Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy to review. I love thrillers and enjoy finding new authors I enjoy. I liked the writing overall. The story was a slow burn for about the first 2/3 which was hard for me to push through. I did predict the twist. I thought this book was decent. I would read another by this author.

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.

When Chloe Davis was 12 years old, many girls in her town went missing only to find out that her dad was the root cause of the issue. Near 20 years later, girls in the town she is now living in start going missing. Chloe starts to get stressed and anxious trying to find out why this is happening and who is doing it. The plot of the story thickens and only seems to end up surprising her as well!

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook and found myself a little jumpy during some of the chapters, especially near the end. I love a good mystery/thriller and enjoy when I read something unpredictable. This was just that, it kept me on my toes and continually guessing. I did enjoy the narrator for the most part, except for the fact that the way the guys voices sounded was not to my liking. Every time I heard a guy speak I didn’t enjoy it. I feel that the book could have been limited to certain details but overall I enjoyed this read and I am so excited for the limited series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio access to this audiobook.

I love it when a debut novel hits this good!
So let me tell you, you have to add this book to your TBR!. It does not release until January 11th and I was so happy to receive an Advanced Readers Copy.
The narration is fantastic capturing the suspense and overall dark mystery vibe throughout the whole story.
This story is atmospheric, creepy, engaging from beginning to end. Even the slower paced sections keep you intrigued in this psychological thriller book about the daughter of a convicted serial killer for murdering six teenaged girls twenty years ago. Chloe Davis is currently a psychologist with a practice of her own and is about to get married. She has tried her best to cope and leave behind the trauma of her past sometimes resorting to unhealthy choices. Chloe thinks she’s finally getting a grip on her past and accepting and moving on when two local teenage girls go missing. Things are just not sitting right with Chloe and these disappearances. There are weird coincidences going on around her and she’s suspicious and second guessing and somehow feels connected and or involved between her father’s case and these new disappearances.
Well of course things aren’t what they seem , you may think you’ve figured it out but it’s so much more sinister and twisty. Of course the unreliable characters add another level of suspense.
I don’t want to say anything more because I might give it away.
This is a brilliant debut book.
You have to read it!

Another solid thriller that takes its time with some surprises in store as well. The story follows Chloe two decades after her father was found guilty of murdering six teenage girls. Chloe is an unreliable narrator with some unhealthy coping mechanisms, so when a fresh series of murders crops up, she understandably starts on a downward spiral.

This book is chock full of tension, and sells its red herrings hard, but ultimately I thought the ending was kind of a downer. Chloe makes some choices that are a little hard to stomach, and it makes me feel bad for one character in particular as it rips all of their lives apart.

The audiobook was well narrated and the writing style feels rich and full even if it does slow down after the halfway point. Overall a solid listen I'd recommend to fans of dark thrillers. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy!

Pay attention, mystery and thriller fans. A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham is guaranteed to be one of the buzziest thrillers of 2022! Oh boy, this one was an insanely wild ride, my friends. I was pulled in multiple directions from start to finish. I think I suspected at least four different characters by the end of it. One minute my finger was pointed one way, the next it was scratching my head, and then shortly after that, it was off in a whole other direction. I was thoroughly entertained by the slow-burning serial killer storyline chock-full of red herrings and family drama. Willingham impressed the heck out of me, and I cannot wait to read whatever she comes up with next. I know it will be fantastic. A Flicker in the Dark releases on January 11th! I give this twisty debut 4.5/5stars!

I enjoyed this thriller and felt that it really kept me guessing till the very end. There were a lot of twists and it really kept you engaged throughout the whole book. I think I finished it in 24 hours because I just HAD to know who the serial killer was. Highly recommend if you're a fan of suspense.

A Flicker In the Dark was a great debut thriller if you’re looking for a twisty read!

The book was well written and I loved the voice. If you’re into serial killer stories, this is definitely one to check out. I enjoyed the short chapters that always landed on a cliffhanger and made me want to speed through it. While the ending wasn’t completely shocking given the characters we had to choose from, I still enjoyed the twists throughout the plot.

Thanks to @netgalley for the audio copy. I alternated back and forth between the physical and audio and really enjoyed both!

