A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham ★★★★★ and ❤

[John]

This gripping psychological thriller that takes readers on a suspense-filled journey through the mind of its protagonist, Chloe Davis, as she unravels the disturbing secrets of her past and tries to make sense of a series of chilling current events that start to mirror the trauma of her childhood. The novel begins with Chloe's traumatizing memories when she was twelve and her father was arrested and convicted of the murders of several teenage girls. The shock of discovering that the person she trusted most could be a serial killer leaves an indelible mark on Chloe, and the psychological scars follow her into adulthood leading to sedatives such as alcohol and anti-anxiety medication.

The novel alternates between Chloe's reflections of the childhood events and her present as a clinical psychologist. But when a series of similar murders to those committed by her father start happening again, Chloe is forced to confront her painful history. The story quickly builds a tension that keeps the reader on edge and guessing how much is Chloe's misperceptions or seeing what she wants to see.

Willingham is skilled in crafting an unreliable narrator in Chloe with an unstable mental state due to her psychological trauma. The reader is left guessing how much is reality and how much is mental distortions. So much attention was focused on Chloe's case of building guilt against one or two character, I knew neither one could the serial killer. However, I didn't anticipate the ending since the author skillfully crafted an intricate web of deceit and "red herrings."

The novel was an addictive thriller with a pace only heightened by short chapters. The gradual build-up to the climax is masterfully done. This is my first Stacy Willingham novel; it won't be my last.