Title: NEVER FLINCH – Holly Gibney #04
Author: Stephen King
ISBN: 9781668089330
Publisher: Scribner
Pages: 439
Source: Private Copy
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.
Official Summary
12 June 2025
Let me start by saying this: I love Holly Gibney. Ever since she stepped onto the page in Mr. Mercedes, I’ve been hooked on her peculiar brilliance, her vulnerability, and the quiet strength she doesn’t always realize she has. In Never Flinch, Holly is in peak form—still her same anxious, deeply intuitive self, but more grounded, more confident, and more capable than ever.
This fourth instalment throws Holly into two seemingly unrelated cases that gradually begin to converge in the most chilling way. On one side, we have a cryptic letter threatening to kill “thirteen innocents and one guilty” in a twisted act of retribution. Detective Izzy Jaynes, already a compelling presence, brings Holly into the investigation, trusting her unique insight. On the other side, Holly is tasked with protecting outspoken feminist activist Kate McKay, who’s being targeted by an increasingly aggressive stalker during her lecture tour.
One of the things I appreciated most about this book is how King weaves current social commentary into the thriller structure without losing momentum. It’s not preachy—it’s sharp, unsettling, and sadly believable. The stalker targeting Kate isn’t just a throwaway villain; he’s terrifyingly real, and that makes the tension all the more intense.
But it’s Holly who holds the heart of the novel. She’s come a long way from the unsure woman we met years ago, but she’s still uniquely Holly—overthinking, hyper-observant, and kind to a fault. Her internal monologue, her interactions with others, and the way she quietly commands a scene made me love her all over again. Watching her juggle two intense, dangerous situations while dealing with her own fears and doubts was deeply satisfying.
Never Flinch blends psychological suspense, social critique, and character-driven storytelling in a way only Stephen King can manage. It’s not a horror novel in the traditional sense, but it is horrifying in that grounded, real-world way that sticks with you. The pacing is tight, the villain chilling, and the emotional stakes high.
This is one of my favourite entries in the Holly Gibney series. If you’re already a fan of Holly, you’ll be thrilled with how far she’s come. And if you’re new to her? Start at the beginning—you’re in for something special.
Also by Stephen King
HOLLY
Holly Gibney, one of Stephen King’s most compelling and ingeniously resourceful characters, returns to investigate the gruesome truth behind multiple disappearances in a Midwestern town. In this novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries.
When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has Covid. Her (very complicated) mother has just died. And Holly is meant to be on leave. But something in Penny Dahl’s desperate voice makes it impossible for Holly to turn her down.
Mere blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared live Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. They are the picture of bourgeois respectability: married octogenarians, devoted to each other, and semi-retired lifelong academics. But they are harbouring an unholy secret in the basement of their well-kept, book-lined home, one that may be related to Bonnie’s disappearance. And it will prove nearly impossible to discover what they are up to: they are savvy, they are patient, and they are ruthless.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. He made his first professional short story sale in 1967 to Startling Mystery Stories. In the fall of 1971, he began teaching high school English classes 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. In the spring of 1973, Doubleday & Co., accepted the novel Carrie for publication, providing him the means to leave teaching and write full-time. He has since published over 50 books and has become one of the world’s most successful writers. King is the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to the American Letters and the 2014 National Medal of Arts.
Stephen lives in Maine and Florida with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. They are regular contributors to a number of charities including many libraries and have been honored locally for their philanthropic activities.
Regular visitors will know that I generally shy away from reviewing Stephen King’s books. I love his work and regularly add one of his books to my reading pile. This author started my love for reading. I have loved the Holly Gibney books and this one was a brilliant read. If you have been following Holly, then you cannot miss this one. Until next time…. Happy Reading!
