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Never Flinch

From the No. 1 Bestselling author of HOLLY

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Never Flinch

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Jessie Mueller
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About this listen

 From master storyteller Stephen King comes a thrilling 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 realises 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 unhinged 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. ©2025 Stephen King Editors Select Horror Mystery Private Investigators Supernatural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Celebrity Exciting Feel-Good Funny Revenge

Critic Reviews

Stephen King's favourite detective gets another case . . . and it is, as ever, a joy to see her brilliant leaps of intuition and to watch her warm relationships with her small but devoted group of friends.
Holly is one of the most appealing investigators in contemporary crime fiction . . . Never Flinch contains plenty of King's trademark chilling moments, with the two storylines expertly entwined.
Among his most exuberant outings.
An action-packed climax that plays out hour by hour, then minute by minute.
The master storyteller has lost none of his grasp of the dark heart in the soul of Middle America: the result is simply superb.
A genuine page-turner guaranteed to keep you reading long into the night . . . Jam-packed with wonderfully drawn heroes and villains and a sinuous plot guaranteed to have you perched on the edge of your seat.
So quintessentially King that I absolutely adored every second of reading it.
With two dramatic storylines in one book, Never Flinch is a double treat for Stephen King's fans.
What makes the book unnerving and impossible to put down is how real and plausible everything described can be.
All stars
Most relevant
I haven't been a huge Holly fan but this book is excellent. The pacing, character development and overall story is outstanding.

Excellent, solid story.

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Terrific follow up for Holly. She is though maybe needing to leave Cabot Cove. Trouble is drawn to her like that Lansbury woman.

Gripping

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With this book, King has cemented his reputation for versatility as he offers a straight thriller with none of the supernatural themes which we often see in his work. Holly is a great character and it is great to see her in the role of bodyguard, supported as always by other loved characters from previous books. The narration is okay but the singing very over the top.

Thriller

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The story wasn’t one of Kings best but I love knowing what Holly and the crew are up to. The narration was surprising with the narrator breaking into song at times - I hated it the first time but it grew on me and her voice is amazing. It really suited the story. Well worth the listen xx

The narrator was amazing. What a beautiful voice

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Holly is fast becoming one of my favorite Stephen King characters. Brilliant narration from Jesse really brought the characters to life and the story had me hooked from the beginning. Loved it.

Loved it

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