3.5 stars
This was a very good thriller albeit I started figuring out the twists pretty early on into the book, the writing was fast paced and had me hooked. I would read another book by this author.

I was completely drawn into Forget Me Not from the very beginning. Stacy Willingham’s writing is lyrical, restrained, and eerie in the best way. There’s a hint of modern Southern gothic throughout—atmospheric but never overdone—and the tension builds so naturally in the first half of the book because of the writing style.

Claire has just lost her job in New York and doesn’t have a lot of options. When her estranged mother is injured, Claire returns home to help. But the visit is strained, and she doesn’t feel welcome. Instead, she heads to the last place she remembers feeling close to her sister Natalie—a farm in rural South Carolina, where Natalie worked before she disappeared.

As Claire settles in, she discovers an old diary belonging to someone connected to the farm—someone who may also be missing. Claire gets pulled into the mystery and starts to see some parallels between the diary's story and Natalie's story. But is she just projecting? I liked how her friend back home questioned these similarities—calling out how odd the timing was, and asking if Claire might just be seeing patterns that aren’t there. It gave the story a grounded perspective.

The pacing is slower in the beginning, which really worked for me. It matched Claire’s uncertainty and the quiet, isolated feel of the farm. Things do speed up toward the end with more plot threads to follow, but it all held together. The twists landed well, and I didn’t see them coming.

I really loved this one.

Claire Campbell is an out of work journalist who returns to her small hometown in South Carolina for the purpose of helping her mother. Instead she gets involved in trying to solve a mystery that is somehow related to her sister’s disappearance 22 years ago.

This southern mystery pulls you in from the beginning. A page turner you won’t want to put down until all the loose ends are tied up and all the secrets have been revealed. A definite must read for fans of mystery thrillers!

Thank you to St. Martins and NetGalley for the arc of this book in return for an honest review.

I love a good Stacy Willingham book! I love the dark and moody atmospheres that she is able to produce. This one fit that bill.

I found myself rather intrigued by the journal storyline, but found the modern-day plot to be a bit lacking. I wish that her job at the farm had been a bit more developed, since I think she only did one day of actual work? I honestly think this one could have done with about 100 more pages to add more plot, context and tension.

With that said, I did enjoy this one overall, and thought it was a great quick and suspenseful read. I think many people will enjoy this during the upcoming summer months!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

This was a great psychological thriller, or maybe more ‘murder mystery’ it starts with Claire, a journalist, for a newspaper that specializes in crime- can’t let the murder of her sister go. When she returns home and finds a diary at a farm where she is working for the Summer, Claire begins to piece together some weird occurrences, missing people, and a connection with her sister.

Okay, I was a little nervous about this one at first because the beginning was a bit slow, but HOLY COW. 50% on and it was wild. A total slow burn that came together perfectly.

I was soooooo nervous from the main house part on and then shit really hit the fan. I loved the diary element in the past, it really helped piece things together.

I guessed a few things and totally didn’t guess some others. Stacy Willingham does not disappoint.

Fresh out of a job and still grieving the loss of her sister, Natalie, who went missing twenty-two years ago, Claire Campbell leaves New York and returns home to South Carolina, where she is confronted with unresolved questions about what really happened to her sister that fateful summer. When she decides to take a job at the local vineyard, the last place her sister ever worked, she has no idea just how many buried secrets she may unearth there.

I have zero chill when it comes to Stacy Willingham’s thrillers. The second they hit my Kindle, I am compelled to read them immediately. Although I did not love her previous book, Only If You’re Lucky, her newest did not disappoint. In fact, more than a week later, it is still living in my head, completely rent-free.

This story is incredibly haunting. The prose, atmospheric nature, dark themes, and setting all make for a really eerie backdrop within which to drop these very interesting characters. The characters themselves are fully fleshed out and could just as easily exist off the page as on; pretty scary considering one or more of them may be murderers.

Willingham keeps the reader on their toes consistently. There were so many fantastic twists and turns along the way, many of which I did not see coming. When it is over, you can look back and see the breadcrumbs missed; everything making sense when all is said and done. If I have just one small criticism, it is that the pacing was slightly wonky, with a few chapters feeling much slower than others. That said, I was able to quickly push past that issue because of how engaged I was with the overarching story.

