Chloe Davis’ father is in prison for the murder of six teenage girls that occurred when Chloe was only 12 years old. Twenty years later, it’s happening again and Chloe feels a daunting sense of déjà vu. She may be the only one who can uncover the truth, but at what cost?

This one had a little bit of a slow start for me, but around Chapter 10 it picked up and got really interesting. At that point, I couldn't put it down. Once the twists started, they came fast and I was constantly trying to figure out the ending. I would think I had it figured out, and then it would surprise me again! This is a 5 star for me and I would definitely read more books by this author.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

WOW!!! This was a fantastic thriller and I am surprised this is the author's debut book!!! So many great twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end. I loved the main character Chloe! She is so well written she feel EVERYTHING she does. I stayed up way too late last finishing the book but I just couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

This debut novel about a woman trying to escape her past, which includes a serial killer father, is such a fast read. 20 years after her father confessed to killing six teens, Chloe Davis is seeing it all okay out again. But her father’s in jail, so when two 15 year old girls go missing, she knows it can’t be her father…right?

I love- LOVE- a good, unreliable narrator, and Chloe is no stranger to substance abuse and dissociation, but who can blame her? She’s the one responsible for putting her father behind bars, so why are the murders beginning again? Is it a copycat, or something more sinister?

This novel has multiple red herrings and dangles so many threads for the reader to follow. Unfortunately, I guessed the ending almost at the beginning of the book, however, that did not stop me from enjoying this, because it is incredibly well written, and the pacing is absolutely phenomenal. I refused to go to sleep until I had read the very last page.

I’m giving this four and a half stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫 , simply because I guessed the ending, and after all of the reviews saying this would shock you and keep you guessing, I was a little sad to be correct. But again, it does not take away from the phenomenal writing.

I absolutely would read this again, and I absolutely look forward to more of Willingham’s books. She will be an instant recommendation for me. This is going to be a huge bestseller and a book club favorite- I’m calling it now.

**Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read this incredible book ahead of its publication date via eARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.**

What happens when girls start going missing twenty years after your father was convicted of kidnapping and killing teenage girls? Chloe starts to see the similarities in the crimes that are happening now but is she imagining things? Her dad is still in prison. Is there a copycat killer out there? And is that person coming after her next?

I stayed up way to late last night finishing "A Flicker in the Dark." I thought I had it figured out about halfway through but I was wrong, and I'm glad since the twists and turns surprised me. I would recommend this to any fan of mysteries and thrillers.

Chloe Davis is a psychologist, engaged to the love of her life Daniel. Sounds like she has it all right? Chloe also has a convicted serial killer for a father, a mother that is in an assisted living center unable to speak, and an over protective older brother.

When Chloe was 12 her father was arrested for the murders of 6 teenage girls. She’s finally moved on (well as much as she can) when the 20 year anniversary of the first missing girl, 2 more girls are taken. Is it a copy cat? What does it have to do with Chloe?

This is the debut novel of this author and I was pleasantly surprised! There were a couple questions I still had at the end but seriously well written first novel. I’ll be watching this author for sure.

A Flicker In The Dark • Stacy Willingham

🌟🌟🌟/5

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this e-ARC. A Flicker In The Dark publishes January 11, 2022!

I’ve seen so many 5 star reviews and I wanted to love this book so bad!

What I liked:
The plot - Such a great story line!
The murder mystery - Trying to piece together who did it 👀
The father behind bars - What has he done??
A possible copycat serial killer

What I didn’t like:
Did not hold my attention
Many unnecessary details
Repetitive
Missing the thrill

Despite the great story line I felt like the urge to read more was missing. I unfortunately do not consider this book a page turner - the beginning was such a slow burn. A Flicker In The Dark doesn’t really get interesting until halfway through the book. Towards the end - of course the twist is revealed (which I did not predict) - it slows down a bit and ends with excess information.

Unfortunately, I ended up with an unpopular opinion on A Flicker In The Dark.

What a fantastic debut novel!

The small town of Breaux Bridge is rocked when 6 teenage girls go missing. 12 year old Chloe Davis finds herself in the middle of it all when her father is arrested and sent to prison for the crimes. But now almost 20 years later, Chloe is starting to be haunted by similar events happening again.

Once I was hooked, I couldn't put this down. I loved that there were many strings to this novel that eventually were tied up in the end, yet I didn't see twist after twist coming. Fantastically written, this a must read thriller for 2022.

