Rachel Howzell Hall has a way with words. She spins them like delicate silk. They’re art. It felt like reading a piano score. Sometimes I went up, sometimes down, sometimes around. But it all made sense in the end. This thumping pulse of a thriller packed such a punch, I really had no idea where this would be going, I could only guess. The characters were deep, etched finely into my memory. I could picture them off the page, could picture their interactions in real life. This was a really awesome thriller and I am a new fan of the author.

These Toxic Things is the seventh novel by American author, Rachel Howzell Hall. Twenty-four-year-old Michaela Lambert is a digital archaeologist for the Memory Bank, and her latest client is Nadia Denham. Nadia’s Memory Bank will be a digital collection of those things she holds most dear, together with their background stories.

Nadia owns Beautiful Things Curiosities Shoppe, located in a run-down little plaza next to a diner, a locksmith, a hair salon, a boarded-up bar and a carpark that harbours a collection of somewhat derelict RVs. Real-estate developer, Peter Weller is keen to get his hands on the plaza but, to his annoyance, the remaining four shop-owners are standing their ground, despite some underhand tactics.

At their first meeting, Mickie’s new client has arrayed her precious keepsakes on a table with notes for each item detailing when and where it was acquired, and from whom. But before they get together for a more thorough discussion, Nadia is found dead, an apparent suicide, something that sits completely at odds with Mickie’s impression of an enthusiastic woman eager to digitise her memories for her own future reference.

Mickie’s boss insists she go ahead with the project, for which he has been paid, but she has to endure the chagrin and disdain of the store manager, Riley. The items and their backstories are quite intriguing, although Mickie notes that they all seem to have come from desperate women, some of whom later met with nasty ends.

Meanwhile, Mickie’s personal life is in upheaval: creepy notes under her door; threatening texts ordering her to stop what she is doing; a car tailing her home; and a weirdo confronting her in a café. Luckily, she has a very supportive family with police connections, and some good friends. She’s a smart girl, shares whatever concerns her and listens to their sound advice and observations.

While her ex-boyfriend (inconveniently also her boss) is not quite off the scene, Nadia’s rather dishy son seems interested, and interesting. But Mickie is being careful: there’s some nutjob out there grabbing young women and killing them, and no way is she going to add to the list of victims.

Howzell Hall gives the reader a story that is cleverly plotted with several red herrings and a chilling twist. This is a tale that may have us considering where we perceive personal danger lies. Her characters are believable and Mickie’s family and friends are so appealing that many will envy her relationship with them.

It is certainly refreshing to have a protagonist who is fairly security conscious, one who doesn’t assume she’ll be OK but, instead, lets people where she’s going and when to expect her back, who doesn’t go and investigate a strange noise on her own but calls for help. The Magic 8 Ball predictions as section headings is a cute touch. Another brilliant crime fiction read that puts Howzell Hall firmly on the Must Read list.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer.

These Toxic Things by Rachel Howzell Hall is a modern day thriller which had the premise of a cracking plot for a suspense filled thriller, sadly it didn’t grab me as much as I thought it would.
In short, Mickie Lambert, a digital archaeologist, has been tasked to curate curio shop owner Nadia Denham’s peculiar objets d’art but after only meeting her once Nadia is found dead of an apparent suicide. Mickie continues to honour Nadia last wish and soon discovers that there is a dark past and discovering the truth means crossing paths with a serial killer.
I think I was expecting a fast, taut, action packed page turner, however, unfortunately it was all just too slow and the writing cumbersome. Such a shame because I’ve too have read and enjoyed previous books by Rachel but not this one.
Big thanks to Rachel Howzell Hall, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.

Rachel Howzell Hall is hardly an unfamiliar name if you enjoy a good mystery – but her latest, These Toxic Things, shows she’s only just begun to show readers what she can do.

Michaela – Micky – Lambert works as a digital archaeologist, creating virtual treasure troves that showcase her clients’ memories and treasured keepsakes, personally investigating and curating origin stories and contextual information. She’s on the outs with her boss-turned-boyfriend, her newest client has unexpectedly died, and now she’s receiving notes – someone is stalking her, and she’s starting to wonder if there’s anyone she can truly trust.

This was such a fun and thrilling book! Rachel Howzell Hall writes such realistic and relatable characters, and Micky Lambert is the perfect flawed heroine. Whether she’s indulging at brunch with a friend, or turning an investigative and analytical eye on her clients’ memories, she’s the kind of person you instantly want to root for. Family is at the heart of her world, and refreshingly, she’s not afraid to turn to them – there’s no “mysteries” solvable with a simple conversation here, and Micky clues her parents in to the situation at a completely reasonable stage. It’s an approach that reinforces the realism of the novel, and I appreciate an author willing to put the effort in to make that work.

The mysteries that thread through the story, too, are just so beautifully and carefully crafted. The author had me positively glued to the page, torn between wanting to race through to the end and find out what was going on, and drawing the book out longer to keep from having to let it go too soon. It’s the best kind of dilemma a writer can induce, and Rachel Howzell Hall really managed balancing tension with enough breathing space to keep it all from becoming too much.

