 First edition U.S. cover | |
| Author | Stephen King |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Will Patton |
| Cover artist | Will Staehle |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Crime fiction, horror |
| Published | May 22, 2018 |
| Publisher | Scribner |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover and Paperback) |
| Pages | 576 |
| 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. [1] [2]
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 indicate 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. Amid the commotion, Ollie Peterson, the brother of Frankie Peterson, starts shooting at Maitland, blaming him for his brother's murder and mother's subsequent fatal heart attack. Maitland is mortally wounded before Ollie is killed by the police. In his dying words, Maitland still claims innocence. 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, causing what feels like sunburn on the back of his neck. The figure reappears later in Hoskin's home, informing him that the malady is cancer and that it can take the disease away if Hoskins does what it asks of him.
Alec Pelley, an investigator hired by Maitland's attorney Howard (Howie) Gold, hires private investigator Holly Gibney. During her investigation, Holly learns of a 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, dies by suicide.
Holly, Pelley, Howie, Ralph Anderson and his wife Jeannie, Terry Maitland's wife Marcy, police lieutenant Yune Sablo, and district attorney Bill Samuels all meet at Howie Gold's office. Holly shows them a few minutes of a Mexican luchadora film which 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 murders—it 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 Outsider's next victim.
The group deduce the Outsider is hiding in a cave and when they arrive, they are immediately fired upon by Hoskins, who is in a sniper position overlooking them after being sent there by the Outsider. Howie and Pelley are both killed and Sablo is wounded. Following a brief standoff, Ralph kills Hoskins. Ralph and Holly make their way further into the cave where they are then greeted by the Outsider, who resembles a mixture of Bolton and Maitland.
Ralph prepares to shoot the Outsider, but is told that a gunshot could cause another cave-in, killing all of them. Instead, Holly insults the Outsider and hits it repeatedly over the head with a sock full of ball bearings when it lunges at her. The Outsider begins to disintegrate and worm-like creatures begin crawling from its 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, Samuels announces Maitland's exoneration, alleging defective DNA samples as well as planted fingerprints, and confirming the video proof supporting Maitland's alibi. Ralph says goodbye to Holly, thanking her for telling him to keep an open mind.
The novel was first mentioned in an interview for USA Today on August 7, 2017. [3] The book cover was first revealed on January 18, 2018. [4] An excerpt was published in the May 25, 2018, issue of Entertainment Weekly . [5]
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. [6]
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. [7] On December 3, 2018, it was ordered to series by HBO, starring Ben Mendelsohn as Ralph Anderson, [8] 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. [9]
Lord of the Flies is the 1954 debut novel of British author William Golding. The plot concerns a group of British boys who are stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempts to govern themselves. The novel's themes include morality, leadership, and the tension between civility and chaos.
Rebecca Catherine Gibney is a New Zealand actress known for her roles on Australian television in The Flying Doctors, Halifax f.p., Packed to the Rafters, Winter and Wanted. She has also featured in a number of Australian films, including Mental and The Dressmaker. She is a Gold Logie winner
A Touch of Frost is a British television detective mystery drama series starring David Jason produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV from 6 December 1992 until 5 April 2010, initially based on the Frost novels by R. D. Wingfield. Writing credit for the three episodes in the first 1992 series went to Richard Harris.
Black & Blue is a 1997 crime novel by Ian Rankin. The eighth of the Inspector Rebus novels, it was the first to be adapted in the Rebus television series starring John Hannah, airing in 2000.
Eddie Valiant is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, and the film adaptation, Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
BlackJack is a series of Australian television movies created by Shaun Micallef and Gary McCaffrie, and starring Colin Friels. The movies began airing on Network Ten in 2003 and concluded in 2007. They were shown in the United Kingdom on the BBC and UKTV Drama.
The Poet is the fifth novel by American author Michael Connelly. Published in 1996, it is the first of Connelly's novels not to feature Detective Harry Bosch and first to feature Crime Reporter Jack McEvoy. A sequel, The Narrows, was published in 2004. The Poet won the 1997 Dilys Award.
Watchers Reborn is the 1998 sequel to the 1988 horror film Watchers. Directed by John Carl Buechler and starring Mark Hamill, the film is loosely based on the 1987 novel Watchers by Dean Koontz.
