Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy! I was very excited to read her newest book and it did not disappoint.

3.75 stars rounded up
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for the e-ARC.

I've enjoyed all of Stacy Willingham's books so it's no surprise that this one did not disappoint either. Buckle up because this book is CHOCK-FULL of twists and turns, some that felt a little too coincidental at times but still added plenty to the story.

Forget Me Not weaves together two alternating timelines more than four decades apart. Returning to the place she grew up, Claire finds a diary with a story that eerily echoes the disappearance of her sister 22 years ago. (Sidenote: The interesting thing about the diary chapters is that they're written in the third person. A little off-putting but it made things easier for me personally to follow.)

Overall, a story with an eerie feel and moderately pace that hooked me from the start. Definitely page turner and a fast read well worth the time!

If Stacy Willimgham wrote it I can bet I’m going to like it. This may be my favorite yet. I love the interwoven story line between present and past trauma. Books that can be devoured in a weekend are the best and this was hard to put down. If this is your first or yet another Willimgham read you won’t be disappointed.

This was an interesting and twisty book. I did not expect some of the twists and I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next.

Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

Another great book by Stacy! This book keeps you engaged, always wondering what mystery is going to be unearthed next!

Stacy Willingham can always deliver! Forget me Not is an absolute page-turner, its the Manson murders meets southern gothic storytelling. From start to finish, I was hooked.

The twists in this book were incredible, constantly keeping me on my toes. I found myself guessing until the very end. Willingham’s signature suspense shines through in every page, enhanced by the tension of a journalist-turned-true crime writer facing the haunting truth of her own sister's murder. The drama is turned up to 11, and it’s absolutely brilliant.

Willingham hit it out of the park with this one, suspenseful, deep, and kept me guessing the whole time. Highly recommend this!

Stacy Willingham is the queen of southern suspense. This one kept me in grips. I don’t usually read books this far ahead of release day but I HAD to read this early (sorry May, June, and July arcs!)
The twists were spectacular and I was always guessing. It was so atmospheric and the added drama of the journalist turned true crime writer with the bonus of it being her own sister’s murder… chefs kiss.
I will say that the diary pieces being in third person did throw me at first but I just accepted it and went on.
Thank you @stmartinspress and @stacywillingham for my early review copy.

Forget Me Not had me guessing the whole way through. I really liked how twisty and dark it was without being confusing or over the top. Stacy Willingham has a way of building suspense that makes you want to keep reading just one more chapter—until suddenly it's 2 a.m. I also liked that the main character wasn’t perfect; she felt real, messy, and relatable. The story kept me on edge, and I didn’t see the ending coming, which is always a win for me.

The beginning was a little slow, but as soon as Claire started reading the diary, I was hooked. Her older sister’s disappearance over 20 years ago has haunted her—presumed murdered, but a body was never found.

Claire returns to her hometown to help her injured mother, but after just one night, the tension becomes too much. She takes a job on a farm a few hours away, where she stumbles upon a hidden diary. Claire begins to suspect it may be connected not only to her sister’s disappearance, but to a string of murders spanning several decades.

As the story unraveled, I was on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t read fast enough, desperate to gather the puzzle pieces and see the full picture. The final 20%—in true Stacy fashion—had me gasping at the twists and revelations.

If this book isn’t on your TBR, I highly recommend adding it. It releases on August 26, 2025, and you won’t want to miss it!

Huge thanks to Stacy for writing such a twisty, fun thriller, and to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books for the digital ARC!

Totally unputdownable!!! Southern Gothic suspense at its best!

This book hooked me so fast. From the very first chapter, I was all in with Claire, a tough but emotionally scarred journalist forced to return home after years of running from her sister’s disappearance. The setting—a hazy, humid muscadine vineyard in coastal South Carolina—is perfectly atmospheric and adds that eerie, slow-burn Southern tension that makes thrillers like this so addictive.

What really got me was the way the story layers past and present so seamlessly. Just when you think it’s going to be a peaceful summer job kind of vibe, Claire finds an old diary that turns the whole book into a spiraling mystery. The diary entries were creepy in the best way, and as Claire gets more obsessed, so do you as the reader. I flew through the pages needing to know how it all connected, her sister’s case, the vineyard’s secrets, everything.

