When Chloe Davis was twelve years old, her father was convicted for killing six teenage girls. Twenty years later, teenage girls are being killed, and Chloe suspects there is a connection with her father.

Chloe had a traumatic childhood, but has worked to overcome her difficult past. She is a psychologist with her own practice, she’s planning her wedding, and has the support of her fiancé and her brother. Unfortunately, she also self-medicates, which makes her a bit unreliable as a narrator. When teenage girls start missing again, Chloe is unsure if there is a connection with her father, or if it’s all unrelated and in her imagination.

A Flicker in the Dark is a gripping debut novel. Flawed characters and an atmospheric setting in this twisty thriller. I look forward to reading more by this author.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up. This is a great thrill-ride of a story. This felt jus like a movie - fast paced and compulsive. I felt just like the MC, questioning everything around her and everyone in her life. I can't imagine what it would be like to be the child of a serial killer, but I think this story does a great job of making it feel real. Fast read, I loved it.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

A Flicker in the Dark was an excellent read with an intriguing plot centered around a serial killer targeting teenage girls.

When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing and by the end of the summer, her father had been arrested as their killer. Chloe and the rest of her family were left to deal with the fallout and to try to rebuild their lives. Twenty years later, Chloe works as a psychologist in private practice and is preparing for her upcoming wedding. Just as a normal life is within her grasp, several local girls go missing in an eerily similar manner as the girls from twenty years ago. Seeing similarities between the cases, Chloe isn't sure if she's paranoid or if after all this time there's another killer in her life.

The premise of A Flicker in the Dark immediately drew me in, teenage girls are being killed in a nearly identical manner as twenty years ago. Right away I needed to know, is it a copycat or did they catch the wrong guy twenty years ago? Chloe finds herself drawn to the case after the first girl goes missing as her disappearance brings up memories of that long ago summer. Chloe begins trying to look into the disappearances on her own which at first doesn't go well as she's not a trained investigator. After she pairs up with a reporter, the search for the killer begins to move forward in earnest. The cops however are suspicious of Chloe's motives as she has stuff in her past that doesn't reflect well on her. Throughout the search for the killer there are a ton of twists along the way and I wasn't expecting the direction the author took things. I thought the ending was incredibly well done and that the author did a great job keeping you guessing until the last minute.

Chloe is a bit of an unreliable narrator. Due to the trauma of what happened twenty years ago, she self medicates with pills and alcohol. Any time her anxiety spikes, which happens often given the circumstances, Chloe needs to take something to calm herself down. I assumed Chloe would struggle in present day due to what happened but I have to say I wasn't expecting just how far off the deep end she would be. During her search for the killer, she makes a number of bad decisions that had me doubting her ability to find the killer. But Chloe ended up surprising me and I was happy with where she ended up by the end of the book. I thought the final scene with the killer was particularly well done.

Overall A Flicker in the Dark was a fantastic debut and I would highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to seeing what the author comes out with in the future.

Favorite Quotes:

By the end of the summer, six girls had disappeared. One day they were there, and the next—gone. Vanished without a trace… Their goneness was impossible to ignore; it was an evil that had settled over the sky the way an impending storm can make your bones throb.

She was quiet, reserved, pale and rail thin, with hair the color of a fiery sunset, something of a walking matchstick.

His voice was deep, stern but somehow sweet at the same time, probably from the unmistakable Southern drawl that made every word sound thick and slow like dripping molasses.

A steady sheet of rain erupts outside and the house is filled with the sound of millions of fingers tapping on the roof, eager to get in.


My Review:


This was an intense and brilliantly nuanced tale with an exceptionally evocative style and held a well-crafted and distinctive aura of tautness from the first word to the last period. I fell right into the character’s troubled gray matter and itched, sweat, and hyperventilated right along with her. My cuticles are a ragged mess!

The writing style was lyrical, emotive, and vividly detailed to taunt the senses. The storylines were fiendishly paced and kept me on edge and guessing. The little pea in my brain was shuddering. I was wrecked, then hopeful, then wrecked yet again while spinning and discarding numerous theories only to come back around to them again while working my way through this intricate web.

Everything about this book was extraordinary and I was flabbergasted to note it was the author’s debut. Stacy Willingham's word voodoo is strong! She is a phenom, definitely one to watch, and is now residing at the top of my favorites list.

