After joining a bunch of book clubs and starting a "bookstagram", I noticed A LOT of people are really into audio books. The convenience is there, you can listen while you drive, while you are cooking, or just when your eyes are a bit tired and you want to lay down and listen.

I have tried audio books a few times and I just could not pay attention. This time I wanted to make an honest effort and start and finish a book. What better book to pick than A Flicker in The Dark?

I really enjoyed listening to this book, it did not ALLOW me to get bored, or not pay attention. From the minute I hit play I knew that I would be able to finish this, and pretty quickly at that.

Although I feel like the pill addiction did not have much to do with the storyline, I can see where they wanted to show you that Chloe was an unreliable narrator and had her issues from having such a troubled past. I loved the storyline, however, a few characters I found to be very bland and under developed. Aaron, Connor and Daniel I felt like were just "there" and we didnt know much about them. I didnt LOVE Chloe, but I think that is the way we were supposed to feel.

I will tell you that I figured out what was going on a bit early on (half way through) but I still enjoyed listening and would definitely recommend A Flicker in the Dark to anyone who loves a good mystery.

A Flicker in the Dark is a can't put down psychological thriller about the grown daughter of a serial killer and the copycat killings that happen 20 years after the original murders. The story was compellingly written and well paced, with a great twist that, even if you see it coming, still manages to surprise the reader. I listened to the audio in two days. I'll definitely be following this debut novelist to see what she writes next.

I can’t believe this is a debut novel!! This one had so many twists in it, that at times it had my gasping. I kept saying it has to be him, no it’s him. I had did at one point say the correct name, but the author threw me off completely. I can’t wait to read more from her.

An entertaining addition to the thriller/domestic noir genre. A recommended purchase for collections where crime fic is popular.

Thanks to NetGalley andMacmillan Audio for an advanced audio book in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Chloe Davis is a psychologist still dealing with issues from having a serial killer as a father. While planning her wedding, copy cat murders are happening. Chloe gets involved and tries to figure out who is the killer.

Solid debut by Stacy Willingham. I enjoyed Karissa Vacker's narration.

I have the attention span of a gnat and yet … I listened to this audiobook in one sitting.

Unreliable narrator? She likes her wine & Xanax & daydreams a lot.

At 12 Chloe’s dad was arrested in the disappearance of 6 teenage girls when she brought a jewelry box full of trophies she found in her parent’s closet to the police. Her mom then tried to hang herself, failed & is in a rest home unable to talk.

Chloe’s older brother has always taken care of her.

20 years after the killings Chloe is a psychologist & getting ready to marry Dan after a whirlwind courtship when a reporter from The NY Times shows up to get her story from a new perspective.

The disappearances start again.

Twists, turns & a really engaging story. Chloe is a damaged untrusting soul with some bad habits. Will she figure out what’s happening before she is the next to go missing?

Thank you Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for the ARC, IT’S A GRRREAT BOOK!

Absolutely amazing! Loved every second! The author did a phenomenal job with the story telling! I did want it to end but also needed to know how it ended

I really struggled with deciding how to rate this. Parts of it I really enjoyed and parts of it did not work for me at all.

First, I thought that it had a really strong start, I was pulled into the story and didn’t want to stop reading; to the point that I then requested the audio on @netgalley so that I could listen to it when I couldn’t read. The narrator is excellent, I actually preferred the audio! I did figure out the ending very early on, however, the writing was still strong enough to keep me reading and more than once, doubt my original prediction.

However, there were a few negatives for me. Chloe’s actions often didn’t make sense to me - repeated bad decision making by protagonists is something that always bothers me in thrillers. The inclusion of addiction felt unnecessary, and in my opinion, added very little to the story. Lastly, while the writing kept me reading and questioning my original theory occasionally, I would have preferred to not have been able to guess the ending so accurately, so early on.

Thank you @netgalley and @minotaurbooks for the DRC and ARC and @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for the ALC.

This book was a great thriller, I didn't know who to trust, the narrator, her brother, her fiancee, a crazy dad of a daughter who was killed? I really like how this unfolded, but 40% of the way through I didn't want to stop listening. There are clues, but I didn't know how they all came together and loved how this all unfolded. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator was fantastic. Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillian audio for the opportunity to listen to this book. I couldn't stop listening and finished this book quickly!

in an attempt to learn foreshadowing? this book would be perfect. my students and i guessed the ending about 50 pages in. the substance abuse, and lack of representation of both decent male characters and female friendships were disappointing.

I like a book that makes you think you have everything figured out then gives you a big twist in the end. That is exactly what A Flicker In the Dark does. I guessed who the copy cat serial killer of this book was in the first few minutes. Then I allowed the misdirection to take me on a ping pong's ball journey and I kept going back and forth between 3 people. All the while the protagonist Chloe a pyschologist and daughter of an infamous serial killer is silently falling apart.

Chloe regains her strength deciding to find out for herself who the copy cat killer is. It takes her on an unexpected and heartbreaking journey of discovery.

A Flicker In The Dark is an entertaining slow burn suspense thriller that will have you guessing #whodunnit to the very end. The narration was really excellent and made it an even more enjoyable listen.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for this advanced listening copy.

