Gerald’s Game (1992) by Stephen King begins with Jessie Burlingame and her husband Gerald retreating to a secluded lake house for a romantic getaway involving bondage. When Gerald unexpectedly dies of a heart attack while Jessie is handcuffed to the bed, she is left trapped and alone. As hours pass, dehydration, panic, and the eerie silence close in on her. Jessie begins to hear voices from her past and confronts long-buried traumas that resurface in her desperate struggle to survive.

In Gerald’s Game, Stephen King delivers a psychological horror story focused on isolation, memory, and inner strength. Jessie must battle not only the physical danger of being restrained but also the terrifying hallucinations and emotional wounds that emerge. The tension escalates when she realizes someone—or something—may be inside the house with her. King crafts an intense and intimate thriller that explores trauma, resilience, and the fight for liberation¹.