This book is heavily focused on the murder and sodomy of a child. Boyo, let me tell you - this is one of the darkest books I've read. This is another case of 'the adaptation convinced me to finally read this.' A Halloween book swap buddy gifted me The Outsider last year, and I made sure it was the first book I read in 2020 to prep for the HBO series adaptation. TW: sexual assault, child abuse/pedophilia, self harm, violence, kidnapping/abduction, death, gore, racism, sexism, bigotry, homophobia Other PS 2020 reading prompts this would satisfy: A book featuring one of the seven deadly sins, A book with at least a four-star rating on Goodreads, A book by an author who has written more than 20 books (advanced) All four display the richness of King's storytelling with grace, humour, horror and breathtaking suspense.PopSugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book with an upside-down image on the cover Dancing alongside are three more wonderful long stories from this 'formidably versatile author' ( The Sunday Times) - 'Mr Harrigan's Phone', 'The Life of Chuck' and 'Rat'. 1 bestselling THE OUTSIDER featuring the incomparable Holly on her first solo case - and also the riveting title story in Stephen King's brilliant new collection. So begins 'If It Bleeds', a stand-alone sequel to the No.

But when she tunes in again, to the late-night report, she realises there is something not quite right about the correspondent who was first on the scene.

Holly Gibney of the Finders Keepers detective agency is working on the case of a missing dog - and on her own need to be more assertive - when she sees the footage on TV. And a bomb at Albert Macready Middle School is guaranteed to lead any bulletin. News people have a saying: 'If it bleeds, it leads'. Someone must be in charge, maybe in the Winnebago she can see at the far left of the shot. There’s a crew in white Tyvek body suits. Holly sees FBI on some of the jackets, ATF on others. People in uniform rush here and there, shouting and talking into mikes. More bright lights are shining on the middle school’s wounded side each tumbled brick casts its own sharp shadow.

He is, standing in a pool of bright light thrown by the camera. ‘Now we’re going to take you to the Macready Middle School and our man on the scene. Andrea Mitchell is now anchoring in New York. She switches to NBC, where a graphic, complete with grim music, reads SPECIAL REPORT: TRAGEDY IN PENNSYLVANIA. Just before ten o’clock, Holly gives up the book she’s trying to read and turns on the TV.

King the outsider