DTPR MAGAZINE #15-4: July - August 2025
⁄ 105
FICTION
NEVER FLINCH
by Stephen King
2 weeks on the NYT Best Sellers List
Publisher: Scribner
Stephen King’s latest, “Never
Flinch”, published in May 2025,
is a crime novel that features
the return of private investigator
Holly Gibney. The story intertwines two plots: one of
them involves a serial killer threatening Buckeye City
and another where Holly is hired to protect a feminist
activist from a stalker. The book delves into themes
of justice, revenge, & guilt, showcasing King’s signature
blend of suspense and character development. The
storytelling is engaging, particularly Holly’s portrayal,
although I found a perceived unevenness in pacing
and character development compared to other works
by Stephen King.
NON-FICTION
THE WIDE WIDE SEA
by Hampton Sides
2 weeks on the NYT Best Sellers List
Publisher: Vintage
Hampton Sides’ “The Wide Wide Sea”
offers a gripping and meticulously
researched account of Captain James
Cook’s third and final voyage, which
culminated in his death in Hawaii.More than just an adventure
narrative, Sides delves into the complexities of first contact
between European explorers and the Indigenous peoples,
examining the cultural exchanges, misunderstandings, and
profound consequences that shaped this pivotal era. He
expertly balances the thrill of exploration with a thoughtful
analysis of its lasting impact on both Cook’s crew and the
cultures they encountered across the Pacific, including the
Hawaiians. Sides masterfully employs primary sources and
weaves in oral histories, creating a nuanced and engaging
narrative that challenges assumptions about the Age of
Exploration while providing rich historical context for this
momentous journey.
DTPR MAGAZINE #15-4: July - August 2025
ORIGINAL SIN
by Jake Tapper & Alex Thompson
3 weeks on the NYT Best Sellers List
Publisher: Penguin Press
A searing dive into presidential politics,
“Original Sin” is an explosive exposé
that reads like a modern day political
tragedy. Based on over 200 interviews
with insiders, Tapper and Thompson chronicle alarming
episodes—Biden’s halting gait, moments of incoherence,
misrecognition of figures like George Clooney, and a
catastrophic debate performance—that they frame as
symptoms of a deeper cognitive decline. The book
alleges a calculated, prolonged effort by the White
House “politburo,” including family members and senior
aides, to script and conceal these signs in the name of
electoral survival. Ultimately, “Original Sin” delivers
a sharp challenge to the limits of political loyalty and
accountability, asking whether protecting a president’s
image is ever justified when it risks transparency and
democratic integrity.
NIGHTSHADE
by Michael Connelly
3 weeks on the NYT Best Sellers List
Publisher: Scribner
Michael Connelly trades in the
sprawling metro of Los Angeles
for the more intimate, yet equally
complex, setting of Catalina
Island in “Nightshade”. This standalone novel introduces
a compelling new protagonist, Detective Stilwell, exiled to
the island after an incident on the mainland, where he finds
himself investigating not only a brutal poaching case but
also the perplexing discovery of a Jane Doe in the harbor.
Connelly masterfully weaves together these seemingly
disparate investigations, revealing the intricate web of
corruption and hidden secrets that lie below the island’s
seemingly tranquil surface. Stilwell’s determination to
seek justice, even against the backdrop of police politics
and insular island dynamics, creates a captivating and
atmospheric thriller that proves Connelly’s enduring
skill as a storyteller.