Lights Out

Josh is a cybersecurity specialist and the son of notorious serial killer George Marshall Secliff. Josh’s father assaulted and killed an unknown number of women, and his arrest and subsequent execution forced Josh, his mother, and his stepfather into hiding. Josh’s father was also physically and emotionally abusive, which traumatized Josh. Tyler mentions that Josh was also medicated preemptively in his youth, as Josh and his doctors feared that he would develop the same sociopathy/psychopathy found in Secliff. Through his relationship with Aly, though, Josh sees how he is different from his father, notably in his ability to empathize with Aly and her cat, Fred. As an outlet, Josh posts videos of himself performing sexually suggestive acts while wearing a mask, which is his way of masking his identity both to himself and to his audience. Josh is not as strong a character as Aly, as he frequently doubts himself and his feelings. Nonetheless, like Aly, Josh is a dynamic character, gradually growing into a sense of self-confidence and comfort over the course of the novel. His final stand-off with Nico serves as evidence of his development.

Josh is a protagonist alongside Aly, and, like Aly, he deviates from the norm of dark romance male leads. The male love interest in most dark romances is impenetrable, both physically and mentally, always casting an air of confidence and power. Josh is funny, pleasant, and caring, so long as he is not actively playing out a sexual fantasy with Aly. Even in those intense sexual experiences, he still has the presence of mind to ask Aly for consent and check with her if he worries that he has gone too far. In his relationship with Aly, Josh does not force control over her life, and he often allows Aly to take more control over his own life. Josh frequently reminds Aly that he will stop whatever he is doing if she wants him to, which ultimately forms the basis of their sexual and romantic trust, embodied in their decision to not use safe words. Unlike Aly and most dark romance protagonists, Josh does not like violence unless it is deployed in the explicit context of sexual fantasy, as evidenced when he vomits when he learns that he killed Brad. These traits make Josh a unique male character for the genre, and they exemplify the importance of love and respect in relationships.

Tyler’s role in the novel is largely tied to exposition and circumstance. He is Josh’s childhood friend and current roommate. From Josh’s recollection, Tyler has lived with Josh since they left home, and Tyler left college when Josh was kicked out. Over the course of the narrative, Tyler’s deep friendship with Josh comes to light in pieces, such as Tyler’s desire for Josh to get out of the house and his acceptance of Josh’s relationship with Aly. A key detail in Tyler’s love for Josh is his admission that he screens his dates to make sure that they are not likely to recognize Josh. He asks them about true crime, and he will not bring them to the apartment if they have heard of Josh’s father. Though Josh manipulates Tyler in minor ways, like throwing away his socks, their relationship seems balanced around a mutual desire for each other’s success.

Tyler is also Aly’s ex-hook-up, though this facet of the text does not maintain any relevance once Aly and Josh start dating. Initially, Tyler is the reason Aly and Josh meet, and Aly speculates that Tyler might have known about Josh’s social media account. In that case, Tyler showing Josh the picture that Aly sent of the Faceless Man is similar to an attempt at matchmaking, for which Aly is grateful. Nonetheless, both Aly and Josh agree that Tyler is not always a nice person, and he does not often consider others in his decision-making. While Aly notes that this self-centered behavior makes Tyler an insufficient romantic partner, his devotion to Josh becomes more impactful in light of his general disregard for the well-being of others.

Brad is the son of the wealthy Bluhm family, and he is a notorious criminal, known for committing crimes against women. Despite the evidence that Brad has sexually assaulted and killed women, his family’s wealth protects him from prosecution. After the brother of one of Brad’s victims attacks him, he meets Aly in the hospital. He tries to attack Aly and then accuses her of threatening him when she retaliates. Brad is a coward, and Aly and Josh agree that he is a predictable kind of criminal. However, Brad attempts to break into Aly’s house with a “kill kit,” and Josh and Aly accidentally kill him. The second half of the novel largely covers how Aly reunites with her uncle Nico to cover up the murder and protect Josh’s and her own identities.

Brad’s importance in the novel lies in Josh’s realization that, regardless of intention, he and Brad perpetrated the same crime against Aly. They both broke into her home to commit a sex crime, even if Josh knew that he did not intend to sexually assault or kill Aly. This comparison forces an evaluation of the nature of dubious consent narratives, in which the fantasy that plays out on the page usually mimics acts that would be considered sexual assault in real life. However, the importance of intention and consent are highlighted in Aly’s assertion that Josh and Brad are not similar at all. Josh’s intention carries more weight than he might realize in a black-and-white analysis of morality, and Brad’s utter lack of empathy further reinforces Josh’s difference from his father.