When Abby Hartmann disappeared, her best friends, Bree and Chelsea, were left reeling with grief and guilt. Twelve years later, her suspected murderer, the serial killer Jon Allan Blue, is about to be executed, and a popular podcast is going to cover his crimes. Chelsea and Bree come together after years of estrangement to tell Abby’s real story, so she isn’t lost again.

I LOVED this book. The title alone was perfect, and McKanna made a lot of excellent points throughout the book about true crime consumers forgetting the victims and glamorizing the killers. This story isn’t a whodunnit serial killer book with twists and turns (though there were some omg - what? moments that added some jolts) - it’s a character-driven tragedy about the complexities of female friendship and sexuality and guilt and the self-destructive side of grief and how society and the media tell girls’ stories for them when they can’t tell their own.

I will say that I didn’t love how Abby’s sections were told in second person - it threw me off a bit - but I’m sure it was done for a good (aka smart writer person) reason, and I’m curious to hear why!

Overall, this was a super impressive debut that had better get a ton of hoopla when it’s released!

“Don’t Forget the Girl”, by Rebecca McKanna is an edgy debut thriller that explores the depths of female friendship. Everyone knows about infamous murderers, but how often are the victims of these crimes remembered? This novel examines the disappearance of Abby Hartmann through the eyes of her best friends, Chelsea and Bree. The story alternates between present day and the past, as well as providing a perspective from each of the girls.

This book was super intense. It was clear that there was so much trauma that the characters were suffering from and trying to hide. The story also keeps you guessing as you find out more information about the potential killer and his motives. There is a ‘podcast’ theme in the story, which I tend to enjoy. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves listening to podcasts like ‘Morbid’.

All psychological conditions and facts mentioned in this book are accurate, which is always satisfying to know when reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of this book.

I thought this book was going to be a fast paced thriller about a girl who went missing and was suspected to be the victim of a serial killer. In reality, it was so much more than that. This suspense novel really didn't have much fast paced action, and instead delivered on character building with some mystery built in. Chelsea and Bree's stories are told from the present, and we get a second person story from Abby back during the year she goes missing. These characters were so well developed, they go from being difficult to root for, to understanding and caring about them. With podcasts and TV specials about serial killers and true crime being so popular, McKanna shows how often the victim is forgotten, and their names never learned. This story of friendship, loss, and maturing really delivers, plus the mystery really had me going too. I really enjoyed how the author had me all over the place trying to figure out who was responsible for Abby as a missing person. This is a story well worth reading, and also has a very satisfying ending that wraps things up well. It is hard to put into words how different and special this suspense novel was, so I highly recommend checking this one out for yourself!

Don't Forget the Girl by Rebecca McKanna
I really enjoyed this book, it was told from the 3 girls POV which I don't mind at all. Easy to read and really kept my interest the whole way through and didn't want to stop. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher and author for this book and allowing me to leave my opinions.

I loved this one. Seriously creepy serial killer vibes. The way this was told was captivating with the different characters and the time frames. It wove this story in a unique way. The characters were wonderful. The story flowed at a perfect pace. Keeps you wondering till the very end. Suspense and sorrow merge in this one.
The one critique I have is that I hated the first person style narrative with the one character being told as “you” instead of “I”
“ you go down the stairs and into the room”
It felt less flowy

Wow, what a story! I read this in a day and could not put it down! Twelve years ago, Abby Hartmann went missing and left behind her 2 best friends, Bree and Chelsea. Estranged since Abby’s disappearance they join forces when the accused Blue is set to be executed and they garner the interest of a popular true crime podcast. I loved the alternating point of views and the flashbacks. There are many important lessons here, one of the main ones being the way the media turns killers into celebrities and how important it is to never forget the girls.

I absolutely LOVED this book and blew through it in a weekend, which is not the norm for me. The author was able to mix a compelling crime story full of twists and turns with criticism of the insensitivity of the true crime boom, without ever being preachy or heavy-handed. But the friendships between this main characters was really the biggest and most touching part — each character felt so real and the dynamics were so authentic. There are also explorations of faith, or potential lack thereof, thar were really compelling. A really, really great book that will stick with me.

Being a fellow midwesterner and living only an hour from Iowa City, this book was so trippy. I constantly found myself saying “I know exactly where that’s at”, “I know what that is”, or “I’ve been there!” I loved the multiple POV’s and really felt like it added to the story of what happened to Abby. The surprising twists were a shock and I really enjoyed the news articles that were always at the end of Abby’s POV.

I did love Abby’s POV but I was not a fan of it being in second person narrative when both Bree and Chelsea’s were in third. It kept throwing me off every time I started to read it. I also felt what happened between Chelsea and Rachel was a little thrown in for no reason. I also wished there was more to the podcast aspect as well.

Overall, I did highly enjoy this thriller and loved that it was based in Iowa. It was a fast paced read that I couldn’t put down.

I wanted to like this one a lot more than I did. It really threw me off to see the constant comparison to actual, real-life serial killers alongside Blue, who was a fictionalized Ted Bundy. The friendship between Bree and Chelsea was an interesting dynamic, and I liked the flashback chapters to Abby, but the story was so...straightforward. I wanted a gasp-worthy twist. I wanted action. I wanted SOMETHING. In the end, this is a book about trauma, friendship, and sexuality.

Really enjoyed this book. A twisty tale of a serial killer and those he leaves behind to pick up the pieces. The book is told via the three main characters different perspectives along 2 timelines. It gave an insight into each of the main characters that the other characters were not privy too. I enjoyed the way the author left breadcrumbs along the way and kept you guessing about what might had or had not happened. Definitely one to read and I look forward to more by this author

This had so many layers that I don't know how to start to describe it. First, I want to applaud this author on tastefully writing on a subject that is hot at the moment. This is about the loss of a friend and how the victim is forgotten about when it involves infamous serial killers. It made me really think about how not only their lives are taken, but the memory of them as well. This also shows the aftermath of their death and how it affects their friends and family. This isn't one that focuses on twists and turns, this focuses on the story alone and although it was depressing and sad, it worked. This was beautifully written and I highly recommend it. Four Stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC.

