Title: The Outsider (Holly Gibney # 1)
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Published: 2018
Description: An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in
a town parl. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint
City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League Coach,
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 add DNA evidence to go with the
fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.
As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, King’s
propulsive 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?
Review: “The Outsider” is a masterful blend of hard-boiled police thriller and
classic supernatural horror, a genre for which Stephen King is renowned. The
book grabs you by the throat from the very first page and doesn’t let go.
The story starts in Flint City, with the gruesome discovery of the body
of an 11-year-old boy. All the evidence – fingerprints, DNA and eyewitnesses –
point to Terry Maitland: the popular teacher, father and coach of the Little League
team. Detective Ralph Anderson arrests him in a very public manner. However, Maitland
has a watertight alibi; at the time of the murder, he was miles aways at a
conference, and there is even video footage to prove it. The central question
that drives the investigation is how can someone be in two places at once?
Stephen King succeeds in creating an oppressive atmosphere of mistrust
and sadness in a small community. What begins as a realistic whodunnit slowly
but surely slips into a sinister, supernatural nightmare.
The build-up to the mystery is phenomenal, the final confrontation and
explanation feel a bit rushed and less satisfying then the rock-solid first
part of the story.
If you are a fan of horror and thriller, this dark investigation into
the nature of evil and the limits of our belief and logic is an absolute recommendation.
A solid four-star book.
Rating: 4/ 5
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