Flicker in the Dark

Chloe Davis was just twelve when her father confessed to killing six teenage girls, shattering her family and her sense of safety. Now, twenty years later, she’s a psychologist trying to build a normal life—but when girls start disappearing again in eerily familiar ways, everything spirals. As old wounds reopen and suspicion creeps in, Chloe starts to wonder if the past ever really let her go—or if someone is determined to make sure it doesn’t. This book completely pulled me in. I couldn’t put it down, and I kept thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading. The pacing was spot-on—steady and simmering at first, then it ramps up in the best way. The suspense had me second-guessing everything, and the twists? Genuinely shocking. I wish I could say exactly which part made my jaw drop—but we don’t do spoilers here. Willingham’s writing is smooth, moody, and immersive. She does a great job of building atmosphere—small-town unease, layered memories, and emotional tension without ever feeling overdone. The story plays with memory, trauma, and trust in a way that feels both personal and psychological. It’s not just about a mystery—it’s about what happens when your past refuses to stay buried. If you enjoy character-driven thrillers with unreliable narrators, family secrets, and that creeping sense of dread, you’ll probably eat this one up.

4.4 - star review

Having read many thrillers, I could guess where this one might be heading. Yet there were enough twists and turns along the way to make this an enjoyable read. I would have liked to see the characters more flushed out, especially Daniel.

Liked it but had a feeling about the ending. And wound up skimming pages at the end.

This was a great first read of the year! I was seriously hooked! The storyline felt so real, like I was hearing a true crime story not reading a thriller novel. I was so intrigued by a story about a serial killer’s daughter. I feel like murder stories typically are about a victim or even the murderer but this one had a different spin that I really enjoyed. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to find out someone you thought you knew turned out to be a completely different, and horrible person. When the murders looked so similar to the ones from 20 years ago, it really had my detective brain going to try and figure out the mystery myself along with Chloe. And I thought I did have it but the story kept going in different directions it had me changing my mind so often I didn’t truly see the outcome until it was happening. If you’re into thrillers, mysteries and/or true crime this is a must read.