The Outsider: A Novel

Written by:
Stephen King
Narrated by:
Will Patton

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
1986
Narrator
322
Release Date
May 2018
Duration
18 hours 41 minutes
Summary
Now an HBO limited series starring Ben Mendelsohn!​

Evil has many faces…maybe even yours in this #1 New York Times bestseller from master storyteller Stephen King.

An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is discovered in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens—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 have DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.

As the investigation expands and horrifying details begin to emerge, King’s 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? When the answer comes, it will shock you as only Stephen King can.
Reviews
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Craig S.

I have always been a Stephen King fan, I've listened to a lot of his novels on audio and I really enjoyed them all! but this is one of the best, this is Stephen King at his finest! like all his novels I really enjoyed this one too and the narrator was very good I'm glad they used Will Patton. he is really an excellent narrator, really brings the characters to life made me feel like I was there. this was really a good listen to!

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Anonymous

Well it's interesting it seems like anyone could be the killer.

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Angela T.

I don’t know if it was due to the narrator, or not, but I had a hard time staying interested enough to follow this one. King has many others that I enjoyed more. This one felt forced or something

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Chris B.

It was ok.

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Stephanie K.

Great story! Liked seeing the return of King’s characters from other books.

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Kevin S.

black lives matter was brought up within the first two minutes of this book. I read fiction to escape politics, pass

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Desiree M.

First of all The narrator, Will Patton was amazing and really brings Stephan Kings characters to life. The book itself was well written and kept me hooked from the very beginning. He keeps you guessing and in the end shocked. The story still spooked me and reminded me of my childhood stories growing up in south Texas.

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Lee S.

Fantastic narration by Will Patton. The story moves fast. Great characters too.

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Desmond

First off, time to give Will Patton his due. Amazing narration! Loved this book, love the fast start, loved the climax, loved the ending! Jumping back to the Wheel of time for two more books, then on to the Hodges trilogy.

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Colin Whitworth

Lover the book. Will Patton's narration is good but the volume/dynamics are all over the place.

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Jeffrey E.

Loved it. Couldn't stop listening. Great Characters.

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Danielle L.

Loved this book a lot, probably because it remeinded me a lot of IT. Regardless it was a good book. I would definitely recommend.

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Brian E.

Firstly, Will Patton is hands down, one of the best narrators I've ever listened to. Such a great division of characters and a great way of drawing you into the story. You can hear the fear and feel the emotion as he reads. Story wise, this was classic King. Such an amazing story teller. Descriptive, decisive, and elaborate. I've always admired his way of being eloquently horrifying. This story took me back to some of his older tales like Pet Semetary and It. Great writing, great story, great narration. King is back at it at his best.

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Kristy W.

Great book and my favorite narrator of all.

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Carla W.

The book was interesting although somewhat farfetched - but that was expected- it's a Stephen King novel! Will Patton does an amazing job in the narration-had me laughing out loud at times as Holly!

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Mark W.

Patton is excellent. Story is very good, but like most King novels, is a bit long. Could have editing two hours.

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James S.

This was the best listening experience I've had so far. Didn't read the summary before ordering. Good mix of crime drama, supernatural thriller, and the return of loved characters. A couple of winks from the author (the shining wasn't Kubrick's best work...). Narration was excellent, even when being an elderly Texas lady!

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Diane R.

He’s done it again. Kept me wanting to keep listening to his wonderful written words. I started reading Mr. King from the beginning. Then I took a respite. Now I’m hooked again. This one is a must read.

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Sandra H.

It's a book that makes you think outside the box. "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Sign of Four.

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Tammy W.

Great book.

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Julie G.

Great narration. Lovie’s voice was done so well. She was my favorite character.

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HAPPY

A little tedious

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Jordanna H.

excellent novel, very intriguing and sucks you right in! I couldn't put this audio down and was excited the whole way through. my singular complaint isnt a real gripe, but Mr Patton's voice is sharp around the S's so I had to play with audio equalizing becuase it hurt. still, one of my favorites overall!

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Rick S.

A great read!

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Joy B

Good book, great narration.

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Gary W.

Great listen

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Anonymous

Stephen King has always had his way of terrifying his way through his audience. From the time I was a little girl he will remain the most talented horror authors of my lifetime.

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STEPHANIE WITHERS

Great book! Listened every chance I got.

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ROSA P.

not bad.

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Callan S.

I loved this story and Will Patton narrating was fantastic! He really gets into all the characters and it feels like you’re listening to a movie. I was well worth the listen !

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april taylor

loved this!

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April T

Great book! & great narrator!

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Melissa B.

Now one of my favorite King books. Scary, suspenseful, and surprising the entire time.