Of note, there is one aspect of the writing itself that I am still incredibly confused about. The journal Claire finds and reads is told entirely in the 3rd person, not 1st. I have never seen that before, and I am still questioning the decision to do so.

I had originally given this book a solid 4.5 star rating rounded up, which I felt good about. But given the fact that I cannot stop thinking about the plot or characters, I had to bump it up to the full five stars.

Read if you like:
▪️domestic suspense
▪️true crime vibes
▪️family dramas
▪️southern thrillers
▪️isolated settings
▪️binge-worthy books

Thank you Minotaur Books for the advanced copy.

Forget Me Not
Stacy Willingham
Pub: 8/26/25
4.5☆

Twenty-two years ago, Claire Campbell’s older sister, Natalie, disappeared shortly after her eighteenth birthday. Days later, her blood was found in a car, a man was arrested, and the case was swiftly closed. In the decades since, Claire has attempted to forget her traumatic past by moving to the city and climbing the ranks as an investigative journalist... until an unexpected call from her father forces her to come back home and face it all anew.

My Thoughts:
Willingham never fails to deliver on twisty, addictive thrillers, and this was no different! Forget Me Not was a little dark, a lot cult-y and wholly immersive. The pacing (even though slower at times) was well done and had the perfect suspenseful build to keep me engaged and on edge throughout. And that ending… I absolutely loved how Willingham unravels everything for us in the end.

What I loved;
✨ Southern Thriller
✨ Gripping Story
✨ Addictive/Twisty Mystery
✨ Atmospheric Setting

Mark your calendars. This is a thriller you will not want to miss. I went in totally blind and loved it. Highly suggest you do the same! This is perfect buddy read material.

Thank you so much Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Forget Me Not follows Claire Campbell, an investigative journalist whose older sister Natalie disappeared when she was eighteen. Claire lives in New York City, away from her past. Even though someone has been tried and found guilty for Natalie’s death, Claire can’t seem to let herself move forward.
A phone call from Claire’s father brings her home for the first time in years. After one unsettling night being back in her childhood home, Claire accepts a job an hour away at Galloway Farms. A muscadine vineyard in South Carolina, it is also the place where Claire’s sister Natalie spent her final summer.
Living in a cottage at Galloway Farms, Claire finds a diary that tells the story of one of the vineyard owners. A life of rebellion, love and details of past unsolved crimes.
Claire becomes obsessed about the diary as she starts to feel like everything might be tied to her sister’s disappearance.
I recommend Forget Me Not to any reader
who enjoys a thriller with a family story intertwined in it. The novel tells a story of the love between sisters and the destruction that can occur when a child disappears. Stacy Willingham’s newest thriller has a plethora of twists that keeps you interested until the end .
Thank you St. Martins Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Claire’s life isn’t going the way she wants. A trip back home to her mother leads her to unresolved issues in her past. As she gathers information, she begins to piece together what really happened to her sister all those years ago.

I loooove a good cult-vibes book and I did genuinely experience some solid surprise with a few of the plot twists, which is a big deal with thrillers for me now!

There were a few “baby what is you doing” moments, namely “I have no service but I’m not telling anyone who could help me where I am just in case” but also, she is an investigative journalist so it’s about the immersion too ig.

There were so many heartbreaking aspects to this, too - both in her own history and the generational layers she uncovered at the farm. I was riveted.

This suspenseful mystery kept me interested until the very last page. I enjoyed how the author slowly put together all the puzzle pieces until the final reveal. It's an engaging page-turner with a creepy setting. Recommended.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: 🔪 Thriller
Recommend:✅

“Forget Me Not” is a thriller with very little filler; just the way I like them! This one is all plot and moves very quickly, just like all the other Stacy Willingham thrillers.

Claire is a reporter out of a job when she goes home to visit her mom who she hasn’t seen in years since her sister Natalie went missing. Unexpectedly Claire finds herself taking a job at a local vineyard where she discovers a mystery that she unravels over the next couple days. I *thought* this thriller was predictable, but it turns out, it was not. The last third was shocking, but not in a too outlandish way.

