3.5
Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham is a thriller set in rural South Carolina. The main character Claire Campbell grew up there but left for journalistic dreams in New York City, where she has spend the last fifteen years. She is estranged from her family and avoiding her traumatic past. When Claire was a teenager, her sister Natalie disappeared in that small town and a man put in prison for her murder. Now Claire has to reluctantly return to her hometown when her mother has an accident and needs help at home.
While there, Claire takes on a summer job at Galloway Farm, the same farm her sister worked at in the last summer of her life. Though on the outside it seems peacefully idyllic, with free room and board and cash to build up her savings, Claire finds an old journal that paints a different story. Her investigative journalist skills come in handy as Claire learns what really happens on the Farm and what happened to Natalie all those years ago.
This is a page turning read though the story is a little slow to be drawn out until closer to the end when the pace amps up. I really liked the little clues dropped along the way and enjoyed trying to guess the ending. And I liked the Southern setting. However, I did find the ending very “busy,” and it became more unbelievable when all the dots needed to be connected. Fans of Willingham’s previous book Flicker in the Dark, or Megan Miranda or Alex Finlay books will likely enjoy this.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for my ARC.

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham is a suspense/thriller set in rural South Carolina where Claire Campbell’s sister Natalie was killed over 20 years ago. Claire is set on a journey to uncover any missed clues or uncover any hidden information that was not known that may help her shed any light on what really happened to her sister’s death.

This story starts out slow, but the pace picked up pretty quickly as Claire tumbles into clues that takes her on twists and turns that sets this story/plot-line on a roller coaster pace. I enjoyed this book, as I have all Stacy Willingham’s books, and I recommend it, just as I do all her other books. She is one of my favorite suspense/thriller authors and this book did not disappoint!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Intriguing mystery
Southern charm
Difficult decisions

I absolutely devoured A Flicker in the Dark and was very excited to be gifted this ARC. While I did enjoy the story, it didn’t take over my mind like her previous work and took me a while to finish. I was interested, but I just didn’t get that edge-of-my-seat that I need from a thriller.

Claire Campbell is introduced as an investigative journalist who was passed over for a huge promotion and chose to go her own way. After a distressed call from her father, she packed up and went to visit her mother in South Carolina. As someone who is estranged from her mother, it was easy for me to feel Claire’s likely turmoil over this complicated decision.

This is where we begin to learn more about her sister’s disappearance years prior. I won’t give more detail from here because I don’t want to spoil. Every reader needs to form their own opinion.

This was enjoyable and definitely something I will recommend to my thriller lovers, but not one I would recommend to those wanting an intro into the genre.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. My review is 100% voluntary and my own opinion.

I enjoyed it, but it was a bit slower to start and overly descriptive compared to her other books. I will still read everything she writes though. The plot was great and there was a shocking twist (a few of them actually but one in particular that stands out.)

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was a tense, tightly woven narrative that delved into generations of relationships and the secrets we try to hide. The layers unfolded with precision, revealing just enough at the right moments while cleverly using red herrings to build suspense. A gripping and well-executed tale.

Forget Me Not follows Claire, a journalist living in NY, who's sister went missing over 20 years ago. Claire, still haunted by the past, suddenly is called back home to South Carolina to visit her mom. While she's there, she finds herself digging into her sister's disappearance, trying to put the pieces together when she finds herself in the middle of other decade old unsolved crimes that sound eerily familiar to her own family's situation.

This was so good! I found it to be a bit slower in the first half, but not in a bad way. It was a lot of setting the scene for events that would happen later. I was interested the whole time and kept needing to read on to find out what was happening. I was very impressed by all the twists. My initial thoughts on what was happening were semi true, but with BIG twists.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one! I've read Stacy Willingham's other novels and have liked them all. While A Flicker in the Dark is still my favorite, this one is a close second! I would 100% recommend this, especially if you've enjoyed her other books!

Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur Books & St. Martin's Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Stacey Willingham’s writing is extremely captivating, I always feel like I’m actually there and that I need to keep reading to see how it ends. Forget Me Not was no exception to this. One thing I felt was missing was I wish the story had focused more on the sister and how her storyline played out. Also, while some of the twists had my jaw hanging open I did find others predicable. Overall Forget Me Not is a really strong thriller, super atmospheric, and perfect for summer.

Still reeling from job loss and the unresolved disappearance of her sister Natalie 22 years earlier, Claire Campbell returns to her hometown in South Carolina seeking answers. Taking a job at the local vineyard—Natalie’s last known place of employment—Claire has no idea how many long-buried secrets she’s about to dig up.

I have zero chill when it comes to Stacy Willingham’s thrillers. The second one lands on my Kindle, I drop everything to read it. While Only If You're Lucky didn’t quite hit the mark for me, Forget Me Not absolutely delivered—and it’s still living in my head, rent-free, more than a week later.