I can’t believe this is a debut!!! Such a great story that had me hooked from the very beginning. Great story, great narration. Looking forward to more from this author.

First I have to say that the narration of the audio book was great. Karissa Vacker is becoming a new favorite ebook narrator of mine.

The description of this book immediately had me. I find the “after” stories to be the ones that draw you in.
After the arrest…
After the Crime…
After the tragedy…
After the devastation…

For it’s the people who are left behind that provide another perspective that brings large emotions to an event. In this case Chloe provides a perspective of the emotional and physical effects that her fathers murderous spree caused.

Chloe’s narrative draws you in and keeps you there as the storyline moves forward as she grapples with her own emotions. Her words are choppy, moody, and unreliable. This begins to mess with her and you as you continue to read on.

Warning… The story is slow. Lots of emotions and backstory that take almost 2 thirds of the book to unpack. I can see how others might find this unnerving, but I think it adds to the complexity of Chloe and what happens so quickly in the last third of the book. But don’t blink, there are a few ins and outs that unfold and they do so, very quickly. A few left unfinished, but it doesn’t take away from the main twists and turns that lead you to the end of it all.

My only big question is how is this her first book! Perfect read for fans of Peter Swanson, B.A. Paris and Gillian Flynn.

I enjoyed this book very much ! The mystery started out a bit slow then really got going. It was more of a psychological mystery than much action, at least for the first 2/3s of the book.
Teenagers Chloe and Cooper Davis have their lives turned upside down when Chloe comes upon evidence that the local kidnapper/serial killer is their father. He is sent off for a lifetime in prison as their mother tries to commit suicide and ends up brain damaged.
The book picks up 20 years in the future. Chloe is now a psychologist with her own practice. She lives with her fiancé, Daniel, and is planning her wedding. Then the missing girls and murders begin again. Chloe has always had trust issues and many fears. Now she finds herself obsessed with solving theses current murders any way she can.
Great story that starts slow and builds up to a satisfying ending. The writing is impressive and the narration is excellent. It kept me listening everywhere I went and that is the definition of a great story!
Thank you NetGalley and Bookoutre for this ARC opportunity.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Stacy Willingham, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

In this debut thriller, Stacy Willingham makes a major impact on the genre, taking the reader down a twisted path of memories and revelations. Chloe Davis lost the innocence all children of twelve deserve when six girls disappeared and turned up dead and a police investigation revealed that Chloe’s father was responsible. Now, two decades later, a new batch of young girls go missing and their bodies appear around town, all with loose connections to Chloe. Is someone trying to dig up the past, or could this copycat simply be coincidental? All is revealed in this chilling thriller that is sure to make its mark.

A small town in Louisiana is rocked when six young girls go missing over one summer, their bodies turning up during the ensuing search. Chloe Davis, all of twelve, knew them, at least tangentially, and has to be concerned that she may be next. However, what’s worse is that by the end, Chloe’s father is arrested and charged with the murders based on evidence she discovers in the house. As the Davis family tries to pick up the pieces, Chloe must wrestle with the stigma of being related to a serial killer.

Two decades later, Chloe has established herself as a psychologist and enjoys a prosperous practice. She’s also about to be married, something that has her more excited than anything. Living in Baton Rouge, Chloe thinks that the past might finally be behind her, only to learn that a new set of girls has gone missing and their bodies are turning up. This has the makings of something sensational, though Chloe wants to steer well clear of the limelight.

When a nosy reporter emerges to write about the Davis family, things snowball from there and Chloe finds herself pulled into the web of emotional struggles she hoped would never resurface. Clues related to the girls begin to land on Chloe’s lap and she cannot deny how eerily similar things are to her childhood. Could this be the work of a copycat killer, taunting her, or her own paranoia tied in with coincidence of the highest order? While many around her know little about her past, Chloe cannot help but wonder if the delicate balance may come crashing down around her, leaving jagged pieces to scar her anew. A riveting debut novel by Stacy Willingham that will have readers beginning for more!

