The Outsider

Stephen King delivers another spine-chilling tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The Outsider is a police procedural set in the eerie depths of the supernatural world. Detective Ralph Anderson is tasked with investigating the brutal murder of an 11-year-old boy, and the evidence points to local Little League coach and high school English teacher, Terry Maitland. Despite his vehement claims of innocence, witnesses place him at the scene of the crime, and his fingerprints and DNA are found all over the murder scene. The only problem is that other witnesses confirm that he was miles away at a teachers' conference on the night of the murder. Detective Anderson and others involved in the case are left to wonder how a man can be in two places at once. As they dig deeper into the investigation, they uncover an evil presence that will remind readers of King's early novel, It. Snakes, guns, metempsychosis, gangbangers, and possessed cops all feature in this twisted tale. King skillfully incorporates references to current events (Black Lives Matter) and long-standing memes (getting plowed into by a runaway car). He is at his best when painting a portrait of the ordinary gone awry. The Outsider is not King's best work, but it is still a spooky pleasure for his legion of fans.