Like always; it’s hard to talk about thrillers without ruining it all. So just trust me on this, if you like thrillers, you’ll love “Forget Me Not”.

You’ll love this book if you love:
✅Multiple Timelines
✅Quick Thrillers
✅Secluded Locales

Stacy Willingham is back in fine form after her mediocre novel, Only If You're Lucky. Forget Me Not is an absolute page turner, creepy, suspense filled, and nail-bitingly addictive. Forget Me Not follows Claire Campbell, an out of work journalist, who returns home to take care of her mother and ends up, instead, working at the same farm her sister worked at the summer she disappeared. When she discovers an old diary written by another missing girl, Claire is propelled into a desperate search for answers about what happened to the two missing girls and who her bosses on the farm really are.

Stacy Willingham is a master at the Mystery/Thriller genre! Forget Me Not follows Claire as she returns home to visit her estranged mother and slowly finds herself embroiled in a mystery very similar to the disappearance of her sister 20 years earlier. Stacy Willingham drip feeds the reader with this mystery until, when the pieces finally start clicking into place, it’s impossible to put this book down.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for an ARC of this book.

I wanted to like this so much. I usually read this author's books and enjoy them (as was the case with the last one). However, this one was just so beyond ridiculous. I cannot stand the trope of the MC getting herself out of a dangerous situation and going about being her own detective. This book just didn't do it for me and Claire actually got on my nerves. There were plot holes that just did not make sense at all to me and the the way it all wrapped up was just too simple.

I’m on a roll with good thrillers lately - the latest from Stacy Willingham is a winner. Claire left her small southern town behind for NYC and never looked back. Her relationship with her parents was almost nonexistent after the disappearance and presumed death of her older sister many years before. Then she goes home to care for her mother after an injury and finds memories of her sister and that last summer everywhere.

It’s gripping and atmospheric and after a little bit of a slow start (her life in NYC) I couldn’t put it down. Would recommend.

The ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Comes out Aug 26, 2025.

The past and present collide. This is an incredible thriller that captured my attention and didn’t let go. It’s such an intricate and haunting puzzle that spans many years. I loved how the details are revealed in little snippets here and there. I really couldn’t grasp how everything was going to unfold. When the secrets start spilling out they don’t stop. Twisty revelations that left me stunned! Such a well written book that is definitely worth the read!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press/NetGalley for providing and ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I’ve been on a kick of thrillers lately, always chasing the next twist to uncover the latest whodunit. I was initially drawn in by the lush green cover of Forget Me Not, but it was the premise that truly hooked me – a “cozy” southern thriller set in South Carolina. While it took me a moment to settle into the story, as I progressed, I found myself increasingly immersed in Claire’s journey to uncover the truth about what really happened to her sister.

Overall Impressions

I’d never read Stacy Willingham before, so I didn’t know what to expect from her writing style. However, as someone who reads a lot of thrillers and mysteries, I know what I want out of them: fast-paced action that keeps me hooked, with twists cleverly woven from the start – the kind that make me feel either brilliantly perceptive for catching on or absolutely stunned when they’re revealed at the end.

With Forget Me Not, I got a bit of both. The initial pacing felt a bit slow, with around 30% of the book dedicated to building up the main plot. Once the mystery finally took off, though, it really grabbed me. After the 60% mark, the story absolutely cooks – twists and reveals hit one after another, making it impossible to put down.

I really liked Claire as a character. The slow start to the book mirrors Claire’s own life – not in terms of intellect, but in how her world feels stuck. Like everyone else affected by her sister Natalie’s murder, Claire’s life is frozen in time, unable to move forward. Her trauma shapes her future, driving her to become an investigative journalist who sheds light on other women’s stories – making up for the light that couldn’t be shone on her sister’s death.

One of the best things about Claire – and the book in general – is that she doesn’t make stupid, unrealistic decisions. She’s practical, resourceful, and uses technology to her advantage. Unlike many thriller protagonists, Claire actually acts like someone living in 2025. Usually, characters in books like this make me want to scream at their choices, but not Claire – she’s smart, level-headed, and entirely believable.

