Plot details for Stephen King’s next novel The Outsider surfaced recently, and now we have the cover art to accompany them.
The creepy-ass cover was revealed by EW, four months before the book is due to hit shelves. At a reported 576 pages it’s certainly not one of King’s lengthiest novels although, if the official word is to be believed, it is one of his most terrifying. And true to form, it sounds as though King is tackling a troubling and deeply uncomfortable subject.
“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?.”
The Outsider is released on May 22nd. With King’s works being adapted into films and series with more frequency than ever, let’s see how long it takes for this one to reach the screen.
Words: Kevan Farrow (@KevanX)
