Stephen King, The Outsider review

Reviewed by Paula Limbaugh

It’s been a while since I could say I’ve just read a great Stephen King book. I’ve read a lot of newer ones and they were good, alright, etc., but they weren’t great. With The Outsider, I can now say wow, I just read a great Stephen King book. For me, this book brings back the thrill of reading one of his books way back when he was not yet the King of horror!

At first, as I began reading I thought oh no, I can’t read this. Graphically described crimes against children is not something I want to read about but then I decided to forge ahead a bit and see where he was going with this. I am so glad I did, not only is the writing style the vintage King I have always loved, the story takes place somewhere other than Maine.

A terrible crime has been committed and a young boy is dead. All the evidence points to Terry Maitland a beloved Little League coach for many years in the town of Flint City, Oklahoma. Jumping the gun, Detective Ralph Anderson arranges to have Terry arrested during a well-attended game. However, Terry swears he didn’t do it and he has the evidence to prove he wasn’t even in town when the murder occurred.

What follows is a circus gone amok where tragedy strikes again and again. Now faced with conflicting evidence and a responsibility to make things right, Detective Anderson finds himself along with the prosecutor, Bill Samuels teamed up with the defense attorney, Howie Gold, and his investigators. Their investigation leads them to a similar crime in Ohio that occurred some months ago.

A loose thread is picked up by Holly Gibney a PI hired by the defense when she finds that the man accused of the Ohio crime worked at the care facility that Terry Maitland’s father resides. From there the thread connects back to Oklahoma to one Claude Bolton an eyewitness who put Terry near the scene of the crime.

Are you still with me? This story is intricately woven with so many things happening but all leading up to one terrifying conclusion. How can it be that a man can be seen at two different places at the same time? Who or what is really killing children across the country? Will they be too late to save the next marked man?

Those of you that are constant readers of King’s work will recognize a few of the characters but not to worry if you don’t this is a stand-alone story. Now, get ready to set everything aside because once you start reading this one you won’t want to put it down. You can pick up your copy HERE!!

5/5