What you See in the dark is a non-linear novel, with chapters harkening back to scenes mentioned only briefly or in another point of view. This interesting structure lends itself to the “murder-mystery” genre by imitating the finding of clues and the piecing together of events. For example, while one chapter is in the mind of Arlene as she serves The Actress and an unknown man, a following chapter in the point of view of The Actress reveals the questions posed by its counterpart: who the man was, what the two’s relationship is, why they are there, and how The Actress felt about being recognized.
This structure appears to be a take on the mystery genre as each chapter contains little “mysteries” that the reader must tease out or wait for “clues” from a companion chapter. This can also be seen as a reflection of Psycho. Though Psycho is a linear film, the focus of scenes often switch off between Marion (later Lila) and Norman. This allows the audience to take clues as to the murderer/the mother’s true identity in a very controlled and lengthy manner which prolongs the mystery and suspense. This is a common facet of other mystery stories, particularly modern crime drama in which we as the audience are privy to moments with the killer that the detective is not and vice versa. I believe this idea is skillfully translated into novel form through the use of non-linear structure.
The novel also has a sense of doom to it as we learn of Teresa’s death in the first chapter. This could be seen as similar to modern crime dramas that often dedicate the first scene to introducing the criminal and then taking the rest of the show to track him or her down. It could also be seen as a companion to the Psycho trailer in which we see Marian being approached by Norman (enshrouded in darkness) with a knife. Like a trailer, the first chapter shows brief snippets of the story that provide a preview of what will be fleshed out later.
There is also a sense of noir in the chapters observing Teresa as the narrator appears to address the reader, referring to him/her as “you” and involving him/her in the scenarios at hand. This reflects the facet of film noir in which a character addresses the camera/audience directly. This adds to the cinematic feel of the novel.
http://www.ifc.com/fix/2011/05/peering-into-munozs-hitchcocki
I think the location in “What You See in the Dark” of Bakersfield immensely adds to the gothic elements that are abundant in the story. I’ve traveled through Bakersfield on many trips up to northern California, like on my way to the mountains near Fresno. I’ve always found it to be an odd city because it is literally in “the middle of nowhere.” If you’re driving on the I-5 North, you’re driving through a large flat land of nothingness, and all the sudden there is a little town full of shops and restaurants. When I’m there, I can’t help but feel like I’m in another state in this country. It’s not the California that I am accustomed to, regardless of it’s relatively close proximity to Los Angeles. I feel like it is a uniquely critical location to set this gothic twist because it demonstrates the sense that Hollywood is near, but that the characters are still too far away from it to engage with.