Never Flinch

Holly Gibney #4

by Stephen King

From master storyteller Stephen King comes an extraordinary new novel with intertwining storylines—one about a killer on a diabolical revenge mission, and another about a vigilante targeting a feminist celebrity speaker—featuring the beloved Holly Gibney and a dynamic new cast of characters.

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.

Meanwhile, controversial and outspoken women’s rights activist Kate McKay is embarking on a multi-state lecture tour, drawing packed venues of both fans and detractors. Someone who vehemently opposes Kate’s message of female empowerment is targeting her and disrupting her events. At first, no one is hurt, but the stalker is growing bolder, and Holly is hired to be Kate’s bodyguard—a challenging task with a headstrong employer and a determined adversary driven by wrath and his belief in his own righteousness.

Featuring a riveting cast of characters both old and new, including world-famous gospel singer Sista Bessie and an unforgettable villain addicted to murder, these twinned narratives converge in a chilling and spectacular conclusion—a feat of storytelling only Stephen King could pull off.

Thrilling, wildly fun, and outrageously engrossing, Never Flinch is one of King’s richest and most propulsive novels.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

448 pages, Hardcover

First published May 27, 2025

About the author

Stephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.

Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.

He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.

Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.

In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.

Reviews

[annie cusack]

If the Bill Hodges/Holly Gibney books have 1000 readers, I am one. If they have 10 readers, I am one. If they have one reader, it is me. If they have no readers, I am dead.

[Court Zierk · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2

Do you remember when you were growing up and a friend or sibling would act like they were going to hit you, and then when you flinched they gave you “two for flinching”? Yea, me too. I didn’t feel any of that in this book.

I wanted to flinch from its gruesome horror, or disturbingly graphic scenes. I wanted to flinch from the thoughts of a despicable villain, or from the cruelty inflicted on the innocent. While some of that did happen, it never felt “flinch-worthy”. I just stared this book in the eye and received its punches completely motionless and unphased.

While ostensibly a Holly novel, this never really felt like a Holly novel. That may be a positive to many of the “tired of seeing a strong, neurodivergent woman outmaneuvering bad guys and generally being an amazing protagonist” crowd, but it’s a massive negative for me because, well, I love all those things about her. Her quirks and idiosyncrasies rarely come through in this book. She is too ordered and typical, which practically buries all of her charm under a boring facade of normalcy. I love Holly as a character, which is why this book is so frustrating because if you changed the name on the page, you’d never know this was the same person.

Abortion is once again used as a stand-in for political discord (I see you Insomnia), and is done so with similar success (like that of an out of work artist).

Kate gives off serious Greg Stillson vibes. I was ready for Johnny Smith to show up at one of her events to save the world from an inevitable, terrible fate.

Feminism is at the heart of this book, and while admirable in its attempt to pay homage, it felt like a less exuberant return to his early 90s, bad man chase strong woman, female character-centered self. Let’s be honest, it felt like an old man’s take on progressive feminism.

Trig could have been one of the great King villains, but instead he felt two-dimensional and unbelievable. His motive felt inadequate at best. We needed more depravity, more gore, more everything from him. For a book with so many murders in it, it felt surprisingly sterile.

And what in the weird, out of left field, completely unnecessary hell was up with the Sista Bessie/Barbara storyline? What a mess that was. I see how it played a role in getting the right people into the right places for plot purposes, but surely there was a more coherent, believable way to do so.

If you took the worst parts of Insomnia, Dead Zone, Rose Madder, and End of Watch, stuffed them into a blender and poured it out into heaping, wet mess of muddled soup, you’d get this book. If you’re into that sort of thing, this one might be for you.

I’m your biggest fan Steve, but this one was rough for me. Here’s to looking forward to whatever you have in store for 2026.

[Maddy ✨ ~The Verse Vixen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flashes of horror, echoes of guilt—truths were twisted, and blood was spilt... this one’s got skeletons and sermons. RTC!!

ೃ ⁀➷pre-view:🎯 "King is back with blood and bite—Twisted plots that’ll grip you tight."
"Revenge, chaos & Holly Gibney back on the case... will haunt you- a chilling chase."
"One killer's twisted mission, one stalker’s deadly obsession—what happens when the clock runs out?" 🎭 — OH YES, I’M HERE FOR IT🕵️‍♀️

╰┈➤ What’s in Store for You :

⮞A chilling investigation with an unpredictable killer
⮞A feminist under attack and a bodyguard trying to protect her
⮞Deep moral dilemmas and questions of justice and revenge
⮞King’s signature tension and twisted characters
⮞A jaw-dropping Twist that only Stephen King could pull off.
⮞Get ready for a novel that’ll make you flinch—if you dare to blink.

-Scored the ARC—cant wait to devour this!🤸🏻‍♀️
We’re diving deep into the darkness—one killer on a revenge mission, another stalking a feminist icon. Expect twisted motives, high stakes, and Holly Gibney back at her best. Will she stop the carnage? Or will it all fall apart?

Let’s talk about that villain—he’s out for blood, and it’s personal. The tension is off the charts. Expect a heart-stopping finale that’ll leave you begging for more.

A case like no other. A mind game only Holly can play. Expect secrets, chilling discoveries, and a conclusion that'll have you questioning everything. Is anyone really safe when Holly’s on the hunt? Only one way to find out—hold on tight.
Never Flinch. Justice. Chaos. Vengeance. This book is about to wreck me—BRING IT ON!!!💥

[LTJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Never Flinch” by Stephen King has been one of the most anticipated horror books of 2025, and rightfully so. In what began with the incredible Mr. Mercedes trilogy, it ultimately became the catalyst for one of King’s most beloved characters, Holly Gibney. I couldn’t wait to dive into this novel, and as always with King, he didn’t disappoint.