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Timothy C.

Loved it, wish I had listened to it in the proper order!

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Anonymous

very entertaining. kept my attention throughout the story. very detailed characters and plot.

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Anonymous

The narrator did a fantastic job. Absolutely loved the book.

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cathy beauregard

narrator was easy to listen! would highly recommend this book.

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Jimb J.

Not one of King's best, but an entertaining and fun read. The narration was wonderful

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Sally F.

Narrator's audio portrayal of Holly was both over the top and insulting to this beloved character - the halting nature her speech coupled with the changing timbre of the voice was not natural in any way - this isn't the way one should realistically portray neuro diversity. In general, the loudness of his voice was so variable that I had to adjust the volume frequently when I listened to this book.

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Pamela B.

Stephen King has always been my favorite ! Great Book! Full of mystery and mayhem!

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JoAnn M.

Loved the story, but not a fan of narrator Will Patton. His portrayal of Holly is pathetic, at best.

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Stryktor D.

very good

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Cookei

I really enjoy Stephen King. His books always leave me with the same question. " Could it really happen? lol. He is an excellent writer. And the narrator was awesome.

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Alex U.

Not for me

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Jacqueline P.

It held your interest and surprised you at every turn!

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MaddieSM

I like the story a lot it’s one of kings works that is more scary than tragic, but if you want to listen to this on a road trip, in the gym, really anywhere that noise might be made pass on this one. The narrator is constantly dipping into a whisper for no reason and when you adjust the volume suddenly he’s screaming in your ear. When he’s voicing Holly Gibney (a character I love) he does it in such a way that makes me nearly despise her despite the positive descriptions in the book. The narrator isn’t bad per say but it makes the book harder to get through, I was listening at 2x speed after the first few hours just so he would get to the point.

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Benny G.

I really enjoyed the story! Stephen king never fails, the narrator was good at bringing life to the story instead of bring monotone

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Brad M.

so, I'm going backwards on this thing. Read If It Bleeds first. Holly's voice kind of got on my nerves, but ended up liking her. Then read The Outsider, learning more about Holly and her ways and really got hooked on her character. THEN....I found out about Mr. Mercedes, so now going to learn her history on how she ended up partnering with Bill Hodges. I ended up listening to "If It Bleeds" again, with a new appreciation for her character. Loved this book.

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Kirkwb

It was a page turner and the narrator kept your attention.

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Rlee B.

Excellent narrating

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Robin J.

Stephen King never disappoints!! First time I have heard Will Patton narrate and I was not disappointed there either. He can do other people’s voices and you can actually believe it. Hats off gentlemen.

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Gord L.

Never disappointed

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Malachi L.

Very good book. Captivating story, very well narrated!

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Chris L.

I very much enjoyed this book. Especially with the HBO mini series to add to it. Very creepy and disturbing. Of the King I’ve experienced, this one would be one of my favorites. Thank you!

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Cameron H.

Great book and story line

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Stacie

Narrator was the only down to this story.

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Anonymous

I loved this book. Listened to it twice once I found out it had a 10 piece TV series coming to HBO. I don’t recommend reading this and then subsequently watching the show however, it’ll make you angry as it has me. Both are good but so different.

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Anonymous

I loved it!

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Daniel M.

The ending reminded me of another of King's famous stories, and had some similarities to how the finale plays out, but all in all this is a very engaging story and one of King's best! Will Patton was immediately recognizable to me - he has such a distinct voice. He brought such an energy and excitement to the telling that you don't often even hear from experienced voice actors. Amazing performance!

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Melissa B.

First read of a Stephen King I guess I’m not a fan. Like more suspense and you knew what was going on the whole time and it drags on with things you don’t need to know

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Jennifer G.

Great story, heavy on the description as with all King novels. While it was easy to figure out what was going on, the roller coaster of emotions the characters go through figuring it out keeps you engaged. the narrator is pretty good at keeping different voices.

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Tommy E.

Great book, as always. Just read it you to.

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Sarah

I really enjoyed this audiobook! I’ve read the story before, so I knew the story going into it. I really enjoyed Will Patton’s reading (except for how he read Holly). His voice as The Outsider was creepy!

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Jose victor G.

It’s a awesome book !!! A must read for any SK fan ... or mystery / police procedure/ thriller fan ... it had me laughing at times ... crying at other ...and hanging on every word ... !!! Even the parts were they mention iPad which were plenty!!! Really sleek product placemy ;) ... in particular I loved the characters and their development... it was to me ...organic and believable...

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Holly C.

Omg!!! Loved it!!! Last 3 have been king books!!! Never was a big king fan before. Great great great!!!

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Tara V.