This was a reallllllly good thriller! Not a lot of twists and turns but it was full of heart and kept me turning the page. I loved the podcast scripts and twitter threads throughout. I also loved the 2nd person POV the author used for Abby. 2nd person is hard to do well, and she nailed it. This isn’t jusf a story about two friends trying to find closure with their friend’s disappearance, but it’s about betrayal, forgiveness, self discovery and friendship. I took one star off because some of the decisions that were made seemed a bit far fetched, but overall I loved it! Highly recommend this one!

This book reminds us that behind every serial killer that we know the name of, there are friends and family of the victims that will never be the same. Bree, Chelsea and Abby are three friends whose lives change when Abby disappears right before a multiple murder at a local sorority. As the lives of Bree and Chelsea go forward, their lives are changed in ways they never realized. Now the execution of the serial killer is close and there might be some closure about their friends death along with a podcast outlining the execution and his victims. Was Abby a victim of his? Will knowing what happened to her change the way they live their lives going forward and offer the long wished for closure?
Thank you to the author and Net Galley for the ARC for my honest review.

My first @netgalley read of 2023, and it was AMAZING.

As a true crime podcast listener, I knew I had to read this book. The story is told in 3 different perspectives and dual timelines, it’s also told by interviews and of course podcast script. At one point I thought something happened, and I had to put the book down and just stare at the wall (turns out I was wrong in my assumption, but that’s besides the point). All I am saying is this book was SO GOOD, I have a feeling this is going to blow up on bookstagram when it’s released in June. MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

I might be in the minority, but I thought Don't Forget the Girl was depressing AF.
It's about the self-loathing and trauma Bree and Chelsea still feel 12 years after the disappearance and murder of their friend Abby. They make bad choices and haven't come to terms with Abby's disappearance.
The supposed killer is set to be executed for a different crime as Abby's body was never found. The execution is the backdrop as both Bree and Chelsea feel they both still need answers from him.
The book is written in the present with Bree and Chelsea, plus in the past with Abby's POV (in 2nd person, which I personally don't care for).
There's a lot to unpack in this book and it deals with female friendships, trauma, society's fascination with serial killers, and sexuality. It's mainly about the character development.

Bree, Chelsea, and Abby are best friends, navigating the minefields that come with friendship as well as their place in the world. Then, Abby disappears. Her body is never found, and her disappearance is quickly overshadowed by the murders of two sorority women by the man suspected of kidnapping and killing Abby. She becomes a footnote in the story, but her life and suspected death loom large over Chelsea and Bree.

Told in alternating points of view, Bree and Chelsea's narratives are in the third person and in the present, while Abby, speaking in the second person, explains the story from the past. Rebecca McKanna casts a critical eye on society's treatment of women as well as society's fascination with crime and murder and sadly, serial killers.

Bree and Chelsea are tough to like, and McKanna takes her time peeling off the layers built by trauma, blame, and self-loathing. Their pain is palpable. Their grief and guilt cut. They never got the chance to talk about the complicated ways that friends love and hurt each other. Their worst moments are frozen in time and subject to scrutiny thanks to a detective's best-selling book about the hunt for the sorority murders and a newly released movie about the serial killer. Sound familiar? McKanna doesn't let true crime fans off the hook, either.

This book is a tough read, but I am glad I stuck with Bree and Chelsea. I cannot wait to see what the author writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Chelsea, Abby, and Bree became friends as kids and ended up at Iowa State together. A serial killer destroys their idyllic college experience taking Abby from them. Her body wasn't found until 12 years later and the killer still isn't taking responsibility on the eve of his execution. The tragedy tore their lives and their friendships apart. Now a podcaster is dedicating her season to investigating the crimes and Chelsea and Bree are drawn back into the investigation and the memories. They have each managed to patch together a life for themselves- but still have a lot of questions and healing to do.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rebecca McKenna and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC!

This was a fast paced, intriguing, compelling thriller. I liked how they gave Abby life instead of just painting her as this poor, sad, murder victim that nobody cares about. Abby felt real and it felt like her friends really cared for her. I also liked how it went back and forth between then and current times, and it really helps you understand Abby's story but everyone's backstory, rather than just what's happening now.

I love this tagline : We never remember the dead girls. We never forget the killers.

That is the premise of this fast moving thriller. An infamous serial killer is about to be put to death and old college friends are desperate to find out if their friend was one of his victims. Bree and Chelsea both have their own secrets to keep and the balance is upset when a popular podcaster comes to town to highlight the execution. Dual timelines give us insight on what happened when the three were best friends many years ago as well as what happened to Abby. If you like stories about serial killers, flashbacks and thrills or just want to read a up and coming author, Don't Forget the Girl is for you! #Sourcebooks #DontforgettheGirl. #RebeccaMcKanna

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Twelve years ago, Abby, a university freshman, disappeared, believed to be a victim of a serial killer. Now, that killer is about to be executed, and her friends Chelsea and Bree are desperate to know if he really killed their friend. The two women, long estranged, have to reunite when a podcast begins covering the killers crimes.

I absolutely loved this book! This a thriller with a lot to say. It’s filled with commentary on female friendship, struggling with sexuality, and what it means to be a true crime consumer. I found myself relating so much to both Chelsea and Bree, and the individual struggles each of them were going through, on their journey to understand their friends death. This book has made it onto my top books of the year list, and I highly recommend.