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The Outsider
By Stephen King
Scribner Book Company, 9781501180989, May 2018, 576pp.

The Short of It:

Probably King’s best writing in a long, long time.

The Rest of It:

I am a die-hard King fan but even I’ll admit that some books hit it out of the park while others amuse me. The Outsider hit it out of the park and then some.

A young boy is violated and murdered in the worst possible way. Evidence at the scene and statements from eye witnesses lead investigators to a very unlikely suspect, Terry Maitland. Terry is a stand-up guy. He coaches the town’s little league team and teaches English at the high school. No one, including his wife and two children can believe what is happening when he is hauled in for the murder of that young boy.

What makes the case more complicated, is the DNA and fingerprints recovered at the scene point to Terry but Terry was out-of-town with his colleagues when this all went down. How could he be in two places at the same time?

As the story moves along, you quickly realize that something else is at play here, but what? My mind was going all over the place. Was Terry guilty? Did the investigators really have the right guy? That’s when the lead investigator enlists the help of others and I gotta tell you, that is when the story gets really interesting and King fans will cheer when they get to one particular part in the story.

As you can see, I am not saying much about the plot because it’s too easy to give something away but all I can say is that The Outsider was everything I was hoping it would be. It’s almost 600 pages long but I had to pace myself or blow through it in one sitting. It’s the type of book you want to take your time reading only because it’s so good and you don’t want it to end.

I’ve had friends who listened to the audio say it was fabulous as well. I don’t think you can go wrong with this book. It’s really good, really entertaining and will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure it all out. I love it when Uncle Stevie hits a home run.

Source: Purchased
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Go Ask Fannie
By Elisabeth Hyde
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 9780735218567, April 10, 2018, 304pp.

The Short of It:

This family’s story tugged at my heart.

The Rest of It:

Murray Blaire is getting on in years. At 81, he’s set in his ways but still present enough to know the importance of family. In an attempt to convince his youngest adult daughter that the man she is seeing is far too old for her and a real jerk, he invites his three children up for a long weekend.

Ruth as the eldest, figures it’s a good time to discuss the possibility of long-term care before her father actually needs it but Lizzie and George and most of all, Murray, just aren’t ready to talk about it. Plus, Lizzie quickly figures out the real reason for the visit and although she realizes she made many mistakes in her life, she’s not quite ready to address them. Certainly not in front of her judgmental older sister.

This is family drama at its best. Go Ask Fannie is a touching story about what it takes to have a successful marriage and raise a family while still maintaining a sense of self. Lillian and Murray lived a wonderful life but her death and the death of their son Daniel place a cloud over this family that cannot be ignored. Murray’s grief and the weight of loss his kids carry is palpable. It’s a story about missed opportunities and second chances. It’s sweet and well-told and comes together beautifully at the end.

Elisabeth Hyde is a new-to-me author but I really enjoyed her writing. Go Ask Fannie is a book many will enjoy this summer.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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