𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Thriller
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: August 26, 2025

Forget Me Not is a fast-paced, twisty thriller that, once you pick it up, you won't be able to put down!

There IS grooming and troubled youth, so be aware before beginning. Having said that, I loved this book! The pacing was perfect. Going between Claire's POV in the present day and Marcia's in the past, as diary entries, kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. Multiple twists sprinkled throughout, and I honestly didn't see any coming!

The story wraps up beautifully, and I highly recommend Forget Me Not for your next thriller!

Thank you so much to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy!

As a longtime fan, I have been super eager to get my hands on this book. I’m happy to report that it was classic Stacy Willingham.

I came for the backstory and the connections revealed over time, but I stayed for the absolutely unhinged last 20% of the book. It had me gasping and biting my nails and I could not put it down.

As with her other books, you’ll find the first part to be a little more slow burn, and the overall experience more suspenseful than thrilling. I think she writes thrillers that can easily work for readers who aren’t looking to be TOO spooked.

Thank you, Minotaur Books and NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I would risk it all for stacy willingham & anything she writes!! she just knows how to get those plot twists in there with just enough hints to keep the reader guessing - and a bingeable, fast-paced, addicting story!

in this one, the plot focuses on claire, returning home after her mother injures herself and gets re-invested in her sister’s cold case 😶 and let me tell you, there’s something about cold cases that always gets my blood pumping!! it’s the unsolved mysteries girlie in me 💀

the vibes around the small town & galloway farms were a mix of THE LAST HOUSEWIFE and THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS - and just the right amounts of “off” to get the reader invested and wary of everyone 😳 and boy did I love second guessing every single character!!

while I did guess about half of the plot twists, I found myself enjoying the ride and reveals more than anything! some of the moments were definitely telling rather than showing, especially in the diary entries, but it didn’t distract from the overall writing by much!

a huge thank you to stacy and minotaur for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! the begging worked!!! 🤭

rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: piedmont moscato

The way I screamed when this ARC landed in my inbox! As a longtime fan of Stacy’s writing, I knew I was in for a treat, and wow, this one exceeded all expectations. Her signature slow-burn southern suspense was on full display, keeping me completely hooked as the tension built with every page.

I flew through this book, completely unable to put it down because I had to know what would happen next. Twists? So many. Turns? Everywhere. Just when I thought I had a grip on where things were going, the story yanked the rug out from under me in the best way possible.

And The Farm? Chilling. The eerie setting had this claustrophobic, almost cinematic quality that seeped into every scene, making me question everything. The atmosphere was thick with unease. If you love psychological thrillers that keep you guessing until the very end, this one needs to be on your TBR immediately. Highly recommend you pick this one up in August!

-Thank you NetGalley for this arc from the author of my favorite thriller (All The Dangerous Things)

This thriller sees our lead following the steps of her sister from 22 years ago, the summer before she died. I will admit that it took me 40% to truly get invested (which is too long) but after that I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. Lots of twists, and pretty messed up 🤣 If you like thrillers read all of Stacy’s books, including this one out this summer!

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham follows Claire Campbell, a journalist who has spent decades trying to move on from her sister Natalie’s disappearance. When her father’s unexpected call brings her back home for the summer, Claire takes a job at Galloway Farm, a peaceful vineyard not far from where she grew up. But what starts as a way to pass the time turns into something much darker when she discovers an old diary belonging to one of the vineyard’s owners. The diary, filled with secrets of young love and rebellion, soon hints at something far more sinister—clues that may connect to Natalie’s case. As Claire digs deeper, she becomes increasingly obsessed, unraveling a mystery that threatens to pull her back into the past she’s tried so hard to escape.

I loved this book! I read it in one sitting because I just had to know what would happen next. This is hands down Willingham’s best book yet, packed with twists and turns that caught me completely off guard—and some I was mad at myself for not catching! The dual timelines, the mix of characters, and the atmospheric setting made for an incredible, edge-of-your-seat read. It was so well done and exciting from start to finish. I have nothing but good things to say about this one, and you need to read this and add it to your TBR!

Thank you to @minotaur_books , Stacy Willingham and Netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for a review!

This book is out August 26, 2025.

This was such a compelling fast paced thriller! I love the way Willingham writes, allowing me to get completely lost in the chapters. I did not see the ending coming and was hooked the whole way through! Another great book from this author.

I got sucked into this book immediately and couldn’t wait to finish it to find out what happened. The protagonist, Claire, lost her sister 22 years ago and it’s still affecting her strongly. She starts digging into the past and gets into some trouble herself. Strongly written and fast-paced!

[arc review]
Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Forget Me Not releases August 26, 2025

A recent career shift has lead Claire back to her hometown for the first time in fifteen years.
Being surrounded by physical reminders of her sister’s disappearance instinctively draws Claire to the Galloway Farm — the last place Claire has fond memories of her sister before everything drastically changed for their family.

Told partly through diary entries, Claire’s short stint working on the farm leads to uncovering forty years of buried truths.

I loved the remote setting, but so much of this story could’ve been solved almost immediately if one simple conversation was had between a mother and her daughter.
I think a third pov of a closely connected character in the present day, left unnamed to the reader until the very end reveal, could’ve added a lot of suspense, build up, and much needed dimension.

Ultimately, I’m left feeling a bit underwhelmed.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. First of all…. *any* Stacy Willingham book is a yes from me. This one is no different. Exceptional writer who weaves a tale of domestic suspense like no other.

