Stephen King's Never Flinch: A slow burn with a killer payoff

Indian Express

15 hours ago

He is best known as the undisputed master of horror, with doorstopper novels brimming with terrifying supernatural creatures and chilling events. But, in recent years, Stephen King has shifted his focus to more grounded suspense. His Bill Hodges trilogy (Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and End of Watch), centered on a detective's pursuit of a killer, received widespread acclaim and was adapted into a TV series.
A side character from the trilogy, Holly Gibney, has since stepped into the spotlight in King's suspense universe. After featuring in her own novel, Holly, she returns in his latest release, Never Flinch, which has just hit bookstores.
At just over 430 pages, Never Flinch is relatively slim for a Stephen King novel (his books often exceed 600 pages, with The Stand and It clocking in above 1,000). Yet, it's one of King's slowest reads. Patience is required to navigate much of the story, although the final hundred pages ramp up to the breakneck pace King is known for.
The book's sluggishness stems from its ambition—it tries to juggle too much at once. There are two parallel plotlines: in one, the police in Buckeye City receive an anonymous letter from someone promising to kill thirteen innocent people and one 'guilty' party, in revenge for a wrongly convicted man who died in prison. When members of the jury begin turning up dead with ominous notes, police officer Izzy Jaynes enlists the help of her friend, private investigator Holly Gibney.
Meanwhile, feminist author and activist Kate McKay faces threats from anti-abortion groups during her speaking tour. After her assistant is attacked with bleach and narrowly survives an anthrax attempt, she hires Holly as a bodyguard. Amid all this, a rock singer named Sista Bessie stages a comeback, and the local police prepare for a charity match.
King weaves all these threads—plus a multitude of characters—into one sprawling narrative. Though marketed as a Holly Gibney book, she appears in less than a third of it. The story jumps between multiple characters: two officers investigating the murders, the activist and her assistant, Holly's friends Jerome and Barbara, the rock star and her team, and of course, the letter-writing killer and the stalker targeting Kate McKay. Even minor characters are given detailed backstories.
This level of detail is admirable but also overwhelming. At one point, we had to take notes just to keep track of everyone. A slower, longer book might have better served the material. As it is, the quick scene shifts and attempts to tackle social issues sometimes muddy the storytelling.
Despite its scattered pacing, Never Flinch shines in parts. The most riveting sections are those told from the perspectives of Trig, the killer, and Chris/Chrissie, a stalker with a split personality. Trig's chilling rationale for his murders and his descent into a kind of addiction ('Killing really does get easier, it seems,' he reflects after his second victim) are truly unsettling. His imagined conversations with his dead father only deepen the creep factor.
Equally compelling is the internal conflict between Chris and Chrissie—two personas inhabiting one body—who believe they are doing God's work by targeting Kate McKay.
And what of Holly, the supposed heroine? 'That woman is so spooky. Sherlock Holmes in low heels, pastel blouses and tweed skirts,' Izzy says. But Holly often feels more like a bystander than a central figure. The novel's most dynamic characters are Trig, the disturbed murderer; Chris/Chrissie, the fanatic; and the egotistical Kate McKay, who seems obsessed with her own fame.
Fittingly, the book's best stretch—the last hundred pages—brings their storylines together in a high-stakes, high-speed climax. The payoff is thrilling and almost redeems the meandering lead-up.
Never Flinch is one of the slowest Stephen King novels we've read in a while. It offers some finely crafted characters and chilling moments but lacks the crisp dialogue and tight narrative that usually define King's work. Longtime fans may appreciate the intricate character work and the gripping finale. However, newcomers might be better off starting with Misery, The Shining, or if they're looking for suspense, Mr. Mercedes. Never Flinch is not quite vintage King, but it proves rewarding—if you're willing to stick with it.