I love discovering authors who are just getting their start, as it allows me to feel as though I am part of the wave, rather than trying to paddle to catch up to others. Stacy WIllingham is one I am happy to have tripped upon, as she writes so convincingly that I will have to add her to my author tracking radar and see how things progress over the next few years. This is a captivating thriller that taps into a number of areas that caught my attention. She can spin a tale effectively and keep the reader guessing, while also providing a great deal of detail throughout. Just what I needed!

Chloe Davis proves not only to be an effective protagonist, but one who impacts the narrative with everything she does. Scarred by the past revelation that her father was a brutal serial killer, Chloe tries to pick up the pieces and help others who need assistance with their lives. However, she cannot dismiss her past and wrestles to make sense of it, as new crimes emerge on the periphery. Seeking normalcy and finding only glaring questions, Chloe must make sense of all that surrounds her without extrapolating her past into the present. Her backstory is plentiful, as is the development of her characters throughout the book, leaving the reader to put the pieces together to get a more complete idea of who she has become. Chloe’s being taunted, targeted, and perhaps even teased. What she does about it all could prove to be life-altering.

Stacy Willingham roars onto the scene with this book, leaving me to wonder if this could actually be a debut. It’s so put together and strong, from the well-paced narrative to the characters that make the reader want to learn more and keeping reading to ensure they do not miss a thing. There is an eerie sense throughout the book, as truths pop up like gators in the bayou, forcing the reader to surmise much has yet to be revealed. Chapters that beg to be devoured in short order and a plot that has just enough twists to be impactful, Willingham knows how to grip the reader and refuses to let go. She’s definitely one to watch in the foreseeable future.

Kudos, Madam Willingham, for a solid debut. I hope others feel the same and your following grows.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:

Incredible!! All the way until the last sentence. I absolutely loved every minute of this book! I literally thought I had this book figured out 3 different times and it smacked me right in the face with pure shock. Well done.

One of the best thrillers I have read in years! Propulsive, well-crafted, eerie and just plain fantastic. The narration was excellent and truly brought the story to life. A stunning debut!

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.

Many thanks to @macmillan.audio for early access to A Flicker in The Dark by @stacyvwillingham and read by @karissavacker - excellent thriller writing and excellent thriller narrating!
Chloe Davis, our protagonist, is the child of a convicted (confessed) serial killer, all grown up and a psychologist, she has moved beyond the past to situate a very controlled adulthood. Or so she thought. As the 20th year anniversary of her father's crimes looms, what appear to be copycat murders are happening all around her, and when one of them is her young teenage patient, Chloe finds herself getting more and more confused about who is the perpetrator. She and the reader both go thru the list of suspects - all people she knows - and the ending will surprise you, because just when you think the "evidence" points to a clear suspect, you find more. Chloe, turning to a medicinal calm, starts to doubt what is reality and what is not, her hope as dim as a flicker in the dark. 😉
This is one of the December #botm picks so you can always get this in print from them, releasing everywhere else January 11th! Highly recommend, the audio was fantastic too and really edged up the suspense, great acting!
Be sure to check this one out!!
audiobook image from @macmillan.audio webpage borrowed for promotional purposes ..