Thank you NetGalley & Minotaur books for the ARC

Ready for a psychological thriller that you'll want to binge right through to the end? Stacy Willingham's debut novel sure did it for me. A Flicker in the Dark had enough potential outcomes that it kept me wondering up to the end. The twists and turns that took me on a ride through small-town and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, kept me engaged (I stayed in my jammies a bit longer than I should have this AM. I thought I knew who "did it," but I wasn't sure...maybe it wasn't, or was it?

The lead character was complex and likable, flawed enough, but not too much.

My one complaint? The author's reliance on having her protagonist dive headlong into dangerous situations. Willingham did a decent job making these situations plausible. In general, I balk at books and movies where people "head down into a dark cellar knowing an evil murderer is lurking." You know those scenes where you're screaming at them, "Stop! Don't go in there! Call 911." but then there wouldn't be much of a story.

If you like serial killer thrillers, definitely stick this book on your TBR list. I'll be looking forward to the author's next book.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley.

I absolutely tore through this book, pages were flying, children were ignored, until the very last page was turned. My heartrate increased, my nails were bitten down, and still I needed to know who did what! Stacy Willingham gives you all the individual threads, you just have to weave them together to get the entire story, and whoa what a story. I thought I had this book figured out about 987 times, but I still did not have the full picture. Talk about your mind spinning, your thoughts out of control, and the twists and turns are astounding. Willingham's writing style kept me enticed and fully engaged. It also allows you to see the anguish and emotional despair that the family of a killer goes through.

I cannot even imagine growing up in the shadow of your serial killer father. How do you move on from that spotlight of hate? Chloe Davis is coming up on the twenty-year anniversary of the killings of six teenage girls that her father killed when she was 12-years-old. She has grit, determination, and wants to prove to everyone that she is in fact fine. She is working as a psychologist, helping others come to terms with their own trauma and come out on the other side of darkness. She is engaged to the man of her dreams and is excited to start her new life. When young girls start to go missing, triggering buried thoughts of her father and that one horrible summer. Will Chloe be able to survive this?

I loved the set-up of this book. Even though you have bits and pieces of what happened, another piece of the puzzle appears, and you are once again left second guessing yourself. This book also allows you to see the other size of murder. How the family of the murderer is treated and defiled. It makes you take a second look on the other side of the coin. Thank you to Stacy Willingham, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for giving me this highly suspenseful thriller.

Wow! A Flicker in the Dark is a page turner that I couldn't put down. I finished this entire book in one sitting! This thriller is well done with plot twists you'll never see coming. Stacy Wellingham is on my radar and an author I will look for in the future. Well done!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A compelling thriller from a debut author. The writing was fantastic and almost lyrical in its presentation. The setting descriptions were rich and the characters deeply layered. Focusing on a serial killer and family dynamics, this one kept me riveted until the shocking conclusion. 4⭐️

Thank you for the early copy Minotaur Books.
I have to say this was a slow burn and the beginning but quickly picked up its pace.
This could have maybe cut out a few chapters I did feel like his Drug a little at some points.
All in all I really enjoyed the story and the book. Make sure to check it out when it comes out in January

Chloe is a therapist who can relate to her patient’s trauma because she has experienced her own. When she was young, after a string of disappearances of girls in her town, her father was arrested and convicted of their murders. Fast forward and Chloe still struggles with her past. She deals with this by exerting the maximum amount of control in every situation…and copious amounts of anti-anxiety medication. As she navigates her engagement and plans for her upcoming wedding, girls around her start disappearing again and the pattern is something she recognizes from her past. Is there a copycat killer on the loose? Is it someone close to her? Or did the police maybe have the wrong man her entire life?

Thanks to St. Martin's Trade for the ARC In exchange for a fair and honest review.

Stacy Willingham's top notch debut "A Flicker In the Dark" is what I categorize as a new year thriller. An NYT is when publishers kick off the new year with a Thriller by a debut author that they claim will be one of the first bestsellers of the new year.

I don't know if :"Flicker" will be the big bestsellers its publishers are hoping for, but I think it definitely has a good chance of gaining audience especially for fans of Sandra Brown.

Chloe was only 12 when her father was convicted then jailers for the murders of six teenage girls.. Twenty years later, Chloe is now a psychologist in Baton Rouge, LA. Then the unthinkable happens when teenage girls begin to dissappear. To make matters worse the girls are found to be copycat murders inspired by Chloe's father. Chloe investigates only to learn that the three men closest to her are suspects and any one of them can make Chloe their next victim.

Willingham is great at creating atmosphere. I could feel the heat and the stickiness of the Louisiana swamps. I also enjoyed how she evenly balanced out how any of the three men could be a suspect. I thought I had the resolution figured out, but was surprised how many revelations made up the ending.

