Review of Duma Key by Stephen King

This tale is narrated by its protagonist, Edgar Freemantle, a man who became successful and wealthy in the building trade, but whose career was cut short by a terrible jobsite accident that took one of his arms, severely damaged a leg and his vision, and, perhaps worst of all, rattled his brain enough to cause lapses in his memory and language skills and left him dealing with bursts of sudden rage.

Steeped in an agonizing stew of anger, frustration and despair, suffering constant torment from his physical wounds, and dealing with the impending divorce from his wife of 25 years, Edgar embraces a plan of suicide. Fortunately, this idea is headed off by Kamen, his therapist, who suggests a change of scenery, which results in Edgar's trading the impending winter cold of Minnesota for the tropical sunsets of Duma Key, Florida, where he ends up in a large pink house that hangs out over the water and seems to extend a special welcome to him.

From the very first day in "Big Pink", Edgar starts to make noticeable progress toward recovery. He finds his pain and stiffness diminishing, and he begins to practice walking on the beach without his cane, going farther every day. His also previously-undeveloped artistic talent emerges in a big way, so much so that in a few months, he has a studio full of drawings and paintings that leave people awestruck, as well as a little spooked. He develops close friendships with his young assistant, Jack Cantori, and with the only year-round residents of the Key, Wireman and Wireman's employer, the gracious yet mysterious Elizabeth Eastlake, who also know a thing or two about trauma, both physical and mental. Buoyed by these relationships and supportive emails from his adoring daughter, Ilse, and riding a powerful creative high as his artistic talent "unbottles", Edgar is happier on Duma than he thought he ever could be, but then things start to get creepy...