I was beyond excited to dive into Deborah O'Connor's Dear Future Me. The premise alone—a high school assignment where students write letters to their future selves, only for those letters to resurface two decades later with devastating secrets and a tragic death—had me absolutely hooked. I anticipated a gripping mystery, a deep dive into past betrayals, and a suspenseful unraveling of long-buried truths. Unfortunately, what I got was an utter letdown, leaving me feeling more frustrated than fulfilled.
The initial setup is intriguing: a class receives their twenty-year-old letters, and suddenly, secrets about a classmate's tragic death come to light. The immediate shocker, Miranda's death after opening her letter, should have set a chilling tone. Yet, the narrative quickly devolves into a convoluted mess. Audrey's decision to investigate her best friend's death, armed with a vague clue, feels less like a compelling quest and more like a forced plot device to connect disparate characters.
The core issue lies in the execution. The "old secrets" hinted at in the summary never quite deliver the punch they promise. Instead of building genuine suspense, the plot relies on flimsy reveals and conveniently timed coincidences. The pacing often felt sluggish, punctuated by moments of forced drama that failed to resonate emotionally. Characters, rather than feeling like real people grappling with dark pasts, often came across as two-dimensional vehicles for the plot, making it difficult to truly care about their fates or the secrets they held.
Ultimately, Dear Future Me felt like a wasted opportunity. The compelling concept was squandered by a meandering plot and underdeveloped characters. What should have been a thrilling journey into a twenty-year-old mystery ended up being a tedious read that left me profoundly disappointed.

⭐️ 2.5 stars
I hate rating books badly but this one was just a dull story to me. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and the only character I truly enjoyed was Ben’s storyline and POVs. For how smart Audrey supposedly is she was so frustratingly slow 😩 the story picked up a lot near the 75% mark but the end felt rushed. I did enjoy Audrey’s ending. Not for me but for fans of really slow burn mysteries maybe try it.

A high school assignment that resurfaces (as it was meant to) two decades later, leaves the recipients of the letters that they wrote to themselves 20 years ago with the sinking realisation that clues to what lay behind the death of one of their classmates can - most inconveniently for the killer - be found in some of these missives.

The consequences for the letter writers turn out to be far reaching, including the suicide of the popular Miranda, who would probably have been considered one of those least likely to carry out such an action.

What lies behind that tragedy? Her friend Audrey is determined to find out. But the latter may just be biting off more than she - and her fellow former students - bargained for...

This is an enjoyable and fast paced book which will appeal to seasoned thriller readers. Don't miss it!

I loved this book so much! It started a bit slow but once Audrey began to investigate it really picked up. I also enjoyed the different perspectives from other people in the class and felt it really added to the overall story. The twist was spectacular and I did not expect it at all!

OMG! Deborah O’Connor’s DEAR FUTURE ME kept me so engrossed, I got absolutely nothing done all day! I could not put this down!

When Mr. Danler’s class is given the assignment of writing a letter to their future selves, they are supposed to write of their dreams and where they want themselves to be in 20 years. Assuming it is merely one more assignment, the class makes predictions about their achievements and each other. Twenty years on, Mr Danler sends the letters to the students from his class and the fallout is deadly serious, prompting one of the students, rich, successful, Miranda, to jump to her death. When she is seen on surveillance camera leaving her house and clutching some papers in her hand, her best friend Audrey, whose life took a very different path than she had dreamed, decides to investigate why Miranda took her own life.

Miranda had an enviable life with a doctor husband, two precious children, a beautiful home and career as a yoga instructor. She had a desire to play netball in the Olympics but an injury sidelined her sometime after she had written her ‘ future me’ letter. Audrey, on the other hand, ended up not being accepted to her desired Cambridge, raising her younger brother and cleaning houses for a living, even some of those of her former classmates. As Audrey contacts former classmates to find out about the death of one of their own 20 years ago and if that had anything to do with Miranda‘s current decision, she learns of friendships broken, lies told and that maybe Miranda‘s life wasn’t so perfect after all.

I LOVED this book so much so that I have already purchased two of the author’s previous novels. She seems to write the ones that are right up my alley. The premise of this was so original and made me wonder exactly what I would have written had the assignment been given to me. It really made me think long after I’ve finished the book. And isn’t that what makes her a good one? The writing was clear and concise and led to a very enjoyable read. There is no doubt that Deborah O’Connor will be an author I turn to again. There did seem to be a lot of characters, which sometimes throws me off, but each of them was integral to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

🦇 💩 🤪. My favorite kind of adult novel! Full of twists and turns, keeps you guessing until the very end!

