Shocked by something that occurred during a video call between childhood best friends, Molly and Liza, Liza drove all through the night to check on her friend. But, instead of receiving the warm greeting she'd expected, her friend practically slams the door in her face. What is happening? Why is Molly distancing herself from Liza and her husband, Daniel? Could she be hiding something? Will Molly be able to reconcile her relationships before it's too late? Forget You Know Me provided an inside look at a troubled marriage while also exploring the hows and whys of secrets kept from loved ones.

While reading this book, I found myself only sporadically interested in the story and the characters, but in the end, the insightful, honest look at the complexity of relationships -- as well as the fabulously dramatic conclusion -- definitely made it worth my time! While lightly suspenseful, this was definitely not a thriller as some other readers have classified it. In my opinion, it would be much better listed as Women's Fiction as the publisher intended.

Location: Chicago, Illinois and Cincinnati, Ohio

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

If you start this book expecting to read a thriller, you may be disappointed. Although there are some thriller aspects in the description, the novel works better as women’s fiction about friendship and life. The strength of the book is realistically portraying the lives and friendship of the two protagonists. Wife and mother Molly’s stressors were depicted so well I started feeling stressed on her behalf. Liza’s career, personal anxieties, and relationship confusion came across authentic as well. Their friendship was realistic. If you are a reader looking to empathize with characters, I would recommend this book but if you are looking for an escape, you may want to look elsewhere.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author Jessica Strawser for an advanced electronic review copy.

Forget You Know Me is the story of a marriage that has hit a plateau with a bit of suspense thrown in. There are secrets on both sides of the marriage, secrets that could destroy the relationship. Jessica Strawser has written a page turning novel that kept me up all hours of the night to finish it!

Forget You Know Me by Jessica Strawser is an interesting read. The story rotates around two best friends and an incident that shakes them badly, severing their friendship. Molly and Liza are friends and have been friends forever. Molly has married to Daniel and still Molly and Liza are besties. Later, Liza moved Chicago to get a grander job and Liza and Molly’s friendship became more distant. But they tried to keep the relationship alive and decided to video chat one day. Their conversation started rather stilted, but began to get freer, when Molly had to go deal with a child. That’s when it happened - the incident…

Sometimes all it takes is one incident and their whole world implodes. Everyone has secrets and everyone has fears. Jessica Strawser has written a story that twists and turns, slowly letting out information about the characters and their daily struggles and secrets. I liked how the story was written. At times I found myself wanting the story to move along, but mostly because I wanted to know what was going to happen. The events with the twists build upon each other. The interesting part was despite the thriller building of the events, there was not really thrilling climax of an event, but more of an wrapping up ending.

Forget You Know Me by Jessica Strawser is an interesting read about friends, families and the secrets.

I greatly enjoyed this novel. This was my first novel by Jessica Strawser. I liked it so much I plan on reading more of her work.
“Forget You Know Me” was a unique novel and is difficult to quantify. It wasn’t about the masked man who entered Molly’s home while she was upstairs tending to the children. Molly’s old friend Liza was the only witness to the arrival of the unknown man, but she wasn’t in a position to fend him off. Liza, at the time, was a two-dimensional image on Molly’s laptop screen. Liza calls the police on Molly’s behalf. The police check out the scene but find no signs of forced entry.
The masked man is a vehicle the author uses to drive the novel forward. FYKM was about love & friendship, & the things we do to keep our friends in our lives. How far will you go to retain the companionship of a good friend? Is “too much” too far to go to keep the friend in your life? Is it better to let them go & move on to a life without them?
These are some of the questions voiced by Ms. Strawser in her novel.
The major characters were vital and genuine. They moved through the storeyline like life-like three-dimensional people. They were human & empathetic. They cried & they bled. Just like you & I.
If the reader is looking to read an action-packed novel with intricate plot twists & manipulative characters, this novel isn’t for you. There wasn’t a whole lot of action. There was instead deeply moving characters living their lives & meeting their personal challenges as best they know how.
If the reader enjoys a novel of contemporary fiction & psychological drama, this novel is worth the read.
Thank you, Net Galley & St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read & review this novel.

Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this novel! I had heard about Jessica Strawser's books, and was excited to land a copy of her latest.

The first few chapters of Forget You Know Me had me hooked...there was a lot of suspense and intrigue toward what may unfold. Molly is home alone with her children when a masked intruder enters the house, and her best friend Liza witnesses his entry, fearing for her best friend's life.

The book centers on the mystery surrounding the masked man's identity, and leaves the reader with many possible theories of who would want to spook or harm Molly. The main plot is interwoven with the emotional repercussions of tested relationships, however the unsolved break-in has a way of repairing some of the relationships between the main characters.

I found the beginning and end of the novel strong and exciting, however I lost interest during parts of the rest of the story. I did enjoy Strawser's strong writing and rich character development. Some of the storyline with Toby left me confused, especially Molly's plot to get involved with her husband's work troubles. Ultimately, the main characters were unlikeable through most of the book. Their thoughts and actions painted them as selfish - this made it hard to sympathize with their troubles.

Overall, an entertaining and satisfying read!

Don't start this book with the belief that it's a psychological suspense novel. It's more of a novel of friendship, marriage and love. That doesn't make it any less of a fantastic book with some very interesting situations.

Liza and Molly have been friends their entire lives. The friendship has diminished since Liza has moved to Chicago and Molly still lives in Indiana with her husband and two children in what appears to be a very unhappy marriage. They decide to Skype one evening while Molly's husband is out of town. When Molly goes to check on one of her children, Liza sees a masked man come in Molly's back door and panics. Only one thing is certain: Molly needs her. Liza drives all night to be at Molly’s side—but when she arrives, the reception is icy, leaving Liza baffled and hurt. She knows there’s no denying what she saw. Only one thing is certain: Molly needs her. Liza drives all night to be at Molly’s side—but when she arrives, the reception is icy, leaving Liza baffled and hurt. She knows there’s no denying what she saw. This event makes them both realize that their friendship is basically over even though they miss each other. Will they be able to connect as friends again or is their childhood friendship over?

This was an intriguing look at long term friends and their attempt to remain friends despite major changes in their lives. I especially liked Liza and the way that she looked at her life. Molly was a bit more difficult to connect with because she and her life were such a mess. Overall, it was an enjoyable look at friendship and love.


Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGallery, the publisher and author, Jessica Strawer, for the opportunity to read and review the arc of “Forget You Know Me.” This my honest review and opinions.
Though I did enjoy the book, I had a hard time following the storyline. It felt disjointed and somewhat unfinished. I started the book thinking I was going to be reading a thriller with some romance... the opening scene grabbed me and I was hooked. But, nothing really continues with this scene.
With that being said, this book is more about relationships and deception. It did keep me intrigued enough to keep reading it to the end. I could not decide what the ending was going to be even though I had several scenarios going on in my head.
I did enjoy the book and recommend you read it.

Liza and Molly have been friends since forever. Liza moves away and has a life altering happening in her life. The happenings in their lives draw them far apart. Molly gets married and over the years her marriage is falling apart with secrets they each harbor. In the end will the girls repair their friendship and will Molly be able to repair her marriage.

I was invited to read and review this book; my thanks go to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press.

The story unfolds with a Skype date between besties Liza, who lives in Chicago, and Molly, who remains in Cincinnati where both of them grew up. Molly excuses herself for a moment and leaves the laptop with the camera on; through the camera, Liza sees a masked man come into the house. The connection is cut, and Molly doesn’t respond to Liza’s frantic cell calls to see if she has been harmed. Yet when Liza and a friend drive all through the night to race to the rescue, Molly gives Liza the cold shoulder, not even inviting her in. It is almost as if Molly has told Liza to forget she even knows her.

The premise is a good one, but the title is a problem. It sets up an expectation of a thriller, which this book isn’t. Even lamer, it is based on a quote that nobody actually even says. Moving on.

As we move deeper into character, we see what each of them is dealing with. Liza is lonely and dissatisfied. A tragedy closer to her own home plays out while she is still in the car returning from Cincinnati, and she is shaken by it. Meanwhile, Molly has an autoimmune condition that creates chronic pain, and we learn that because she uses experimental pain treatments, she is deep in debt to a predatory lender. She doesn’t want to tell her husband Daniel what she has done; meanwhile, she is developing a close bond with the male neighbor whose daughter plays with hers. He is a widower, and easy to talk to. At some point, she has to choose whether to remain in her marriage or step away and try again with this other guy.