These Toxic Things is another excellent book in the author’s body of work, one that makes me very excited to see what she’ll do next.

Mickie Lambert is a digital archaeologist working in Los Angeles who creates digital scrapbooks for clients. The Memory Book's newest client is Nadia Denham, owner of a shop called Beautiful Things. After meeting Nadia for the first time, Mickie starts curating her peculiar objects: a music box, a hair clip when she gets the news that Nadia is dead of an apparent suicide. Mickie is determined to finish the memory book for the family but starts getting anonymous messages to leave Nadia’s past alone. Mickie's curiosity about the previous owners of these odd items drives her to continue her quest for the truth. But Mickie is not ready to believe the shocking link to several missing women and the truth behind Nadia's son Dexter and her assistant Riley. Another set of secrets closer to home and her family also rocks Mickie's world.

I wanted to like this book but Mickie's character was a turn-off. She acted like a whiny, spoiled sulking teenager instead of a young professional woman. The book has an interesting premise and started off well but the middle of the story went on too long. I figured out the main culprits in the end and was left unsatisfied.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

Lots of secrets, lots of creepiness. This book started out with a very interesting premise - The Memory Bank. I was expecting something a little different than the way the story then progressed. There actually seemed to be two or three plot lines going at the same time plus Mickie's messy romantic life (which could have been left out - it was more of a distraction than adding anything interesting to the book)

The characters were interesting and descriptions were well done. The book did seem to drag for me in the middle - it could have easily been shortened by about 100 pages IMO. The suspense and buildup was slow but good, leading to some surprises at the end. I had guessed the identity of a killer thanks to some oh-so-obvious clues, but the author had more surprises up her sleeve to make this a satisfying suspense read.

Thank you, author, publisher, and author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book started with a BANG! That was one of the best first chapters ever! But then it slowed down. After that first chapter, this was a disappointment. A lot felt repetitive! The characters were okay too.

I loved the concept of digital scrapbooking. It was quite original. When I first started reading, I enjoyed reading Mickie's stories for Nadia's items. The items linked to cold cases, and I was intrigued. But then it got tedious to remember each detail and link it to Mickie's research. The sub-plots included a serial killer and a lot of stalking. I enjoyed that bit!

The end was confusing for me, and I had to reread some parts. It was forgetful too. I forgot who the killer was in two days. But that is on me and not the story.

My first by this author and I have to say I found it something of a curate’s egg: good in parts. A great beginning but by mid-way I felt it had lost steam and some of its early promise. Not sure about the added value of the photos/sketches - they tended to distract more than anything. And it was just too long. (This is beginning to sound like a critique of a PowerPoint presentation at a conference).
So not a stellar read but it wasn’t at all bad. Sorry if this sounds ambiguous but it sums up my feelings on this one. Hasn’t put me off reading more of this author’s work though!
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't sure about this book when I first started reading it. The story seemed to be jumping all over the place and without a clear focus on what the main thread was going to be. But it became more coherent quite quickly and I was absolutely engrossed to the last page. Mickie is a unique character with a really interesting back story that is revealed slowly. The suspense factor is well done as it's just constantly there in the background. I ended up staying up late to finish it because I had to know how everything resolved and tied together.

And, as a side note, I learned that my impression of Los Angeles as a place of eternal sunshine was totally wrong!

I really enjoyed the plot of this book and loved the mixed media element describing the aritifacts. I thought this book had a unique. modern and cool premise.

These Toxic Things by Rachel Howzell Hall is a meh thriller if there ever was one.

I flew through it (as you do with most thrillers), but guessed the big twist in the first quarter of the book. There were also some noticeable contrived plot devices-one of the biggest creators of tension was that the main character simply refused to set her alarm system. I find it hard to believe that a 20-something living in a major city who is receiving threatening messages and believes someone may have entered her apartment multiple times doesn’t change her forgetful alarm setting habits. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I was also highly distracted by the continuous rain in Los Angeles that occurred. Does LA have a big winter rainy season that my East Coast self is unaware of?! Overall too many distracting moments and too much predictability for me, BUT I picked it up because it’s tooted as one of the big thrillers for the fall, so perhaps I’m in the minority on this one.

This is an unusual story, there are many lines of mystery running along and all of them converge near the end which is surprising. Rachel H. Hall has a unique and different way of putting her story together and is not afraid to shout out her beliefs and difficulties lived as a person of color, which may put off some readers but it did not do it for me. What I really loved was the idea of having digital memories, the concept present is fascinating, and probably somewhere, someone is putting or has put this idea into practice. Mickie has certainly dug more than she should to build the old lady's memories, her curiosity is the crucial point to all discoveries and traumatic endings. This is not an easy reading as there are always lots of different scenarios and information being thrown at the reader but it was surely enjoyable!

This book was solidly OK. I enjoyed reading it, once you are in it you do want to see how it resolves. For me however, it has some issues that meant it wasn't a great read.

