Okay, this one was a vibe. I went in expecting a moody Southern thriller, and that’s exactly what I got — plus a few little surprises along the way. The setting? Creepy and atmospheric in the best way, like you can practically smell the muscadine vines and feel the sticky summer air clinging to your skin. Small town secrets? Check. A decades-old disappearance? Check. A diary with ominous entries that slowly unravel a much darker story? Big, fat check.

Our girl Claire is a solid lead — messy, stubborn, and understandably obsessed with figuring out what really happened to her sister. I loved how the story balanced her personal unraveling with the eerie vibe of the vineyard. And while I did see a couple twists coming (I mean, you don’t read enough thrillers without picking up on a few breadcrumbs, right?), there were still enough oh-no-they-didn’t moments to keep me flipping pages.

If I’m being honest, the pacing dragged a little in spots, but it wasn’t enough to pull me out of the story. It’s one of those reads that might start slow but totally sticks the landing. Would I recommend it? Absolutely — especially if you’re into dark family secrets, eerie farmhouses, and stories that make you side-eye your houseplants at night.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Claire is adrift after quitting her journalism job to be a freelance writer. When she is asked to return home and help her mother, she finds herself haunted by the sister who disappeared without a trace. She has endless time on her hands and is driven to find answers, but is she ready for the truth to come to light? Stacy Willingham delivers a dark, suspense-filled mystery that keeps readers guessing. Told in dual timelines between 2024 and 1983, Forget Me Not is well paced with excellent characters, and a story that will linger long after the last page is turned.

I didn’t really get into the book until about 44% in. That’s when it really started getting good. I was hooked after that!

Shortly after Natalie’s 18th birthday she disappears. Claire wants to forget her past and movies to New York but a call from her father has her home for a while. Claire decides to get a job at Galloway farms, where her sister worked for a while. When she finds a diary written by one of the owners of the farms, she starts to learn a lot. She becomes obsessed!!

I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. There were so many twists and things I didn’t see coming. I wasn’t sure who couldn’t be trusted. I couldn’t get over how shocking the ending was. I definitely didn’t see that coming.

I really enjoyed this book and Stacy’s writing. This heart pounding thriller is worth the read!

Thank you NetGalley, Stacy and St.Martins Press for the eARC!

Rating: ✨✨✨✨
Publication Date: August 26 2025

Wow, I loved this one! It's a slow burn Southern thriller that hooks you in pretty quickly. Stacy Willingham always does such a wonderful job of building the setting that you can just see everything so clearly.

Some chapters felt slower than others, but oooof there are some scenes that have you just on the edge of your seat. Even during the slow moments, I felt like I just *had* to know what happens next so it wasn't hard to get through it.

Thank you so much, NetGalley & Minotaur Books for the advanced copy!

Stacy Willingham has had a hold on me lately! I think I've been binging her books!

And after White Lotus, I loved that this was placed in the South! Twists, turns, suspense!

Thank you for the ARC!!

Claire Campbell has never been able to deal with her sister’s murder. They never found her body. When she loses her job and returns home to help her mother, she finds some things in her sister’s room that her mother has never touched. Some photos lead her to Galloway Farms, a vineyard her sister worked at for the summer before her death. More discoveries, more clues and gut instincts lead her to uncover so many secrets. Unfortunately, I felt like I knew what was going to happen and the twists didn’t hit me, but the mystery around the farm was intriguing that it kept me going.

While this wasn't my favorite Stacy Willingham, it was still a good read, and I enjoyed it.

This story was told in two timelines - the first being our main character dealing with her sister's disappearance from 20 years ago. The next timeline was from a diary the main character ends up finding. The flashback timeline gave me Charles Manson cult vibes, but I wish that aspect had been taken further because it was so interesting.

The pacing was a little slow for me in the beginning, but the back half really picked up, and once it got going, it GOT GOING.

I would recommend this book if you're a Stacy Willingham fan, and enjoy books with cults.

I love stacey willingham and was very excited to read her latest book. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy.
This book started out very slow for me. I wasn't immediately hooked in as I have been in her previous books. I found the first 70% to be pretty slow moving and not as engaging as her previous books. I did enjoy the last 30% or so of the book,I feel like thats where most of the action happened. Overall it was not my favorite book by her. I would still recommend reading it if you are a stacey willingham fan, but if this is your first time reading one of her work, I would recommend choosing one of her first two books instead.

Claire is a reporter and she ends up researching about her sister’s death. It’s still of twists and turns and it’s such an interesting story. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read more from Stacy Willingham. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

The first part of this book was really good with great prose and terrific tension. But then there is a change in scenery that was very abrupt and the departure into a cult story (my least favorite kind of thriller) made me super frustrated. The rest of the book was not satisfying.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me to read this ARC. I really enjoy Stacy Willingham’s writing style and suspense.