Flicker in the Dark is an intense psychological thriller that turns readers every which way but loose. It's been awhile since I've been this impressed and entertained by a debut novel. Willingham has penned a psychological thriller that pushes readers off the deep end, leaving them floundering alongside the characters just out of reach of safety and searching for answers without a clue who to trust and who to avoid like the plague. An unreliable narrator, psychotic serial killer and a cast of well-manipulated red herrings make it nearly impossible to figure this one out before the reveal at the end. Strap yourself in for a fast-paced, twisted ride!

As children, Chloe and Cooper Davis suffered the disastrous fallout of their father's arrest and conviction for the brutal murders of several young local girls. Being the closest to her father, young Chloe was devastated to be the one who found and turned over the evidence that resulted in her father's conviction. Alone and guilt ridden, she spiraled into a dark depression where she learned young that solace could be found in alcohol and drugs. Local gossip, accusations, doubt and guilt hounded Chloe throughout her teenage years, shaping her into a weary, fragile adult struggling with a ton of baggage.

Twenty years later, thirty-two year old Chloe Davis emits the illusion of finally standing on solid ground, and she is to a point - with heavy daily doses of alcohol and prescription drugs. Ironically, she's working as a psychologist to young troubled girls while moving ahead with wedding plans to her fiance Daniel in spite of her brother's strong objections. Chloe feels like she's finally leaving the past behind . . . until a young girl goes missing and then another - both killed with the same MO as her father's victims. Driven by guilt and the need to finally come to terms with the truth of her past, Chloe begins her own investigation. Unfortunately, she's not mentally prepared for the revelations and dark secrets that surface when her past and present collide. As the story and case progress, Chloe worries she's losing touch with reality but the one thing she's sure of is to suspect everyone, trust no one.

A Flicker In The Dark's lyrical prose is beautifully written and smooth as silk with what feels like an experienced author's hand. Delivered through the voice of an extremely unreliable narrator who's possibly experiencing psychotic episodes of paranoia, the author manipulates characters and readers through twists and turns while dangling numerous well-developed red herrings in front of them. Transitions from past to present flow seamlessly lulling readers into a false sense of security while filling in much needed back story. Willingham's expert use of descriptive settings lends an ominous tone to the dark plot, driving the story at warp speed until the big reveal at the end. I honestly don't remember the last time I was so impressed with a new author's debut novel and mad writing skills. Willingham is surely an author to watch, and I look forward to reading her sophomore novel when it comes. Fans of mystery, suspense and psychological thrillers are going to be challenged by the mystery in this book. Highly impressive for a debut.

4.25 flickering stars

This promising debut writer has created a compelling psychological thriller. Our main character, Chloe Davis, was just 12 when her town is rocked by six missing teenage girls in Breaux Bridges, Louisiana. Then Chloe’s world turns upside down as her father is arrested and jailed as the serial killer.

Flash forward 20 years and now Chloe is a psychologist in private practice in Baton Rouge. After a very rough childhood, she turned to psychology to help others and maybe heal herself. However, Chloe does too much self-medicating which made me doubt her creditability as a narrator.

She’s engaged to Daniel and hopes that she is about to take control of her life. Her brother, Coop, doesn’t like Daniel though and soon Chloe starts to have doubts too. Things are further complicated by a new pattern emerging of missing teens in Baton Rouge. Is a copycat killer at work here?

This one really picked up for me in the second half. I didn’t find it a perfect thriller, but I did enjoy it and was surprised by some of the twists!

“HBO Max is bringing a series adaptation of Stacey Willingham’s novel “A Flicker in the Dark” to the streamer!”

Congrats to this impressive debut author!! I’ve finished the book, so bring it on!!

“Monsters don’t hide in the woods. They aren’t shadows in the trees or invisible things lurking in darkened corners.

No, the real monsters move in plain sight.”

📖BOOK REVIEW📖 🌟🌟🌟🌟
PUBLISH DATE: January 11, 2022

This psychological thriller is the author’s debut and it is remarkable. The writing is incredibly descriptive and the story is absolutely fascinating.

At 12-years-old, Chloe’s father confesses and is convicted, of murdering several teenage girls in her small Louisiana hometown, after Chloe finds the evidence that will convict him.

It’s 20 years later and Chloe is a successful psychologist in Baton Rouge. She is engaged and her past is behind her until a teenage girl goes missing, then is found dead. The past comes flooding back and Chloe is certain that this is connected to her serial-killer father. Is it a copycat?

I read this as a buddy read, and between the two of us, we were able to predict the killer fairly early. But we didn’t see the other twists comings!

Thank you to Macmillan for providing a free ARC through NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion.

