Definitely a page turner! This story is told from two points of view - Charlotte and Elle. They are linked together by an inconceivable act allegedly executed by Elle's father that essentially leaves Elle an orphan and in the foster care system. Unbeknownst to Charlotte, Elle befriends her with the objective of finding out the truth about her father - was he guilty or innocent? As an aside this book touches on issues of high school mean girls, the foster care system and mental illness.

Really enjoyed this book and would love to read more by its author!

This was such an unusual book but a fantastic entertaining read. Why unusual? The author manages to blend really real, often raw characters, very flawed with a plot that flips you upside down with its reveals. It is so worth the wait as I did have moments of wondering where the "darker' element was coming into play. The only reason this didn't get five stars as I think some of that darker edge could have been slipped in earlier in the book. Teasing the reader a bit more.

I have not read this author before but absolutely will again. The way the characters are developed through the novel is great and I got that sense of satisfaction that a reader gets when you can connect with them. The book raised different emotions and thoughts in me also. I think this is a fabulous book for a book club as discussion could be really lively on this one.

It is night, its dark with heavy raining pelting down and a stranger knocks on your door. Do you let them in? It could alter your life forever. That's where the story begins. Where it ends is a whole other matter. You may or may not see it coming (I did have an inkling but still loved the surprises and twists). The book tackles some important social issues too, I won't mention them here as they will spoil things for you but I liked the way the author weaved those in. Go in with an open mind, this wasn't exactly what I imagined it to be like but it certainly did not disappoint.

A recommended read from me. It will appeal to both psychological thriller fans especially those who love damaged goods characters. 4 stars from me. I really enjoyed this one.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy of What We Forgot to Bury. All opinions are my own and totally unbiased.

Dark Pasts, secrets, and lies, it's a blurry line between reality and deceit in Marin Montgomery's new thriller, What We Forgot to Bury. The book starts off with a look into the past and then jumps forward to modern day where the intertwining of lives from different sides of the track never ceases to be cliche. With a fast-moving plot that makes you question every motive and every decision, you can't help but turn that page. Each chapter leaves you asking, "What happens next?" Right up to the very end, leaving you guessing what the whole story is and who the deceitful character truly is. I never even saw the end coming.


I was hooked right from the beginning of the book and stayed on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it, but all-in-all the story was on the side of lacking. Within the first couple of chapters I really questioned what the two character arcs were playing at. Why did we need both these characters and their stories, what did they mean to each other? I think their meeting, which was made to look like chance, but wasn't, took a little longer than I wanted it to, and then when it did happen it left more questions than answers. Charlotte is described as this timid, super spooked, always looking over her shoulder person (which you never really get to know why), but then she just lets an absolute stranger into her house and her life, over and over again….who does that? You really start to pull for Elizabeth throughout the story though. She's had a rough life: her parents are non-existent, foster care is well, less than great (and totally stereotypically described), and of course, she becomes a product of the system (problems at home, school, now she's pregnant with a deadbeat boyfriends baby who no longer wants anything to do with her). It's not surprising that she doesn't even question her father's strange request to find the truth and takes it one step further, befriending Charlotte, even though it's pretty obvious right away that she is in over her head.

The ideas were definitely there, but the characters were under-developed and there was so much lying and betrayal happening at one time and so many overlying parts to the story that it was hard to keep everything straight, leading to multiple WTF moments. I had a hard time staying focused on the large chunks of dialogue. I had to keep going back to fish out who was saying what to whom, and it was choppy at best. Pair that with the lacking character backstory and it left me feeling like I had missed some part of the book. I felt like a big part of the story was missing. The triangle between Charlotte, Lauren and Noah always felt like there should have been more, giant pieces of the puzzle in their stories and backgrounds were missing, but I also felt that way about Charlotte as a whole--timid and scared but also openly trusting of strangers. Noah is never around, but it always gets cheerily explained away? As the story goes on you start to see that Charlotte is incredibly psychotic, although you never really see how bad until the end, but you also never get the story on what led her to that point; even when she flashes back in memory, she never actually describes the full recollection or her breaking point. There were a lot of little hints dropped on strange instances but then they were just completely forgotten about, making you wonder what their purpose really was (when Noah spotted the car out front and then no one thought about it again, or why did Lauren just randomly show up at Charlotte's house and let herself in?) If I could change one thing about this book it would be Charlotte, or maybe the characters as a whole. The one thing I truly can't get over is how underdeveloped their personal stories seem.