I too had a letter to be opened twenty years after I graduated, so I thought the idea of this book was really cool. Mine did not lead to suicide, murder, or dark secrets revealed like the ones in this story did though. It does make for a thrilling read with the bits of letters from the various former students, comparing their hopes and dreams back when they were teens and how close or far it was to the reality in which they are actually in. And I loved traveling with Audrey as she went on the hunt for why Miranda (her best friend) would have killed herself after receiving that letter she wrote to her future self. I really liked Audrey! She did not get the dream mentioned in her letter and instead took care of her baby brother after their parents died when she was just 18 and Ned was 2. She remains optimistic and willing helps out with Miranda's kids. I would definitely want her as a friend! And it is quite the can of worms Audrey opens in finding the truth both about Miranda's death and Ben's that happened 20 years ago. It was nicely fast paced and so many red herrings and suspects that it was easy to keep reading. I will say, I did not expect that ending and twist but it makes sense how someone would go to those lengths, sad but true.

I really good thriller that has a good mix of people who are decent no matter their circumstances, and others that will do anything to get what they want, or are driven to meet high standards at the cost of others. A nicely twisty story!

I’ll admit, the title of this book threw me a bit. I didn’t really know what to expect. I’m glad I took a chance because wow! This book is not at all what you start out expecting it to be and the twists and turns that come unfold so often right up to the end. You really just don’t know who to trust. What seems like a very cut and dry story turns very complex and really intriguing. The main character Audrey is very likable and determined to find out what really happened to her best friend Miranda, why she suddenly jumped off a cliff leaving her two small kids and husband while seemingly happy after reading a Dear Future Me letter she received from their teacher from 20 years in the past. This is one you don’t want to miss.

As the teenagers in Saltburn prepare to graduate and go on their various paths, their English teacher assigns them to write a letter to themselves in the future, promising to mail it to them in 20 years. That day has come, bringing some people laughs, some reflection, and for Miranda Brevart, something terrible, as she walks out of her house in the middle of making breakfast and jumps off a local cliff. Now her best friend, Aubrey, is left to figure out what went wrong and why. And the answer isn’t nearly as simple as anyone thinks.

The story is told mostly from Aubrey’s POV in tge present, but it does sometimes switch to other people, in the present and in the past, during the year the letters were written.

I actually had a teacher in 8th grade (the last year of middle school) that had us write a letter to our future selves and she mailed them to us four years later, right fore high school graduation. It was a fun exercise, with low stakes. I mostly rambled about what boy I liked and my friends and my hopes for college. Most things were very different by the end of high school, and it was fun thinking back, even if it was just a little bit prior.

So, the idea that these letters could be deadly was very interesting for me. What could possibly be so Earth-shattering that it could cause such a reaction? Well buckle up, because you are in for a twisty, wild ride that involves two interesting mysteries: what happened to Miranda that morning and what happened on a class trip the girls’ senior year, when Miranda’s ex-boyfriend died, and whose death seems to be at the heart of the mystery.

I was definitely hooked by all of the drama swirling around and the twists kept coming and coming, but the book did seem to drag a little bit in the middle. Also, with so many characters to keep straight, it was a little bit hard. Lots of names of people that appeared maybe once or twice, or even not at all, you just heard about them.

But that certainly didn’t slow me down with my reading, and it shouldn’t deter you. The mysteries are stellar, and the solutions are top-notch.

Put this one on your radar!

Thanks Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the Advanced Reader Copy of Dear Future Me.
While I felt this was a painfully slow start, it was definitely worth sticking with.
I saw the vision and kept waiting for the speed to pick up and the second half definitely delivered.
A lot of red herrings, and false first impressions made for some really great twists and turns. It also felt like a unique storyline for a mystery/ thriller, which as an avid reader of the genre is always appreciated.
I hope to read more Deborah O'Connor in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC.

Oh how I loved this! What an absolutely unique concept. I loved the multi POV, the past timeline, and the entire unraveling of the mystery. So well done.

Twenty years after writing letters to themselves a group of classmates receive the letters in the mail, one of them takes their own life after reading her letter. When Audrey gets her letter with a strange message placed in it, from another classmate who died while still in school, and learns her best friend has died by jumping to her death she begins to search for answers with the other letter writers. I liked the setting of this novel being at a small seaside town and the concept of the letters arriving and bringing with them more mysteries. I liked the main character Audrey and thought she was well written and the book had a good amount of twists. Would recommend giving this one 3/3.5 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am giving this book a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It got my attention immediately as this is a premise I don't think I've read before. In this book we're trying to figure out the circumstances behind two dual timeline deaths. A group of classmates have been sent letters they wrote as teenagers for a school assignment 20 years after the fact, and inside there are some clues as to what happened.