I enjoy Liza’s character. She’s sassy, smart, and hopeful; I enjoy seeing her interact with her family once she is near them again. I also like Daniel, the spouse in Molly’s troubled marriage. Molly, on the other hand, is a pill, but I am not sure the author intends her to be. We see a lot of the challenges that chronic pain presents, but do we want to? Some that experience chronic pain in their own lives may find some validation here; some of us with chronic pain issues read fiction to escape it, and we don’t necessarily need this reminder.

Ultimately, this is more of a relationship story, and what little mystery it contains—the guy in the mask—is hardly even part of it, and his identity proves to be more fizzle than pop. I suspect this story might receive more accolades of it were titled and marketed as a romance or even just straight fiction. However, Strawser has made a name for herself with psychological mysteries—which I enjoyed a good deal also—and by sticking to her brand, she may see some good sales. The question is whether her readers will still be receptive once they read it.

I hate to be the wet blanket here, because Strawser is a capable writer. I look forward to seeing what she writes next.
This book comes out February 5, and I recommend it to Strawser’s fans, but get it free or cheap unless your pockets are deep.

This book was completely engrossing. From the first pages, I was totally hooked and wondering how things would play out. The characters were all really intriguing too and the way their lives intersected was truly genius writing.

The friendships in this book were so good. I loved the two old friends were reconnecting via video chat. But I also really loved that true to real life even though they stayed in touch nothing was the same as it was before. Marriage, kids, work...everything changes things. The suspense in this story was also amazing. Nothing was as it seemed - but then again it was. And I was truly surprised at how things turned out.

I thought the themes in this book were so good. Chronic pain, financial issues, marriage, motherhood... It was full of real issues that were very relatable. I look forward to more books from this author.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

Forget You Know Me is a complex tale of friendship, marriage, and family, and how fragile those relationships are. Liza and Molly are trying rekindle their friendship via Skype, when on the screen there appears a masked intruder! This event sparks a series of unexpected and twisty incidents that impact the lives of Liza and Molly, and ultimately everyone that they love. In this twisted story we see drastic changes in their lives, the beginning of new friendships and the severing of others. I especially loved Liza, her friendship with Max, her reignited relationship with her brother, and a new beginning with Henry. Molly’s life is a lot messier, struggling with pain and secrets.

I'm not quite sure what I just read. It felt like 2, possibly 3, completely different stories that tried to come together. It didn't work for me.

Not at all what I was expecting but an interesting read that held me nonetheless. Let me elaborate, I was expecting my usual preferred fare which is twisty, dark and psychologically thrilling. Although not a particularly pacey book, it does draw you into the lives of Molly and Liza who have been friends for years but have become somewhat distant and disconnected. What happens when they try to reconnect over a video chat causes ripples that will not only change their friendship but their whole lives. More a look into relationships & communication than an out and out thriller and a pretty good one at that. My thanks to St Martin’s press and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Forget You Know Me has a dynamic beginning that makes you think this is a suspenseful thriller. It quickly turns into a contemporary fiction with a dash of mystery. I was honestly digging the thriller beginning and was a bit disappointed that it turned into something else. I had a hard time connecting to the characters. I certainly couldn't connect to some of the decisions they made that caused much of the turmoil in the book.

Two best-friend on a long overdue video chat..... Molly has to leave the room when her daughter cries out for her, and Liza sits there patiently waiting. Then a stranger dressed in black with a black ski mask crosses in front of Molly's computer. Liza screams to alert Molly, and the stranger comes over and silently shuts the computer off.

This book had me from the description. It was completely unlike anything I have read lately, and it was well written and enjoyable. It started off a little slow, but once it picked up I didn't want to put it down. Definitely a must-read!