Overall, I was truly engaged from the beginning in trying to figure out the story, which was pleasantly surprised since this book was given to me specifically for an honest review by NetGalley, and I had never read anything from the author, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Because nothing was ever as it seemed, and there was a power of mystery and drama to every planned step, I couldn't stop reading it. The storyline was readable and interesting, but the twists and turns sometimes overpowered the actual story, taking away from what was there and left it lacking. I loved that it hooked me right away, but hated that it left me wanting so much more. It's a tough one to give stars to, and honestly, I enjoyed the read, but not sure I would rank it highly enough to recommend to others.

Not sure if it was the book or my insomnia, but this book kept me up the last two nights! Holy twisted and conniving people. Not sure if there was really any character in this book that I actually liked.

Elle's had a very rough upbringing, but she has possibly found a way to fix it. She finds Charlotte in her gated community and befriends her to sneakily get information out of her.

The first 60% of this book is definitely a mystery and I couldn't put it down. However, around 60% of the book, it became too drawn out with too much drama/saga which I wasn't a fan of. A lot of the book is about the rough life of a child living in the broken foster system. I understand the problems in foster care, but this wasn't what I was intending to read. For me, I think this book could have been cut down by 50 pages.

The end is crazy and I didn't see any of it coming. Wow!

With that being said, I would love to rate this book five stars, but the long drama was not my thing. Thus I knocked this book down to four stars.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a surprising read and I actually enjoyed it !!

The book begins with Elle's father in prison and she is placed in the foster care system owning to the death of her mother. Elle's father, Jonathan, continuously claims his innocence, and between the two of them they decide to try to free him by finding evidence, which involves her going to the so called victim, Charlotte's house..

Charlotte is a woman who is running from the past and Elle is a teenager searching for the truth from the past to free her dad. Both parties are hiding secrets from each other. and its tough to judge who is guilty and who is not.

I enjoyed the story with all its twists and surprises but the only thing I didn't really understand is the title. I just felt that at the end of it all readers will still wonder What we forgot to bury?

Congrats on your new book release Marin, and thank you again for an early copy. You were so sweet to think of me! If you guys remember, back in December 2019 I had posted a review for another one of Marin’s books. Just like The House Without A Key, I found myself pleasantly surprised with What We Forgot To Bury. It’s told from the perspectives of two people: Elle, who is “just another teen in the foster care system” and Charlotte, a woman with a tragic story and a huge distrust of people. The two ladies meet in what seems a random way, Elle seeking shelter in a storm. But Elle chose Charlotte’s house for a reason. Elle’s father is in prison and it’s all Charlotte’s fault. Her father has led Elle to believe that Charlotte faked what happened to her, and that none of it was his fault. Elle will do anything to prove her father’s innocence and it starts with getting Charlotte to open up about what happened. Pretty soon after a bunch of events occur (and finding out they’re both pregnant!) between the two of them Elle ends up staying with Charlotte and her husband Noah. Noah’s away on business, as usual. Charlotte and Elle both become suspicious of each other and towards the end of the book, BAM! Plot twist! I knew something was up with Charlotte’s mental state but man… I did not see that twist coming! I had to stand up and pace around my room. I couldn’t believe what I just read. There were no clues leading up to it, I couldn’t wrap my head around it at all!! I’m happy with the way Elle turned around for her child and stuck up for herself when the baby daddy didn’t want the responsibility. I also adore the name she chose. My heart was broken for a little while considering what happened to Charlotte (who I felt like I related to somewhat) but that raised my spirits a lot. If you’re looking for a book that will surprise you, whose ending you do not expect, pick up a copy of this today. I thought I had put the puzzle together, I really did, but it seems I didn’t have all the pieces. If you pick up this book, I wish you luck in piecing it together.

