The Dark Half was originally published in November of 1989.Warning, this review does contain spoilers.
Thad Beaumont has been writing violent crime novels under the pseudonym George Stark for years. The public loves his novels and soon learns that Thad is the mastermind behind George Stark. Thad and his wife Elizabeth decide to hold a mock funeral for Stark and make it open to the public.
Sheriff Pangborn, a major character in Needful Things, visits Thad to question him about some murders. Thad has no idea what he is talking about, but it seems that the killer has Thad's DNA and fingerprints and does not mind leaving plenty of evidence around the crime scenes. It seems George Stark is very much alive and killing those responsible for contributing to his "death".
Thad experiences black outs and wakes to find notes from George Stark written in his own hand. During his investigation, Pangborn learns that Thad had surgery when he was younger for what was thought to be a brain tumor. The doctor found the remains of a twin inside Thad's head. In the end Thad is able to overcome Stark, but the novel ends somewhat dark with Thad's wife leaving him.
There is a lot of speculation about whether Thad Beaumont represents King's own inner struggles as an author. I am sure there is some personal basis for the story, but the man does have an amazing imagination. Could George Stark be a comparison to Richard Bachman?
This was a great book. I loved the struggle between Thad and Stark. The two are at such a contrast to each other, yet have quite a bit in common. It makes you think about those dark thoughts that you have from time to time. What if they manifested in a darker half?
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