The reason this is not a full 4 is that the story became a slog in the middle section. I felt like some things could be cut, including some of the classmate perspectives (could have been cut all together or fleshed out more). I also could have done without Audrey's escapades with the kids. However, the last 30% is really satisfying and I liked how all of the information and character storylines came together!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing the e-ARC of this book for an honest review.

An intriguing premise, a terrific atmosphere and writing, but an overcrowded cast and an at times slow pace. Still, I highly recommend it. The twist was scrumptious.

Oh my goodness, this book really got under my skin! How cruel, selfish and manipulative can one person be? Kitty truly has the traits of a sociopath. How she ruined lives and continued to do so without batting an eyelid. How cruel her mother was to leave Audrey to die. Despite the horror and heart-wrenching tragedy I am so glad that the book ends with hope for the victims who have been wronged, especially Audrey. I am so glad that she has found her voice and a wonderful chance to rewrite the story of her life and her destiny. Thank you so much for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for approving this request!

DNF’d at 25%

Didn’t read enough to be able to fully critic. I couldn’t get through the novel even when I forced myself to sit down and try to read it. The plot just didn’t excite me as I thought it would.

Twenty years ago, a group of high school students wrote letters to their future selves, locking away dreams, regrets, and secrets. Now, those letters are being delivered - and what should have been a nostalgic trip down memory lane becomes a gripping unraveling of truth, trauma, and betrayal.

When Miranda receives her letter, something in it breaks her. A few hours later, she’s found dead at the bottom of a cliff. Her best friend Audrey is stunned and guilt-ridden - initially believing it was suicide and blaming herself for missing the signs. But the more she sits with the grief, the more it doesn’t feel right. And so begins Audrey’s relentless quest for the truth…

I wouldn’t call this a fast-paced thriller, but it definitely kept my attention. It’s a slow burn, especially compared to punchier thrillers, but it has just enough suspense, just enough red herrings, and just enough character depth to keep you second guessing everyone. Every single classmate seems suspicious. The structure - multiple interconnected stories and secrets all tied together by these time-traveling letters - was something I really enjoyed.

The concept is brilliant: a letter written by your past self landing in your lap years later? Equal parts chilling and thought-provoking. The book had just enough suspense, suspects, and emotional weight to keep me fully engaged, even during slower moments.

Audrey was a standout character for me. Tenacious, loyal, and a bit like a dog with a bone - she refused to give up on Miranda, even when Miranda’s secrets started painting a very different picture of who she really was. Some of the other characters - like Miranda’s husband and a few classmates - were frustrating and unlikeable, but I think that’s the point: everyone’s a suspect.

If I had one critique, it’s that the ending didn’t quite land the emotional punch I expected. I can’t put my finger on why - it just didn’t hit the way the rest of the book did. Still, the buildup, twists, and emotional complexity made it a worthwhile ride.

It also pulled me out of a reading slump, so that’s a win in itself.

If you’re into psychological thrillers with emotional depth and layered mysteries, this is one to add to your list.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

This was a surprising read following a 2003 high school class that got an assignment that changed the trajectory of their life. Twenty years later they receive their Dear Future me letters seemingly harmless they changed the present . Unexpectedly thrilling ,a premise so good it’s remarkable and characters unforgettable. I look forward to reading more books by the author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of Dear Future Me by Deborah O’Connor.

This one was a slow burn—but I genuinely enjoyed the story. The concept hooked me right away: a mysterious app allows people to send messages to their future selves, but what happens when your future self warns you to stay away from someone you’re falling for? That setup alone gave me chills!

O’Connor builds tension gradually, layering in suspense, emotional weight, and a bit of romantic intrigue. While the pacing was slower than expected, I appreciated the deeper character work and the ethical questions the story raises. If you like speculative thrillers with a psychological twist, this one’s worth checking out!

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the review copy!
Deborah O’Connor’s latest novel takes a deceptively simple premise—letters written to one’s future self—and builds a layered, slow-burning thriller around it. The story unfolds across dual timelines, gradually revealing long-buried truths with a measured pace that rewards patience. While the shifting points of view occasionally interrupt the momentum, the emotional depth of the characters, especially Audrey, keeps the narrative grounded. O’Connor does an excellent job exploring how people evolve (or don’t) over time, and how secrets, even well-intentioned ones, can haunt us. The final act delivers a satisfying blend of resolution and emotional weight, making the journey well worth it.