The Outsider (King novel)

For other novels, see Outcast (disambiguation) § Literature.

The Outsider

First edition U.S. cover
Author	Stephen King
Audio read by	Will Patton
Language	English
Genre	Crime fiction, horror
Published	May 22, 2018
Publisher	Scribner
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (Hardcover and Paperback)
Pages	560
ISBN	978-1501180989
Preceded by	End of Watch
Followed by	If It Bleeds (novella)

The Outsider (2018) is a horror novel by the American author Stephen King. The novel was published by Scribner.

Plot

In Flint City, Oklahoma, the mutilated and raped corpse of Frankie Peterson is found. Fingerprints and DNA at the crime scene as well as witness accounts all clearly show local sports coach Terrence Maitland as the killer, so detective Ralph Anderson orders a public arrest.

Maitland claims innocence, having been at a conference with several other teachers in Cap City at the time, which the other teachers all confirm. Footage of Maitland at the conference as well as Fingerprints are found, casting confusion on the case.

On the day of Maitland's arraignment a large crowd has gathered around the courthouse. In the chaos, Ollie Peterson, the brother of the Frankie Peterson, starts shooting at Maitland, blaming him for his Brother's murder and mother's subsequent Heart Attack. Maitland is fatally wounded before Ollie is killed by the police. In his dying words Maitland still claims Innocence. After the incident Ted Peterson, Ollie and Frankie's father, attempts suicide, but is saved, leaving him severely brain damaged and in a coma, but still alive.

After Maitland's death, Ralph Anderson is placed on administrative leave, but continues to investigate the case.

Detective Jack Hoskins, who holds a grudge against Anderson, is sent to investigate an abandoned ranch outside of town, where clothes that the murderer wore are found. Jack is embraced by a shrouded figure from behind, and quickly flees the scene.

After establishing, through Maitland's wife Marcy, that Maitland possibly was in Dayton, Ohio at the same time a van involved in the murder was, Alec Pelley, an investigator hired by Maitland's Attorney Howard Gold, hires private investigator Holly Gibney to find possible clues in Dayton.

Hoskins awakes at his home and has what feels like a sunburn where the figure touched him. While in the bathroom, a presence appears behind his shower curtain and tells Jack that he has cancer and that it can take it away if Jack does what it asks of him.

During her investigation, Holly learns of a similar case in which two girls were killed in a similar fashion to Frankie Peterson. All the evidence in that case pointed directly to Heath Holmes. Holmes claims that he was out of town when the two girls were killed,and upon being arrested, committed suicide. Holly agrees to meet with the others in the investigation.

Despite a mysterious figure telling Ralph bad things will happen if they continue, Everyone meets at Howie Gold's office: Ralph and his wife Jeannie, Howie, Pelley, police lieutenant Yune Sablo, District attorney Bill Samuels, and Marcy. When Holly speaks, she shows them a few minutes of a Mexican luchadora film. The film depicts a mysterious presence kidnapping and murdering a child, leaving evidence that points directly to one man, who expresses his innocence, but is found guilty and subsequently hanged. At the hanging, the man sees the presence, called El Cuco. Holly states how she believes El Cuco, which she refers to as an outsider, is responsible for the deaths of the girls in Dayton and Frankie Peterson. Holly says that El Cuco (The Outsider) is able to mimic a person's appearance by absorbing their blood. Since Maitland was cut by the outsider imitating Holmes before the murder, they realize that Claude Bolton, a witness who testified being cut by Maitland's fingernail the day of the murder, is the Outsiders next victim. Since Bolton is currently in Marysville, Texas, Ralph, Sablo, Holly, Howie, and Pelley decide to fly down to Marysville to talk to him.

Fearing the Outsider could access his thoughts, Claude's mother, Lovie, tells him to leave, while she continues to talk to the group about the situation. Holly informs them that The Outsider is attracted to places of death and asks if there's any. Lovie says there is, and that some of Claude's relatives are buried there, after entering the local Marysville Hole, to find children who had gotten lost in the cave, but the search party was trapped in a cave-in. The group deduce that the Marysville Hole is where The Outsider could be hiding, and decide to go there the next day. The group drive to the Hole and are immediately fired upon by Hoskins, who's in a sniper position overlooking them after being sent there by the Outsider. Howie and Pelley are both killed and Sablo is wounded. A shot to their vehicle's gas tank causes it to explode. While leaving Sablo in cover, Ralph and Holly go into the caves where they are followed by Jack. Following a brief standoff, Ralph kills Jack Hoskins. Ralph and Holly make their way further into the cave where they are then greeted by The Outsider, who resembles a mixture of Claude and Terry Maitland.

Ralph prepares to shoot The Outsider, but is told that a gunshot could cause another cave-in, killing all of them. Holly insults the outsider and hits him repeatedly over the head with a sock full of ball bearings when he lunges at her. The Outsider begins to disintegrate and worm-like creatures begin crawling from his body. With The Outsider appearing destroyed, Ralph and Holly exit the cave. Holly and Sablo go to the Bolton residence to get their stories straight with them, while Ralph waits with the bodies of Howie and Pelley.

Later, DA Bill Samuels announces Terry Maitland's exoneration, alleging defective DNA samples as well as planted fingerprints, and confirming the video proof supporting Maitland's alibi, and Ralph says goodbye to Holly, thanking her for telling him to keep an open mind.

Background information

The novel was first mentioned in an interview for USA Today on August 7, 2017. The book cover was first revealed on January 18, 2018. An excerpt was published in the May 25, 2018, issue of Entertainment Weekly.

Reception

The review aggregator website Book Marks reported that 10 of 14 critics gave The Outsider a "rave" review, while the remaining four expressed "positive" impressions, signifying that the novel received critical acclaim.

Television adaptation

Main article: The Outsider (miniseries)

In June 2018, it was announced that MRC and Aggregate Films had optioned the novel to be produced as a 10-part miniseries with Richard Price scripting, and executive producers Jack Bender, Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan and Marty Bowen. On December 3, 2018, it was ordered to series by HBO, starring Ben Mendelsohn as Ralph Anderson, along with Jason Bateman, Paddy Considine, Cynthia Erivo, Bill Camp, and Mare Winningham. Julianne Nicholson, Yul Vázquez, Jeremy Bobb, and Marc Menchaca are to appear as regulars, with Hettienne Park and Michael Esper set to recur.

External links

• The Outsider, official page on StephenKing.com