Never Flinch: A Novel [B1323]

2025 HCDJ. Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2025. 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.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Slow start but I love Holly as the detective in these books. Serial killer, crazy, abortion views, real life nutsos. King does these the best. Love the combination in this book of four different happenings that all lead to a conclusion that we know leads to another killer in the workings. Will keep reading when Holly is on the job."; "Few authors can come up with a plot that at first glance seems simple but ultimately turns out to be complex, with storylines that appear unrelated yet become intertwined. Only a grandmaster like Stephen King can do that, and he has proven it again abundantly."; "I love the Holly character and this book was classic of her. I actually wish there had been more of Holly in it. The story is good, if a little too wordy, but that's classic King."