For everyone planning to read this novel, please note that there are six books to read beforehand. Here is the exact order for each book featuring Holly Gibney...

- Mr. Mercedes
- Finders Keepers
- End of Watch
- The Outsider
- If It Bleeds
- Holly
- Never Flinch

Before I begin my review, there are numerous trigger warnings I found while reading. They are…

- Drug addiction
- Sex offenders
- AA
- COVID
- Vaccinations
- Masking
- Religion
- Child sex offenders
- Cancer
- Sexual abuse
- Violence and death against animals (birds, squirrels, and small animals)
- Drugs
- Child pornography
- Anthrax
- Abortion
- Suicide
- Rape
- Homophobic slurs
- Holocaust
- 9/11
- Religion

If any of these trigger you while reading, please do not read this novel. Moving along, it was great to see what Holly has been up to after the events of “Holly.” Now that she’s much older, you get to see how she’s matured since then. Her journey from the original trilogy to where she is now has always been fascinating for me.

As I continued reading, I enjoyed all the subtle references to the previous books about Holly, particularly in how complex her character is and how she continues to search for herself in the world. She continues to be a brilliant underdog in the grand scheme of things, and watching her try to figure out what is going on during this story was a lot of fun.

Speaking of references, King throws a few, especially a big one to one of his most famous novels. No spoilers here, but it made me smile from ear to ear when you catch it.

As much as Holly was the star of this novel, the main antagonist, Trig, was an insane one. I’m talking beyond evil, psychotic, and demented. Combine that with reading Holly’s thought process, her little quirks, and how she discovered things as they unfolded, and it was one hell of a reading experience.

King once again does King things in adding another layer to this story by introducing another antagonist, but I won’t ruin anything for you. Let’s just say, you have several stories going on at the same time, with Holly trying to make sense of it all. Even though I wouldn’t say this was a straight-up terrifying read as you would want from King, it’s more along the lines of a brilliant crime mystery novel told by a master storyteller.

The characters, atmospheric writing, and the climactic race to the end had “Never Flinch” being a genuine page-turner for me. My favorite part is how King eventually weaves all these little stories into the main story, and you’re hooked beyond belief. Keep in mind, this is a slow-burn novel, but make no mistake about it, it’s worth the read because the suspense is built up over time, eventually getting to pure madness.

This is hard to achieve as an author, but needless to say, King delivered and then some. It all led to an ending that was so wild, I read it twice. The tension, visuals, and final moments were fantastic. I also loved how King went over the aftermath in the final chapter, and well, let’s just say, what Uncle Stevie usually loves to do with his endings… he does here.

As for Holly, for those curious as to why so many of us Constant Readers simply love this character, it’s pretty simple. She’s as real as they come and is so relatable. We all have a little Holly in us, whether you feel awkward during random life moments, blurt out things you didn’t think carefully enough to say, or just see and hear things that stand out to you but to no one else, it just makes you stand out uniquely in a sea of conformity. At least to me, it's loud and clear as to what Holly represents and is all about.

Be real. Be weird. Don’t take life so seriously. Most of all, don’t ever change who you are. It might take you longer than most to figure things out and navigate in life, but you’ll get there. If Holly can do it, anyone can. I completely see why King himself has said numerous times in interviews that he’s always wondering what Holly would do, how she would figure life out, and so on. If you’ve read all seven books she’s in, she’s impactful, influential, and above all else, unforgettable.

I give “Never Flinch” by Stephen King a 5/5 for being such an extraordinary reading experience. It’s a novel to deeply appreciate if you have read and enjoyed every book Holly has been in, as it’s the best one yet. The evolution of Holly from the start to now has been delightful to be a part of. She’s one of my all-time favorite characters that King has ever written, and that’s saying something.

Will we get more Holly Gibney in the future? I sure hope so. Only time will tell, but for now, I’ll leave this review as Holly would because after that mind-blowing, drop-the-mic ending, it’s simply perfect.

Oough.

[Dave Musson · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I’ve had some time to reflect since finishing this one and my overall feeling is one of frustration, frustration at what is a strange mix of some truly compelling parts mixed with stuff that just didn’t stick at all and quickly faded from my memory. Never Flinch is a book that teases, that threatens to be excellent, but ultimately doesn’t deliver and instead feels tired, feels like hard work, and - at least to someone like me who isn’t enamoured with Holly Gibney - begs for this character to be shelved, for a few years minimum if not binned all-together.

Let me start with what I liked here, as there was plenty of it. This story runs via a number of threads that start with distance from each other before slowly, inevitably converging towards a big meeting at the end. That takes skill to pull off, and King makes it work well here - I guess you could say he doesn’t flinch! Anyway, those parallel tracks of Trig’s killing spree blended with connections to the worlds of recovery and meetings - a world King knows well and is always able to draw so clearly, along with Kate McKay’s roadtrip, her stalker - with whom we also spend plenty of time inside their head, as well as the seemingly minor distractions of Sista Bessie, the police v fire department baseball match, and catching up with Robinsons. That’s a lot of plates to spin and while I found a couple of those paths far more interesting, King pulled it off with the climax.

That ending is worthy of a mention here. It is good; propulsive, frenetic, tense…I moved through the final hundred pages faster than the 300 that had come before it. Once the handbrake was taken off, this book moves and it is fun.

