This was Stacy Willingham's debut novel and I actually liked it better than the novel I just read by her (Forget Me Not). The protagonist is Chloe Davis, a psychologist with a significant trauma history herself. When she was 12 years old, her father admitted to killing six teenage girls (aged 15) in their small town. Chloe and her brother, Cooper, who is 15, are pretty much left to fend for themselves since their mother never recovers from the charges against her husband and his confession. She tried to commit suicide but is saved before she actually died. She lives in a nursing home with no ability to speak, however. Not much of a life.
A Flicker in the Dark takes place 20 years after her father goes to prison. Chloe has never spoken to her father in prison. In fact, the 20th anniversary of this horrific event is approaching. A journalist keeps contacting Chloe and asking if she will talk about the impact her father's actions. Chloe doesn't want to talk to him initially, but eventually does and they start working together after two teenagers (aged 15) are taken and murdered exactly like the teens from 20 years previously. Chloe & Aaron believe it's a "copy cat" at work, especially since Chloe knew the two teens killed and one was discovered behind her own office building.
Chloe keeps a drawer full of medications in her office (prescribed by herself to her fiancé, Daniel, who doesn't even know about the pills.) She keeps them "just in case" she can't handle her life at any given time. Daniel is super supportive and kind, but Chloe's brother, Cooper, doesn't like (or trust) Daniel at all. Daniel and Chloe got involved with each other quickly and were engaged within one year of them meeting (accidently). Their wedding is fast approaching.
Daniel is on the road a lot, but he lives with Chloe in her house when he is home. Daniel is no stranger to tragedy himself, since his own sister was abducted when she was a young girl and he left home as soon as he was old enough. He doesn't talk about his parents to Chloe.
With Chloe's mental health deteriorating with the new murders, she doesn't know what's going on (and neither do we!) She, very unexpectedly, is thrown together with the father of one of the girls that her father murdered. Ironically, he comes over (called by Daniel) to install a security system in her house. From that point on, this book is a wild ride! I really enjoyed the twists and turns, and even though I suspected who might be behind it all, the story was definitely intriguing. I really liked it.
Wendy's Rating: ****
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