Forget You Know Me begins like a thriller. Liza is on a video call with her life-long best friend Molly, a desperately needed catch-up after a too-long hiatus. Liza has moved to Chicago and these two who have been in each other’s pockets since childhood have been out of touch. They hardly begin when Molly’s daughter cries for Mommy and Molly takes a moment to tend to her. The call was still connected, so when a masked intruder enters the room, Liza sees him and tells him she is calling the police.

Molly’s response was cold and secretive, so Liza wonders if the intruder is holding her hostage, threatening the children maybe. She immediately drives to Cincinnati to learn the truth. So, you might think this is a thriller, but you would be wrong.

Jessica Strawser’s Forget You Know Me is in many ways similar to her earlier Not That I Could Tell. You start the book thinking it is a suspense novel and finish thinking it is about friendships and marriage. That worked well enough with the first book, but with this one, I felt cheated.

It was bad enough that the introduction promises one kind of book and another is delivered, but this time not one person was someone I really cared about. Well, not true. Liza’s friend Max seems like a good guy, though suspiciously devoted to Liza. Liza’s brother and future sister-in-law seem nice enough, too. The kids are pretty decent. Every other person, though, is unlikable through combinations of self-indulgence, cowardice, and lack of compassion.

Molly suffers from chronic pain. Her husband Daniel is tired of it. Also, he’s doing a half-assed job at work and didn’t catch some problems soon enough, so that has made more trouble for him. The longer he says nothing, the worse the problems get. Molly feels defensive about the burden on her pain on her family. She pursues every quacktastic offer she can find, spending money she doesn’t have. The longer she says nothing, the worse the problems get. The thing is, that is the book over and over and over. People just won’t do the work of honest relationships and then feel baffled their relationships suffer.

I think Strawser is skilled at writing realistic people who are nuanced and understandable. However, this is the second time I have felt her book was a bit of a bait and switch. I need to remember that she writes contemporary stories about relationships, friendships, and marriages and not expect suspense. Then I won’t feel so disappointed.

Forget You Know Me comes out February 5th. I received an e-galley for review from the publisher through NetGalley

Forget You Know Me at St. Martin’s Press
Jessica Strawser author site
Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser

★★★★

The summary for this book would lead one to believe this is a thriller.

The genre attached to it on Goodreads would lead one to believe this is a thriller.

A video call between friends captures a shocking incident no one was supposed to see.

The secrets it exposes threaten to change their lives forever.

Sounds thrillerish, right?

This is not a thriller. This is not even remotely close to a thriller. There is no thrill, there is only domestic nonsense about friends growing apart and marriages cracking.

You know what books I don't read?

Domestic nonsense about friends growing apart and marriages cracking.

There was nothing here for me, and I'm honestly pissed off that the summary led me to believe this was going to be something it wasn't.

While this book is being marketed as a thriller, I’d venture to say it’s more women’s fiction than a thriller. There are some tense parts, but I really think these situations are derived from stress more than the fear of a typical thriller.

Either way, the book kept me interested simply because I just wasn’t really sure where things were going. I loved the idea of someone witnessing a crime via Skype—such an original idea that had a lot of potential.

I did have a hard time relating to Molly, and found myself rolling my eyes every time she talked about her pain. I don’t know if it was the disdain she obviously showed for her husband, but I immediately assumed she was faking most of her ailments to get away from him and her kids. It’s probably just me, but I had that feeling from the get go.

I really liked Liza and the fact that she didn’t take shit from people. She stood up for herself, for the most part, and this factor made her a strong female protagonist in my opinion.


I’m very thankful for the advanced copy from St. Martin’s Press. All thoughts are my own.

“Forget You Know Me” is the 3rd book I’ve read by Jessica Strawser. I think the incorrect label of “thriller” is doing this book a disservice. This is not a thriller; there is an element of mystery throughout but the word “thriller” brings something completely different to mind - I read several reviews prior to requesting this book and adjusted my expectations before reading. While the book begins with a bang, it slows down and gets a little choppy shortly after. About halfway through I found myself getting back into the story. I felt that the characters were all so REAL and relatable. I enjoyed hearing about Molly and Daniel’s relationship from both perspectives; it’s always interesting to get both sides of the story and see how each person’s version of events shapes their overall story. This is a character driven novel and one that I enjoyed. I will continue to read new releases by this author!