Introduction to A Flicker in the Dark
A Flicker in the Dark is a wonderful new suspense/mystery novel. I heard about it through my library and downloaded it for the cover, but I ended up loving it. It was one of the most enthralling suspense stories that I’ve read in a while. Read below for my honest review!
Summary
Twenty years after Chloe Davis’s father was locked away for killing young girls, the same thing starts happening again. Chloe is now a psychologist in her 30s, newly engaged, and trying to keep her life separate from her past. However, as more and more girls disappear, it quickly becomes evident that she won’t be able to keep herself separated from it. Chloe not only has to reckon with the murders that are happening, but with her own past and present as well.
Context
A Flicker in the Dark is author Stacy Willingham’s debut novel. Before writing, Willingham worked in marketing and copywriting. She attended school in the South and currently lives there (which makes sense with the setting). This interview discusses some of her influences, which include Stephen King, Alfred Hitchcock, and The Twilight Zone. According to Goodreads, it has already been optioned for a limited TV series.
Review of A Flicker in the Dark
I loved this book. It was engaging and still felt novel. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Save for a few minor critiques, it’s one of my favorite books that I’ve read recently!
What worked well:
The premise was so interesting. I feel like the marketplace is fairly saturated with serial killer books, podcasts, and TV shows. However, I’ve never seen one that takes place from the perspective of the serial killer’s daughter. A Flicker in the Dark did a fantastic job of exploring what kind of psychological and social repercussions that will have on someone. Throughout the novel, everything felt very well-planned, and I appreciate the fact that it was so character focused.
I found the psychological aspect of the book to be very interesting. Sometimes, psychological thrillers tend to go a little overboard. This novel didn’t do that. Making Chloe a psychologist was fantastic for a few reasons, but it primarily gave us an avenue to explore her perspective and get her closer to the murders. We were also able to see the effects that her father’s deeds took on her and her family, which, as I said before, was really interesting to think about.
The setting really worked for me too. I can count the number of books (and movies, honestly) that I’ve read that have been set in Louisiana on one hand. This gave it a strange sort of exotic appeal to me. I could not tell you why, but it definitely made me more intrigued, and somehow it felt like the perfect place to set a serial killer story. The author did a good job of weaving it in to influence the mood as well.
Most of the characters were interesting and well fleshed out. None of them blended together, and each had a unique voice. Often, I find that thriller writers force certain characters into the story for the sake of a red herring, and I did not feel that here. Every character served a purpose, and Willingham did an excellent job of bringing characters in both the present and the past to life.
With that being said, I appreciated the dual timelines and didn’t feel that she leaned too heavily on one or the other. The two worked well to complement each other and tell a fully formed story. Overall, I was impressed with Willingham’s writing and found it easy to read.
What didn’t work so well:
The pacing was a little off. It was a bit too slow at the beginning, but toward the middle/end, I couldn’t put the book down. I stayed up the night before an early flight to finish it, and while the ending wasn’t a HUGE shocker, it was still satisfying enough where I was very pleased.
I’ve heard some other people complain that it was predictable or had too many stereotypes, but this didn’t bother me. For me, it fell somewhere between Gone Girl and a cozy mystery. It wasn’t the biggest reveal I’ve seen in my life, nor was it the most predictable. I was engaged throughout, found Chloe relatively likeable, and felt satisfied with the ending.
My only other complaint was that there was one sex scene toward the end of the book that I didn’t feel was super necessary to the plot. It didn’t detract from the plot, I guess, but it didn’t add anything either. It felt a little bit like a page filler. All things considered, it was a great book that I would recommend!
Recommendations A La Carte
- Drink: a white wine or an iced tea—feels like it would pair well with the mystery, plus it takes place in summer
- Music: Randy Newman, Credence Clearwater Revival, Garth Brooks, Birdy
- Books You May Enjoy: Gone Girl, The Wife Upstairs, The Followers, The Silent Patient
Conclusion
Despite some critiques, A Flicker in the Dark has received overwhelmingly positive feedback. I fully enjoyed it and read it in about a day. Toward the end, I could hardly put it down! If you like flawed female protagonists, interesting perspectives, and psychological thrillers, this is the book for you.