
Halloween Haunts | 2025
Halloween Haunts | 2025
Hachette's House of Horror
Hachette's House of Horror
Spooky Stories: Fantasy & Sci-Fi
Spooky Stories: Fantasy & Sci-Fi
Halloween Book Recommendations | 2023
Halloween Book Recommendations | 2023
Halloween Book Recommendations | 2022
Halloween Book Recommendations | 2022
Stranger Kings
Stranger Kings
Eight of Stephen King’s scariest tales to terrify you this Halloween
Eight of Stephen King’s scariest tales to terrify you this Halloween
Maximum Sentence: What We're Watching, Reading and Listening to
Maximum Sentence: What We're Watching, Reading and Listening to
The Outsider Trailer | Stephen King
The Outsider Trailer | Stephen King
The Outsider Trailer 2 | Stephen King
The Outsider Trailer 2 | Stephen King
Maximum Sentence: Winter Reading Guide
Maximum Sentence: Winter Reading Guide
The Dark Tower (2017) | Trailer 2
The Dark Tower (2017) | Trailer 2
IT by Stephen King | Movie Trailer
IT by Stephen King | Movie Trailer
Sleeping Beauties | Stephen King & Owen King
Sleeping Beauties | Stephen King & Owen King
The Dark Tower
The Dark Tower
TRAILER: End of Watch by Stephen King
TRAILER: End of Watch by Stephen King
Revival by Stephen King
Revival by Stephen King
Meet Mr Mercedes
Meet Mr Mercedes
Wind through the Keyhole - Stephen King BOOK TRAILER
Wind through the Keyhole - Stephen King BOOK TRAILER
11.22.63 by Stephen King
11.22.63 by Stephen King
Fair Extension - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
Fair Extension - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
1922 - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
1922 - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
A Good Marriage - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
A Good Marriage - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
Big Driver - Stephen King's 'Full Dark, No Stars' | Future Shorts
Big Driver - Stephen King's 'Full Dark, No Stars' | Future Shorts
Halloween Haunts | 2025
Halloween Haunts | 2025
Hachette's House of Horror
Hachette's House of Horror
Spooky Stories: Fantasy & Sci-Fi
Spooky Stories: Fantasy & Sci-Fi
Halloween Book Recommendations | 2023
Halloween Book Recommendations | 2023
Halloween Book Recommendations | 2022
Halloween Book Recommendations | 2022
Stranger Kings
Stranger Kings
Eight of Stephen King’s scariest tales to terrify you this Halloween
Eight of Stephen King’s scariest tales to terrify you this Halloween
Maximum Sentence: What We're Watching, Reading and Listening to
Maximum Sentence: What We're Watching, Reading and Listening to
Maximum Sentence: Winter Reading Guide
Maximum Sentence: Winter Reading Guide
The Outsider Trailer | Stephen King
The Outsider Trailer | Stephen King
The Outsider Trailer 2 | Stephen King
The Outsider Trailer 2 | Stephen King
The Dark Tower (2017) | Trailer 2
The Dark Tower (2017) | Trailer 2
IT by Stephen King | Movie Trailer
IT by Stephen King | Movie Trailer
Sleeping Beauties | Stephen King & Owen King
Sleeping Beauties | Stephen King & Owen King
The Dark Tower
The Dark Tower
TRAILER: End of Watch by Stephen King
TRAILER: End of Watch by Stephen King
Revival by Stephen King
Revival by Stephen King
Meet Mr Mercedes
Meet Mr Mercedes
Wind through the Keyhole - Stephen King BOOK TRAILER
Wind through the Keyhole - Stephen King BOOK TRAILER
11.22.63 by Stephen King
11.22.63 by Stephen King
Fair Extension - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
Fair Extension - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
1922 - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
1922 - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
A Good Marriage - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
A Good Marriage - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King | Future Shorts
Big Driver - Stephen King's 'Full Dark, No Stars' | Future Shorts
Big Driver - Stephen King's 'Full Dark, No Stars' | Future Shorts
Stephen King

Stephen King

STEPHEN KING is the author of more than seventy books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent titles include Fairy Tale, Holly, and If It Bleeds, all number one Sunday Times bestsellers.

Many of his titles are the basis for major motion pictures including IT, Stand By Me (adapted from The Body) and The Shawshank Redemption, which is IMDb's top-rated movie of all time.

King is the recipient of The Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence 2022, the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.

More about Stephen King

Related books

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.