I obtained a evaluate copy from the writer. This doesn’t have an effect on the contents of my evaluate and all opinions are my very own.

By no means Flinch by Stephen King

Mogsy’s Score (General): 3.5 of 5 stars

Style: Suspense, Thriller

Collection: E-book 4 of Holly Gibney

Writer: Simon & Schuster Audio (Could 27, 2025)

Size: 14 hrs and 44 minutes

Creator Info: Web site

Narrators: Jessie Mueller, Stephen King

When By no means Flinch was first teased as Holly Gibney’s return, I used to be instantly hyped. Over the course of the a number of books, from the Mr. Mercedes trilogy (that I binged final summer time) to The Outsider and Holly, she’s quietly wormed her method into my coronary heart and develop into one in every of my favourite Stephen King characters.

On this story, Holly has totally stepped into the position of seasoned non-public investigator, when her pal Izzy Jaynes on the police pressure reaches out with a singular and disturbing case that has them stumped. A mysterious letter had been despatched to the station anonymously, and its author promised to commit fourteen calculated killings as revenge for an harmless man murdered in jail. Intrigued, Holly agrees to assist examine on the facet, particularly when the physique depend begins to rise as feared.

In the meantime, in one other a part of the nation, feminist writer and motivational speaker Kate McKay is on the highway selling her new guide when she begins receiving a string of threatening messages. When the threats start escalating towards one thing extra harmful, Kate’s assistant Corrie Anderson calls up Holly to see if she could be concerned about a bodyguard gig whereas the guide tour is on the town, and perhaps presumably assist them catch their stalker.

With Holly already knee-deep in two investigations, issues solely get busier as Buckeye Metropolis gears up for the arrival of soul legend Sista Bessie, on the town as a part of her comeback tour. Naturally, Holly’s shut associates, the Robinson siblings, are pulled into the motion, with Jerome lending a hand to assist with the occasion whereas Barbara takes on an much more concerned position, collaborating with Bessie for a particular on-stage efficiency. Between live performance preparations and the upcoming police-versus-firefighters baseball fundraiser sport—all whereas a serial killer is on the free—town’s consideration is pulled in all instructions. Nonetheless, these two occasions will show to develop into extra than simply background noise, forming the focus the place threads from each of Holly’s instances find yourself colliding in spectacular vogue.

Personally, I actually loved By no means Flinch, however it was nowhere near being King’s finest. Nonetheless, the storytelling was as ever compelling, constructing a strong sense of pressure with the a number of plotlines operating in tandem. As somebody who has been following Holly’s progress by way of the works she’s appeared in, I discovered it satisfying to see how far she’s come together with her character growth. She feels extra assured, succesful, and totally in management, which made me all probably the most invested within the instances she was juggling. Even when the narrative meandered, I used to be at all times desirous to see how she would piece every thing collectively.

So maybe that was additionally why I discovered myself rising annoyed with among the different views, which sometimes felt overstuffed. For instance, Corrie and Kate’s chapters stretched on for some time with out shifting the novel ahead in significant methods, and I usually caught myself impatient for the momentum to return elsewhere, ideally with Holly. As an alternative, we obtained extra of the identical with the Barbara and Sista Bessie subplot, which frequently dragged greater than it added, feeling disconnected from the primary thrust of the twin investigations. Plus, it didn’t assist that there wasn’t a lot of a thriller, for the reason that identities of each perpetrators had been identified early on and had been even given POV chapters. At instances, it felt much less like King was constructing suspense and extra like he was ruminating on themes and temper, thus undercutting the stress and pacing.

Nonetheless, the novel’s afterword does shed some mild. King was apparently recovering from hip surgical procedure whereas scripting this guide, and through that point, it underwent a number of rewrites. That context may clarify among the uneven stops and begins, and the meandering sections that didn’t at all times resonate.

That stated, whereas By no means Flinch won’t be a Stephen King masterpiece, it’s nonetheless a strong and satisfying thriller. With its sturdy lead and the thrill of twin mysteries, this one stored me regardless of its pacing hiccups. And one spotlight that undoubtedly didn’t disappoint was the audiobook. Narrator Jessie Mueller was unimaginable, delivering among the finest performances I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to. And boy, can she sing! Her narration elevated the story, making it a must-listen in case you are a King fan and revel in audiobooks.