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Indian Express
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Stephen King's Never Flinch: A slow burn with a killer payoff
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.
San Francisco Chronicle
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Book Review: Quirky private eye tracks a couple more killers in Stephen King's 'Never Flinch'
Stephen King's favorite private investigator returns in 'Never Flinch,' the sixth novel by King featuring Holly Gibney, who readers first met in the Bill Hodges trilogy ('Mr. Mercedes,' 'Finders Keepers,' 'End of Watch') and who then helped solved the murders at the heart of 'The Outsider' and 'Holly.' In 'Never Flinch,' Holly cracks two more cases, one as the lead security escort for a polarizing author touring the nation to talk about women's reproductive freedom, and the other back home in Ohio, as a serial killer preys on jurors following a miscarriage of justice. The biggest connection between the two cases is classic King — the killers have dead Daddy issues. We meet them both relatively early in the plot and spend time inside their heads, though the true identity of one of them is a mystery until closer to the end. One of the murderers supplies the novel's title, recalling how his abusive and overbearing father berated him to 'push through to the bitter end. No flinching, no turning away.' Even with two killers talking to themselves, Holly is still the star of the book. She continues to 'attract weirdos the way a magnet attracts iron filings,' is how Holly's friend Barbara puts it. More often than not, Holly's obsessive compulsive disorder helps her 'think around corners,' as one of the story's detectives says. King also brings back Barbara's brother, Jerome, and introduces some dynamic new characters, including Sista Bessie ('She's not the Beatles, but she's a big deal'), a soul singer whose comeback concert serves as the nexus for the convergence of the novel's two storylines. When they do, readers will enjoy the very Kingly ending. It's not quite the pigs' blood from 'Carrie,' but it's satisfying. The pages turn very quickly in the final third of the book as all the characters arrive back in Dayton, Ohio ('the second mistake on the lake'), where we first met Holly, and where psychopath Brady Hartsfield began his killing spree in 'Mr. Mercedes.' Will the Mingo Auditorium be the site of another massacre or will Holly and her amateur detectives save the day again?
Hamilton Spectator
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Book Review: Quirky private eye tracks a couple more killers in Stephen King's ‘Never Flinch'
Stephen King's favorite private investigator returns in 'Never Flinch,' the sixth novel by King featuring Holly Gibney, who readers first met in the Bill Hodges trilogy ('Mr. Mercedes,' 'Finders Keepers,' 'End of Watch') and who then helped solved the murders at the heart of 'The Outsider' and 'Holly.' In 'Never Flinch,' Holly cracks two more cases, one as the lead security escort for a polarizing author touring the nation to talk about women's reproductive freedom, and the other back home in Ohio, as a serial killer preys on jurors following a miscarriage of justice. The biggest connection between the two cases is classic King — the killers have dead Daddy issues. We meet them both relatively early in the plot and spend time inside their heads, though the true identity of one of them is a mystery until closer to the end. One of the murderers supplies the novel's title, recalling how his abusive and overbearing father berated him to 'push through to the bitter end. No flinching, no turning away.' Even with two killers talking to themselves, Holly is still the star of the book. She continues to 'attract weirdos the way a magnet attracts iron filings,' is how Holly's friend Barbara puts it. More often than not, Holly's obsessive compulsive disorder helps her 'think around corners,' as one of the story's detectives says. King also brings back Barbara's brother, Jerome, and introduces some dynamic new characters, including Sista Bessie ('She's not the Beatles, but she's a big deal'), a soul singer whose comeback concert serves as the nexus for the convergence of the novel's two storylines. When they do, readers will enjoy the very Kingly ending. It's not quite the pigs' blood from 'Carrie,' but it's satisfying. The pages turn very quickly in the final third of the book as all the characters arrive back in Dayton, Ohio ('the second mistake on the lake'), where we first met Holly, and where psychopath Brady Hartsfield began his killing spree in 'Mr. Mercedes.' Will the Mingo Auditorium be the site of another massacre or will Holly and her amateur detectives save the day again? ___ AP book reviews:
Winnipeg Free Press
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Book Review: Quirky private eye tracks a couple more killers in Stephen King's ‘Never Flinch'
Stephen King's favorite private investigator returns in 'Never Flinch,' the sixth novel by King featuring Holly Gibney, who readers first met in the Bill Hodges trilogy ('Mr. Mercedes,' 'Finders Keepers,' 'End of Watch') and who then helped solved the murders at the heart of 'The Outsider' and 'Holly.' In 'Never Flinch,' Holly cracks two more cases, one as the lead security escort for a polarizing author touring the nation to talk about women's reproductive freedom, and the other back home in Ohio, as a serial killer preys on jurors following a miscarriage of justice. The biggest connection between the two cases is classic King — the killers have dead Daddy issues. We meet them both relatively early in the plot and spend time inside their heads, though the true identity of one of them is a mystery until closer to the end. One of the murderers supplies the novel's title, recalling how his abusive and overbearing father berated him to 'push through to the bitter end. No flinching, no turning away.' Even with two killers talking to themselves, Holly is still the star of the book. She continues to 'attract weirdos the way a magnet attracts iron filings,' is how Holly's