<b>Note:</b> I received a free ARC of this book from Macmillan via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"it’s entirely possible to love someone without ever really knowing them"

When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, Chloe’s father had been arrested as a serial killer and promptly put in prison. Chloe and the rest of her family were left to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath.

Now 20 years later, Chloe is a psychologist in private practice in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. She finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she’s worked so hard to get. Sometimes, though, she feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. And then a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, and that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, and seeing parallels that aren't really there, or for the second time in her life, is she about to unmask a killer?

This book kind of reminded me of the serial killer TV show, Prodigal Son. I liked traveling with Chloe trying to find out who the new killer was and I enjoyed how the author gave us a glimpse into how Chloe was able to solve the mystery given her unique background.

A taut, suspenseful, IMPRESSIVE debut!

Chloe Davis has managed to move on from her past, with mixed results. When she was twelve, six girls went missing in her small town...only to be found dead. The culprit? Her loving father. Charged and convicted as a serial killer, he went to prison to serve a life sentence. Chloe and her family never fully recovered from the repercussions.

20 years later, Chloe is now a psychologist. She’s happily engaged, but still fights her demons in the form of prescription drugs. She feels she’s been coping to the best of her ability.

Then, a young girl disappears. Soon after that, another one does. It feels like deja vu.

Is history repeating itself?

“We live in the flicker...but darkness was here yesterday.” - Joseph Conrad

Color me impressed! Debut author Stacy Willingham paints a tense and original read full of atmosphere. I was gripped from beginning to end. The plot is brilliantly layered while jumping from present to past...and back again.

I guessed a major twist early on, so I’m tooting my own horn (Btw, has anyone else considered how wrong that sounds? Or is it just me?). However, there is plenty of deflection and red herrings that had me second guessing my suspicions. On top of that, there were other welcome surprises in store.

All in all, a super solid debut that answered most of the questions I had. I expected some plot holes, but those gaps were filled.

Emma Stone was apparently impressed too. Her company has optioned the book for a TV adaptation...with Emma starring in and producing it.

Thank you to Macmillan for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 1/11/22.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

Chloe Davis, a thirty two year old psychologist in private practice in Baton Rouge, has a family past that will haunt her for the rest of her life. What her father did, when she was twelve, tore families apart and terrified a small town. A serial killer kidnapped and killed six girls, that killer was her father, and he's now rotting in prison, having ruined the lives of so many people.

Chloe has tried to move on, with her practice, which reminds her too much of the past, and with her upcoming wedding to Daniel. Really, though, Chloe is a mess, self medicating with prescription drugs and alcohol. She rarely visits her mother, who lives in a care home after trying to commit suicide. Her older brother, Cooper, is dealing with their past in his own way, staying close to Chloe but also adding more stress to her life. For some reason, he's disliked her fiancé from the first time they met and he's always at her that Daniel isn't who she thinks he is. And now, it appears that there is a copy cat killer, going after a girl who was last seen by Chloe.

This story is full of twists, turns, and red herrings. Chloe has tried to keep a damper on her feelings and fears and doing so is going to destroy her if her use of drugs and alcohol doesn't do it first. She has let her paranoia go too far before and she's not sure who she can trust. This all leads to bad decisions, faulty assumptions, and a sense of more danger and death to come, with no way to stop it. The story is riveting although it's hard to put aside the fact that a drugged and drunken main character can only be trusted so far.

Thank you to Macmillan Publishers, Minotaur Books, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

This one is receiving rave reviews but I’m so sure...

I was a little bored in the beginning before the book picked up at around the fifty percent mark. And while others loved the prose, there was a little too much inner hand wringing by the main character for my taste.

However, I loved the premise and overall idea.

Chloe as the daughter of a convicted serial killer has her life on track (sort of) and is a practicing psychologist engaged to a handsome professional. She’s grown up since her father landed in prison twenty years ago.

But, as we know, there’s no Happily Ever After in thrillers without hurdles to jump. Chloe’s past returns to haunt her as copycat disappearances and murders begin plaguing her small hometown again.

I thought this was an intriguing Who is Doing it, and as mentioned, the pace accelerated somewhere around the middle keeping me flipping the pages.

One of my favorite things in thrillers are scandalous characters. The more lurid the better if they’re written with humor or tongue in cheek.

When they’re not, and I’m asked to take them seriously without a realistic approach being adopted, the book loses panache for me. I feel that happened here which is partly why I didn’t rate it higher.

3.5 Stars rounded up.

Many readers loved this and I think I may be in the minority so I hope it’s a hit for you.

Thank you to Macmillan and Minotaur Books, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this!