Forget Me Not: A Novel

Not yet published: Expected Aug 26, 2025

A pulse-pounding new Southern thriller from the author of the runaway bestseller A Flicker in the Dark.

Twenty-two years ago, Claire Campbell’s older sister, Natalie, disappeared shortly after her eighteenth birthday. Days later, her blood was found in a car, a man was arrested, and the case was swiftly closed. In the decades since, Claire has attempted to forget her traumatic past by moving to the city and climbing the ranks as an investigative journalist... until an unexpected call from her father forces her to come back home and face it all anew.

With the entire summer now looming ahead—a summer spent with nothing to do in her childhood home, with her estranged mother—Claire decides on a whim to accept a seasonal job at Galloway Farm, a muscadine vineyard in coastal South Carolina less than an hour away from where she grew up. At first glance, Galloway is an idyllic escape for Claire. A scenic retreat full of slow-paced nostalgia, as well as a place where her sister seemed truly happy in that last summer before she vanished, it feels like the perfect plan to pass the time. However, as soon as Claire starts to settle in, she stumbles across an old diary written by one of the vineyard's owners, and what at first seems like a story of young rebellion and love turns into something much more sinister as it begins to describe details of various unsolved crimes. As the days stretch on, Claire finds herself becoming more and more secluded as she starts to obsess over the diary's contents… as well as the lingering feeling that her own sister's disappearance may be somehow tied to it all.

Galloway was supposed to be a place to help her move forward, but instead, Claire quickly finds herself immersed in her own dark and dangerous past.

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368 pages

Average rating: 9.33

3 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Anonymous
Jun 25, 2025
8/10 stars
Forget Me Not is my third book by Stacy Willingham, and she continues to prove why she’s become a must-read author on my shelf. This story pulled me in from the start, but it’s the last 20% that really blew me away—packed with twist after twist - I couldn’t stop reading!

This book dives deep into family secrets, the bond (and complexity) of sisterly love, and the haunting consequences of past trauma. At its heart, it's a story about brave women—some broken, some fierce, all layered and real. Willingham also weaves in an unsettling undercurrent of danger, exploring how men can lurk at the edges of women’s lives, especially those seen as vulnerable—whether they’re lonely, grieving, or living under the control of overbearing parents.

Willingham has such a gift for writing suspense that’s not just twisty, but also deeply emotional. Her characters feel human, and the stakes always hit hard. I truly couldn’t put this one down and can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Highly recommend for fans of emotional thrillers with depth and heart!

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC in exhange for my honest review.
StephanieT
Jun 26, 2025
10/10 stars
Forget Me Not is a masterclass in psychological suspense. From the moment Clare arrives at the eerie Hallway Farm, the tension ratchets up and doesn’t let go. Willingham creates a claustrophobic, anxiety-inducing atmosphere that made it nearly impossible for me to put this book down. I was constantly on edge, afraid for Clare and desperate to know what would happen next. The pacing is tight and relentless, and the sense of dread builds with each chapter, making this one of the most emotionally intense thrillers I’ve read in a while. I read the ebook ARC in tandem with the audiobook, and the voice performances by Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker added even more depth to the experience. They skillfully brought out the emotional tension and unease, amplifying the suspense and making the characters feel even more real. The audio production heightened the overall impact of the story and made the dread even more palpable. I’ve read one of Willingham’s previous novels and enjoyed it, but Forget Me Not hit even harder. The rural setting, the psychological unraveling, the uncertainty of who to trust—all of it combined to keep me completely gripped. The twists are smart, the characters layered, and the writing sharp and immersive. If you're looking for a thriller that will get under your skin and make your heart race, this is it. Highly recommended for fans of dark, twisty reads with an undercurrent of fear that doesn’t let up. Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for ARC/ALC.
@thekimlewis
Jun 25, 2025
10/10 stars
This book gave me all the same feels as "Flicker in the Dark" and I loved it. The end was a little bit predictable but not at the same time! The story follows Claire, who has reached a fork in the road with her career and life. She goes back home but finds herself trying to feel closer to her murdered sister. Overall, this was a great book, and Stacy Willingham is a one click buy author for me!!

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