Forget Me Not, written by Stacy Willingham and read by Karissa Vacker, is a tense, atmospheric thriller I couldn't stop listening to. Willingham is a favorite author of mine and Vacker is a favorite narrator, so I had high hopes when I hit "play." But they're both so talented, I'm not at all surprised that my hopes were met and exceeded! Perfect story to hold my attention and the perfect pairing of character with narrator. Highly recommend!!!!

I love a Stacy Willingham story. They’re usually a fairly straightforward mystery/thiller that has the ability to hold your attention and make you genuinely care for the female protagonist. In the case of Forget Me Not, readers follow Claire Campbell who has recently returned to her home town twenty-two years after the disappearance of her sister, and started a summer gig at Galloway Farm. While there, she finds an old diary belonging to one of the caretakers, whose entries quickly turn dark. an the diary help her solve the disappearance of her sister?

This novel is a rather formulaic thriller so while it’s not the most original plot, it’s still a fun, quick read that will keep you guessing “who dun it”. Incredibly well-paced and thought out. One big thing I always enjoy about Willingham’s novels, this one being no exception, is the atmosphere. In Forget Me Not, you can see the sprawling vines, taste the muscadine grapes, and feel the suffocating heat of a summer spent in the South.

I really enjoyed my experience with the audiobook with narration by Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker. It brought not only the main character to life but the diary entries felt much more visceral. Would strongly recommend it.

Though is wasn't my favorite story of hers, it is definitely one worth reading, especially if you have enjoyed the writing, characters, and stories from her previous novels. Thank you Macmillan Audio for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available Aug 26 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Claire returns to her hometown decades after her sister’s disappearance—not to investigate, but to run from her own problems. But when she takes a job at a local vineyard and discovers a decades-old diary filled with secrets and strange details about unsolved crimes, the past starts closing in fast. What was supposed to be an escape becomes something much more dangerous.

What I liked:
– The Southern vineyard setting was rich and atmospheric.
– The mystery kept me guessing for a long time—I loved that ride.
– Twists hit hard (more than once!).
– Loved the layered family dynamics and the way grief shaped the story.
– Did an immersive read (eARC + audio) and thought the audio version added great depth.
– Subtle foreshadowing and breadcrumb clues really worked.

What didn’t quite work for me:
– The core mystery doesn’t really kick off until later in the book.
– A few small threads were left hanging—nothing huge, just things my nosy brain wanted answers to.
– The “undercover journalist” angle felt a bit tired, though it served the story.

Overall, this is a slow-burn, character-driven mystery with a strong emotional core and some seriously chilling moments. Willingham’s storytelling pulled me in and didn’t let go—definitely recommend if you like mysteries with family secrets and slow-building suspense.


Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a twist! This book held me captivated to the very end. The ending was completely unexpected. There was one loose end I still cant figure out - her mom. Overall, a gripping read.

Absolutely loved this book. The author is awesome. The plot was very interesting, even though I did figure out some of it early on. I enjoyed the mystery of the plot and I liked how it all ended together.

I like to listen to audiobooks in my car bc I have a long commute. Narrators can make or break a book for me, really quickly. The narrator was FANTASTIC! She kept the book moving and “played” the emotions of the story perfectly.

After leaving her job, Clare was forced into a visit with her estranged mother. Ever since Clare’s sister went missing, assumed murdered, years earlier Clare steered clear of her home town. Finding some old pictures and an overheard phone conversation pushed Clare to go out to the last place her sister worked before her disappearance. On a whim Clare takes a job there for the summer. A job, that unravels a decades old mystery and uncovers more missing girls.

This book kept me going back for more. There were a few twists that I didn’t see coming!

This was good!

I was constantly trying to figure out where the story was going. Willingham writes a great mystery!

The audio format was great! The narrator does a good job with the different characters to make it clear who is talking. Would recommend the audio.

I was trying to write a summary, but so much stuff is happening that makes it too long. Just add this to your TBR!😂

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book.

I have given all of Stacy Willingham's books 4 stars and this one is no different. This was very haunting and atmospheric. It did start out as a bit of a slow burn and I had an inkling where it was headed, but it still gripped me until the very end. The narrators (Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker) did an amazing job reading this story.

Very good! Unique and interesting. There were parts that were a bit far-fetched, but I thought it was good none-the-less. Writing could've been crisper. I did read this in a couple days, due to the pace -- great pace.