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I am a huge fan of thrillers especially psychological thrillers, so when I read the blurb for Stacy Willingham's debut novel A Flicker in the Dark, I knew this was a book I wanted to read. The book follows the main character Doctor Chloe Davis who is the daughter of a serial killer Dick Davis who is in prison for murdering six teenage girls when Chloe was a child. The safe haven she had known as a young innocent twelve-year-old was shattered forever and Chloe is thrust into a life where she is constantly looking over her shoulder and trying to avoid prying hateful eyes. Despite this, she manages to make a life for herself as a Psychologist helping teenagers with emotional trauma, and is preparing for her wedding with her Pharmaceuticals Rep fiancé Daniel Briggs. Her brother Cooper is the only family member that she is in touch with after the horrific events from her childhood. Everything seemed to be going well for Chloe for a while despite her unresolved emotional trauma until two teenagers go missing within a span of a week and one of them happens to be Chloe's patient. Chloe starts noticing similarities between the current disappearances and when they happened during her childhood. Given that these teenagers started disappearing exactly at the twentieth anniversary of her father's arrest, Chloe is convinced that these new murders are somehow related to her or her family. She feels an incredible urge to help and stop them before the new murderer can claim more innocent lives. The only problem is that Chloe has been self-medicating and sometimes is unable to distinguish between what is real and what is a figment of her imagination.
While the plot is maybe somewhat predictable to seasoned thriller readers, I absolutely enjoyed the execution style the author employed. It was refreshing and managed to keep us engaged with the main character and those around her. The author throws a few red herrings early on in the plot, but any seasoned reader will be able to quickly see it for what it is. We get to see Chloe's emotional trauma that she carries from her childhood and learn through the first few chapters that although Chloe appears to have healed, she still has a lot of unresolved trauma from the incidents and can be unstable, making her an unreliable narrator. The plot twists come towards the end of the book, and although predictable, the reveal was done in a refreshing way. One other aspect I really liked about the book was how it shows the perspective of the daughter of the serial killer rather than the killer himself.
My only issue with the book was with the pacing. The story takes up almost the first half of the book to set up and build the world around Chloe, and everything else happens a bit too quickly in the last one-third of the book. I thought the book could've used tighter editing, removed a few unnecessary characters and chapters about them (Ethan for example) to help with the pacing. Psychological thrillers rely on the emotional or psychological aspect a lot and it is important to dig into the character, but in this case, it would've helped if we could figure out Chloe along with the clues rather than do it one after the other.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read, the audiobook narrator did a wonderful job! I loved the book and am excited for other books that come from author Stacy Willingham. I give it a 4/5 stars.

AUDIOBOOK - great voice, easy to follow (even on 2x speed !)
A Flicker in the Dark is a slow burning thriller filled with twists and turns that will surprise you up to the very last chapter.
Chloe Davis is a newly engaged, soon to marry psychologist in Louisiana. While she seems to have the picture perfect life, she harbors a secret. When Chloe was a child several teenage girls went missing in her town. She provided key information that lead to her father's arrest and subsequently, her mother tried to take her own life.

Now, 20 years later. Chloe is focused on work and her impending wedding when suddenly two more girls go missing and are found murdered near her place of work. She is contacted by a New York Times journalist and events quickly spin out of her control.

I enjoyed much of this book but found the scenarios and twists implausible. For me, the solution to the puzzle (of the murderer in this case) is as important as the writing. I would definitely read Stacy. Willingham again as I enjoyed the. characterization of Chloe and the settings were realistic.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Twisty until the end! Chloe Davis was twelve the summer her father confessed to murdering six local girls in their small Louisiana town. Twenty years later, she's planning her wedding and using her traumatic childhood to help other wayward teen girls as a psychologist in Baton Rouge. Chloe pretends she has it all together, but what happened that summer still follows her around, heavy and cloying like the Louisiana humidity. When a new set of teenage girls goes missing, Chloe can't tell if she's imagining the coincidences or if someone is truly pulling off copy cat murders of what her father did 20 years ago. Is she going to unmask a second killer?

I really enjoyed this book! I've never read a mystery/thriller novel and this was such a great introduction. I listened to the audio book and felt it was well paced and Karissa Vacker is great at portraying emotion through her voice. It was occasionally difficult to figure out which character was supposed to be speaking, but the issue quickly resolved itself. I would like to credit my Criminal Minds know-how as the reason I guessed the big plot twist. There were points in the book where I was doubting myself, with new evidence and rabbit holes Chloe would go down, but I was confident in my answer. I enjoyed the challenge this book presented and it did keep me guessing throughout, there were some twists that I never saw coming.

CW: prescription drug use, death, on page sex

Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC. This is a voluntary review.

When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath.

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

This novel kept me up late at night trying to figure out who the killer was.. The narrator did a wonderful job with each character especially the main character. She set the right mood up to the end of the novel.  The author brilliantly added so many red herrings to the story, I never guessed the ending.  From the beginning this story gripped me with its unsettling premise.  The unreliable narrator and so many twists and turns kept me interested until the end.  This is honestly one of the best thrillers I've picked up.  I hope more readers get a chance to enjoy it when it comes out next year.