I really enjoyed this contemporary thriller (in spite of the details associated with the crime inflicted upon the child victims). I have always loved the element of the supernatural in King’s books and was certainly not left wanting with this one. I DO wish we had had more opportunity to get to know Maitland a bit better; but I absolutely LOVED Holly. Finally, the narrator was top notch. I really admire his range of character voices as well as the odd cadence of speech he used when speaking Holly’s parts.

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Marcus Johnson

Just a great book overall! It was my first "Detective Story" by King and I am hooked! I The book does not delay in getting straight into the action. It grabs your attention and does not let go! Will Patton might be my favorite narrator as well. His ability to work between characters adds to the depth this audiobook takes you. Would 100% recommend! Also, the story is being made into an HBO show and, so far, its spot on with minimal character/story adjustments.

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LSH

Stephen King did it again. This book kept you on the edge of your seat. It was really hard for me not to listen to the whole thing in one day. If you really like a good mystery and wondering who did it this is the book you should listen to. Will Patton is a great narrator. I just love to hear him read, he can do the people in the book really well. This was a great book.

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Rosemary C.

Loved the book. Glad I read the Mercedes trilogy first. Molly and Finders Keepers made the book interesting. Narrator excellent

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Christy L.

Im not always a big Stephen King fan but this one was amazing!

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Terry S.

Very masterful performance by Stephen king and the narrator

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Anonymous

Huge fan of SK. I did enjoy the story, but it seemed a bit slow. I'm going to listen again to be sure. :) narration was well done.

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Shannon Z.

Will Patton carries his amazing talents as an actor effortlessly into the narration of this novel. He brilliantly embodies each character. Through the voices he creates for each, they come alive in your mind as he reads. Stephen King is hands down the master of horror. The Outsider is yet another testament to that fact and to pair it with the genius of Will Patton, is epic.

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Annette P.

Avid Stephen King fan, and this is a true SK read. The narrator made it over the top. The way he changed his narration, voice, pitch, and even accents. He was actually becoming each character when narrating. Awesome

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LaKyshia C.

it's been a few decades since I've read a Stephen King book. I don't know if my age has anything to do with it but, it grabbed my attention early. I remember it used to take awhile for me to get into one of his books.

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Patricia Woodcock

This was my second book narrated by Will Patton. Although I was looking for a King book to listen to, it was the fact that Mr. Patton was the narrator that made my choice for me. As with Dr. Sleep, I actually felt the characters as he read them to me. He gives each of them their own life and keeps me drawn to them through out the novel. Now that I am done fawning over the narrator (although one can not do this enough when it come to Will Patton), I would also like to fangirl a little over the author. Although I have never met the man, Stephen King has been my friend since my youth. Growing up 3 miles outside a town of 300 people as a sickly, only child to a single mom who worked all the time, he was my closest companion. He has kept my head above water in times when I surely would have drowned and I thank him for that. My vision started to go in my early 20's and now that I am kicking the hell out of 50, I find it hard to read even large type for very long. It had been a very long time since I had visited my old friend and I missed him more than words can express. Now that I have finished listening to my second book, it is as if I never had left him. The boogeyman was right where I left him too, tucked away and waiting for a new identity just like the villain of this story. Also waiting, was the hero who keeps me safe from whatever demons King stirs up along the way. Thanks to both King and Patton for a great thrill ride. I can't wait to visit them both again soon.

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Beau B.

As an avid fan of Stephen King and his works I can definitely say this book kept me on my toes and excited. I experienced a library of emotions listening to this book in relation to the plot and characters. I highly suggest this to others. Mr. King is a master for sure

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Stephen L.

Well done and interesting, great narration!!

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Anonymous

Stephen King at his best again. The story brings a familiar character from another series of books into the mix. I love when he gives you something from another book to help you feel integrated.

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Jill W.

I loved this one. It was very suspensful throughout most of the novel and pretty creepy at times. The narrarator was amazing also. The only thing I didnt like was that the ending seemed a bit rushed. The big confrontation at the end turned out to be pretty undramatic despite all of the leadup to it. Kind of a bummer that there wasn't more of a "fight," it didn't seem realistic how easy the demise of this killer was.

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Rachell B.

As a lover of Stephen kings novels go. I loved it. It twisted and turned perfectly. The narrator was good. How ever he seemed at times to rush through, it was a little annoying. But well read characters.

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Kimberly W.

Really liked the book. However, it was a little drawn out and just a little quirky for a Steven King Novel.

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Lisa D.

The book was great and the narrator did a wonderful job with the characters...until about halfway through the book. Once the character Holly was introduced, it was very difficult for me to continue listening. The voice he used for Holly and the way he read her parts were so annoying. If it wasn’t for that I would give the book and narration 5 stars.

