Rotten Fruit

There’s nothing like some Stephen King for pure creepiness and solid story elements.  The Outsider is a lengthy book (as most of King’s tend to be) that kept my interest from start to finish.

This book follows a horrific case involving the murder of an eleven-year-old boy.  Everything about the case seems clear cut: fingerprints, numerous witnesses and plenty of other evidence.  Police arrest Terry Maitland, a well-known figure in Flint City for his work with Little League and teaching.  The problems begin when Maitland reveals his alibi. It turns out there are witnesses and even video evidence that he couldn’t have committed the crime.  Events unravel quickly as most of the town has already deemed him guilty (before knowing the extent of his alibi).  His first appearance at court goes horribly wrong, and the lives of his family and the victim’s family are changed forever.

Characters must face that there is a supernatural element at play here.  Some believe easily because of their strange dreams/encounters while others need a little more persuading.  Everything comes together at the end, as Detective Anderson and other people with an invested interest in the case come face to face with the being responsible for potentially countless unspeakable murders.

This book kept me reading until way past my bedtime, and I probably won’t be able to eat cantaloupe for a very long time!