Forget Me Not: The Book That Played with My Mind

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There’s something about a psychological thriller that hooks you by the throat and doesn’t let go—and Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham is that book. If you’ve ever searched for a thriller book review, hoping for a story that messes with your mind in the best way, this book blog post is exactly where you need to be. In a genre stacked with fast-paced mystery thrillers and emotionally charged narratives (Verity, The Golden Couple, anything by Colleen Hoover), this one dares to do something more profound. In this book review, I’m diving into the story, the suspense, and the psychological weight that makes Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham an unforgettable read.

Whether you’re scrolling looking for a new favorite thriller to add to your TBR, checking off some boxes to see if you should recommend this one to readers like you, or just browsing for your next obsession, this review might just change the way you think about memory, identity, and truth. So pour a cup, stay awhile, and let’s review this book the way real readers do—honestly, emotionally, and with no regrets.

There’s something about the right psychological thriller that feels like a secret you’re not supposed to know. It builds tension like a storm behind your ribs. It makes you forget the books on your shelf waiting to be read, forget that your tea went cold twenty minutes ago. That’s what Forget Me Not does. This thriller book doesn’t whisper—it haunts.

Title: Forget Me Not

Author: Stacy Willingham

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

Release Date: August 26, 2025

Pages: 368

Star Rating: 5 stars

Spice Rating: 0 chili peppers

A Mosaic of Fear and Obsession

Claire Campbell is our narrator. She’s not just remembering trauma—she’s living inside it. Twenty-two years ago, her sister Natalie disappeared after her eighteenth birthday. There was blood. There was an arrest. And there was the kind of closure that never actually closes anything. Claire did what so many survivors do: she buried the past and built a life on top of it, becoming an investigative journalist, chasing other people’s truths to avoid her own.

But trauma doesn’t stay buried. Not really.

When Claire receives a call from her father, everything fractures. Home is calling. Not for comfort, but confrontation.

What’s brilliant about this mystery thriller is the illusion of quiet. Galloway Farm—where Claire impulsively takes a summer job—feels like an escape at first. A vineyard on the coast of South Carolina, thick with nostalgia and slow mornings. The kind of place you go to forget. But Claire isn’t there to forget. Not really. She’s there to remember—she just doesn’t know it yet.

And then she finds the diary.

Marcia Galloway—wife of vineyard owner Mitchell Galloway—is the original author of this forgotten voice, buried in a vent like something shameful. And her words? They start out tender. Human. But they turn. And suddenly Claire is tangled in stories of unsolved crimes, secrets, and the feeling that what happened to her sister Natalie wasn’t isolated. That maybe Marcia’s truth was the one no one ever asked for.

This is where Willingham’s genius as a thriller author shines. The narrative isn’t linear. It spirals. It breathes. Claire and Marcia’s stories bend toward each other like shadows at dusk—never quite touching until it’s too late to look away. And the entire time, the reader is caught in the eerie overlap of memory, instinct, and unraveling identity.

“I suppose it’s because the dam has finally burst— this house, her room, two decades of pressure steadily building— and now I can’t stop the memories from pummeling through.”

Let’s talk pacing. This is not a book that sprints. It walks you to the edge and dares you to jump. The tension is surgical—clean, precise, deliberate. You don’t realize how deep you are until you try to pull away. Willingham’s writing feels like walking barefoot over glass. Gorgeous. And painful.

There’s a rhythm to it—what I call the psychological thriller lullaby. You start reading, thinking you’ll do a few pages. Suddenly, it’s 2 a.m., your responsibilities are on mute, and you need to know if your instincts are right.

The plot doesn’t just unfold—it lurks like a phantom buzz in the back of your mind. You know something’s off. You just can’t name it. That’s the thrill. The hook. That’s why I read.

Imperfect People, Unbelievable Decisions

Let’s get into character. Because while I was captivated, I was also deeply annoyed by Claire—and I mean that as a compliment.

She’s reckless. She finds what she’s looking for and still pushes further. She puts herself in danger repeatedly—even when she knows better. No phone battery. Miles of vineyard. Suspicious eyes were watching her every move. And still, she walks into it like she’s got something to prove.

And maybe she does. Maybe her recklessness is the point.

Grief makes you impulsive. Guilt makes you brave in ways you shouldn’t be. Claire is believable because she’s flawed. And while it sometimes strains credibility (like, girl… why are you walking into danger like a final girl in a slasher?), it also anchors her in a very real kind of trauma logic. This isn’t a perfect heroine. This is a woman barely holding it together.

And honestly? That’s more compelling than perfection.

“The child in me still starved for affection, a burning thirst that could never be quenched.”

Here’s the thing that stayed with me long after I closed the book: the way Marcia and Natalie’s stories intertwine. It’s subtle at first. You can’t quite connect the dots. But you feel it—like static in the air before a storm. These women are bound by more than place. They’re bound by history. By the silence that surrounds women’s stories. By the way, no one listens until it’s too late.

It’s not just about Natalie. It’s about every woman who’s disappeared, been dismissed, been told she was dramatic, troubled, too much.

This book review isn’t just about a thriller—it’s about the pain women carry and the secrets they’re forced to keep. That’s what elevates Forget Me Not above the noise of every other thriller on your TBR pile. It’s about women remembering what the world tried to erase.

Final Thoughts: This Thriller Book Will Leave You Gutted (In the Best Way)

This is not a cozy mystery. It doesn’t wrap up with a neat little bow. Doesn’t protect you. It challenges you. As a reader, you’re left breathless, eyes wide, heart pounding, grasping for the last few pages, hoping for relief but knowing resolution won’t come easily.

Willingham’s writing is a siren song. She builds psychological thrillers that feel like confessions—dangerous and tender at the same time. Forget Me Not is a standout in a genre flooded with twists that try too hard. This book doesn’t need shock to thrill you. It uses emotion like a weapon.

It reminds you that not all ghosts are dead. Some are still walking. Some are still waiting.

If you loved:

• Verity by Colleen Hoover
• The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
• None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

You’ll devour this. Forget Me Not releases August 26, 2025. Don’t forget to shop your local indie bookstore!

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