My only disappointment was how Chloe's addiction to psych meds was dropped from the story. There didn't seem to be any sort of consequences or attempts on her behalf to rehabilitate herself.

"A Flicker In the Dark" is a strong start for not only the thrillers for 2022,, but for its debut author Stacy Willingham.

Set in small town Louisiana, aptly entitled A Flicker in the Dark is the first book by Stacy Willingham. Main character Chloe Davis is a psychologist who knows how to treat others...and surely herself. She is successful and engaged to marry the man she loves in a few months. But twenty years ago, her father confessed to killing six young girls and was subsequently imprisoned for life. Chloe knows trauma and as a psychologist has a wealth of experience to offer clients.

When a young girl disappears, Chloe's senses are on hyper alert as she vividly recalls details of the earlier killings. She becomes involved in the case, discovers secret after secret and becomes obsessed to a point. She questions everything. Suspenseful twists happen until the end, making this an absorbing read.

Immerse yourself in this fast-paced story, especially if you are keen to discover new authors. I wonder what Stacy Willingham has in store next?

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this riveting new thriller!

A great debut book for an up and coming author in the psychological mystery/thriller genre. I really enjoyed the character Chloe as the daughter of a convicted serial killer, who is now a psychologist. Chloe has some of her own issues stemming from her youth, which become exacerbated when young girls in her community start missing and winding up dead…..just like what happened twenty years ago by her father. As the story unwinds, so does it seem Chloe becomes more unraveled, to the point that her suspicions are not believed. The male characters of the story, brother Cooper, fiancé Daniel, and reporter Aaron, are introduced and portrayed in such a way that the reader is suspicious of all of them at one time or another, and can feel the unsureness of Chloe’s mind as she struggles with her efforts to figure out who is copycatting her father’s crimes. The author spirals us through uncertainty to an ending that is both surprising and semi-predictable. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur books for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. #NetGalley #AFlickerInTheDark

"A Flicker In the Dark" is the debut novel by Stacy Willingham, and it did not disappoint! Psychologist Chloe Davis has finally made a place for herself in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with her own private practice working with troubled teens, living in her own home, and engaged to a wonderful man. However, she still fights the trauma of being the daughter of serial killer Dick Davis, who admitted to killing 6 teenaged girls after Chloe found jewelry from the girls hidden in her father's closet as a child. Despite her recent successes in life, Chloe is constantly washing away the anxiety and pain with a variety of pills and alcohol. A month before her wedding, a girl disappears in Baton Rouge, and soon after, another one as well, the last being one of Chloe's new patients who disappeared upon leaving Chloe's office. Chloe soon begins to suspect that the killings may be a copycat of those committed by her father when she discovers jewelry has been taken from both girls, and Chloe must confront her past in order to try to end the killings.

"A Flicker In the Dark" was a fast-paced psychological thriller, and each chapter left me wanting more, shifting back in time from the present, to Chloe's memories of her father and the crimes her committed in the past. In her means of trying to cope with her past trauma through drugs and alcohol, Chloe is not always the most reliable witness or narrator, though one certainly cannot deny the trauma that she has gone through and its continued effects on her. Be prepared for a lot of twists in the last part of this book- some of it I suspected early on, but some I did not. Needless to say, it was still an enjoyable ride. I definitely look forward to reading more by this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. "A Flicker In the Dark" is scheduled to be released on 1/11/22.

Disappointing - I'm really tired of the "unreliable narrator" mystery/thriller. I found this one very predictable. The ending did not surprise me at all.

When Chloe was 12, six teenage girls went missing from her small town. Her father was arrested and plead guilty to the crimes - leading police to where they had been buried.

It’s now 20 years later. Chloe has moved away and is a psychologist - determined to leave her past behind. But first a reporter reaches out to her about a story he’s doing about her father’s crimes. And then local teenage girls start to go missing. Is it a copycat?

This was a quick read. But the problem with reading a lot of thrillers is that sometimes I ruin books for myself by seeing the ending coming way too soon. That was the case for me with this one. There were still a couple twists I didn’t expect but no big surprise moment.

Thank you to Minotaur, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the advance reading and listening copies.

What a debut thriller! So masterfully written and well thought out. This story had me hanging on the edge of my seat. When Chloe is younger, six girls go missing in Louisiana. By the end of the summer, her father is arrested as a serial killer. 20 years later, Chloe is a psychologist, preparing for her wedding, and still dealing with the aftermath of her father. Suddenly, girls start to go missing again and eerily resemble her father. Cannot wait to see this one on the big screen as it has already been optioned by HBO!