The good stuff:
- Interesting premise for getting involved in a murder mystery.
- Quick moving plot, there is a lot of it, but it doesn't drag.
- An interesting, but solvable mystery where you as the reader have all the needed information.
- Realistic resolution that doesn't require any great suspension of disbelief.

The not so good stuff:
- Protagonist never really develops, she feels like a foil for the story instead of being the star of said story.
- Protagonist is also super clueless despite having a job that should very specifically make her able to collect the information she needs and connect the dots.
- Lots of “very convenient” situations and supporting characters that further the story without having to do heavy lifting.

As mysteries/thrillers go, it was a decent read. Altogether though, only a three-star mystery for me.

I know this is getting glorious reviews and I hope it does well. but at this point in time, it is not for me. I'll pick it up again in a few months and see if it connects

These Toxic Things
A Thriller
by Rachel Howzell Hall
Pub Date 01 Sep 2021 |
Thomas & Mercer, Thomas & Mercer
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers



I am reviewing a copy of These Toxic Things through Thomas &Mercer and Netgalley:

*Not meant for younger readers, but definitely an enjoyable suspenseful read.

The trinkets belonging to a dead woman soon become pieces to a terrifying puzzle.


Mickie Lambert creates digital scrapbooks for her clients, in order to ensure her clients souvenirs are never forgotten or lost. After her latest client Nadia Denham, a curio shop owner, dies from an apparent suicide, Mickie honors the old woman’s last wish and begins curating her peculiar objets d’art. A music box, a hair clip, a key chain twelve mementos in all that must have meant so much to Nadia, who collected them on her flea market scavenges across the country.





But these tokens did not only mean a lot to Nadia, they mean a lot to someone else too. Mickie has been receiving threatening messages to leave Nadia’s past alone.



Mickie becomes driven to solve this mystery. She wants to find out who once owned these old treasures. How did Nadia really come to possess them? Discovering the truth means crossing paths with a long-dormant serial killer and navigating the secrets of a sinister past. One that might, Mickie fears, be inescapably entwined with her own.


I give These Toxic Things Four out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This book had me HOOKED from the very first page. This might be my favorite Rachel Howzell Hall book - I devoured it.

In southern California, a serial killer lurks. Mickie Lambert creates digital scrapbooks for clients, and one of her projects may be leading her face to face with evil. When one of Mickie's newest clients mysteriously dies, Mickie is on a mission to finish capturing her "memories" and finishing the job she started. Unfortunately for her, someone else is after these "memories" - Mickie starts receiving threatening texts and notes and is somehow on a journey she never intended to be on.

THroughout the book, you don't quite know who to trust - who is good and safe, who may be dangerous. This book is an absolute page turner for anyone who likes thrillers, family secrets and serial killers.

First September read! Unpopular opinion alert… this one just didn’t do it for me! The beginning sucked me in RIGHT AWAY and I thought “oh this is going to be amazing!”, however I was a big let down. For me there were too many characters to try and keep straight. I kept getting confused on who was who and which timeline we were on. I didn’t like the main character and I wasn’t interested in her sex life throughout the book. I also felt like we were dealing with two separate stories that were thrown into the same book. It’s like neither one had anything to do with the other. Just all around a very strange take on the book. While some of it did keep me engaged and wanting to know more, the book just fell short for me. I also figured out who the bad guy was pretty early on and that never happens! Lol if you’ve read this book I’d love to know your thoughts! 3/5⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas&Mercer for access to Rachel Howzell Hall's newest book, These Toxic Things. I read They All Fall Down by this author 2-3 years ago for a mystery book club and recall enjoying the plot and the discussion we had about the characters. I feel similarly about this book, it would be great for my book club friends and would result in a fascinating discussion about memories and who is in charge of curating our memories, and thus our past and our identity, when we move on or when memory fails us.

The main character does this work, Mickie is a digital scrapbooker and is faced with a complicated mystery when she starts to help scrapbook the life of another woman who has recently passed via self harm. Nadia was an antique store owner and clearly the items that mattered to her are somehow tied to a complicated, maybe criminal or murderous, past

It must be a fascinating job, digital scrapbooking someone's life, memories, identity... I found this idea to be really engaging and enjoyed thinking about this job as I read the book. This is definitely more of a slow burn suspense book than a fast paced thriller but I think this suits the premise of cataloging memories and identity, it can't be done quickly and uncovering connections via someone's personal artifacts should and would take time,

Slow Burn Suspense..
Mickie Lambert is a creator of digital scrapbooks. With her latest assignment underway, honouring a dying wish, and objects being collected, Mickie begins to receive strange and threatening messages. What do they mean and why is she on the receiving end? A slow burn suspense with an intriguing premise.

This one was...weird.

I really liked the author's last book, AND THEN SHE WAS GONE, but as other reviewers noted, this book couldn't decide which genre it wanted to be.

I'd call this a pass unless you like your thrillers much more as a slow burn.