The Two Dead Girls

by Stephen King

Book Overview

The Green Mile tells the story of two men, a prison guard and his new death row inmate, and their suddenly intertwined lives. What would it be like to walk those last 40 yards to the electric chair, knowing you were going to die there? What would it be like to be the man who had to strap the condemned man in or pull the switch? What would such a job take out of you, or even add? The Green Mile takes readers deep inside this world, and into the psyches...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451190491
• ISBN13: 9780451190499
• Release Date: March 1996
• Publisher: Signet Book
• Length: 92 Pages
• Weight: 0.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 4.1" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Love stephen king

I love this movie and the book is really sad.

First Part in The Green Mile Serialization

"The Two Dead Girls" opens with a seven-page foreword letter to the reader about the origin of this chapbook series. Summarized: one of King's friends recommended this style of writing to him; and since he enjoyed reading such serializations growing up, King decided to have a go at it himself--and, not surprisingly, it turned out great.In this first part, the main characters are introduced: Old Sparky, the electric chair; Paul Edgecombe, the storyteller and superintendent of the E Block at Cold Mountain Penitentiary, where this book takes place, in 1932; the much-hated guard, Percy Wetmore; the other inmate, Eduard Delacroix, and his talented pet mouse, Mr. Jingles; and, of course, John Coffey, an enormous, yet simpleminded, black man sentenced to death for the rape-murder of nine-year-old twins, Cora and Kathe Detterick.As a chapbook thriller should, "The Two Dead Girls" ends with the reader wanting to know more. Following this one comes "The Mouse on the Mile" (#2), "Coffey's Hands" (#3), "The Bad Death of Eduard Delacroix" (#4), "Night Journey" (#5), and "Coffey on the Mile" (#6). But it's better to get the complete serial novel instead since it contains all six parts and is easier to read that way.

A Great Start Off For A Serial Thriller!

Stephen King is a one of the best writers in our time!The Green Mile Part I-The Two Dead Girls starts off with the narrative Paul Edgecomb who is a prison good at Cold Mountain. In the year 1932, many events are going on. First and foremost, there is the Great Depression. Needless to say, this doesn't stop crime and criminals getting punished. Edgecomb describes the Green Mile in a way that makes you intrigued with the story that he is telling. In the year 1932, Paul already sets you up the feel that something truly amazing and devasting and sad will happen while he is there at the Green Mile. First, there is Percy Wetmore, a man who is mean and conceited, and thinks he is a tough guy that play with the big boys.But then, Paul know that there is more to one of the new prisoners that has been brought in to walk the mile-John Coffey. There is something strange about John Coffey---and Paul Edgecomb is intrigue by Coffey and the gruesome murder that he committed---killing two twin girls. There is also a mouse by the name "Steamboat Willie" (later named "Mr. Jingles" by Eduard Declorix). Mr. Jingles is a very intelligent mouse, and he will also have everything to do with the events that happen on the Mile.Paul knows that something big is about to happen on the mile. King is a wonderful writer. They way he sets off events in amazing, and he gets you thinking about the possiblities of Coffey's situation in this book. I cannot wait to read all five.

Gave me a totally different perspective of prison inmates .

This book kept me turning the pages until I finished it. Stephen King has the gift of putting himself in another's place and accurately describing it. He makes you see AND FEEL what it would be like to be John Coffey; as well as what it would be like to be Paul the superintendant. He makes you see the prisoners as real people with real feelings; not just an inmate which I believe people today tend to think of as something less than human that deserves no rights of any kind. I felt John Coffey's pain; and Paul's pain at having to do his duty. I felt the fear of the little frenchman; and genuinely felt his love for his little pet, as I have multiple pets myself. This book makes you see each prisoner as the unique human being they are and makes you ponder whether capital punishment is something that should be allowed. Do we have the right to play God? This is another message I believe Stephen King was trying to convey. Book number four was by far the most vibrant part-the bad death of Eduard Delacroix. I have read that part over and over and still get the goosebumps and chilled over such a vivid description. It scares the pants off of you. I can't putit strongly enough that we need to rethink our ideals on killing for the sake of justice; even though his crime was unforgivable, did he deserve to die in such a manner? Stephen King makes you feel for the little frenchman regardless of his henious crime. Stephen King is the most talented writer I have ever read and I hope he never stops writing. I think the man has a true God given talent for really terrific stories and movies.

King's a very talented writer

I thought the book was great. King has once again written another great book.

King writes here like a child with a new toy.

I am a fan of King. Have been since I was thirteen and picked up Salem's Lot. I can feel the short hairs on the back of my neck rise just thinking about it. Unfortunatly, I was dissappointed by Dolores Claiborne and everything since. Just when I thought Mr. King lost the means to make my skin crawl he comes up with The Green Mile. King writes in this book like he's found a brand new toy. I guess everything old is new again. I did not think I would be pleased with the serial format but was I ever wrong. I couldn't put this short book down and was ready, oh so ready, to get my hands on the next installment immediately after I did. This is Stephen King at his absolute best. The protagonist and narrator is someone King makes you care for. The setting is as dark as you could possibly request of any writer of horror. And if you don't feel claustrophobic after just a few pages, you should go get a transfusion because you can't have much blood running through your veins.