I do think I am in the minority here with my opinions. this book had everything I would look for in a book: dual timelines and psychological thriller vibes but this just did not come together for me in the right way. I think that the story needed a bit more editing to make it more cohesive between that timelines. I also wasn't super invested in the characters. But I do think I would give this author another try in the future.

the writing in this definitely felt like a debut novel, I could tell the author didn't know how to keep up the suspense at times or how to cleanly tie everything together at the end, but I still found this a pretty solid mystery with very realistic characters (there is a text thread that gave my body flashbacks) and I found the ending very sweet and satisfying

*SIGH*

Two stars only because the writing was decent and kept me engaged enough to want to know what happened. Boy, was it a let down. Unlikeable characters (the worst being the MC); plot holes galore; slightly confusing, sloppy ending; and a title that has ZERO to do with story.

This book centers around traumatic events that happened to a bunch of grad students one Christmas (dubbed Scarlet Christmas) and the author uses a dual “Now and Then” timeline to unravel what actually happened and why the MC thinks she was the perpetrator. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where you don’t even know what happens that fateful day until the very end of the book when the big reveal/plot twist happens. It didn’t work.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ebook copy in exchange for my honest review.

really enjoyed this book, reminded me of luckiest girl alive, will be looking for the author's next!!

Found this one to be a slower burn but I enjoyed the mystery of the build up to when you finally find out the truth of what happened. Lots of flawed characters along with the alternating time line

This has all the makings of something I should love, but somehow, I just didn't connect. There is a complex story. The narrator is either unreliable or is hiding things from the reader. The facts slowly seep out as I read. It was all there and yet it just didn't quite come together for me.

It was an easy read. Unlike my last thriller, this one stayed where it was believable. I'm not sure I liked the MC but that isn't a deal breaker for me in a thriller if there is something else that grips me.

It's a slow burn, layered mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

Marisa Calin narrates this one and did a fine job. She wasn't able to overcome my lack of feeling for the story.

This book had such a compelling hook: a woman who rebuilt her entire life after a high-profile scandal finds herself dragged back into the spotlight nearly a decade later. The protagonist, Charlie Colbert, has done everything right - on paper, at least. She's gone from being the face of a tragic event known as "Scarlet Christmas" to a powerful editor-in-chief engaged to a rising star in publishing. But beneath that polished exterior, it's clear she's been holding her breath for years, just waiting for the past to catch up to her.

And, of course, it does. When one of Charlie's former classmates announces a film that aims to tell the real story of what happened that Christmas Eve at their elite grad school, everything she's worked so hard to bury starts resurfacing. Suddenly, her carefully curated world begins to crack, and she's forced to confront what happened that night and who she's become since.

The premise is excellent, and there's a lot to enjoy here. The dual timeline adds a solid layer of suspense as we alternate between the lead-up to "Scarlet Christmas" and Charlie's unraveling in the present. The book explores some strong themes - trauma, reinvention, and how women are perceived (and judged) in the media spotlight. Charlie herself is a complex, morally gray character who was fascinating to follow, even when I didn't always agree with her choices.

The pacing was slower than I expected for a book that promised a twisty, media-fueled psychological thriller. There are long stretches where the tension fizzles, and some of the side characters felt underdeveloped. A few plot points and twists were fairly predictable, which made the payoff feel underwhelming compared to the build-up.

Still, I appreciated the emotional depth and the examination of how we rewrite our own stories to survive - and what happens when others try to rewrite them for us. If you're into slow-burn thrillers with messy characters and a focus on image, identity, and power, this one's worth checking out. It didn't blow me away, but it had some thoughtful moments that stuck with me.

🔪 The Story: Charlie Colbert has built the perfect life—successful career, loving fiancé, a fresh start. But beneath the surface? She’s the only survivor of a college shooting that left her five best friends dead. She’s tried to move on, to forget, but when an anonymous figure begins unraveling the truth behind that tragic night, Charlie is forced to confront the past she’s fought so hard to bury.

🕵🏻‍♀️ What I Loved:
✨ An expertly crafted unreliable narrator—Charlie’s trauma warps her memories, leaving you constantly questioning what’s real.
✨ A haunting atmosphere that blends past and present, drawing out the suspense until you can’t put it down.
✨ A twisty, emotional exploration of survivor’s guilt, memory, and the price of secrets.