If you liked A Flicker in the Dark, this one feels even more mature and twisted. It’s emotional, suspenseful, and just gritty enough to feel real without being over the top. The pacing was perfect! Tense without being exhausting, and the ending?! Genuinely satisfying with a few gasp-out-loud moments.

Highly recommend if you're into dark family secrets, small-town vibes, and mysteries that slowly unravel in the most chilling way.

I loved her first book so I’ve always been eager to read any of her releases since then. This one is my second favorite to A Flicker in the Dark. In a world of so many mystery books, this one has a unique take and spin, which I appreciate it. The first half was pretty slow for me, but half way through it picked up. The last 20% was great. I’d recommend this to readers interested in the genre. Thanks for the ARC!

This is one creative, layered thriller. Claire’s sister, Natalie, disappeared twenty-two years ago when she was only eighteen years old. Claire was a much younger eleven and had to deal with the fallout of her parents’ divorce and a mom who disappeared into herself.

Now Claire is an investigative journalist who finally returns to coastal South Carolina to reconnect with her mom. There are still so many unanswered questions about Natalie and Claire is in the business of answering questions. Told in present day with details from the 80s and early 2000s, Forget Me Not weaves together lies and secrets, twists and turns to keep you turning the page.

This could have been rated higher but the author’s excessive use of similes and metaphors was distracting.

WOW - I loved this one. I've been close to five stars before with SW, but this one knocked it our of the park. I love her writing style & "helps" you with understanding all the twists and turns as the story goes on. Loved talking to Emily & Natalie with this one. If you plan to read - I'm here for a check in be there's so many fun twists!!!! Thank you @stmartinspress for my digital
ARC • Publish Date: 8/26/2025

As a big Stacy Willingham fan, I was so excited to be given an advanced copy of this book to read. However, I did not find this book to be as engaging as her previous books. The story line, while unique, felt drawn out at times. I struggled with staying focused and found myself skimming ahead at times. It definitely had its fair share of twists and the creep factor was 100% there. Overall, I enjoyed this book, just not as much as previous books by this author. I will absolutely still be grabbing her books up in the future.

Claire's older sister disappears, a body never shows up, case closed. She moves to NY to become a journalist and gets passed over for a promotion and returns home to help her mom. Her sisters bedroom isn't touched and she starts getting suspicious of her disappearance, This book actually dragged on a little bit longer than I would have liked but I enjoyed it.

Thanks St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books & Netgalley!

Wasn't sure what to expect going in, like most of my arcs but I loved this one. I'll be sure to find more from this author. Thanks for the early read!

Well, this one had a lot of potential. I just didn’t feel like it lived up to that potential. I had a hard time keeping track of the female characters and how they fit together. The last 20% went super fast and was all tied up in a neat little bow. I thought it was just ok.

Claire’s a journalist who quit her job returns home for the first time in years since her sisters murder. Claire nervous to return to the last place she saw her sister alive and to visit her mom who she doesn’t have the best relationship with. Remembering claire’s sister Natalie worked at a winery the summer before she was murder, claire decided to take a visit and ends up staying longer than expected. While she is visiting she find an old journal that leads to more questions about what really could have happened to Natalie.

I enjoyed this book and I love the first to books of Stacy’s. This is more of a slow burn mystery than a thriller I would say. But once you get into it you will be curious to know what really happened to Natalie and is Claire’s inklings are right.

Thank you so much for the ARC. Stacy does it again! Her books are easy to read and are full of twists.

Stacy Willingham can do absolutely no wrong.
I have been captivated by her books before, and truly don’t know how she continues to create stories that are unique, twisty, and down right thrilling.
This story will leave you positively breathless!
Claire’s sister went missing when she was 18. Her body was never found, but a man sits in jail for her supposed murder. Still dealing with the trauma decades later, she returns home when her mother requires help after an injury. Will this be what she needs for the closure she so desperately seeks? Or will she just end up with more questions?
Willingham is an absolute genius of the English language. You can feel, hear, smell, and see her landscapes and layered characters. Read this book when it is released in August! So good. While you’re waiting, if you haven’t read her back list, do it! She never disappoints.
Thank you so much netgalley! I jumped up and down when you sent me this one!