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Roadwork is a thriller novel by American writer Stephen King, published in 1981 under the pseudonym Richard Bachman as a paperback original. It was collected in 1985 in the hardcover omnibus The Bachman Books. The story takes place in an unnamed Midwestern city in 1972–1974. Grieving over the death of his son and the disintegration of his marriage, a man is driven to mental instability when he learns that both his home and his workplace will be demolished to make way for an extension to an interstate highway.
Roadwork: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
This psychological thriller contains intense themes of grief over child death, mental breakdown, and a protagonist's descent into instability and potential violence. Strong language and disturbing psychological content throughout.
What to know going in
This book has strong violence, mild sexual content, and strong language. Content notes include death of child, grief, and mental illness (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Adult readers interested in dark psychological studies will find this a disturbing portrait of a man losing everything.