A Book A Week

On the heels of her bestselling debut thriller A Flicker in the Dark, author Stacy Willingham is back with another twisty novel that proves her first release was no fluke. I've been eager to read more from Willingham since I devoured her previous book last year. Luckily, I received an e-copy and audiobook of her newest effort All The Dangerous Things as a gift from her publisher. This work sees her continue to explore themes of generational trauma, family secrets, and grief, but this sophomore novel isn't merely a retread of what she's already written. Instead, All The Dangerous Things sees Willingham level up in almost every way, writing a book that is a multilayered feast of suspense and intrigue. 

A child shouldn't have to be in charge of another child, but young Isabelle has been left with no choice. It isn't as if her parents are present enough to take care of her younger sister Margaret. Little Izzy tries to shield her sister from their parent's arguments. Their father is rarely home, and their mother can barely care for her own mental health, let alone that of two small children. No, Izzy has taken the burden of watching over her sister. But Margaret is scared. Izzy has been waking up to mud-stained clothes, water on the carpet, and no recollection of what the night entailed. Margaret trusts Izzy more than anyone in the world, but Izzy's sleepwalking is about to lead to unimaginable tragedy.

In the present day, Izzy is exhausted. She hasn't slept in a year. How could she? It's been a year since her toddler son was abducted from his bedroom. A year of obsessively following every possible lead. A year in which her fractured marriage has crumbled to pieces. At her wit's end, Izzy has resorted to speaking at true-crime conventions, taking any possible action to keep her son's case from going cold. On the flight back from her latest speaking engagement, she encounters a podcaster who offers his expertise in investigating her son's disappearance. As the pair delve into her past, Izzy fears that long-buried secrets may soon come to light. Worse, they may have more to do with her present heartache than she's ready to admit. 

With All The Dangerous Things, Stacy Willingham cements her status as an author of atmospheric suspense. The mystery here is as good as any that I've ever read. Willingham shifts between the past and present in each chapter, deepening our understanding of her protagonist while methodically accelerating the tension. Nestled amongst the thriller are broader contemplations on relationships, parenthood, and trauma. Everything leads up to a twisted revelation that completely blindsided me. I alternated between reading the ebook and listening to Karissa Vacker's brilliant audio narration. Whichever way you choose to read this one, rest assured that you're in for a treat. All The Dangerous Things is another top-tier read from an author who is fast becoming one of my new favorites. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 3)

Gloomy weather this weekend has kept me indoors, reorganizing my bookshelves to include all of my Christmas gift books. While I usually dread taking every title from my shelf and shifting things around, the task was made a bit more bearable by accompanying it with a new audiobook. It seems as if the entire book world is buzzing with anticipation for Stacy Willingham's debut novel A Flicker in the Dark. Lucky for me,  Macmillan Audio provided a review copy of the new title for me to review. Now having listened to the book, I completely understand the hype. 

The trauma in Chloe Davis's life started in her childhood. The summer when she was just twelve years old, six girls from her small town went missing. The community became saturated in paranoia, fearful that at any moment another girl could be next. This summer of fear came crashing down when Chloe's father was arrested as an accused serial killer, confessing to kidnapping and murdering each of the missing girls. How does a family reckon with this startling revelation? Chloe, her elder brother, and mother are left shocked, feebly attempting to pick up the pieces of their shattered life. 

A couple of decades later, Chloe is an adult who has mostly moved on from those darker days. She's learned from navigating her own troubles and now works as a psychologist helping her patients to overcome their own hardships. Chloe is in a loving relationship with a fiance who truly cares for her. However delicate her happiness may be, she feels as if she finally has a grasp on a life that isn't about the horrific deeds of her estranged father. But then a local teenage girl goes missing. Then another and another after that. Suddenly Chloe's past comes rushing back to her, filling her with fear and paranoia that she hasn't felt in years. 

It is hard to believe that A Flicker in the Dark is Stacy Willingham's first go at a novel. She expertly balances building complex characters with a driving plot that never lets up. As the work progresses, the main character begins to unravel, overwhelmed by the similarities between her past and the present-day crimes. I've grown to be a bit tired of the unreliable narrator trope that permeates much popular suspense these days, but Willingham imbues her character with enough of a grip on reality to help overcome that. Karissa Vacker's narration perfectly captured the tone of the book, allowing me to fully invest in the story as it unfolded. I did guess the ending fairly early in the book, but Willingham provided enough twists and red herrings to keep me thoroughly engaged. Overall, A Flicker in the Dark is an extremely solid psychological thriller that is worthy of all of the hype it is receiving. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2022, 3)