But, most of all, it’s the villains I liked here. King gives us a pair of captivating baddies that are running their own races, and is able to bring them together in a way that just about works. Kate’s stalker is hella interesting - a dark backstory and a fascinating present day scenario. I can’t say too much because of spoilers, but I enjoyed following them, learning more about what was going on with them and who was driving them.

But it’s Trig who is the standout part of this book for me. As King tends to do in the Gibneyverse, he shows us who the killer is early on and gives us a howdunnit instead of a whodunnit. That means we know Trig is our guy basically from the start, and the scenes where we see him killing are fantastic and chilling. There is a coldness, a bluntness and a randomness to Trig’s actions that really got under my skin - yes, he has a purpose with his actions, but the exact details of the lives he takes mean nothing to him. His first victim - a woman out jogging with her dog - could have been anyone, and the way Trig then muses over what life and what connected lives he has just completely exploded really got to me. As the novel goes on, Trig feels less and less stable, which makes him even more compelling on the page…as we often get in Holly books, he’s a great villain.

There are some elements about Never Flinch that I was ambivalent about. Actually, there were some characters that made me feel this way. Izzy felt more developed, but I didn’t buy just how in awe of Holly she was all of the time. I had high hopes for Kate McKay, but was left a little underwhelmed - mainly because I still don’t really know what her politics are, or really what she stands for. She’s clearly a divisive figure, but that largely seems to be based on being pro-choice and wanting better rights for women…but when it comes to ‘content’ from her talks in this book, it feels light. I was expecting something bigger, more bombastic…although I’m obviously relieved to know she has ‘full breasts’ - a key detail of course!

I won’t lie, I was very nervous about the prospect of Sista Bessie going into this book, but the result was much better than I was expecting. Yes, she feels like a caricature of a Black, larger than life, legendary soul singer, but she feels like a breath of fresh air compared to some of King’s non-white characters. I did not buy her obsession with Barbara, but it seems that everyone loves every single Robinson character in this world without question. I grew to enjoy Bessie more as the book went on, but didn’t need reminding every other page how much her breasts were. I get it, she’s well-equipped, thanks!

The plot was generally pretty good. I was sceptical of Holly ending up as a bodyguard but I understand how King got there. Kate wanted a woman who wasn’t connected to the police, so she fits the bill…but in the real world someone in the firing line would surely have hired, you know, an actual bodyguard? Other than that, Trig’s ongoing quest for revenge worked for me and was the fizz the book needed when it would otherwise have felt flat. However, there was also a lot here that I read and forgot almost instantly…there wasn’t the usual stickiness that a King book gives us. This was like a boring flavour of bubblegum…there in your mouth while you’re chewing, but gone and forgotten soon after.

But, there were things I didn’t like here. I won’t simply say it was Holly; I actually enjoyed seeing her much more socially capable and much more confident in herself and willing to break from her comfort zone and try new things. Holly just being Holly here was ok. It was everyone else’s complete love for her that I bucked against. Everyone she encounters here knows who she is and thinks she is the best thing since sliced bread and it is exhausting. In particular it was Izzy’s reverence for her that put me off - I didn’t believe an actual detective would be so reliant on Holly and I just found it tiresome.

And then there’s the Robinsons. Jerome doesn’t feature more - although we do get a reminder that he’s a best-selling author now. It almost feels as though King is maybe tiring of him. Not so much Barbara. I was basically rolling my eyes every time she appeared.

I didn’t accept that Sista Bessie, this all-time legend, would start her reunion tour in Buckeye City purely because of Barbara. Sure, she liked her book of poetry, but come on? And for Barbara to spend a few days as a roadie? Only to then move her to a backing singer, because obviously Barbara is an amazing singer as well as everything else, and to then turn Barbara’s poems into not just a song, but THE song that would close her set and get updated for every city they were in? Nah. Come on. It’s too much. The line when Sista Bessie basically yelled ‘you’re so goddam talented’ to Barbara actually made me groan.

That’s one of my biggest takeaways from Never Flinch; these characters need a break…a permanent one if needs be. There are no stakes here, not really…it’s so clearly established that Holly is the bee’s knees and we know King loves her too much to dispose of her. But her deductions here often felt too easy. It bordered on being phoned in at times. As for the Robinsons? I don’t need to read about them ever again. They can do everything to a world-class standard, they have no flaws and they are dull, dull, dull. I liked them in the Mercedes trilogy, but really don’t need them any more.

My other takeaway came from King’s afterword. This book appears to have been an effort to birth into the world. It went through various titles - We Think Not and Always Holly - and was written over a period where King had hip replacement surgery. He mentions that his wife Tabitha read the first draft and told him he could do better…and I still think he could improve this, if I’m being honest. There’s almost a resignation in that closing section where he talks about being as happy as he can be with it, and it feels more profound than his usual self-depricating false modesty. I get a sense this book wanted to come out but made life tough for King to realise that ambition. I get the sense it was a slog, that it was work…and that’s how I found it as a reading experience.

King is famously productive. He’s been blessing us with at least one new book a year for half a century pretty much and he’s still doing it. It’s an incredible feat. But this is the first time where I feel like he might have benefitted from a pause. I’d rather have a fallow year and get something where he writes with the flair and conviction that we got in the stories in You Like It Darker in 2024, than risk something like this being churned out that has some moments but is largely flat.

And don’t get me wrong, there were big chunks of this I liked - even trying to be as objective as possible, there are swathes here that swat away lesser authors with ease. Trig is a brilliant character, and his killing scenes are some of the most unnerving and spine-chilling passages I’ve read all year. Those sections are where King finds a groove, locks in, and delivers the goods. But, overall this feels tired, this feels like an acceptance of being ‘good enough’ rather than ‘good’ or ‘great’. I will always get excited for new King, I will always read it and I will always encourage others to give it a try, but I can’t see Never Flinch being any Constant Reader’s favourite book.

Thanks *so much* to Hodder for the early copy!

[Dave's · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll read it because I'm a "Constant Reader;" however I hope it's not another "Tr@mp lives in my head" story.
AFTER READING: Not his best but not his worst. If he struggled as much as he says in the afterward, maybe it's time to hang up the Underwood? Only a few references to Trump. COVID is definitely still on his mind. SK has gone full woke...funny considering his wealth and his roots...or maybe hypocritical.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Extreme horror is, in its own way, merciful. It doesn’t allow you to look ahead to the end.”

And here we are, another amazing Holly Gibney story. But this one doesn't involve mythical horrors or things we don't have names for - this is straight horrors that people can inflict. A man went to jail for possessing things that made him appear to be a very very bad guy. Even though he professed his innocence, he is murdered while in prison. Days later, the star witness changes his story and says he framed him, that the guilty guy never did any of the things he said he did. Worse yet, he told the DA already, weeks ago - weeks before this innocent man in prison was murdered.

I loved this story as I love all Stephen King stories. I was hooked from the first page. You could feel the tension building and the pieces on the board moving. Hints are early on how the final showdown is going to go. I spent 80% of the book still trying to guess who was who and what was going on. So many great twists and interesting characters. There was only one moment that took Holly on a course I didn't quite understand - but it went seamlessly into the story and I rolled right along with it.

As a side note, many asked if this one was as political as the last one. While it touches on political themes, in the US we are surrounded by them and are hard to dodge, I don't think this one digs as deep into it as the last. It touches on very sensitive topics but I don't think it fully takes a stance like the characters do.

I will definitely read this one again audio, probably start with book 1 again and work my way through. Holly is just such a fun character, next to Barbara and Jerome - and I loved this story with them again. I hope, dearly, that this isn't our last. I'd love another.

[Dania J · Rating 1 out of 5]

The last King book I’ll ever read. The last few have been so political it’s nauseating and this one is just the same. He must get money every time he mentions c0vid or vaccines because all of his latest books are infested with propaganda. What happened to this guy? This was a crime thriller, nothing like his older books. The characters are boring. The plot, predictable. Such a shame from an author that wrote The Stand and other great novels. He needs to give it up or shut up about the same overplayed politics.

Updated review —- for all the uneducated fools commenting that I must be maga or a trumper… grow up. I do not support any political party as I’m smart enough to know they are both on the same side. My opinion about being against Covid propaganda has absolutely nothing to do with any political party and it is your ignorance that turns this review into a reason to act like an upset “snowflake.” End of rant.

[V.D. Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

?🟊🟊🟊½

This review will be more like a literary analysis—it's just that the book is brand new, and I’m too lazy to come up with something original right now. So instead, I’ll just try to answer the eternal question: what did the author mean? Maybe someday, once a bit more time has passed since the book’s release, I’ll update the review. In the end, time will tell.

In *Never Flinch*, Stephen King once again brings readers face to face with Holly Gibney—an introverted but deeply intuitive private investigator known from his previous works. The novel blends a tense thriller with a psychological portrait of a heroine facing tough choices, moral dilemmas, and disturbing human behavior. The title, *Never Flinch*, is not just a slogan—it’s a call for both the characters and the readers to maintain inner strength in the face of violence, fear, and injustice.

King uses two main narrative threads—an investigation into a series of murders committed by a man who believes he is punishing "sinful" women, and the case of a feminist activist being stalked by a fanatical, yet socially accepted man. Holly navigates between them, serving as both a moral filter and a human compass. Her struggle is not only against criminals, but also with the gray area between law and justice, between good and evil.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is the emotional and psychological depth of Holly. She is far from the classic detective archetype—insecure, internally scarred, socially unusual. But it's precisely through these vulnerabilities that King creates an inspiring character. Holly isn’t a heroine because she is fearless, but because she fights despite her fear. This message—that courage lies in persistence—runs through the entire work.

The themes addressed in the novel are timely and sharp—misogyny, online radicalization, societal hypocrisy in which some abusers hide behind masks of religious or moral authority. King doesn’t shy away from bringing these painful issues to the forefront and leaving them open—without easy answers.

Despite the impressive depth of the main character and the relevance of the themes, the novel has its weaknesses. One of the main flaws is the exaggerated portrayal of the villains, who are often built using extreme and simplistic tropes—fanatical, misogynistic, mentally unstable. This makes the contrast between "good and evil" easier to grasp, but less believable and psychologically realistic.

Additionally, King’s style here, as in some of his previous works, sometimes suffers from excessive wordiness. Long passages are introduced that slow the pacing and blur the focus of the tension. Secondary characters often remain in the background—they serve more as tools for plot development than as fully fleshed-out figures with inner lives.

*Never Flinch* is a novel that isn’t afraid to raise difficult questions and show that the fight against evil sometimes requires not weapons, but strength of spirit and moral clarity. Through Holly Gibney, Stephen King creates the image of a modern-day hero—not perfect, but real. Despite some artistic flaws, the book remains powerful and important, reminding us that sometimes, not flinching means holding on to your humanity in a world that constantly puts it to the test.






Pre_read


I haven’t read anything by Stephen King yet this year, and by now it’s kind of a tradition for me to have gone through at least two of his books already.