This novel is haunting in the best way. Willingham’s atmospheric prose, layered themes, and chilling setting create an eerie world that feels all too real. The characters are richly drawn and authentic—so much so, it’s unsettling to realize that one (or more) of them might be capable of murder.

Willingham masterfully keeps the suspense high with twist after twist, most of which I never saw coming. But when the final page turns, everything clicks into place. The breadcrumbs were there all along—you just didn’t see them.

A gripping, eerie thriller that lingers long after you finish. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Stacy Willingham, St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the ARC copy.

This was an engaging read that kept my attention throughout. While I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a ‘thriller,’ it definitely worked well as a mystery. I enjoyed the shifts between the present and the diary entries—they added depth to the story. Even though the ending was somewhat predictable, it was still a page-turner!!

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC! The ending of this was pretty apparent from when the plot really started. Normally I am kept guessing a little more with willingham’s books. Overall it was still enjoyable but not my top pick.

I had a very hard time getting into this novel; it wasn’t until I was about 25% in that I finally started to find it exciting. A lot of the first parts are unnecessary and didn’t lead any support to the storyline at all. Once it began getting interesting it was great! The twists were perfectly timed and provided plenty of drama. Overall I would recommend to readers.

Well I thought I knew where this was going all along and was slightly duty until I realized I had it all wrong. Really enjoyed the journey this one takes you on. Highly recommended.

This was a creepy and dark thriller. It was a little slow in the beginning but it rapidly became an edge of your seat ride. There was an air of tension throughout the whole book that I really liked. There were a couple of really amazing twists that I should have seen coming but didn’t.

I definitely enjoyed reading Stacy willingham book Forget Me Not, I liked how in the first page it definitely draw me in, and how easy each chapter was, it was super easy to follow and every chapter was filled with lots of entertainment and clarity, it was very fast paced and I definitely enjoyed this book, the ending was what I wanted and hoped, definitely recommend.

I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Stacy Willingham and Forget Me Not is no exception. An edge of your seat story involving secrets, mysteries and cults. A lot of fun! Only dislike is I wish the diary chapters were from Marcia’s first person perspective.

First of all, thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this e-book in return for my honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ WOW, Stacy Willingham has done it again! "Forget Me Not" is an absolute masterclass in Southern suspense. From the moment I started the first chapter, I was utterly consumed by Claire's story and the chilling mystery surrounding her sister Natalie's long-ago disappearance. The atmosphere of Galloway Farm is thick with both beauty and a creeping sense of dread – Willingham paints such a vivid picture of coastal South Carolina, you can practically feel the humid air and smell the muscadines.
The way the past and present intertwine through the discovery of that old diary is just brilliant. Each entry pulled me deeper into a web of secrets and potential connections to Natalie's case. Claire's determination to uncover the truth, even as it forces her to confront her own trauma, is captivating. I found myself being surprised by the twists and turns this book took. It was not predictable at all in my opinion.
If you devoured "A Flicker in the Dark," prepare to be equally, if not more, enthralled by "Forget Me Not." This book is a five-star stunner that will keep you up way past your bedtime! Run, don't walk, to grab a copy upon release! 👏📖🔥

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Forget Me Not pulled me in right away with its eerie atmosphere and intriguing twists. Stacy Willingham crafts a chilling narrative, and I especially loved how the time jumps allowed the story to unfold from a missing person's perspective.

While it had some great curveballs, I wouldn’t say it kept me guessing until the very end. Still, it was an unsettling and immersive read. Reading this alongside The Last House on Needless Street was probably too much eerie for one sitting—both books pack a psychological punch, making for a haunting reading experience. 😵‍💫

I was lucky enough to read an advance copy, and this one hits shelves on August 26, 2025—mark your calendars and snag your copy! 🏃‍♀️💨

📚💀🖤🔎

Net Galley coming in clutch with another great ARC.

I love that this book had me hooked from the beginning. It was such a thrilling page turner where I needed to continue the story to find out what was going on. The audible gasps I had multiple times, the constant twists. I was on the edge of my seat. There was some good foreshadowing that (looking back) I should have picked up on, but I really loved this book. Very well laid out story with a spiderweb of connections throughout.

Okay so tell me this doesn't remind of you Manson. I DARE YOU. because this is like cult-y and like crazy. the twists at the end actually blew my mind and I thought this was a well paced thriller with lots of interesting plot points. I was unsure until I hit like the 20% mark and then I WAS HOOKED. I would definitely recommend.

What a beautiful cover! I really enjoy Stacy Willingham’s work so I was excited to receive a copy of her newest book to review. It wasn’t your typical thriller with a less-than-intelligent female main character who makes your eyes roll every time she makes a stupid choice. I appreciated the attention to detail and the well thought out plot. I was drawn to immediately.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️