Stephen King’s novel Misery won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel in 1987.
Misery was published by Viking in June 1987. It tells the story of novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued after a car accident by Annie Wilkes, a fan whose devotion becomes violent and obsessive when she discovers that Sheldon has killed off her favorite character.
The Horror Writers Association established the Bram Stoker Awards to recognize outstanding horror writing. Misery received the award for Best Novel for its first publication year, placing it among King’s formally recognized works of the 1980s.
The award date is sometimes confused with the 1990 film adaptation starring James Caan and Kathy Bates. The film came later; Bates won the Academy Award for Best Actress for playing Annie Wilkes. The novel’s central conflict remains focused on captivity, authorship, and the dangerous extremes of fandom.