⚠️ CW: Gun violence, PTSD, grief—this one is heavy, but so worth the emotional gut punch.

A twisty, fast-paced thriller that kept me reading - but the excessive explanations killed the pacing at the end. I still enjoyed the first half, and will try reading more from this author in the future.

I read this book and gave it 3.5 stars, but now that I have come back to write the review, I can't recall A SINGLE THING about this book. Nothing is triggering a single memory. So I guess, the book was ok but pretty forgettable. Take that how you will.

Loved the cover! i wanted more from this, something was missing. I liked that it wasn't too long. Thanks netgalley for the gifted arc in exchange for an honest review!

I don't have much to say about this one. Charlie was an extremely annoying main character. Everything about her, especially how whiney she was, was irritating. The twists were too obvious and easy to figure out. The first time the mystery was mentioned it's like a neon sign pointing to the ending. The third thing I disliked about this book was how bored I was. At no point was I on the edge of my seat anxious for what came next. Now that I've finished the book I will most likely never think of it again.

I’m not even sure what I just read. The story felt erratic, the characters were extremely unlikable, and the ending was fast. The book had the potential, but I didn’t enjoy any part of it.

I'm a big fan of reading thrillers that flash back to the past about a possible secret the victim is hiding. There's something special about learning about what actually happened in the past and why it shaped who they are today. That's kind of what I was expecting in Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead.

I was about half right. It flipped back and forth between the present and the past from the point of view of Charlotte Colbert, a London native transplanted to New York City to go to journalism school. She's now a well-respected editor of a paper, engaged to one of the most important people in publishing, and she's made strides with her mental health. One thing still nags her though, she can't quite remember what happened on the night of Scarlet Christmas. She remembers the flash of a knife, she remembers the spreading blood stains, but she can't quite remember why they were there.

The bulk of the book was very entertaining, and I loved getting to know Charlie. I was frustrated by the ending, and felt lead on by something that wasn't even happening. For a no spoiler review, I will refrain from my frustrations, but I will say that it was confusing and felt like I was reading a completely different book.

Frustrations aside, I did enjoy the writing of this book, and I loved Charlie. She was perfectly flawed, and no matter what she did or had done, you wanted to root for her. This book would be rated much lower without her.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

A pretty decent debut novel! I'd classify this as a YA psychological thriller. It has an unreliable narrator and the timeline shifted from now to then. Overall this book kept me entertained and curious throughout, but didn't completely hook me in.

I had originally dnf this book months ago and just recently decided to pick it up again for review. I'm glad I picked it up again!

This is my first book by this author, and I will be looking forward to more! While the beginning was slow for me, the last half saved the book with the page turning twists. Definitely recommend to those who want a good, quick thriller!

This started off a bit slow for my liking, though the "then" aspects were woven in at the best times and done so in a way that made the transitions almost seamless. There was just maybe a bit too much detail added in that bogged it down somewhat, and it took me twice as long to read the first half as it did the second half.

But when this story really hit its stride, it took off like a shot! I was so engrossed in what was happening and trying to figure out the actual events of Scarlet Christmas that I didn't realize it was almost midnight until I'd finished the book with a "Whew!" I was shocked by most of the twists and turns, which I love in these types of books (figuring out some things is inevitable, but IMO, knowing everything before it actually happens on-page is a bit of a let-down, as the "twist" just doesn't hit as effectively at that point), and I just couldn't put it down until I was finished.

3.5 stars for the slow start, rounded up to 4 because that last 25% or so was absolutely page-turning and definitely made me want to read more by this author.

**I received a review copy from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and comments contained within are my own.**

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead was a quick read and an interesting one. I enjoyed the plot and liked having an unreliable narrator. (The protagonist cannot recall what happened the night in question.) The characters, however, were a bit unbelievable to me: Charlie was cold and hard to get to know while some of her friends just seemed unnecessarily over the top. I enjoyed the book but could only give it 3.5 stars as I had trouble believing the characters.

i was not able to read this book. i just couldn’t really get into it. i have to dnf the book because i was not very interested in the story and i just wasn’t enjoying myself unfortunately.

This book is a new to me author as I have discovered my love for psychological thrillers. This one dives into the complexities of trauma and memory, following Charlie, a woman haunted by a traumatic past, as she deals with the consequences of her actions. While frustrating at times, this was a great one for me! Thanks so much for the copy of this for an honest review.