That’s why this 4th book in the Holly Gibney series comes at the perfect time. Honestly, I didn’t enjoy the previous one, Holly, all that much, but I still like the fact that the horror element isn’t based on the supernatural or paranormal. When the “monsters” are actually just people, it can sometimes be even more disturbing.

Because the made-up creatures in his other books most likely don’t exist. But the villains in this series? There’s a good chance they’re real—and maybe even somewhere close to us...

[Justin Tate · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King is back with another murder plot for Holly Gibney. As per usual, we have characters who jump off the page and a propulsive sense of impending doom. For those with Holly fatigue, know that she does not consume this book. It's the new characters who shine the most, including an out-of-retirement diva and a women's rights advocate. The advocate is presented as an intriguing mix of egotistical bullhorn and heroic changemaker, willing to risk her own life for the cause—but also a lot of bystanders. The diva has a kind soul but is also a badass.

The villain(s), surprisingly, are less fleshed out this time. King's bad guys are often the real stars of the show. Not so much this go around. Though vaguely interesting, there's not the same level of threat as we saw in Mr. Mercedes and The Outsider. Never Flinch is more focused on relationships between the good guys. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

The ending comes together in a cinematic fashion. Though improbable and occasionally even a headstratcher, it'll make for good television. We all know King struggles with endings and this is no exception, but it's far from his worst and satisfies in a general, unremarkable way.

In the afterward King opens with acknowledgement Never Flinch was "hard" to write and even on the brink of being discarded at times. This confession seems to anticipate bad reviews, or recognition this novel is not at the same caliber as his finer masterpieces. Personally, I found it more enjoyable than recent efforts like Sleeping Beauties and Fairy Tale, even if less imaginative.

Overall, if you've read all the prior Holly books, you might as well come along for one more adventure. It's not King's best book, and probably the worst Holly book overall, but even the "worst" King book is better than 90% of other novels out there. I had a good time!

[*•MJ•* · Rating 5 out of 5]

•You have to push through to the bitter end. No flinching, no turning away•

I LOVE a good Holly Gibney story! 🤌 honestly my favorite SK character👏
Another masterpiece, another kill for Ms. Holly 🩸

“Popcorn is just an excuse to eat butter. He now believes that the guilt he hoped to load onto his fellow jurors was just an excuse to commit murder” -Trig
•No sh*t Sherlock 🤦🏽‍♀️•

[iain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m going to say 4.5 stars 🌟 for this book. Not a 5 that pleases some! ( you know who you are)
Well what can i say Holly is back and in crime fighting mode and body guard mode.
The gang is back from the mr Mercedes series, Holly etc.
I love reading the new king books but I’m always annoyed that I have to wait for the next one.
As is known king is my favourite author I know I should give less stars sometimes but because I’m a fan that’s never going to happen so there 😂.

[Bill Riggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Holly book. Except in this one Holly really doesn’t do anything. It’s almost like he had another book already written and decided to turn it into a Holly adventure. You could take her out of the story and it wouldn’t change much at all. At least it is slightly better as far as his political soapboxing goes. He does throw a bit in here and there, which seems jarring and out of place, but it appears he has an editor that has taken care of the worst ranting.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love spending time with Stephen King's Holly Gibney -- who is, once again, among the stars in King's latest page-turner. And, as always, she is surrounded by a wide cast of characters, some charismatic, some crazy. In this case, (pun intended), we have two plots moving along parallel tracks, but you know that at some point those tracks are going to merge (and it could be very messy). We have a charismatic pro-choice writer and speaker on a book tour who is being stalked by an anti-abortion murderer (and that character's rabid church), and a serial killer executing one innocent person for every member of a jury that wrongly convicted a man of a crime. Both stories are riveting, especially gripping because both tales explore just how fractured the U.S. has become, and how the cruelest and stupidest among us often are running the show.

[Jessica Tabak · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unreadable. Slow. And OMG I hate Holly. I have read all the other Holly books and loved them. Now I hate her and really wanted her character to die just so she’d shut the hell up. This book is really just Holly babbling about herself in 1st and 3rd person, being obnoxiously “spectrumy” which is new. Why Stephen had to go there is beyond me. Holly just incessantly chatters on and on about herself and how delightfully quirky she is. Oh and Covid. King loves him some Covid. It’s mentioned at least 2x per chapter. We get it Stephen you’re a democrat. You love vaccines. But holy hell be an author not a political whipping boy.

There is no suspense. There is no engaging plot. This is bad fan fiction.

It’s Holly’s annoying stream of thought calling things poopy and chatting about how unique she is.

I don’t buy her as competent or as anyone’s body guard.

Goody two shows - know it all Nancy.

It’s bad yall.




Why’d he make Holly a dumdum?

[Karen Attaway · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sad a King book could suck so bad. I read to escape but I'm sick of hearing this rich old white guys opinion of the world. I don't watch the news for my mental health and King is ruining my mental health.

I went in this book loving Holly but this book gave us none of her cute quirkiness. I'm officially sick of her and Kings messed up opinions. It makes me sick I wasted hard earned money for this POS.

[Dutchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sigh….I think there just was too much going on in this book for it to gain any traction. There are three main arcs to the plot. We have the police, along with Holly‘s help, investigating a possible serial killer, secondly a feminist book seller on tour receiving death threats who also enlists Holly‘s help and then finally a musician who is working with Holly‘s friend Barbara on producing a comeback concert. It seems like a lot, doesn’t it? I felt myself never being able to get engaged due to the constant back-and-forth between the three plot points some of which I felt could’ve been left out completely. I hate to say it, but I skimmed over one of these once I realized it was not really going anywhere. Interestingly enough, I liked the last little chapter of the book. Would the book have been something a bit different if that had been introduced a little bit earlier?🤔

As I said before, there was just too much going on and for all of it to tie together at the end just seemed way too coincidental as in if the stars align perfectly, and the moon is exactly at this position away from the sun, etc. these things could happen . But I get it, it’s fiction but I just expected so much more being that it is a King book. Maybe the Holly series is just to cut and dry of a thriller when I want something with a little bit more “supernatural-ness” to it. I loved the Outsiders where I first met Holly but after that, I just haven’t enjoyed the rest of the series. If another book comes out in the series, will I read it? Yep.

I was wavering between 2.5 stars and 3. Looking back at my rating of Holly, I gave it a 2.5 and I enjoy this one a bit more than that one so settled on the three.

[Ruben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since her encounter with the Harris, everything has seemed to go rather uneventfully for PI Holly Gibney and her investigation agency Finders Keepers taking care of minor matters; however, things are about to change when Detective Izzy Janes is faced with the fact there's now a serial killer in Buckeye City, a serial killer who wants to take the lives of 13 innocents and a guilty one as payment on the death of an innocent man wrongfully convicted and who ended dead while in prison.

While Izzy is a seasoned detective, Holly has an eye for details that are usually missed by most people. Holly's advice would only seem suitable here.

At the same time, and growing in popularity is Kate McKay, an activist on women's rights who's touring in several states, and who's being closely followed by a dangerous stalker. After an attack to Kate's assistant and some rather unpleasant events with security staff, Kate hires Holly to be her personal bodyguard.

Holly has to make sure Kate ends her tour safe and sound, but such task will only hinder her ability to assist Izzy with her serial killer and everybody knows well that he who serves two masters is wronged by one of them. Jerome Robinson, a very close friend of Holly's might then be of help here.

Will Izzy be able to chase and catch the killer before he takes over his prey? Will Holly be able to accomplish her job as bodyguard for Kate McKay?

On top of the serial killer and the stalker, there's also the charity event held by Buckeye City Police and Fire Departments. There are many things going on and many people involved, which makes everything more complex and cumbersome.

How will Holly and friends make sure to save the day once again (if at all possible)? As usual, there's just one way to find out.

Once again, SK has achieved to put together a story where most human emotions coexist and takes us in a journey of thrill.

[Jessica Zaszczurynski · Rating 2 out of 5]

SIGH...

Listen, I have given Holly Gibney more than a fair shot. I have read every one of her books, and I even like her a good 55% of the time, which is much more generous than most King fans. To be honest, I went into Holly (2023) with low expectations and left surprisingly satisfied, so much so that it led me to be genuinely excited for Never Flinch. Unfortunately, that excitement was misled because wooooof was this a stinker.

This one is split into three narratives, and all three were disappointing and absolute slogs to work through. By the time I was halfway through this, I was forcing myself to read each and every chapter, and it was taking LOTS of willpower to stay off my phone and actually focus up.

Storyline #1: The Surrogate Jury Murders. This one is my favorite of the lot, but even then, I was a little dissatisfied. Trig is an interesting villain, I enjoyed his AA pathos and motivations, but even an interesting killer couldn't make this snoozer of a cat and mouse game lively. There's really not much to even say here; Trig just kills a bunch of people and gets away with it 99% of the time until the very end when he goes off his rocker. I also felt like his whole grand finale was rushed and relied a bit too much on coincidences and guesswork.

Storyline #2: Kate McKay and her stalker. UGHHHHH. I was worried when the description for this story mentioned a feminist speaker needing protection, but then I told myself, "It will be ok, we all know King is super liberal and will handle this well." NOPE. While he goes out of his way to make it clear that her politics are correct, he makes the frustrating decision to make her an overbearing boss from hell who is absolutely dreadful. Very mixed messaging when we are constantly told she is an inspirational hero, but then she is only ever portrayed as an absolute bitch. What's the message here? And don't even get me STARTED on her stalker... at a certain point early in this story my heart dropped because I guessed what might be going on with this villain, and once I was proven correct I was SO ANGRY. Between Kate and her stalker, this whole plot line certainly had a heavy right wing spin on it that really, REALLY yucked me out...

Storyline #3: Barbara and Sista Bessie. JESUS CHRIST, CAN BARBARA BE ANYMORE PERFECT? I actually didn't *HATE* her poetry plotline in Holly (2023), though I did understand the complaints of her character being too precious and precocious, but in this book it is just absolutely insufferable. Of course a famous soul singer read Barbara's poetry, and of course she is a fan and invites her to come to rehearsal, and of course Barbara is just soooo talented and impeccable at singing and songwriting that she ends up joining the show and becoming a certified soul queen. Give me a fucking break. These chapters are the least frequent, but boy are they the worst of the bunch, and that's saying something with how much the Kate McKay plotline pissed me off. I am sooo over Jerome and Barbara Robinson, AKA the most perfect and wonderful human beings ever to exist who are good at everything they try and have never once made mistakes in their beautiful, flawless lives. And don't even get me started on 77 year old white man Stephen King trying to write two black women becoming friends, hanging out, and making music together, good grief.

There is no one on this planet that wanted to like this book more than me, so believe me when I say I am disappointed.

