Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Colorado Kid by Stephen King

Fresh out of journalism school, Stephanie McCann is an intern at a weekly newspaper in an obscure corner off the coast of Maine. She is writing homey features and reporting on trivial stories, but she rather enjoys it. Then a big-city reporter comes to town to gather stories about "unsolved mysteries." The paper's owner and the managing editor send him away unsatisfied, and then tell Stephanie the only real unsolved mystery on the island.

Years earlier, two high school sweethearts found a dead body on the beach. There was no identification, and only a few items found with the body gave any hope of telling where he was from. Eventually it is revealed that they found out the man was from Colorado, which led to the identification of the body. The actual resolution to the mystery never comes, as the point of the story is to only share the mystery of it and how no one wants to read an incomplete story. hmmm... almost feels like a dig there by King.

I read this as I'm enjoying the SyFy show Haven that is based on this story. I had no idea how losely based as the TV show really has nothing about the story. I did enjoy the story as it's really an oral storytelling by two oldtimers who are sharing their love of the mystery with a newcomer who at heart is one of them. I have to say I enjoy King's novelas best as he has a way of capturing the situation and making one feel like you are a part of the story.