This story was based around a missing sister and a family that fell apart, leaving the living sister to ask questions and want answers to what happened to her sister but the truth slowly unravels as the story progresses. The beginning and middle were a bit of a slower burn. The author takes their time building the scenario, developing the characters, and building suspense but the end payoff is worth it. The details are so vivid throughout the book, it really made your imagination go into overdrive.

If you have read Stacy’s books before you’re going to enjoy this story as much her others. If you haven’t read her books then add them to your TBR because you don’t want to miss the ride she takes you on.

Another quick read from Stacy Willingham! It wasn’t my favorite but it was definitely had my attention.

I have a hard time giving it more stars because the FMC made some questionable choices, and I predicted a few of the plot lines. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

I cannot even describe how much I loved this book. Stacy Willingham does not miss!!!

This is a story wrapped in a story, wrapped in another story. Claire's sister was murdered 22 years ago, and she finds herself going down a similar path while she tries to figure out what happened.

I basically read this book in 1 sitting. I couldn't put it down. I felt like I was right there with Claire. So atmoshpheric. It was fast paced, but not in a confusing way. So many twists and turns. I wish I could say more, but I don't want to spoil anything!

I think I will be thinking about this book for a long time. Thank you Stacy Willingham, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the advanced copy!!

I was really excited to dive into this after reading another title from this author! This was really engaging and a great read. Can’t wait to see what else comes from Stacy Willingham

Another great one from Stacy Willingham! The story takes place 20 years after Claire sister disappears and she’s trying to forget her traumatic past and move on with her life however, that summer continues to haunt her in this thriller. Claire returns home and tries to rebuild her life, even though she’s a estranged from her mother. Just that she’s getting settled in none of the secrets from that summer stay buried this story is very haunting. It’s a page Turner. It definitely keeps you on your toes and you will not want to put it down.

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham is an absolute page-turner! I loved the dual timeline structure—it added so much depth and suspense, slowly revealing pieces of the past while raising the stakes in the present. The transitions between timelines were seamless and kept me totally hooked.

The twists? So good. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the story threw me again in the best way. Willingham masterfully balances character development with gripping suspense, making this one of those thrillers you can’t stop thinking about. Highly recommend to anyone who loves layered storytelling and jaw-dropping reveals.

Stacy Willingham has done it again, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have received an early copy, thanks to NetGalley! Every time I pick up one of her books, I know I’m in for something special, and this one was no exception.

This is going to be THE book everyone’s talking about upon release. It’s a gripping, fast-paced thriller packed with unexpected twists. I was constantly guessing, and second-guessing what might happen next. An absolute must-read for fans of smart, twisty suspense!

Claire’s sister Natalie was murdered over 20 years ago in what seemed to be an open and shut case. But Claire still can’t move on. When her father implores her to come back to South Carolina to help her mother, Claire reluctantly agrees. It’s been over 20 years since she’s been home or seen her parents and it’s an uneasy homecoming. After finding an old diary that sheds new light on her sister’s disappearance, everything Claire ever believed comes into question.
It took me a bit to get into this one, but it ended up being a good read. Probably not Willingham’s best, but it was a solid plot.

Great read!! It was quick and interesting! While some of the twists were easy to call, I still wanted to read to figure out what was going on. Her writing is always good at putting you really into the place and the story and that’s no different here! Really enjoyed!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St Martin’s press for this ARC! Full release expected in August (perfect for fall Halloween season!)

Forget Me Not is another incredible thriller from Stacy Willingham who is fast becoming one of the best writers in the genre.

Claire Campbell returns to South Carolina from New York and begins to uncover the mystery and buried secrets behind her sister’s 20-year-old murder case as she spends time on the Galloway Farm and uncovers a diary from another woman who lived at the same farm her sister frequented.

Told through dual narratives of present-day Claire and the 1980s diary, this novel is incredibly well-paced slowly dropping in more details, clues and revelations that kept me guessing and changing my theories throughout.

Similar to “A Flicker In The Dark’ there are some strong domestic thriller elements in Forgot Me Not including cold cases, family secrets and a small town setting that gives the novel a phenomenal atmosphere and a real sense of life.

If you like dark and twisty thrillers with well-developed characters, you’ll love Forget Me Not.

4.5 ⭐️ / 5 ⭐️

Thank You to NetGalley and Minotaur Press for providing me with my 2nd ever ARC. I look forward to reading more in the future.