Joe Hills' "Heart Shaped Box" is a Strong Debut in the Horror Genre

OK, let's deal with the 800-pound gorilla in the room when it comes to author Joe Hill. Yes, he is the son of novelists Stephen and Tabitha King. OK? Can we put that behind us now? Why would you want to? Because his debut novel, Heart Shaped Box is a great read, a great ghost story and a lot fun and it has nothing to do with who his parents are. Unless, of course, you believe that the writing genes and ability to be creative and tell a chilling story can be passed on from one generation to the next.

The novel was actually released in 2007, but it took me this long to finally getting around to reading it. This is nothing against Hill. In fact, I had been watching as the novel became a popular read on various best-seller lists. I noticed when Warner Brothers purchased the rights to the book in order to make a movie about it. It just took me a long time to find the time to read it.

The good news is that the book is a truly fun, exciting and suspenseful read. It is also very good news to report that Joe Hill has his own voice, own style of writing, and that he is not simply parroting his father in his fiction. Hill is a worthy and welcome addition to the world of horror fiction.

As for the plot, well, it is a rock and roll ghost story. Aging death metal icon, Judas Coyne, has given up touring and recording since the death of two members of his band left him with little taste for it any longer. He now resides in a mansion in rural New York where he manages his fortune and his image and collects bizarre items. Given his image, most of the items are sent to him from fans. They include a used hangman's noose, a cookbook for cannibals and even a snuff film given to him by a police officer.

Coyne, however, has a rich and detailed history. He was born in Louisana with the first name Justin. He was raised by a mother who seemed to be walking around in shock most of the time and a father who was drunk and abusive the rest of the time. His father even smashed his fingers in a door once when he thought his son was "better" than he was. Coyne escaped this, found his musical niche, and became a success.

However, he also has had a lot of women. So many women that he doesn't remember their names, just the states where they came from. Currently he is dating a woman he calls Georgia. However, he recently broke up with a disturbed woman he called Florida. That woman was emotionally damages by a home even more crazed and disturbing than Coyne's.

Now, an item comes to Coyne's attention. Someone is selling a ghost. The ghost, it seems, is connected to the man's suit. Coyne buys this item via an online auction. Now, however, as the suit arrives in a black heart-shaped box, he begins to see the ghost of the man who owned the suit. He is thin, gaunt and carries a shiny crescent-shaped razor blade attached to a chain from his hand. He doesn't seem friendly.

Despite the strangeness of the setting (the world of rock and roll) this story works remarkably well. Hill manages to reveal Coyne's world slowly and with humor and a certain kind of love. It makes the reader want to know more, turn the page, and see what happens next. Despite where Coyne comes from and what he does, he seems very real and very much like a person who escaped a terrible past to forge a remarkable future.

Hill manages to infuse this horror with moments of great tenderness. He also reveals that Coyne is more than a freak with a bushy beard and scary hobbies. These are real people in a situation that anyone would find impossible to deal with. The ghost pursues Coyne and his girlfriend as they travel across the country, looking for ways to defeat the ghost and rescue themselves.

Hill shows himself more than capable of balancing horror and humor with great storytelling. At times the horror is very profound as the connection between the suit, the ghost and Coyne's ex-girlfriend are revealed. Despite the supernatural nature of the story, Hill also manages to show that horror is also inside humans more than it is things we don't really understand.
Hill has now gone on to write more horror novels. This is a good thing. I hope he manages to write a lot more horror for a very long time.