friend Barbara puts it. More often than not, Holly's obsessive compulsive disorder helps her 'think around corners,' as one of the story's detectives says. King also brings back Barbara's brother, Jerome, and introduces some dynamic new characters, including Sista Bessie ('She's not the Beatles, but she's a big deal'), a soul singer whose comeback concert serves as the nexus for the convergence of the novel's two storylines. When they do, readers will enjoy the very Kingly ending. It's not quite the pigs' blood from 'Carrie,' but it's satisfying. The pages turn very quickly in the final third of the book as all the characters arrive back in Dayton, Ohio ('the second mistake on the lake'), where we first met Holly, and where psychopath Brady Hartsfield began his killing spree in 'Mr. Mercedes.' Will the Mingo Auditorium be the site of another massacre or will Holly and her amateur detectives save the day again? ___ AP book reviews:
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
A Working Man movie review: Jason Statham switches jobs, not genre, in another grit-and-growl thriller
In a world where cinematic universes stretch thinner by the year and franchise fatigue lurks around every marquee, there is something oddly comforting about walking into a Jason Statham movie. You know what you're signing up for: tight T-shirts, tighter punches, and the occasional, gruffly-delivered one-liners. With A Working Man, Statham returns in full force, playing a salt-of-the-earth bruiser caught up in a web of crime. The film, directed by David Ayer and co-written with Sylvester Stallone, is exactly what you expect, but not quite enough of what you hope. Jason Statham has carved a corner in the action hero pantheon. If Tom Cruise is the daredevil philosopher-king of high-concept action, Statham is the neighbourhood tough guy who shows up with a steel-toed boot and unfinished business. He isn't chasing immortality or IMF conspiracies, he's just trying to live a quiet life. In A Working Man, his Levon Cade is a former special ops soldier-turned-construction worker who wants nothing more than to raise his daughter in peace. This setup–a reformed man drawn back into violence when someone he cares about is in danger–is as old as cinema itself. Indian audiences might recognise the echoes of Fateh in spirit, if not tone. What differentiates this film, at least superficially, is its attempt at grounding the story in a blue-collar milieu, perhaps a nod to Stallone's working-class roots. But the narrative, for all its grime and grit, never quite lets go of its glossy action-hero sheen. The core plot kicks off when Jenny, the daughter of Levon's boss (played by a surprisingly subdued Michael Peña), goes missing. Levon, reluctant but duty-bound, dives headfirst into the criminal underworld, unleashing a series of brutal takedowns that would make John Wick blink. The violence is visceral, the choreography functional but unremarkable. While there's a certain satisfaction in watching Statham bulldoze his way through goons, there's little inventiveness in the way it's all stitched together. Ayer, who previously gave us the bruising End of Watch and the scattershot Suicide Squad, brings a workmanlike quality to the direction here. The film never quite crackles, but it doesn't fumble either. The pacing is taut, but emotionally, A Working Man feels like a flatline punctuated by action beats. There's little room for levity, even less for introspection. This is a film that wants to be a character study but settles for a demolition derby. At the emotional core is Levon's relationship with his daughter, but it never evolves beyond the usual set of tropes. He's trying earnestly, if a bit mechanically, to build a life with her. He lives out of his car, brushing his teeth in a parking lot and curling up in the backseat at night. She, meanwhile, stays with her maternal grandfather, away from the chaos he's trying to escape. He sees her occasionally, makes sad eyes when he misses her, and carries the weight of guilt like a permanent shadow. You've seen it all before. These emotional beats are lifted from a playbook so dog-eared it might as well be laminated. It's time we acknowledged the Statham paradox. Here is a man whose physicality, screen presence, and fight IQ are nearly unmatched. He is, in many ways, Britain's answer to Tom Cruise. He commits, he trains, and he carries an entire film on sheer charisma. But unlike Cruise, who surrounds himself with filmmakers who constantly reinvent the action template, Statham seems to inhabit a creative cul-de-sac. His films rarely surprise. They function more as showcases for his durability than explorations of character or theme. There is no denying his appeal. He has a kind of anti-glamour charisma, an everyman edge that makes him a believable action hero. But watching A Working Man, one can't help but wish he were handed a script with more substance, or perhaps even allowed to stretch into roles that challenge his established persona. Until then, we get versions of the same film: different day, same fury. Michael Peña brings some pathos to a character that could easily have been a plot device. David Harbour shows up briefly, chews a bit of scenery, and disappears. The villains are cardboard cutouts, menacing only because the script tells us they are. There's a subplot involving human trafficking that feels clumsily handled; it is not offensive, but certainly lacking nuance. One moment you're watching a girl being held captive, and the next you're in a barroom brawl scored like it's the third act of a superhero movie. Tonal consistency is not the film's strong suit. And perhaps that's the real frustration with A Working Man. It's not that it's bad. It's that it never dares to be better. The ingredients are there: a leading man with gravitas, a director with a flair for grit, a story with emotional potential. But somewhere between concept and execution, ambition is traded for reliability. A Working Man A Working Man Cast – Jason Statham, Michael Peña, David Harbour, Jason Flemyng A Working Man Director – David Ayer A Working Man Rating – 2/5