Overall, this book was okay. I found it hard to relate to any of the characters and frankly I wanted to shake a few of them. No one was particularly likable or sympathetic, even the main characters of Elle and Charlotte.

Elle is a foster kid living with Diane, who is only in it for the monthly stipend. The book opens with Elle's memory of the day her father was arrested, and as the book begins, we learn that Elle's father claims he is not guilty of the crime he is incarcerated for, and he asks Elle to find "her" and get her to admit the truth. So Elle turns up on the doorstep of Charlotte (the accuser) and begins a scheme to become a part of Charlotte's life in hope of discovering the truth. Elle waffles several times between believing her father's claims and feeling sorry for Charlotte because she was a victim of Elle's father's violent temper, even if he didn't do the deed that landed him in prison. Are you confused? Because I was, too. Meanwhile Elle is dealing with an unintended pregnancy, a high school bully, and a budding friendship with Charlotte that vacillates between trusting and suspicious. And then there's Charlotte, who is clearly suffering from mental illness yet has moments of clarity that enable her to form a nefarious plan concerning Elle and her baby. In the end, the guilty party is not who we have been led to believe, which I found to be a nice twist, and there is a somewhat happy yet realistic ending.

The writing style is easy to read and follow, and the author does a great job of dropping hints and keeping up with the details.I would recommend it for a good beach read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so good! It tells the story of 17-year old Elle and 30-something Charlotte, two women who start as strangers but whose lives are undeniably linked. Elle is on a mission to vindicate her incarcerated father while Charlotte leads a seemingly-normal life in the suburbs. Both have secrets and ghosts that will come to light.

What follows is a thriller of epic proportions that had me on the edge of my seat and unable to put it down! I enjoyed the characters of Elle and Charlotte and found them sympathetic despite their faults. The twists and turns were original and unpredictable.

I would absolutely recommend this book to any fan of thrillers and/or domestic dramas.

this book tells the story of two damaged women with many secrets. who is telling the thruth, and how many unreliable narrators do we have? at one point a series of typos with the wrong names on it confused things for me but i think they were typos since they never got mentioned again. I liked this book, ending was wrapped up a bit too quickly, could have been developed a bit more and with more info beforehand but overall i liked it a lot

Told alternately by Charlotte and Elle, this is a tale about a young woman's hunt for revenge. Elle's a teen who has been living on the edge for years. She was living with her mother when her father went to prison for abusing Charlotte. Then she ended up in the foster care system. Charlotte has remade her life and things look pretty good but she's never talked about her first marriage. Elle turns up on her doorstep, the two of them circle one another, and well, no spoilers. It's a fast read that is nicely plotted and written. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

Wow! This was a powerful piece. I was so pleasantly surprised to receive this advanced copy, the description caught my attention and I love the cover.

It sounded like your typical domestic thriller, but honestly, this one took me on quite a psychological ride. We hear from two narrators. First, we have Elle Laughlin, or is it Elizabeth Randall? Elle hasn't had an easy life, her father was put in jail when Elle was 6 and her mother died not long after. Then, she was put into the foster care system, a system that often doesn't really care about the children or their "caregivers." She's just about 18 now and during her visits to her father, he has always insisted on his innocence. And now he wants her help proving his innocence.

That's where Charlotte Coburn comes into the picture. Charlotte is the woman responsible for putting Elle's father away. Charlotte is a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of Elle's father, a "temper" Elle herself has witnessed and experienced. And because of these tragic events in Charlotte's life, she's a fragile person. She's paranoid and excessively cautious about the people she lets into her life. Which is why she almost doesn't answer the door during a tornado warning. But, seeing a sopping-wet teenager on her doorstep, she can't just leave her out in the squall. So, she let's her in.

And this is where the confusion starts. It's EARLY in the book that you'll find yourself second-guessing everything each women believes or claims. I couldn't decide who was lying or if anyone WAS lying throughout the entirety of the book. You'll read it with a constant sense of anticipation and confusion. And it will keep pulling you back in to try to solve it.