[John (JC) · Rating 5 out of 5]

King has a unique talent to have people on several different trails with the reader not knowing how they will all come together. In this writing there is Holly and Izzy in the pursuit of a killer that seems to be focused on a jury who were involved in a miscarriage of justice. The next trail is Kate and Corrie who are on a book tour, resulting in being pursued by an unknown assailant that obviously does not agree with the views being expressed in the public forum by Kate and continues to have escalating attacks. The last trail is Sista Bessie and Barbara. Barbara is a poet who Sista Bessie has “taken a liking to”. She is impressed with Barbara’s poetry perhaps with future use of her poetry in her songs. Sista Bessie is making a come back singing tour. These diverse trails that become convoluted is an exceptional approach. The ante goes up when King involves two killers who are on separate missions.

Suspense, humor, revenge, regret and friendship runs rampant in this writing. Even the moments without action are never boring. There is a respectable amount of foreshadowing in this writing which helps keep the reader turning the pages as if they were on fire. Well written, believable characters and just plain interesting. Add to this the patented King ending and the result is a remarkable read.

[Tracy P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love my Holly berry! RTC.

[Rei Smoak · Rating 2 out of 5]

As one of King's so-called Constant Readers since I was about eight, it always feels bad to criticize one of his books. But Never Flinch is...simply not good. And I certainly hope it's not the last of his books to feature Holly Gibney, because it would be a terrible note for her to go out on.

There are highlights, certainly. The character of Kate is well-rounded and flawed, and is certainly the kind of firebrand who would suit the political scene of 2025 America. The initial dual narrative structure of the book works well, keeping up the mystery of the villains of the piece long enough to make for a compelling read.

But Holly feels oddly relegated to the position of a side character in her own story, with moments of action and deduction that are quickly replaced by being a consultant on the phone for other, far less interesting characters. The side plot about the police/firefighter softball game takes up an honestly absurd amount of the story without justification.

And then there's that side plot about Kate's stalker. It felt pulled from a 1950's pulp novel, or even a movie that King himself name checks in the narrative as if that excuses the laziness of it. It's disconcerting to see a trope like that pulled out in 2025, and given the current climate in the country it feels like it's an offhand shot at something that just doesn't land. It was low effort, and should really have been left on a cutting room floor somewhere.

Even the afterword seems trite and effortless, with none of King's usual banter with his readers. Credit for the names and cases he mentions therein, but it was just the final phoned-in piece of a phoned-in story. Hoping for much better with the next one.

[Cody | CodysBookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edit: I am changing my rating to 4 stars. While I had a good time reading this, there are a few (minor, for me, though YMMV) issues, including a rather haphazard and disappointing climax and visible stitching in the construction of this book’s many plotlines. The Sista Bessie stuff could have been cut completely while not impacting the overarching story one bit. As well, I needed a bit more from Trig—the stuff with his dad felt weirdly underdeveloped. I think this one should’ve gotten another rewrite. Still, I had a great fucking time. That’s what it’s about.

Torn between 4 and 5 stars, but I am feeling generous. Let’s say 4.5 rounded up. What a BLAST. I do wish it were a bit longer—I wanted a few things here and there fleshed out, it really seems King restrained himself—but I suppose if I finish wanting more that’s only a positive? I am a big ole Holly Gibney fan now (that wasn’t always the case!) so take my rating with some salt. What I can’t get over is the plotting, how intricate it is: shades of something like Cujo or Needful Things in that sense. King mentions in the afterword that writing this particular story was a challenge due to the necessary plotting. I think he aced it. Fab!

[ianthereader · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is poopy.

Check out my review here: https://youtu.be/oQtvIq2cVEc?si=mhuKc...

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that was a Stephen King book. As usual, characters have the foreground, and Holly Gibney continues to develop into an even more interesting and complex character. The ancillary character, returning and new, are also fun and feel individual and complete. The writing is familiar and folksy as usual, really inviting the reader in. King keeps to a pretty tight pace in this novel, without some of the wordy tangents or distractions that aren’t uncommon in his work (and, to be honest, which I usually enjoy, though I understand not everyone does). It is written and paced in such a way that it is definitely hard to put down, once you start. So, engaging and emotional characters, good writing, and strong pacing, how come I don’t score it higher?

Look, Holly Gibney is best when she is facing non-human threats. Her world is one of such order and precision and peculiarity that seeing her go up against individuals who don’t think like humans would, who have agendas beyond human ambition or frailty or psychosis, is so much more interesting. Getting me excited for her to go against random human antagonists is just going to be a hard sell, and I actually think this novel is slightly less successful than Holly in that regard. Both of the antagonists in this story, following the two different threads, are rather boring. Childhood abuse and trauma that wasn’t mediated by any sort of system of love, support or care results in two different killers who don’t have strong grips on reality or concepts of morality. Neither are particularly interesting. Both are frightening in their commitment to their plans, and the speed and ruthlessness with which they act, but aren’t very inventive nor are they all that formidable of an opponent.

Speaking of which, Holly doesn’t actually do a whole lot in this novel. She does have an internal journey, consistently fighting off her self-doubts and learning to accept herself and to be appreciated by others. She pushes herself in the decision to be a bodyguard and that is wonderful for her personal journey, and King does prioritize character in ways that has me always happy to return to him. But she doesn’t do a whole lot of deducing or investigating or, really, bodyguarding. Sure, she makes some deductions, but more or less every one was made almost simultaneously by the police or by someone else. Things happen around her and she reacts to them, but she never gets to show off what makes her special as an investigator. I loved seeing her deepen as a character, but it felt like she was almost wasted, without a whole lot to do.

