A Flicker in the Dark / All the Dangerous Things

by Stacy Willingham

A Flicker in the Dark

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?

In a debut novel that has already been optioned for a limited series by actress Emma Stone and sold to a dozen countries around the world, Stacy Willingham has created an unforgettable character in a spellbinding thriller that will appeal equally to fans of Gillian Flynn and Karin Slaughter.

All the Dangerous Things

One year ago, Isabelle Drake's life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her—literally.

Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year.

Isabelle's entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster—but his interest in Isabelle's past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust... including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.

704 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

Stacy Willingham is the New York Times, USA Today and internationally bestselling author of psychological suspense. Her books include A Flicker in the Dark, All the Dangerous Things, Only If You're Lucky and Forget Me Not.

Her debut, A Flicker in the Dark, has sold over one million copies in North America alone. It was the winner of Strand Magazine's Best Debut Award and a finalist for the Book of the Month's Book of the Year award, Goodreads Choice Best Debut award, Goodreads Choice Best Mystery & Thriller award, and ITW's Best First Novel award. Her work has been translated in more than thirty languages.

She earned her B.A. in magazine journalism from the University of Georgia and M.F.A. in writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, daughter, and dog.

Reviews

[Cathy Knowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for All The Dangerous Things, I haven't read the others yet. The book was beautifully written and haunting. So many times I felt my heart racing thinking "oh crap, what next??" It was hard to put down, especially toward the end. I did NOT see that coming. I had so many theories but the plot twist was great. The author did a fantastic job

[Selisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read All the Dangerous Things in a few hours and immediately downloaded A Flicker In the Dark to devour as well. Both are great thrillers, reminiscent of a Megan Miranda book (the good ones) with enough twists and red herrings to keep you guessing.

[Sarita Subramaniam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tok many red herrings. A very sad book

[Cindy Coker · Rating 4 out of 5]

It kept my attention, loved the ending of the book

[Sarah Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished A Flicker In the Dark. A great thriller that kept you guessing throughout the story and a well thoughtout ending.