Book Review: A Flicker in the Dark

Another debut! A Flicker in the Dark is Stacy Willingham’s debut thriller novel and I loved it. Set in a small Louisiana town, this story had me thinking eventually that I knew exactly “who done it”, and then completely flipped the script. I love unpredictable tales.

Chloe Davis was a twelve-year-old girl when her father was arrested for murder and identified as the serial killer responsible for the recent deaths of many teenage girls in this small town. Twenty years later, a fifteen-year-old girl goes missing, and all of the memories of her father and the previous murders come rushing back.

Chloe, due to her pill addiction, is thought to be an unreliable narrator. She begins to gaslight and second-guess herself, which of course makes us wonder, what is the truth? Did she make all this up in her head? We know from scientific studies that memory is fallible, but is Chloe’s even more so than others?

I didn’t find the characters necessarily lovable in this mystery like I did Molly the Maid from my previous review, but I did love the story. It is nuanced, and Chloe truly does try to attack solving this mystery from every angle she can think of, which introduces us to new characters, and new storylines that help weave this web.

Not only did I love the unpredictable reveal of the perpetrator, but I also loved that unpredictable ending to Chloe’s story. It was both not what I would have wanted for her, but also so beautiful and maybe what she needs in the end.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves murderous thrillers, the charming Louisiana south, and realistic looks at the human experience when it comes to love, in all forms.