WOW did I love this book! This is hands down my favorite book by her. I literally stayed up until 4 am this morning to finish it 😂

First of all, you know I love a good story that ties in the past and the present, plus having the diary was a great narrative move. I was honestly hooked from the very beginning! I was so desperate to find out how everything would come together and I was not disappointed.

This book was also super twisty, with a lot of fun surprises I didn’t even guess. It felt like the twists were super well-placed too, and it made it such a fun and engaging read.

I thought it was so well-written, and I loved how the author touched on themes of grief, family secrets, and it even had a cult vibe, which you know I love!

This one had everything I love in a thriller book. It has the mystery element that keeps you reading, some adrenaline-pumping moments that keep you on edge, and a satisfying ending that tied together generations of memories and trauma.

I will definitely be recommending this one to everyone when it comes out! In my opinion, definitely her best one so far! 🥰

This story is so good. I loved that it felt like a slow burn, the connections coming together gradually. But at the same time, I devoured it, like I blinked and was suddenly half way through the book. The mystery feels woven throughly, teasing you into believing you understand where things are headed only for a twist to come that, somehow, fits perfectly. Just a great thriller overall, definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc of the book!

Stacy Willingham doesn't miss! This was another incredible book.

I was drawn in from the first page and didn't put it down until the last.

I just love reading Stacy Willinghams works. Her latest book, Forget Me Not was a five star read! Pick it up!

An amazing, great paced thriller!
I loved every moment of this book

Thank you netgalley for the ARC

This book was phenomenal! It had my attention from start to finish. The twists were well thought out and the dual timeline had me wishing for more! A little
Bit of Manson vibes but I loved it!

Claire lost her sister Natalie 20 years ago. She is now a journalist living in the big city but when she gets passed over for a promotion and quits her job, she decides to head back home while she figures things out. She finds herself living and working at Galloway, the same place that Natalie worked before she disappeared. Clair starts to get weird feelings and finds some things that made her question what is really going on at Galloway and what really happened to Natalie all those years before??

Forget Me Not is a slow burn thriller that will have you on edge! Told in dual timelines, we see things from both Claire's POV today and Marcia's POV from decades before. The way things fall in to place is done masterfully and the ending was perfect. This was one of those that even when it seems obvious and you know what's going on, surprise!, no you don't! Highly recommend this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A haunting Southern thriller packed with slow-burning suspense, Forget Me Not is an atmospheric and gripping read that lingers long after the final page. With a chilling mystery, richly drawn characters, and a setting that feels both idyllic and sinister, Stacy Willingham delivers her best novel yet.

Journalist Claire Campbell has spent decades running from the past—specifically, from the disappearance of her sister, Natalie, 22 years ago. When a call from her father forces her to return home for the summer, she takes a seasonal job at Galloway Farm, a vineyard nestled in the coastal South Carolina landscape, where Natalie once worked before she vanished. At first, Claire sees it as a distraction, a way to pass the time before she can leave again. But when she stumbles upon an old diary filled with cryptic confessions and buried secrets, she realizes that Galloway Farm may hold the answers she’s been searching for.

As Claire becomes increasingly obsessed with the diary’s contents, she starts to uncover eerie connections between its pages and her sister’s case. The vineyard’s owners, a mix of reclusive and enigmatic figures, seem to be hiding something, and Claire’s relentless digging puts her in the crosshairs of those who would rather keep the past buried. With each new revelation, she’s forced to question everything she thought she knew—about her sister, her family, and the night Natalie disappeared.

This novel is incredibly well-paced, with a slow, unsettling unraveling of secrets that keeps you hooked. Willingham’s writing is immersive, making you feel the oppressive Southern heat, the quiet tension in the air, and the eerie isolation of the vineyard. The dual timelines add depth, as past and present weave together in a way that feels both seamless and devastating.

If you’re a fan of slow-burn thrillers that blend family drama with psychological suspense, Forget Me Not is a must-read. It’s a novel that not only delivers unexpected twists but also explores the emotional weight of grief, guilt, and the need for closure.

I was so excited to see new book by Stacy Willingham!! This book didn’t disappoint like all the previous ones! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc of the book!

Claire’s a journalist who’s been obsessed with a story about missing girls. Twenty years ago her sister disappeared. Claire was young when her sister disappeared. She’s never forgotten the impact it had on her family. After her sister disappeared and Claire finished school she left town. Claire hadn’t returned until her father called her to stay with her mother. Now that she’s back in her hometown Claire feels a sense of duty to solve the mystery about her sisters disappearance.
…
Claire returned home hoping to bury the past. Instead she found a chance to reset in a place she once shared with her sister. It’s taken twenty years for Claire to even murmur her sisters name let alone walk in her footsteps. Desperate to know what it was like to be Natalie Claire finds herself living in the memories of her sister.
…
Claire becomes immersed into her sisters dark past after discovering a diary.
All the lovely pieces come together once Claire focuses on her hometown. It’s thrilling and tantalizing reading Claire unfold pieces of the puzzle. It’s an addicting adventure and a compelling read.
…
This is what good stories are made of. Stacy Willingham wrote a solid murder mystery checking off all the boxes. I was immersed in the world she created. I could see the farm clearly and picture the room Claire stayed in. The story progressed at a steady pace giving readers the ability to see what was going on. The conclusion caught me off guard. I didn’t have that on my radar at all. My mind had conjured up a different scenario. I was pleasantly shocked with that outcome.