Very early on in this book, I guessed a few of the big twists. Normally, that annoys me, but the way Stacy Willingham writes I kept second guessing myself and while my initial hunches were correct there were so many other factors I never considered. A Flicker in the Dark is a fast-paced thriller about a serial killer who may or may not be connected with our unreliable narrator's past. Needless to say, it will keep you hooked. The relationships between characters were complex and you truly did not know who to trust. The atmosphere of the setting itself was not as strong as I usually like it, but I still felt deeply connected to the storyline. The audiobook itself was extremely well done and I think the narrator's voice perfectly fit.

This is a quintessential thriller and I couldn't put it down.

This book makes you feel like you're in on it and you know what's happening, then suddenly you don't. Then oh another plot twist.

The main character Chloe is the daughter of an infamous serial killer who has been in jail for 20 years. Her life is different, she's a therapist and has moved on and created the perfect life for herself - or so she thinks. When someone starts copying her father's crimes, it becomes too much especially when they all seem to have a connection to Chloe.

The narrator was amazing and really added to the story. I will absolutely look for more books that she narrators in the future.

Thank you to Stacy Willingham, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was fan-freaking-tastic!!! I have literally found every excuse in the book over the past two days to finish the audiobook of this dark psychological thriller, including organizing the garage! You heard me right! Wow! A debut I am thrilled to recommend. Thank you to Macmillan audio for an ARC of this one, out in January of 2022. You don't want to miss this new crime thriller that puts a great twist on the serial killer storyline.

When Chloe Davis was 12 years old, six teenage girls went missing and her father was convicted for their murders. Chloe is now living in a new town as a psychologist working with teenages and is engaged to Daniel. When girls begin to go missing with the same Mo as her father's victims, Chloe has to relive her past. At the same time a reporter comes snooping around about her father's crimes and Chloe ends up teaming up with him to find out who the copycat is.

So I really wanted to love this book. I was seeing it everywhere! Unfortunately it was just okay, for me. The plot was unoriginal, pretty straight forward and obvious. The characters were basic; Chloe was a hot mess and a pill popper. The ending was predictable and cliche.

Karissa Vacker was the narrator and she did a fantastic job. I think the only reason why I kept going was because of her! (My rating below is for the narrator.)

Thank you to Stacy Willingham, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a wild ride that was! At first, A Flicker in the Dark kind of disappointed me. I thought I had the whole thing figured out by the first quarter of the book. Happy to say I was completely wrong and I love the twist at the end. I don't think you'll see it coming.
Chloe Davis is a psychologist in Baton Rouge who's father is famous. Dick Davis is an infamous serial killer and is currently serving a life sentence for murdering 6 young women. When more young women go missing and bodies start to appear, a pattern starts to emerge. Someone is copying Dick Davis's crimes. And seems to be targeting young women that have a connection to Chloe. But who could it be?

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced audio copy of this novel.*

At about the 1/3 point of Stacy Willingham’s debut I was SO certain that I figured out how things would play out.. Boy, was I wrong!! The slow build of suspense and tension kept me listening/reading till late into the night. There were many layers to peel back with some surprising twists. I appreciated the satisfying conclusion but was left with some unanswered questions. Overall, it was an enjoyable listen/read and entertaining debut!
4⭐️

The audiobook’s narration by Karissa Vacker was expressive and engaging - I definitely recommend the audiobook! 👍👍

Read this book if you like a close knit character group, books that have you looking over your shoulder every minute, and so many twists you cannot keep up!

Chloe Davis is not your average psychologist. She's a survivor because 20 years ago her father was put away as the infamous Breaux Bridge serial killer, confessing to the murders of teenage girls and being sentenced to life. Chloe has some scars from this past but life seems to be going well for her having met the man of her dreams and running her own successful private practice. Then she gets a call from a journalist wanting to do a feature on the 20th anniversary of her father's kills and even worse girls start disappearing around Chloe. She starts to ask herself are her past and future somehow connected?

This fabulous debut had me riveting. I finished it in 2 days because I just had to know what happens next. Chloe is a very relatable character and every other character you meet in this book has strong development. The narration in the audio book was perfect, I think I found a new narrator that I LOVE! This book would have definitely been a five star favorite for me but the ending left me a little disappointed, but tied up the story perfectly so I had no questions.

Thank you to Stacy Willingham, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.


Goodreads review link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4394321580?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

What a storyteller. How well do you know those around you? You will question everyone. Everyone may be a little guilty of something.

A Flicker in the Dark is the debut thriller by Stacy Willingham. I thought this book was very well done for a debut and really enjoyed reading this story. I was also excited to actual read a BOTM selection in the month I chose it so yay for crushing my tiny book goal!

Publication Date: January 11, 2022

Synopsis:

Chloe Davis was only twelve when her father was arrested for the murder of multiple girls in town. 20 years later Chloe, a now psychologist, is preparing for her wedding surrounded by a loving husband, dedicated brother and loyal friends. But when a local girl goes missing, a client of Chloe’s, she cannot help but get involved in the investigation to find out who is behind these disappearances. Is there a copycat killer mimicking her father’s crimes?

Thoughts:
This book was fast-paced and I was hooked from the beginning.

There were many twists and turns and I liked the parallel storylines going back and forth from present day to the summer when Chloe was 12.

Towards the middle of the story I started to get a hunch about what was going on in the story, but still enjoyed how Willingham wrapped up the story.

A four star read for me. If you are into thrillers, I would definitely recommend reading this book.