This book was very well done! I originally gave it 4 stars, but I’m bumping it up to 4.5 since I’m still thinking about it days later. Bravo to the author and narrators! I was hooked from the start. I figured some of it out on my own, but there were definitely twists I wasn’t expecting! I really enjoy Stacy Willingham’s writing. The inclusion of the diary was a super intriguing. Like Claire, I was obsessed with the contents! My curiosity really kept me engaged. If you’re interested in a Southern thriller with dual timelines and a great mystery to be solved, this is a great read! I highly recommend the audio. I was right back in the south with Claire trying to uncover what really happened to her sister. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with this ALC for an honest review. I highly recommend this one for my thriller friends!

This is exactly the thriller I was looking for! Journalist Claire find herself back in her childhood home for the first time in 15 years. 2 decades after her sisters disappearance she still feels like something was off about the case.

Theres a few twists and turns and moments that will make you say “wait what?!” Along the way. But overall what a good read!

This was exactly what I was looking for!! What an amazing story. I really enjoyed the narration on this one!! I already read the book, but the audio was SUPERB.

This book gave me everything I love in a slow-burn mystery. The setting of Galloway Farm was so dreamy and atmospheric at first, but the deeper into the story I got, the more it started to feel off. In the best way. Like you know when a place is too quiet? If you like emotional mysteries with a side of Southern Gothic, lost girls, and just a touch of danger, definitely add this to your TBR. I’ll be thinking about the ending for a while.

Great book! Really keeps you engaged. Some comedy relief is on point too. I would definitely suggest this to my friends that love mysteries. 4 stars!

This is the mystery/thriller of my dreams! I was hooked from the start! I caught myself trying to piece it together and I was wrong every single time. And when the twists started twisting they didn’t stop! When she learned that her sister was only her half sister… 😳 and then finding out who her sister’s father was… 😳 I think the last chunk my jaw did not leave the floor! I thought I was going to be able to guess what was going to happen and that wasn’t the case and that is one of the reasons I loved this so much! No one wants something boring and predictable. The narration was too tier!! Overall a fantastic read!

This was my first book by this author, but will absolutely not be my last!

The writing in this had me completely immersed in the story. It was haunting and atmospheric, a general sense of unease running through me the entire time I was reading. The way everything was described (sights, sounds, etc) created such an incredible backdrop for this slow-burn mystery.

I highly recommend doing the audio (or an immersive read) because Karissa Acker does a phenomenal job bringing this story to life through the eyes of Claire. I could feel every emotion she was going through in the story as if I were there - my heart rate actually sky rocketed at one point.

The addition of the diary entries from Marcia added another layer to the story and I found myself trying to piece together the past in the same way Claire was. I thought it was interesting the author chose to make those scenes 3rd person at first, but I actually think that really worked with this story and helped with the mystery.

If you're looking for an eerie, immersive thriller that you can easily sit down and binge in one sitting - definitely add this one to your tbr!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and netgalley for this early copy!

Just finished and arc listening to audiobook of Forget Me Not, was really good id give it 4.5 stars, lots of twists and turns Claire after 22 years starts looking into what really happened to her sister Natalie, lots of unexpected things and people linked to it…was pretty good book comes out August 2025

The new Stacy Willingham book, "Forget Me Not" was a thrill ride from the first page. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing this story to life.

If you need a break from all the summer romances, dive into this 22-year-old murder mystery filled with secrets, heartache & agony.

I just love this author. I also loved that this takes place in my home state!! There’s a great amount of suspense and eeriness mixed with the mystery of it all. This gave serious cult vibes. I was very intrigued about what was happening on this farm area and where did these girls go missing to. I really enjoyed the main character and her determination. She has struggles but she really perseveres. I also liked Liam and her male co worker.

The journal entries held me in a vice tho. Flipping back to them was so good! I wanted to know that whole story. It did feel like being told a story rather than reading a journal entry. Perhaps because of the 3rd person pov that was used. Maybe to add more depth? Which it did! But it was an odd choice if it’s supposed to be a journal entry. Nevertheless, I enjoyed those chapters. I also loved that the narrator changed her voice for the diff parts. She adds to the characters to make them pop and really define them more. Using two narrators was great for the pov change too.

I liked how the events unfolded in this story. Definitely didn’t see them playing out the way they did. I think in the end some things were kind of puzzling to me, like I’m not sure they’d be 100% legit in the real world. But that’s ok. It’s fiction. I still loved the story.