First, let’s get all the gushy stuff out of the way.
Stephen King may be the single biggest reason I do what I do. His influence on me, not only as a horror fan, but as a reader and writer, cannot be overestimated.
And truth be told, it all started as a bit of an accident. It all started in the early 2000s when I’d been reading the Goosebumps series. My stepdad had only the vaguest idea of what those books were about, but he knew they were horror.
“If you like horror, why don’t you try this?”
— he said, And he handed me a copy of Misery.
I can’t have been older than fourteen, so it was marginally inappropriate — but I devoured that book. I absolutely loved it. I’ve now read it at least three times and have also set myself the mission of reading everything King has ever published. This might prove impossible. But if anyone can hook me up with a copy of Rage, I will be eternally grateful.
Why King is the GOAT
To me, King is the greatest of all time. Bar none. His longevity is a big factor in this, but I think his variety deserves just as much praise. Non-fans often dismiss him as just a horror writer — but that’s been untrue for years.
King has reinvented himself multiple times. In recent years, he’s leaned more into the crime and detective genre, and Never Flinch is very much in that zone.
Welcome Back, Holly Gibney
Never Flinch is the latest instalment in the Holly Gibney saga. First introduced in Mr. Mercedes, she returned in Finders Keepers, End of Watch, The Outsider, If It Bleeds, and Holly.
If this is your first foray into Holly’s world — welcome! The good news is this book stands alone. But for returning fans, it’s a reward to see how far she’s come.
By now, Holly is an established private investigator and a kind of modern Sherlock Holmes. At the start of the novel, police officer Izzy Jaynes seeks her opinion on a disturbing case:
- A man was wrongly imprisoned by a jury.
- He died in jail.
- Now, seemingly random people are being murdered — each found holding a different juror’s name in their hand.
Meanwhile, Kate McKay, a bestselling author and pro-choice campaigner, is giving lectures across the country — and attracting the wrong kind of attention. She’s being stalked, and hires Holly as protection.
Naturally, these two storylines converge — and it all explodes in the third act.
Real-World Horror
This book doesn’t pull punches. It deals with abortion, stalkers, revenge, and justice. King doesn’t preach, but he highlights the tragic cost of people losing their lives for what they believe in. And just because somebody is pro-choice, it doesn’t automatically mean pro-abortion.
“Life is always the preferred choice. But that choice to belongs to the woman.”
— Kate McKay
Whether or not you live in the U.S., the issues tackled here are global, powerful, and deeply human.
Final Thoughts
Maybe the reason King doesn’t write pure horror anymore is because he doesn’t need to. We live in a world where protestors camp outside abortion clinics and Trump is back in the White House.
Real life might be scary enough.
My Goodreads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
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