The following version of this book was used to create the guide: King, Stephen. Don’t Flinch. Scribner, Kindle Edition, 2025.

Don’t Flinch is a contemporary mystery novel set in modern day America, across numerous cities. It follows numerous characters, both good and bad, as they fight for their beliefs in both ethical and non-ethical manners.

The novel opens as a man who calls himself Trig murders an innocent woman and then puts the name of a juror in her dead hand. As the reader will find out late in the novel, Trig was a jury member in a trial in which an innocent man, Alan Duffrey, was convicted of possessing child pornography. Duffrey was framed by a man named Tolliver who was jealous that Duffrey got a promotion over him. After Tolliver learned he was dying of cancer, he tried to right this wrong by confessing to the Assistant District Attorney, but the ADA did nothing about Tolliver’s confession. Tolliver then went to Buckeye Brandon an inflammatory conservative podcaster who made the truth known.

When Duffrey is killed in prison, Trig is overcome with guilt. Numerous jurors believed that Duffrey was innocent, but they ultimately capitulated to Trig’s insistence on the man’s guilt. He is now overcome with guilt, but he is also angry at the other jurors who convicted Duffrey, especially because he sees them as weak for not standing their ground. He believes that innocent lives should be taken in retribution for the innocent life of Duffrey that was taken. His hope is that the jurors will be overcome with guilt, and he is happy when he discovers that two of them have taken their own life. In truth, they took their lives for various reasons relating to their romantic relationship, but Duffrey, at least for a while, is elated to believe that he succeeded in instilling feelings of guilt in the men. Trig is haunted by memories of his violent, abusive, and judgmental father, and the novel takes his name from words his father used to tell him.

Meanwhile a very vocal pro-choice speaker and performer named Kate is targeted by a man named Christopher. Chris had a twin sister named Chrissy who died when they were younger from a genetic condition that led her to have a heart attack. Chris has difficulty getting over the loss. One day as a child, he puts on his sister’s clothes, and his mother is comforted by having Chrissy around in some manner, but neither his father nor his church is supportive.

Ultimately, however, Chris comes under the tutelage of Deacon Fallowes at his fundamentalist Christian church who convinces him that he can do good as Chris and Chrissy. He prompts him to kill Kate because they believe she has the blood of innocent babies on her hands. Christopher stalks her both as himself and as Chrissy.

While all of this is happening, a performer named Sista Bessie has decided to come out of retirement. She is going to perform at the Mingo, and she bumps Kate from her spot. Kate’s show was moved to the day before. Because there will be a police versus fire department softball game to raise money for charity, Sista Bessie agrees to perform the national anthem. She has taken a poet named Barbara under her wing, and she puts one of Barbara’s songs to music. Barbara performs with them.

All of these story lines converge as Trig leaves one of his victims in an abandoned hockey rink, and Chris comes across it. Trig holds Barbara, Kate, and Corrie hostage and plans to set himself and the rink on fire to avenge the death of Duffrey. Chris, meanwhile, wants to kill Kate. When he realizes that Trig wants to do the same, the two fight, and Chris is killed. After singing the National Anthem, Sista Bessie manages to get away and runs to save Barbara in the rink. While her body will not make it, Sista Bessie directs Jermone to the hockey rink where he and Holly are able to free the hostages.