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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There were things I liked about this book. I thought the twists stacking up on each other on the end mostly worked because they had clues setting them up. At one point I was like, I guess I don't know who did it because I have like 3-4 theories, and then like all of them were correct, lmao. So I don't know if that counts as a good plot but I don't know, I think it's fun! I do feel like this book needed an editor, both in terms of plot and in terms of writing. Some plot threads really went nowhere or could have been cut, and the main character was lowkey insane the way she would just jump to wild conclusions or infer things with absolutely no rationale - and half the time she was right?? Lazy work to get from point A to B in a book that actually does have a thoughtful overall plot, so again - an editor would help with this. The writing was also super repetitive. She loves a simile. "His smile was warm, like a sunny day" - that sort of thing. At one point I counted 4-5 similes within a single page. Again, god bless, we all love similes, but this is why publishers need to pay competent editors. They help refine stuff like this.
So I dunno. It's certainly better than most of the summer thrillers I've struggled through recently, but maybe just get it from your library.
So I dunno. It's certainly better than most of the summer thrillers I've struggled through recently, but maybe just get it from your library.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
Not in mood for mystery/ thriller wanted more horror/thriller
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Let’s start with the good: the plot. It was a fresh and intriguing concept- that alone earned it 2 stars. But unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite land for me. It was very hard to get through.
The twist? Very predictable. I guessed who did it by chapter 2, and it was basically confirmed halfway through. I missed the thrill and tension I was hoping for.
Then there’s Chloe, the main character. She frustrated me endlessly. Her constant poor decisions, paranoia, and heavy reliance on alcohol and meds (despite being a psychologist and denying an obvious addiction) didn’t feel believable or consistent. Her behavior often contradicted her profession, and there was very little character growth. While I get her paranoia is central to the plot, I found it grating. She seemed to be SO paranoid but also not? She mentions needing to act a certain way in specific situations, but then doesn’t. Going back to her being a psychologist, she should’ve been a detective since she did more of that than actual psychology- tough she would be awful at being a detective due to constantly maki my obvious mistakes and jumping the gun on theories without actual evidence.
The story had a lot of potential- it just needed sharper execution and a more grounded protagonist.
"A Flicker in the Dark" by Stacy Willingham - finished on 1 June 2025 /
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix