10 Weirdest Stephen King Stories You Need To Read

10. Joyland

Joyland is a slight departure from King's usual spooky fare, and instead delves into the realm of crime thriller. It's a coming of age novel about Devin Jones, a young man who takes a summer job at a theme park, finding himself thrown into a world of dark secrets and chilling mystery, giving the reader more than just a little taste of 1970's carny culture.

Joyland's weirdness lies in its subject matter. Amusement parks are places of fun, where people go to escape the realities of day-to-day life. Joyland takes us behind the curtain, giving us a glimpse of the side of theme parks that is usually inaccessible to thrill-seekers.

And while there are certainly thrills to be had, they have very little to do with the rides. Joyland has its own grisly past, and it is the thought that darkness hides even in the places we go to escape our troubles that lends Joyland an unsettling resonance.