Cop Hater is a 1958 American crime film noir police procedural film based on the 1956 novel Cop Hater written by Ed McBain, the first in a series of books about the 87th Precinct in New York City. The film was produced and directed by William Berke, written by Henry Kane and stars Robert Loggia and Gerald O'Loughlin.
Kill Switch is a 2008 action film starring Steven Seagal and directed by Jeff F. King. Steven Seagal plays Detective Jacob King, a tough cop with a reputation for violent street-justice methods. King investigates murders in Memphis, Tennessee, perpetrated by a serial killer known as Lazerus. The film is also notable for featuring one of the last roles of Isaac Hayes.
Mr. Mercedes is a crime novel by American writer Stephen King. He calls it his first hard-boiled detective book. It was published on June 3, 2014. It is the first volume in a trilogy, followed in 2015 by Finders Keepers, the first draft of which was finished around the time Mr. Mercedes was published, and End of Watch in 2016.
Finders Keepers is a crime novel by American writer Stephen King, published on June 2, 2015. It is the second volume in a trilogy focusing on Detective Bill Hodges, following Mr. Mercedes. The book is about the murder of reclusive writer John Rothstein, his missing notebooks, and the release of his killer from prison after 35 years. The book's cover was revealed on King's official site on January 30, 2015. An excerpt was published in the May 15, 2015 issue of Entertainment Weekly.
End of Watch is a crime novel by American writer Stephen King, the third volume of a trilogy focusing on Detective Bill Hodges, following Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers. The book was first announced at an event at St. Francis College on April 21, 2015, under the title The Suicide Prince. On June 10, the new title End of Watch was announced. At the 2015 Edgar Awards, while accepting the award for Best Novel for Mr. Mercedes, King announced that the novel's antagonist, Brady Hartsfield, would be making a return in this book.
Mr. Mercedes is an American crime drama television series based on the Bill Hodges novel trilogy by Stephen King, which consists of Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and End of Watch. The series premiered on Audience on August 9, 2017. It was developed by David E. Kelley, and stars Brendan Gleeson and Harry Treadaway. In November 2018, it was announced that Audience had renewed the series for a ten-episode third season, which premiered on September 10, 2019. In May 2020, the show was discontinued, with no indication of whether the show had been officially canceled or that it would return for a fourth season. Its existing three seasons were later picked up in September 2020 by streaming service Peacock.
The Outsider is an American psychological thriller-horror crime drama television series based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Stephen King, adapted for television by Richard Price. It was ordered to series on December 3, 2018, after being optioned as a miniseries by MRC in June 2018. It premiered on HBO on January 12, 2020. It stars Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo, Bill Camp, Paddy Considine, Julianne Nicholson, and Jason Bateman.
If It Bleeds is a collection of four previously unpublished novellas by American writer Stephen King. The stories in the collection are titled "Mr. Harrigan's Phone", "The Life of Chuck", "If It Bleeds", and "Rat". It was released on April 28, 2020.
Holly Rachel Gibney is a fictional character created by American author Stephen King. Originally appearing in the Bill Hodges trilogy of novels, she later appears as a major supporting character in The Outsider and as the main character in If It Bleeds, a novella included in the collection of the same name, the novel Holly, and the upcoming novel Never Flinch, which is set to release on May 27, 2025.
Holly is a 2023 crime novel by American author Stephen King. It was published on September 5, 2023, by Scribner. The novel follows Holly Gibney, who made her first appearance in Mr. Mercedes (2014). She also appeared in Finders Keepers (2015) and End of Watch (2016), and later was a major supporting character in The Outsider. She was also the central character in If It Bleeds, a novella in the 2020 collection of the same name. An excerpt from Holly was published in Entertainment Weekly on January 23, 2023. King has confirmed plans for another novel featuring Holly Gibney, titled Never Flinch, to be released May 27, 2025.
Never Flinch is an upcoming crime novel by American author Stephen King. The book is scheduled to be published on May 27, 2025, by Scribner. The story follows recurring character Holly Gibney who also appeared in Mr. Mercedes (2014), Finders Keepers (2015), End of Watch (2016), The Outsider (2018), If It Bleeds (2020), and Holly (2023). The book was announced on November 18, 2024, with an excerpt published in Entertainment Weekly.
