I have to admit that I was not a Stephen King fan before reading this book. I am now. The Outsider begins in Flint City, Oklahoma with a gruesome murder and a manhunt to find the killer. However, once the case begins to unfold it stands clear that the murderer might not be who everyone thinks. It puts a twist on a classic detective novel; giving it a supernatural touch. I could not put it down.
Stephen King’s books are known for being slower reads with a long build to the action. This book was not like that. It was engaging and I found myself constantly picking it up throughout the day. It was a page turner! The book follows a group of people including a Flint City Police Detective, a Lawyer, a widow, and a Private Investigator through a gruesome murder of a young boy. This unlikely group works together to solve the murder and finally put the case to rest. I loved this group, the characters had strong personalities, but were able to work together. It made the book relateable and the story more believable.
I also loved the form of this book. The chapters are short, which for me is a absolute plus. When the chapters are long they can often drag on and then I find myself losing interest. This book keeps the chapters short and sweet which helps to keep you engaged for longer.
I found myself thinking “Just one more chapter! It’s so short…” More times than I would like to admit.
There were some aspects of the novel that stuck out to me as being predictable. I found myself equating it to those old school Scooby Doo movies or Supernatural which may lend to its predictability in my opinion. It’s one of those books that is predictable in the right ways, you expect certain things out of detective books and certain things out of horror books. This book was the perfect mash of both of these genres.
This book is excellent and is a must read this October! Go ahead and pick it up here!
Every Book and Cranny 