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Cover of 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King'Salem's Lot
Classic · Fiction, Horror

'Salem's Lot

by Stephen King
1975 · 768 pages · Fiction
64.3Must-Read
Score Classic
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 19 hours to read · about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Jerusalem's Lot is a small New England town with the usual gossips, drinkers, weirdos and respectable folk. There are tales of strange happenings, no more than in any other town its size, until evil arrives and people begin to disappear.

Why it's worth reading

It's Stephen King's classic vampire novel and one of the most influential horror books ever written.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's King's second novel and still one of his scariest.

By the numbers

64.3Must-Read Score
  • Readers48 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller35 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Reads as

Dark, Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Horror booksTop 25 · 86 rankedClassic booksTop 25 · 762 rankedBooks of the 1970sTop 25 · 131 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 ranked

Quick answers

Is 'Salem's Lot worth reading?

Yes. It's Stephen King's classic vampire novel and one of the most influential horror books ever written. It ranks #1,954 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.3 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is 'Salem's Lot about?

Jerusalem's Lot is a small New England town with the usual gossips, drinkers, weirdos and respectable folk. There are tales of strange happenings, no more than in any other town its size, until evil arrives and people begin to disappear.

How long does it take to read 'Salem's Lot?

About 19 hours (768 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after 'Salem's Lot?

If you liked it, try Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Shining by Stephen King or It by Stephen King.