Let’s be honest, you tell me Stephen King has a new books–I’m in, you tell me this book features Holly Gibney–I’m double in. Picking up Never Flinch was an easy choice; I just wish I had enjoyed it as much as the previous Gibney stories.
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.
Ever since her first introduction, Holly Gibney has been a fascinating character to me, and her development over the years has been a joy to follow. King continues this character growth in Never Flinch, making her even more complex and compelling. Watching her evolve across the past four Holly Gibney novels–as well as the If It Bleeds novella–has been such a pleasure. Additionally, her interactions with returning characters is always fun and a highlight for me.
However, Holly doesn’t really take center stage in terms of action in Never Flinch. While she undergoes character growth, confronting her self-doubt and improving her self-acceptance, she doesn’t get much time to demonstrate her talents as a private investigator. Although her decision to become a bodyguard adds to her character’s personal arc, the story doesn’t fully utilize her investigative skills. She does have the chance to make a few deductions, yet most are either made simultaneously by others or don’t significantly impact the plot. Rather than driving the tale forward, Holly often reacts to the things happening around her. While watching her character deepen, there’s a sense that her potential is underutilized in this installment.
All-in-all, Never Flinch is a solid addition to Stephen King’s Holly Gibney series, but its stands as one of the weaker entries. The book is a quick and easy read, and the two storylines intertwine easily, avoiding any sense of being forced together. Even through the antagonists lack a little depth, the intertwining plots still manage to feel authentic and interesting. Ultimately, while Never Flinch offers more of the fan-favorite Holly Gibney, it left me longing for the dynamic edge that Bill Hodges brought to the earlier books in the series.
Never Flinch is available at bookstores everywhere from Scribner. The audiobook, narrated by Jessie Mueller, is available at Libro.fm!