The side characters are well-drawn too. Liam, Marcia, and Mitchell – Claire’s counterparts at Galloway Farm – all have distinct roles that add depth to the story. Even Claire’s mother, Annalise, serves as an eccentric but essential piece of the puzzle that ties into the plot in a satisfying way.

The only character I could’ve done without is Ryan, Claire’s coworker from New York. He feels a bit like a plot device – more of a way to showcase Claire’s life outside of North Carolina than a fully developed character.

Plot

The pacing of the book felt occasionally a bit off. The first third was slow, almost dragging, while the final act moved at breakneck speed, leaving me a bit overstimulated. I don’t necessarily mind a fast-paced, action-packed ending – I actually love that kind of intensity – but I think the beginning could have used some trimming to make the build-up smoother.

However, once you get past the 30% mark and become invested in the story, the pacing isn’t really an issue anymore. As I mentioned, I hadn’t read Stacy Willingham before, but after this, I definitely plan to check out more of her work. The plot twists in this mystery are fresh, unexpected, and genuinely gasp-worthy.

I enjoy it when the main character in a book is just a step behind me as a reader – it keeps me flipping pages excitedly while they catch up. I thought I had this book figured out early on. While I did spot the bad guy right away (go me!), I missed every single reveal that followed. And let me tell you – there are plenty of them, and each is revealed in a way that feels thrilling and satisfying.

After the 65% mark, the book doesn’t let up – it’s a free-fall to the end, and I loved every second of that final act. The ending itself landed well for me – it was unexpected yet complete, tying up all the storylines, not just Claire’s. I really appreciated that nothing was left ambiguous; I like knowing how things resolve for everyone involved.

Writing Style

The writing style worked well for the tone of this book. There’s no excessive prose or unnecessary world-building – we’re given just enough detail to support the plot, which I really appreciate since the mystery itself is pretty intricately woven. At times, the writing can feel a bit pedantic, with a lot of play-by-play descriptions of what the character is doing, but once I got used to it, I was able to move past it and stay engaged.

One aspect I really enjoyed was how natural and conversational the writing felt. The dialogue, in particular, stood out for being grounded and believable. I think a lot of authors struggle to make dialogue sound authentic, but Stacy Willingham nailed it here. One line that actually made me laugh out loud was, “Have you heard of exposure therapy?” It’s the kind of thing you could easily overhear in a casual conversation, and that realness made the story feel more immersive.

Closing Thoughts

Overall, this was a solid read for me. If you enjoy cozy thrillers set in a slow-paced environment with a turbo-charged act three, this one’s for you. The way the secrets pile up near the end, with one reveal after another, really ties everything together in a satisfying way.

It’s not as psychological as thrillers like The Housemaid – it leans more towards action, making you feel like you’re right there with Claire, playing investigative journalist. If that sounds like your vibe, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up.

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7420203896
Note to the publisher: A longer version of this review with a synopsis will be included on our blog https://bookishgoblin.com/. The post is scheduled for August 20, 2026 closer to the release date but please feel free to reach out if there's a different preferred publish window, thank you for the ARC!

Stacy Willingham does it again with this riveting and fast-paced Southern thriller! This book is the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and atmospheric tension that will leave you on the edge of your seat, and just like her other books, I could not put it down!

22 years ago, Claire Campbell’s older sister, Natalie, disappeared. Even though a man was arrested and the case was quickly closed, Claire hasn’t been able to return home due to the painful memories. She moved to the city and has tried to forget her traumatic past by immersing herself in her investigating journaling, until one day she receives a call from her father that forces her to return home.
Realizing that she can’t spend the summer in her childhood home with her estranged mother, she accepts a seasonal job at Galloway Farms, a vineyard in coastal South Carolina not far from where she grew up. Soon after settling in, she finds a an old diary written by one of the owners. What seems to be a love story at first turns into something more sinister, and Claire starts to think that her sister’s disappearance may somehow be tied to the vineyard and the people that own it.
Galloway was supposed to be an escape and a place to help her move forward, but it will have Claire facing the past that she’s been trying to put behind her…

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review. .