Despite his alibi, the community had seen too much damage with the public arrest, and rumors fly. Everyone they previously were close to and saw as friends are turning on them, essentially forming a mob-like mentality to drive them out and see Terry punished. The FalloutĪnderson grows even more torn over the case, and we see Terry's family receiving the brunt of the community's attacks.

Not fully believing he could have been two places at once, Detective Anderson is torn, especially when his boss tells him to destroy the evidence. There is also security footage of him at a book signing and fingerprint evidence as well.

Terry has several witnesses of his own who can corroborate his whereabouts and prove he was out of town the night of the murder for a writers' conference. Terry fights against all charges, swearing his innocence and presenting an airtight alibi. Police detective Ralph Anderson is convinced this is an open-and-shut case, and with some personal conflicts (his own son was coached by this man in the past), he very publicly arrests Terry at a Little League game in front of his family and neighbors. Witnesses can trace his movements leading up to the scene, his fingerprints are everywhere, and other DNA is found to suggest the attack was also of the sexual nature. Police run DNA tests from things found at the crime scene, and all results point to the sweet, beloved Little League coach Terry Maitland. There has been a brutal assault turned murder of an 11-year-old boy in a small town where everyone feels the impact of his death, whether through fear or outrage. The first half of the book is structured like a classic police mystery. Don't continue to read if you hope to avoid spoilers for the ending, because we will especially break down the twist here. Even so, we're sure HBO will throw a few curveballs in its adaptation to make watching it feel new.

If you like to know what you're getting into before committing to a new show or simply need a refresher on the book, we've outlined all the key spoilers you need to know. The book is also based in a modern context, with references to the current political climate, which will make for a good series. If you are a King fan, you will enjoy reading his latest work, because it is filled with his usual storytelling quirks and practices, like a mystery monster and several gasp-inducing twists. This time, King's characters embattle false accusations, which lead to the fear and blind rage that instigate an aggressive mob mentality around communities. As many of King's books are, The Outsider is a story of dark, supernatural horror packaged as a cultural critique of American society. Stephen King's 2018 book The Outsider is HBO's newest thriller/horror series.

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