Great mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I loved the idea of using the memory book to move the story forward. The story could get a little lost in the details at times, which could slow things down, but it contributed to the development of the characters. A solid thriller.

Well this was original! It was about cold cases and had a thriller dynamic but also family oriented with warmth. Kind of the whole pkg. I think I’d like to read more from this author. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a eARC of this wonderfully imaginative mystery. I had heard of this author but had not read books by her, an error I have corrected since reading this offering. If you are looking to read unique intelligent and haunting mysteries, give this author, and this awesome book a read!

This book didn't work for me. I found the characters to be unlikeable. There was also a lot of profanity. I thought the profanity was unnecessary and didn't add anything to the scenes.

Los Angeles twentysomething Mickie Lambert is in the business of preserving people’s memories—taking these objects and turning them into a kind of digital scrapbook. That is just what she is doing when curiosities shop owner and client Nadia Denham is murdered. Mickie is shaken, to say the least, and she can’t help but wonder what these objects really said about Nadia. And what do the objects in her own life reveal about her?

Funnily enough even thought a lot happens in this book I really thought that it was a great slow burner mystery that kept me guessing right to the end.

Filled with tension, suspense and suspicion I was constantly trying to figure out what was going on and who the culprit might be. I was rooting for Mickie throughout and was praying that nothing bad happened to her by the end. I also thought that Howzell Hall conveyed the storyline in a really unique and interesting way, revealing plot twists and important moments of the story bit by bit which just made me keep coming back for more.

Yes I know that people have claimed that Mickie is a tad annoying and self-obsessed but she is supposed to be a modern twenty something and let’s be honest… in this case art does mimic real life!

I was just recently introduced to Rachel Howzell Hall's work, with And Now She's Gone.  And I loved it.  So when I got the chance to read and review this newest one, I grabbed it with both hands.

Mickie Lambert creates “digital scrapbooks” for clients, ensuring that precious souvenirs aren’t forgotten or lost. When her latest client dies from an apparent suicide, Mickie honors the old woman’s last wish and begins curating her peculiar objets d’art. But then Mickey starts receiving threatening messages to leave it all alone, which obviously only piqued her curiosity more.  But will it be her undoing?

These Toxic Things got off to a bang of a start and I was hooked.  But then things started to unravel and ultimately, this one didn't quite do it for me.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Mickie Lambert thinks of herself as a digital archeologist, creating scrapbooks of client's personal items that relatives can enjoy and maps of their memories. But while working with Nadia, a new client, she commits suicide. Determined to finish the project since it's already paid for, Mickie keeps going. But when she starts getting threatening messages and possible break-ins at her home, and people who knew Nadia start to disappear, Mickie starts to wonder if she's taken in more than she can handle.
The book was good, although I predicted the big ending halfway through. I debated writing a few times because I just couldn't stand Mickie. She's spoiled and narcissistic and I couldn't stand how she treated everything her parents owned like it was her own. None of the characters were very relatable to me and I couldn't seem to get into the story.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

This was a very original idea, and I enjoyed the freshness of this novel. This is my first from this author but won’t be my last. While this is a different type of thriller than I’m used to, but the slow burn elements in some of my favorite novels is present and alive. I didn’t, however, care much for Michela.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Mickie creates digital scrapbooks for folks

Nadia, owner of a curio shop, commits suicide and has left instructions for Mickie to maintain an archive of 12 important trinkets.

As Mickie begins her work each object leads to sinister doors.

Someone wants Mickie to stop digging into Nadia's life and will do anything to stop it.

Well the 1st chapter was interesting! Now I'm 25% in and not only am I very bored, I don't even care enough to look up the ending, let alone finish the book. I keep forgetting what I've read because it is just not making a lasting impression. The writing isn't bad, it's just very slow and apparently the story is not for me. Sorry, but I have to DNF.

Super interesting concept but too many subplots and I just could not connect to the characters. This one fell short for me too soon, and although I managed to get through a chunk of it, I never made it to the end.

This book was a bit of a slow burn but I did still enjoy it. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns and loved how it all unfolded. I think lovers of thrillers will enjoy this book.

This was my first book by Rachel Howzell Hall and I have mixed feelings. I liked certain aspects but not others. The plot was unique but the execution/development was lacking. There were too many story lines going on at one time and it became a little confusing. Also, I couldn't really connect with the main character. She was unlikeable and some of her actions implausible. I don't necessarily have to like a MC to enjoy a book but Michaela/Mickie was pretty annoying. The book held my attention though and I feel it did get better as the story progressed. I very much enjoyed the twist at the end. It was clever! **Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer Publishing for my advance reader copy.

Let me start with stating that I like Ms Howzell Hall's writing and the ideas behind her work. I do see the warmness and values she offer. I think that she could write lovely women's fiction.
But unfortunately, the (good) mystery this is not. The authoress spends a lot of time on the unnecessary subplots (like the heroine Mickie's love life, which really goes nowhere with all the men around her), family drama, overcomplicated suspicions (with a very little reasoning behind them), illogical behaviour by the characters...and quite unbelievable end solution.
Honestly, if this was based on Mickie's family only (I love her parents!), I would enjoy the reading more.

Thus was an interesting book but could have used a little bit of work. Everything seemed flat and needed a little spark.

These Toxic Things was fine. Just fine. While these blurb sounded interesting and full of promise, the plot and characters fell flat for me. Maybe I have to pick it up again when I'm in a different headspace. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2022 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2022/01/readers-advisory-announce-2022-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

Mickie was a fantastic main character and like her I was desperate to find out the truth. The final twists I did not expect at all and honestly really really shocked me! Rachel did a fantastic job with this book

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading Rachel Howzell Hall, although of course I'd heard of her previously. This book is completely capable and fine, but perhaps not the strongest title to start with. I'm hoping her other work is a bit better.

The premise is intriguing: Mickie is a young (VERY young, very sheltered, very millennial) woman who works creating digital memory packages. Up until very recently, she has been dating her boss, a B-plot that never really goes anywhere except to toss some emotions, confusion and sex into the mix of Mickie's life. Her new client is Nadia, the owner of a unique curio shop in a dying shopping center where a developer has set his sights on breathing new life into the space by enticing the current shopkeepers to sell up so he can re-envision the space and gentrify it. Mickie only meets Nadia briefly to go over the items and accompanying stories she has selected for her digital scrapbook before the woman dies of an apparent suicide.

Since Mickie's company has already been paid for the project, she moves ahead with it, with the blessing on Nadia's son, who comes on the scene in the aftermath of her death. Of course, as she progresses, she discovers more clues, and gets more and more entangled with the situation. The problem is that Mickie is too immature to handle it. She lives in an apartment behind her parents' well-appointed home, and the apron strings are pretty short. Later in the book, we start to understand why. Prior to that, we have to deal with Mickie basically acting like she's grown but behaving like a child: jumping into casual relationships, partying with her girlfriends, playing at Nancy Drew, and relying on her parents for most everything but trying to maintain her independence.

I think the premise of the novel is great, but the book throws up so many red herrings and packs so much stuff into the story (but still I was able to guess the ending ... sigh) that it's overwhelming. I really wanted to like this, but it didn't help that the character was very "new adult" and kind of a spoiled brat to boot.

Also have a bone to pick with {spoiler} a serial killer making a digital scrapbook of her kills by using a third party company rather than doing it herself. I know she's supposed to have Alzheimer's but come ON.{/spoiler}

Amazing book! Loved this story and highly recommend it! I look forward to more books by this author!