Now an HBO limited series starring Ben Mendelsohn! Evil has many faces…maybe even yours in this #1 New York Times bestseller from master storyteller Stephen King. An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is discovered in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens–Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, … League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon have DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.
As the investigation expands and horrifying details begin to emerge, King’s story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face? When the answer comes, it will shock you as only Stephen King can.
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This was the best Stephen King novel I have read in quite awhile and it took me back to when I first started reading Stephen King which was 40+ years ago. When I read this book I felt like I did the first time I had picked up a book by Stephen King and that was mesmerized! That is what this story did to me as I could literally not put this book down! I read a 500+ page book in two days and for me that is quite a feat!
Crime comes calling to the town of Flint City in an unspeakable act of violence on an eleven year old boy. The horrific crime shocks and stuns the community. That is not the only horror that gives the community pause as they cannot believe that one of their own is accused of murdering the boy.
The community is outraged when all fingers point to Terry Maitland a/k/a Coach T the little league coach to their sons and grandsons. No one can believe that the Coach would murder one of their own.
Thus begins the investigation of Terry Maitland to find out why he would commit such a heinous crime. Detective Ralph Anderson starts putting his case together by going out and finding witnesses along with DNA evidence that does suggest the Coach is the murderer.
Though everything seems to be sealed up and there is no other killer, Detective Anderson along with the DA’s office decide that the Coach is the one. But even though the Coach has a solid alibi, there is still room for doubt. What they find is something far beyond their imagination as how could the Coach murder the boy but also be in another town at the time of the murder? None of it makes sense to Detective Anderson and he goes on an extensive search for the truth.
What Detective Anderson finds is beyond the truth and actually it is beyond everything that he believes in as the deeper he digs to find the answer, the more mind-boggling he becomes as what he finds takes him into the twilight zone.
This book took me into the twilight zone too as the more I became involved in the story, the more it left me wondering who and/or what committed the murder. This is a classic Stephen King book and to me it rates up there with why I first started reading Stephen King in the first place and why I have him as my favorite author. This book gave me chills and thrills throughout the whole story and the end of the book was definitely well worth it for me as it could only end the way a Stephen King novel would end and that was having chills running down my spine. This is a definite five star read and I would highly recommend it to anyone that loves Stephen King or if you love crime novels mixed with the supernatural then this book is for you.
Another winner from King. I began reading this around the time the HBO series began airing episodes. I strongly recommend reading the book first. I also greatly prefer the book to the series!! Holly Gibney is a beloved character carried over from the Mr. Mercedes trilogy. I dislike the way her character has been altered in the HBO series. I love Cynthia Erivo, but she makes Holly more of a savant than King’s book character. This is a great book!
The Outsider
I have always been a big King fan. Like a lot folks I think he will be remembered for centuries to come. He has a way of endearing the reader to his characters and bringing his characters alive with just the right amount of details. Details that we have all experienced at one time or another in our lives and have forgotten. Details that sparks a cord, and for me, I eat them up like Pacman.
I am not a big horror fan, in fact it’s my least favorite genre. The Outsider, is one of his better ones (for me, my favorite is Bag of Bones and Tommy Knockers), a solid five starts. A full fifty percent of the book deals with a real-life crime story and does not venture into the supernatural until 300+ pages. And even when the story did veer into that area, (which I’m not really fond of), he laid down such a foundation for it that he almost had me believing it. Truly, a master story teller.
I chased murder suspects for many years, and at times I had to try to get into their heads to figure how they think, where they would go to hide. I don’t know how King did it, but with his words he captured a real evil I have experienced firsthand. Even though his antagonist has a supernatural bent, it was still symbolic in many ways to the types of evil people I chased, the multiple murders and the kind of man who would cut off a woman’s head in front of a five-year-old child, and many others. Those kinds of people are out there, they do exist.
I also noticed his wink to Jim Thompson with his mention of Pop 1280…Very nice.
For me this was an excellent read and highly recommend it for those who enjoy crime/horror novels.
David Putnam author of The Bruno Johnson series.
First Stephen King book I’ve ever made it through. I’ve always been very intimidated by the density in King’s writing, but after making it through The Outsider, I understand the depth. I didn’t find any lose ends, I loved the thought put into every detail & the story was all around complete. I just felt full upon ending & didn’t need anything more & there was nothing that felt like it needed to be left out. All in all, I’ve become a fan.
Disclaimer: do not recommend as a bedtime read. My mistake!
Vintage Stephen King! I haven’t enjoyed his books lately, starting with The Dome, but this is King back at the top of his game. Loved it!
The Outsider was an interesting read, full of super natural, intensity at times, and good old fashioned crime investigation. The book was over 400 pages long, and I do feel 100 pages could have easily been eliminated. I got a kick out of how Stephen King included a key character from the Bill Hodges series, and we get to see how she has matured and grown. How does one solve a mystery where ironclad DNA evidence is present at the crime scene when the “criminal” has been proven to be miles away? This is what kept me going to the end of the book. The conclusion wasn’t as shocking as advertised in the overview, but regardless, a decent enough book.
