The Outsider - Hardcover

Praise for The Outsider:

"A juicy tale that plays at the forefront of our current phobias... [The Outsider] will remind readers of King's early novel It."

-- Kirkus Reviews

"What begins as a manhunt for an unlikely doppelgänger takes an uncanny turn into the supernatural. King's skillful use of criminal forensics helps to ground his tale in a believable clinical reality where the horrors stand out in sharp relief."

--Publishers Weekly

"Absolutely riveting. . . another shockingly dark book--perfect for longtime fans, of whom there are, well, zillions."

--Booklist

"There's plenty of shadowy, wormy supernatural goings-on in Stephen King's new novel The Outsider. Yet the most unsettling stuff -- that which will leave you uncomfortable when you sit and devour this first-rate read -- probes the monstrous side of human nature."

--Brian Truitt, USA Today

"Do yourself a favor and read the book."

--Associated Press

"An It for the Trump era...remarkable and deeply pleasurable."

--Ryan Vlastelica, The AV Club

"Here's to mutant rats in the basement and Mexican myths; here's to the strange and to Stephen King. Still inspiring."

--Victor LaValle, New York Times Book Review

"King is arguably as much an American icon as the '68 Fastback or a classic red and white Plymouth Fury. All of these glories are on full display in his latest mystery-horror hybrid...you're in for one hell of a ride."

--Karin Slaughter, The Washington Post

"King appears to be on a hot streak, that he extends with The Outsider. Big, complex and inventive, it's a well-honed continuation of his interest in the intersection of crime and horror fiction, demonstrating his consummate skill with both."

--Michael Berry, The Portland Press Herald

"Every time Stephen King writes another book, I worry. Has he gone to the horror well too often? Will it be as good as It or Dolores Claiborne or Doctor Sleep or any of his 50-plus other titles? Luckily, his scary ideas continue to flow unfettered from his mind to the pages, most recently in The Outsider...masterful."

--Amanda St. Amand, St. Louis Post Dispatch

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER—soon to be an HBO limited series starring Ben Mendelsohn!

An unspeakable crime. A confounding investigation. At a time when the King brand has never been stronger, he has delivered one of his most unsettling and compulsively readable stories.

An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little 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 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? When the answer comes, it will shock you as only Stephen King can.