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John M.

I'm sorry Stephen but I have to be honest with my fellow fans.. this was the worst Stephen King book I have ever read and I have read them all.. the first half reads like a cheap detective story then all of a sudden in the middle of the book pulls a supernatural character into the storyline with thin connections to the rest of the characters in the story.. !! Small spoiler ahead!! (A shape-shifter? really Steven you can do better) and don't even get me started on the end. I gave it to Stars one because it's Stephen King and he still the best author in the world the second is for Will Patton who is excellent

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Ellen J.

This was my first Stephen King novel. Very well written. Will Patton is the best narrator I have ever heard..

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Mary N.

Great continuation from Mrercedes. Will Patton was great as always. Character Holly outstanding as well

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Emma C.

Starts off slow. Pretty good though.

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Michael M.

The narrator was very good. The book reminded me of a earlier story line I am pretty sure called THE DARK HALF. But I love Mr Kings writing and again he did not disappoint

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Alonzo K.

This book is great. A really engrossing story I finished this audiobook in 2-3days. I'm definitely going to listen to this again. The narration was very well done.

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Elvita W.

Both book and narrator superb! Kept me engrossed! Outside of work, I could not stop listening!

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Alicia W.

First of all, narrators can make or break an audiobook. Will Patton is an absolutely amazing narrator. I don't know how he keeps the characters straight when he is reading, but he changes his voice and it adds so much to the story. Second, Stephen King writes in such a way that you can see every scene in your head. There's no question as to what is going on. I have enjoyed his novels for 25 years, and I will tell you this one is up in my top five, along with Pet Sematary and Dr. Sleep. I would give it 10 Stars if I could.

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Melissa S.

Classic Stephen King. It was hard to stop listening! And the narrator, Will Patton, was outstanding. He made me feel like I personally knew the characters and brought them to life. A great read!

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Anonymous

This novel was incredible thriller. The narrative was a little weird especially when he was reading for Holly. Luckily she doesn’t come into play till the last part of the book and your already hooked by that point. Great read.

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Nancy K.

Steven King either kills it or 3/4 through he loses the story. This one he kills! I love the characters he builds. I love how he humanizes them and adds humor. The narrator did a great job with character voices ... especially Holly. I could totally picture her.

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Page H.

Great book! Capitvating from the beginning to the very end!!!!

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Lani M.

The book is good. I think about it quite often when I can't listen to it. But I can't stand the narrator. His voice is very unpleasant to me. Stephen King writes women better than anyone but this narrator butchers the dialogue by making them sound weak and frilly. I want the book to send chills down my spine, not the narrator.

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Greg S.

The Bill Hodges trilogy is what got me into reading (listening to) Stephen King and this new detective piece doesn’t disappoint. Will Patton always delivers and is one of my favorite narrators—his reading of King novels always makes it all the more of an enjoyable experience. Side note: Doctor Sleep by King (40 year sequel to The Shining) is also read by Patton and I’ve found that the reviews of people who listened to it are much more positive than those who read it. Patton’s narration skills are top notch and can actually make a story even better.

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Richard S.

It is always a pleasure to listen to a Steven King book. Day by day you wait for the ending as each minute by minute narration keeps you completely hooked. There are some books you listen to and wonder off but this book, with fabulous narration you don't. You like horror and suspense, this is a must listen to

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Gwen S.

I enjoyed the book it was reliably Stephen King. I found it a bit wordy in places for my taste, creepy enough without any out loud gasps. But Will Paxton! ❤️ just when i thought he couldn’t do better he exceeded himself!

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Kevin C.

Book is good, narrator makes in unlistenable. Can’t hear half the stuff he says so you turn it up, then he’s screaming. The character Holly sounds like she’s having a stroke throughout the entire book. It was the first time i’ve ever had an issue with any narrator. Holly’s narration will haunt my dreams forever, and that’s not what King intended.

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Jason C.

Cole J. Absolutely entertaining and enjoyable. King at his best once again, and soon to be a classic. This story had me gripped and hooked < such a thrilling adventure!

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Donald W.

Old story line like many earlier works...no surprises. Characters are not believable, however Mr King gets his shots at the president in. A total waste of 14.95 in my opinion!

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Paiten R.

Classic Stephen King horror, and I LOVE this new turn he has taken into crime fiction these past few years. The narrator was perfection, do not hesitate to read this book, people!

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Brianna E.

I did not want to stop listening to this book! It catches your interest immediately and takes you down a twisted plot, one in which you don’t initially expect. This one was great!

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Doreen B.

It was ok. The narrator did a good job!

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