I’m a huge SK fan and this book didn’t disappoint. See my full review on my website. http://patlewin.com/2018/10/the-outsider-by-stephen-king/
A horrific crime has occurred in the small town of Flint City. The body of an eleven-year-old boy was found murdered and horrifically mutilated. Witnesses saw the bloody Terry Maitland, well-loved Little League coach of the town, coming away from the crime scene that night. All the evidence, even the DNA found at the scene, points to Terry Maitland, too. The case is solved in a matter of days and a very public and demeaning arrest takes place. However, Terry was in another city. How could he have committed this terrible crime?
King’s characters are always so real, and, in this story, they are, too. However, the return of Holly Gibney from the Bill Hodges trilogy is the highlight. She comes as a private investigator in this seemingly-unsolvable case, and I was so happy!
There are twists and turns in this story, making this horrific story another King great! This is going to make a great movie!
As with all his books, I loved this new title from Stephen King. I’m constantly in love with how he portrays average Americans experiencing extraordinary events, and this is another in that great line of stories. You start with the question of the crime itself, which then delves deeper into the fears and paranoia of a small community.
A great representation of the current struggles families face in our protection-focused society, with all the twists and shocks you’ve come to expect from Mr. King.
Only Stephen King can lure you into a scary world by pretending he’s writing a plain old mystery. Creepy.
The Outsider combines two of my favorite genres, crime thrillers and horror. This book is an extension of the Bill Hodges trilogy (Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, End of Watch) with the appearance of the unforgettable Holly Gibney. You don’t have to read the trilogy to enjoy The Outsider, but by the time you finish the story, you might want to.
Purchased as an audible.
What do I like about Stephen King? Pretty much everything. What I liked about this new audible was the story is more like the traditional King I enjoyed at the beginning of his novel, horror/mystery career. He grabs you at the very first of the novel with a young narrator and doesn’t let you go…even when you start screaming.
Reviewed in Le Coeur de l’Artiste http://www.djadamson.com/le-coeur-de-lartiste
I’ve not been so pleased with a King book in quite a few months. The two I read before my last King read (Revival) were rereads, and well.. let’s just say Revival definitely didn’t meet my expectations. Not saying it wasn’t good, just not great. I know a TON of you will disagree and that’s ok. Different strokes for different folks.
The Outsider absolutely lived up to the hype and anticipation for me. The first 200 or so pages were a bit too slow for my liking, but in the end I see how incredibly necessary it all was and feel ashamed for not knowing better and wanting King to just deliver insanity right from the jump. Any constant reader knows that this is not how he works. I played myself. Once that 200 mark hit, I did not want to put the book down. Things just kept getting crazier and creepier. I wouldn’t put it up there with his epics like IT or The Stand, but The Outsider in my opinion is one of Kings best yet.
Classic Stephen King, I loved it!
OMG! Love King.
King drags an old friend into the mix from Finders Keepers. This is a great read.
King starts with a murder, adds some local cops with axes to grind, a district attorney planning to run for the Senate, and unfortunately, an innocent man.
Whatever could go wrong, does.
I love this book. I love the way King has of importing characters from another book into this one, I thought the Bill Hodges series was fantastic, so it was great to see Gibney again.
Fantastic read.
A page turner!!! Very “XFILES” type of plot!!!!!
Stephen King never fails to build amazing characters and I love when he sneaks in a character from another book! This was beautifully done and I had so wanted more of that particular character. The people are so real – everything is so real that when the surreal/horror is woven in you absolutely believe it. He even worked a theme about “belief” into the story! So many levels – so engaging. Thanks Stephen – you did it again!
I picked this up and finished it within 24 hours. I literally couldn’t put it down, the sign of another compelling tale by my favorite author. This was literally a weighty read (I had it in my checked suitcase and had to pull it out…the 2lbs made the difference).
This story included enjoyable characters, including one we’ve met before, and a compelling storyline all woven together by a master storyteller.
I will say, if you haven’t read the Bill Hodges series and plan to, you may want to hold off on this one, as there are a few spoilers in the story.
Because all the accolades that exist to describe the mind of Stephen King have been used to the moon and back, I won’t even attempt to squeeze a new and more elaborate one out of my brain. I’m not sure that I’ll ever stop being awed by the way this man’s mind works, not to mention his attention to detail, and unique ability to craft a story that not only entertains, but draws you into the lives of every single character that crosses the page. I knew “The Outsider” would be far beyond anything that I could imagine and I was right. At the heart of it all, this story is about trusting instincts, looking beyond what’s usual and forcing yourself to believe what you see even when what you see seems horrifically impossible. It took me a month to read ONLY because I had so many other things vying for my time. Trust me, once you start reading or listening you will find The Outsider very hard to put down!
Some of the characters in this story are not who we think they are…liked this story because it did not go off on a ridiculous tangent for and ending like some of Kings stories do.