This was definitely a good book. It was quick and fun to read, and the characters and the narrative voice are engaging. While neither antagonist is particularly interesting or terrifying the two storylines do merge into each other in a way that feels genuine to the plot and was interesting, they didn’t feel forced in any way. There is also an interesting throughline about what we inherit from our parents or caregivers, not just with the antagonists but also in Holly herself. There are ideas about guilt and innocence as well as justice and righteousness that King manages to play with, in open-ended and fun ways, giving quite a bit to reflect on, if you so desire. I really would love to see Holly at the full force of her deductive (and emotional) powers, facing off against some not-quite-human threats, but if more of those stories don’t come our way at least she continues to develop as a character and be someone I want to spend time.

(Rounded down from 3.5)

[Leyendo con Gatos (Nico) · Rating 5 out of 5]

No tengas miedo es la séptima aparición de Holly Gibney una mujer de los mas peculiar y brillante sin lugar a dudas. Ella debe ser el sherlock holmes de Stephen King. Un personaje que gracia a su misterio resuelve misterios y descentraña enigmas horribles y complejos. El libro en general me pareció bueno, me gustó mucho como se iba desarrollando la trama y como se muestran los personajes que ya conocemos y como se integran los personajes nuevos. a diferencia de los otros libros donde aparece Holly, nos enfrentamos a 2 hechos importantes y que son en los que se centra la trama. Un asesino serial y un acechandor, Holly deberá usar su ingenio para enfrentar a estos. Como dije me gustó mucho el libro, lo único que quizás no me gustó del todo fue el final, me pareció bastante rápido en comparación con otros libros de Stephen King. La historia la leí en pocos dias, siendo un libro de 600 páginas logre terminarlo antes de terminar la semana. como fanático de este gran autor lo recomiendo al 100% pero solo si se han lei los libros anteriores.

[beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Holly Gibney has no fans I’m dead

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hurts to give my favorite author a 3 star.

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, this was disappointing.

I get it. This is an easy place for King to keep going back to because the characters are already there. He doesn’t have to create something brand new from scratch, and, instead, can just throw this same group of characters into new situations. The results have been very mixed since Mr. Mercedes, and I was actually a pretty big fan of Holly (the novel, and the character, too, I guess), but this just didn’t work for me at all.

I’d also consider myself progressive when it comes to politics, so King and I share many of the same views, but, man, he threw everything at us this time, didn’t he? Like this was his last attempt to get his message out there. There are so many plot lines wound together, each with their own hot-button topic that just felt like King recentlessly preaching to the proverbial choir. I’m cool with the occasional Trump jab, but this just felt like he wanted to make sure he took every issue he possibly could to say not much of anything.

The story is pretty weak, too. It all just felt really flat and contrite and wasn’t nearly as compelling as Mr. Mercedes or Holly. In the afterward, King basically says he finished the book while recovering from surgery and rewrote it multiple times before he eventually just had to let it go. Maybe it was just undercooked and forced out too quickly. Whatever the case, it just wasn’t a great story.

If King has anything left in the tank, hopefully he moves on from Holly and her supporting cast. I’m cool with more short stories or a novella or something, but this stuff has turned into pretty mid detective thriller stuff that isn’t what I’m looking for in Stephen King or anyone really. The book world is already over saturated with stuff like this.

I plan to revisit The Long Walk soon, and then I’ll continue my reread of The Dark Tower series. King has dozens of great books out there to revisit or to get lost in for the first time. This ain’t it though.

[Sara the Librarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well this was wildly disappointing.

Look I know there are Holly Gibney fans out there including her creator but dear god I cannot stand this woman. She's the most unengaging heroine King has ever written and I have yet to figure out what in the world everyone finds so charming about her.

Everything about these stories, Holly's investigations into various nefarious goings on, just feels so tired and stale. This time around she's working as a bodyguard for a sort of female Bill Maher (before his descent into MAGA madness) who's being stalked by someone while also lending a hand to an investigation into a series of killings that seem to be related to a recent miscarriage of justice wherein a man wrongly convicted of a crime was killed by another inmate in prison. The killer is operating on some weird "innocent people should pay for the crimes of the guilty" philosophy which makes about as much sense as it sounds like it does and also means that there's virtually no way to begin to predict who's going to be killed next since the victims are all proxy's for the people actually responsible for putting this guy away. Because Stephen King wrote this his dad abused him and he occasionally talks to him in italics.

I can't adequately describe how boring this is. It absolutely shouldn't be but this book has no teeth at all. If you have any familiarity with thrillers its entirely predictable and it just has none of the magic or dread you want from a Stephen King novel. Everything happens exactly the way you expect it to and Holly continues calling everything that annoys her "poopy" which is maybe my all time least favorite catchphrase ever.

There's also an unfortunate sense of sort of shoehorning political talking points into the narrative that I reaaaallllyyy don't like. The Robinson siblings, peripheral characters from earlier, stronger novels, who are also Black appear so King can show us how amazing and super successful they are and there's a lot of disparaging remarks and entire plotlines about how evil Christian fundamentalism is and how much MAGA sucks, which don't get me wrong, are both true and worth pointing out, but here it feels like a lot of lip service and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I hate the state of the world today as much as the next person with reasonable critical thinking skills and I don't blame King for even a second for using his platform to express his own feelings about the vile shit that's happening around us every day. I'd just rather he do it through a Cthuluesque monster or a serial killer who's trying to open a portal to hell or something.

I think what bugs me the most is these books feel like anyone could have written them. There's none of the simmering fire or dark poetry that have always been hallmarks of King's writing for me. There's no sense of the larger story behind the story. Its just this boring woman who never makes mistakes and everyone loves and a shopping list of liberal talking points masquerading as a riveting serial killer story.