A Flicker in the Dark - Stacy Willingham - A Short Summary and Review

A Flicker in the Dark - Stacy Willingham - A Short Summary and Review

By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures

A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review

 A psychologist is reminded of a serial killer she once knew.

A short summary:

A Flicker in the Dark follows Chloe Davis, a psychologist whose carefully rebuilt life is shaken when a series of local disappearances mirrors the crimes of her childhood. Years earlier, Chloe’s father confessed to being a serial killer, destroying her family and her sense of safety. When eerie similarities begin to surface, Chloe is forced to confront the possibility that the past may not be as settled as she believed, and that danger may be closer than she ever imagined.

As Chloe digs deeper, memory, trauma, and suspicion blur together, pulling her into a tense psychological unraveling where trusting her instincts could mean survival or catastrophe.

My favorite quote from the book:

"Maybe you need to stop retracing your footsteps. Maybe you need to try a new path."

-Stacy Willingham, A Flicker in the Dark

Questions to ponder while reading:

When do you change your name?

When do you run away?

My review:

This is a fast, accessible psychological thriller that leans confidently into familiar genre territory—and mostly makes it work. The pacing is tight, the stakes are personal, and the atmosphere is steeped in unease from the opening pages.

That said, the story is unapologetically trope-heavy: buried trauma, unreliable memories, suspicious neighbors, and ominous coincidences abound. While these elements are part of the genre’s DNA, I did find myself increasingly frustrated with Chloe’s decision-making, particularly as the tension escalated. Her choices sometimes feel more convenient for the plot than convincing for her character.

Still, A Flicker in the Dark remains an engaging, moody read, especially for fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy a brisk pace, dark secrets, and a creeping sense that the truth is never as simple as it seems.

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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life

She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.

You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.

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