In Will Patton I think I may have discovered a new favourite narrator though I'd add caveats to that. What starts off reading very much like a police procedural boxing King's latest set of well-drawn characters into a seemingly impossible paradox later descends into more familiar King territory. Okay cards on the table I love Stephen King's books and this one was no disappointment! I'd be lying if I said it was one of his very best but it's not a huge distance away making it well worth five stars in my view. (although I gather from the other reviews he is a little 'Marmite') I didn't find his interpretation of Holly in the least annoying, and his characterization of the villain was down right chilling. As a narrator, Will Patton totally nails it for me. The Outsider features a premise that is interesting, character reactions diverse and for the most part believable, and it has a very satisfying villain and conclusion. I personally feel in this regard, the author continues to improve in creating stories that have not just great ideas and clever prose, but heart. They are flawed and don't always make the right decisions, and he allows this room to drive the plots forward in interesting ways. As King gets older, his characters are becoming more layered, more nuanced. I actually enjoyed it more than the other Mr Mercedes books (and in fairness, this isn't really a follow on in any important way from those save for the inclusion of one character).

To say this isn't his best book, is not to say it's not still of a standard most other current authors would give their eye-teeth to reach. King suffers from having written some of the world's most loved novels: The Shining, Shawshank Redemption, IT, Song for Susannah (obviously kidding about that last one).

I've just finished reading this, and after looking over the reviews, feel it's worth adding my 10 cents.

Bill hodges trilogy the outsider