The Bottom Line: A propulsive crime thriller that intertwines obsession, morality and the fragile line between justice and revenge.
In Never Flinch, Stephen King returns to the crime thriller format that has produced some of his most brilliant novels – Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, The Institute (see where the novel ranks among King’s best books). As usual, he reveals the identity of his villain early on, shifting the focus from whodunit to how-catch-em.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Never Flinch is how King layers his villains over the course of the book. Far from a one-note psychopath, the man first introduced as an alcoholic named Trig begins as a man seemingly obsessed by the notion that exponentially more innocents must die in response to the death of an innocent man in jail. He gradually emerges as something far more sinister and terrifying.
Meanwhile, a feminist thought leader and her assistant are targeted by a truly malevolent force. Here, King gradually introduces a chillingly multidimensional figure, reminiscent of Hitchcock’s Norman Bates, but with far more depth and backstory. The storyline is tragic and a bit sad, but is also filled with some truly shocking and memorable scenes.
King also returns to the world of Holly Gibney, the quietly brilliant and emotionally complex investigator who has evolved steadily since her debut in Mr. Mercedes. This time, Holly is pulled into not one but two unnerving cases: one involving a serial killer with a self-proclaimed mission of atonement, and another revolving around threats to a high-profile women’s rights activist on tour. Also along for the ride are recurring characters Jerome and Barbara Robinson, who have grown up since first appearing as kids in the Bill Hodges trilogy.
It seems like King may still be trying to find Holly’s voice. Across only a handful of books and screen appearances, she has been performed by multiple actresses with different approaches. Not every author can be as lucky as Michael Connelley, whose Titus Welliver nailed the voice of Harry Bosch so definitively that he has subsequently done both Bosch TV series as well as the Bosch audio books. But the audiobook version of Never Flinch introduces yet another voice, with Jessie Mueller taking over narration duties for the audiobook version, having been preceded by Cynthia Erivo, Justine Lupo and Will Patton. Mueller’s Gibney still says “poop” and “poopy” a lot, and still comes off as a naturally moral and analytical investigator. But whether it’s a matter of performance or evolution of character, Holly feels significantly less quirky and less hypersensitive – and maybe, for that reason, slightly less compelling.
King’s command of suspense, character, and mood is as sharp as ever. Never Flinch may not rank among his very best, but it’s a cut above most contemporary crime fiction. His ability to balance twisted psychology with human empathy remains unmatched, even in a book that doesn’t fully hit the emotional highs of earlier Holly stories.