The book climaxes with twists and turns I honestly didn't see coming. Montgomery's writing certainly captures your attention and draws you in. Similar to the other domestic thrillers out that we all devour, this has enough drama, anticipation, and confusion to keep you involved and engaged.

Ele (Elizabeth Randall's) dad is in prison for the supposed crime of pushing his pregnant girlfriend down the stairs 10 years ago when Ele was 7. Charlotte Colburn is the ex girlfriend who lost her baby in the fall. When Ele and Charlotte's worlds collide due to Ele's dad pushing her to seek revenge from Charlotte both of their worlds veer off target. Charlotte loses sleep and has difficulty teaching her online college classes. Ele who also lives in a dysfunctional foster home loses sleep, doesn't have food to eat, skips school and becomes pregnant from her high school boyfriend. The chapters move quickly and back and forth through alternate viewpoints of both Ele and Charlotte. Just when you think one of them has figured out something another lie pops up and suspense keeps building as Ele desperately wants to find out the truth from Charlotte and Charlotte wants revenge from an old childhood friend and to become pregnant herself. The characters aren't really likable except Ele and you are rooting for her to escape her dysfunction , free her innocent father and get on with her life. This book is hard to put down as you keep reading in hopes that Ele will get what she wants.

What We Forgot to Bury by Marin Montgomery is a highly recommended psychological thriller.

Due to a dark incident in her past, Charlotte Coburn doesn't trust anyone and is overly cautious about everything so when a teenager, Elle, knocks at her door during a severe storm, she is hesitant to help the girl. But the girl is clearly soaked through and the storm is severe, so she relents and allows the girl to enter her home. While Elle seems to be a typical friendly teen who truly just needed a place to shelter, that's not the truth. Elle chose Charlotte's house on purpose and planned the whole meeting. Elle's father is in prison and he blames Charlotte's lies for his unjust incarceration and claims she is the one who ruined Elle's family.

As the plot unfolds through the alternating points-of-view of Charlotte and Elle, both of them are unreliable narrators and both of them have their own dark schemes that require having a relationship with the other. Readers will catch both characters in lies and deceptions. It is unclear if you can trust either of them over anything. With both characters basically unlikable, what will keep you reading is trying to figure out the long con, what do each of the characters have planned have planned for the other. The characters are well-developed, but you won't know what you can trust, especially with Charlotte.

The back and forth narrative will hold your attention simple due to the calculating and duplicitous behavior you know is going on but is left unspoken. While the novel does run on a little long and could be tightened up, it is still engaging. There are so many actions the characters take that will have you asking, "Why? That doesn't make sense." This alone kept me reading. I didn't suspect, however, where the ending would go until we were there. The final denouement is a little over the top, but What We Forgot to Bury is entertaining.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer.
The review will be posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I enjoyed the narration change throughout the book. I always enjoy thrillers from this publisher, it's an automatic request! I was not disappointed. I wish the characters were developed more but the story was addicting nonetheless.

I really tried to like this book, but felt the characters and story weren't enough. The characters weren't fleshed out and not enough back-story was given. It was quite repetitive and about 100 pages too long. Those extra pages could have given more to Johnathan and the triangle he created with Charlotte and Noah not to mention Lauren. I can suspend belief a little but there were too many coincidences and not one likeable character to root for. Not a satisfying read, for me, and I never connected with any of the characters so there was no investment in the outcome.

This was the first book I have read by Marin Montgomery but it will certainly NOT be the last. I absolutely loved this book.

In What We Forgot to bury everyone has secrets. This is a story of love, lust, jealousy, redemption and forgiveness. It was a truly thrilling read that kept me guessing right until the end. Will you be able to tell who is lying? Who is guilty? They sure had me fooled!

The chapters alter in narration between Charlotte and Elle. Charlotte has a tragic and dark past. Elle is a teen who has been tragically let down by the system.

For years the character's have been weaving webs of lies, lies that have already cost lives and may cost them even more. There is so much I want to say about this book but I dont want to risk giving ANYTHING away!!

If you are looking for a true page turner or a book that isnt predictable I highly recommend that you give this book a try. I promise that you will not be disappointed.


I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.