The latest book from best-selling horror author Stephen King hit store shelves this week. Never Flinch, King’s first full-length novel in nearly two years, continues the genre-shifting writer’s stay in the world of dark crime fiction. King fans can pick up the hardcover edition of Never Flinch for $22.38, which is close to $10 below the novel’s cover price.
If you’ve enjoyed King’s crime novels released over the past decade or so, there’s a good chance you’ll like this one, too. I’m nearing the end, and while it certainly won’t crack my personal top 10 King list, it will join the crowded room of King books I would describe as very good. At the time of writing, Never Flinch is in the top 10 on Amazon’s bestseller list and No. 1 among new releases.
Take a closer look at the new novel and the King books you may want to read before diving in below. Afterwards, stick around to see what’s coming next from the author; there are a few interesting upcoming titles that fall outside of normal expectations.
$22.38 (was $32) | Released on May 27
King’s new novel has two main story threads that will eventually converge as you make your way through the 448-page hardcover. Set in a fictional town called Buckeye City, Never Flinch’s high-concept plot is kicked into motion by a letter sent to the police department from an unknown man. The letter writer vows to kill 13 innocent people and one guilty person, which he claims is a response to a separate death of an innocent man.
Detective Izzy Jaynes is tasked with investigating the threat. King’s new protagonist will receive assistance from a private investigator who will be very familiar to constant readers: Holly Gibney.
Holly is the link that ties the intersecting stories of Never Flinch together. During the investigation to find the letter writer, Holly is hired as a bodyguard for Kate McKay, a woman’s rights activist who is being stalked while on a national speaking tour.
Never Flinch is the seventh Stephen King book featuring Holly Gibney. King has referred to Gibney as one of his favorite characters, so she could very well turn up in future books, too. Knowing Holly’s backstory will probably enhance your reading experience, but Never Flinch is a standalone novel.
Holly, Bill Hodges Trilogy, The Outsider, and If It Bleeds
Even though you don’t technically need to read any of the other King novels featuring Holly Gibney, all of them are great and well-worth your time.
King regularly provides key background info on Holly’s previous investigations at various points throughout each book. While this makes it easier for new readers to follow along, you should keep this in mind if you haven’t read all of the earlier stories featuring Holly. If you don’t want to stumble upon major plot spoilers, you should read the books in chronological order (listed above).
Holly, the aptly titled 2023 book, is the first and only full-length King novel where Holly is the sole main protagonist. It follows her investigation into mysterious disappearances in a quiet Midwestern town.
Holly Gibney first appeared in Mr. Mercedes (2014), Book 1 in King’s Bill Hodges Trilogy starring a retired police officer. Holly’s presence increased in the two sequels, Finders Keepers (2015) and End of Watch (2016).
The private investigator also played a crucial supporting role in The Outsider (2018), a supernatural horror novel that was adapted into a pretty good HBO series. She’s also the main character in the title novella in King’s story collection If It Bleeds (2020).
Another all-new book that should be on the radar of longtime King readers is The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King’s The Stand. Releasing August 19, this anthology features stories by dozens of contemporary authors set in the same world as King’s longest and arguably best novel. King wrote the introduction for this 800-page doorstopper. If you want to refresh your memory ahead of its release, Amazon has the excellent hardcover edition of The Stand for over $30 off right now. You can get the 1,100-plus page King novel with nostalgic ’90s cover art for only $23.59.
King fans will also soon be able to add a new box set featuring three of his older horror novels to their display shelves. Titled Classic King Box Set 1, the upcoming paperback collection contains Christine, Cujo, and Pet Sematary with vintage artwork on the covers and slipcase. Though it’s the only confirmed set so far, it would appear that Scribner is planning on releasing multiple Classic King Box Sets. The design of the Classic King Box Set is far cooler than the 2019 collection titled Stephen King: Three Classic Novels. That said, the latter contains Carrie, ‘Salem’s Lot, and The Shining and is available for only $26 (was $57) at Amazon. Classic King Box Set is up for preorder for $46.39 (was $58) ahead of its July 29 release.
King’s second children’s book, a reimagining of Hansel and Gretel, will be published by HarperCollins on September 2. It’s geared toward early elementary schoolers and is illustrated by Maurice Sendak. King’s only other children’s book is Charlie the Choo-Choo, a picture book for toddlers written under the pen name Beryl Evans. The book and its author originally appeared in King’s dark fantasy series The Dark Tower. If you haven’t read King’s longest series, Amazon has The Dark Tower 8-Book Box Set for $68.90 (was $161).
The most recent Stephen King film adaptation, The Monkey, is available to preorder now on 4K Blu-ray, and it won’t be long before the next one hits theaters. Directed by Mike Flanagan, The Life of Chuck premieres on June 6. If you want to read the original novella before watching the movie, it’s worth noting that The Life of Chuck is part of the aforementioned If It Bleeds collection. Scribner will also release a standalone hardcover edition of The Life of Chuck on June 17.
