Never Flinch
By Stephen King
Scribner, May 2025, 448 pp.
The Short of It:
Holly Gibney is back.
The Rest of It:
When the Buckeye City Police Department receives a disturbing letter from a person threatening to “kill thirteen innocents and one guilty” in “an act of atonement for the needless death of an innocent man,” Detective Izzy Jaynes has no idea what to think. Are fourteen citizens about to be slaughtered in an unhinged act of retribution? As the investigation unfolds, Izzy realizes that the letter writer is deadly serious, and she turns to her friend Holly Gibney for help. ~ the publisher
This is a slow burn read. It’s a little different from his other books. This story is definitely more nuanced and paced but still captures the essence of one of his most beloved characters, Holly Gibney.
However, it was painfully slow in the beginning. There is a lot going on. New characters, a crazy killer, police involvement and Holly moonlighting as a body guard. This was plenty, but then a musical band is introduced as well as a women’s rights speaker. There are competing events to contend with. Honestly, it didn’t feel all that authentic to me.
Barbara. Beloved Barbara writing her poems abut also singing? Holly, oogie Holly as a bodyguard? The villain? Pretty good. Well fleshed out with a decent backstory and setup.
Never Flinch is the product of the current world we are living in. The Presidency, although just a tiny mention, the women’s rights stuff tossed in, the need for substance abuse support and programs. I feel like King was trying to say a whole lot with this story but the plot suffered for it.
I read to escape and this installment didn’t have that classic King stamp that I enjoy so much. The ramped up ending made up for a lot of it because it’s a knuckle-biter but did I want to spend time with these beloved characters? Not really.
I am a huge King fan so don’t come at me in the comments. I gotta tell it like it is. Will I read him again. Damn straight I will and I will clear my calendar just like I did for this one.
Source: Borrowed
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Book Chatter 
Ah, too bad this one didn’t live up to his usual high level of excellence. But, every novel can’t be a winner.
In the acknowledgements at the end of the book, he admits that he struggled with it. His wife told him the first draft could be a lot better. Not sure what that draft looked like but the finished product was just a touch of what King is known for. The plot. Ridiculous. Beloved characters being very weird. The current political climate is dumped in but I mean everything, the right to choose, gender identity, Elon, Trump. Bleh.
Ahh you win some you lose some. He’s written so many … most of them are great but a few will bomb right? This one sounds like there’s too much going on in one book. King is almost as anti of the current regime as I am … but he needs to write more escape for his audience 🙂
This latest book was mild in the area of politics but still. If he has picked one thing to focus on it would have been so much better.
He did the same, to a certain extent, with Holly. Lots of stuff about Trump, as well as antivaxers and Covid. I agree with everything King says, but it felt a little too on-the-nose. I will read this one, but I can wait a bit. From the sounds of it, the audio will be too confusing, right?
I would imagine the audio to be a hot mess unless it has a really good reader. Yeah, my biggest beef with this one is Holly is weird, not oogy weird, or beloved, just weird and doing stuff she doesn’t normally do. Almost like he is ready to lay the character down soon.
I love Kings books but haven’t read one in a while. I’ll pass on this one
Yeah, even he said it wasn’t one of his best books.
The Otter Pup is still here but struggled this morning. Her bday is July 4th. She seems a little more confused but I will be home with her tomorrow and will assess her current state.
I was going to ask you about her the other day but I know how I felt when my Patches was sick and didn’t know if I should ask you or not. I’m praying for her.
Thanks!! She’s not sick but that year when I was recovering and couldn’t take her for our long walks really aged her fast. I feel horrible about that.
I know why you feel bad, I would too. But you need to take care of you so that you can be here to take care of her and your family.
I am listening to this one and I agree that it is a slow burn