I’m not even sure what I just read. The story felt erratic, the characters were extremely unlikable, and the ending was fast. The book had the potential, but I didn’t enjoy any part of it.

I'm a big fan of reading thrillers that flash back to the past about a possible secret the victim is hiding. There's something special about learning about what actually happened in the past and why it shaped who they are today. That's kind of what I was expecting in Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead.

I was about half right. It flipped back and forth between the present and the past from the point of view of Charlotte Colbert, a London native transplanted to New York City to go to journalism school. She's now a well-respected editor of a paper, engaged to one of the most important people in publishing, and she's made strides with her mental health. One thing still nags her though, she can't quite remember what happened on the night of Scarlet Christmas. She remembers the flash of a knife, she remembers the spreading blood stains, but she can't quite remember why they were there.

The bulk of the book was very entertaining, and I loved getting to know Charlie. I was frustrated by the ending, and felt lead on by something that wasn't even happening. For a no spoiler review, I will refrain from my frustrations, but I will say that it was confusing and felt like I was reading a completely different book.

Frustrations aside, I did enjoy the writing of this book, and I loved Charlie. She was perfectly flawed, and no matter what she did or had done, you wanted to root for her. This book would be rated much lower without her.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

A pretty decent debut novel! I'd classify this as a YA psychological thriller. It has an unreliable narrator and the timeline shifted from now to then. Overall this book kept me entertained and curious throughout, but didn't completely hook me in.

I had originally dnf this book months ago and just recently decided to pick it up again for review. I'm glad I picked it up again!

This is my first book by this author, and I will be looking forward to more! While the beginning was slow for me, the last half saved the book with the page turning twists. Definitely recommend to those who want a good, quick thriller!

This started off a bit slow for my liking, though the "then" aspects were woven in at the best times and done so in a way that made the transitions almost seamless. There was just maybe a bit too much detail added in that bogged it down somewhat, and it took me twice as long to read the first half as it did the second half.

But when this story really hit its stride, it took off like a shot! I was so engrossed in what was happening and trying to figure out the actual events of Scarlet Christmas that I didn't realize it was almost midnight until I'd finished the book with a "Whew!" I was shocked by most of the twists and turns, which I love in these types of books (figuring out some things is inevitable, but IMO, knowing everything before it actually happens on-page is a bit of a let-down, as the "twist" just doesn't hit as effectively at that point), and I just couldn't put it down until I was finished.

3.5 stars for the slow start, rounded up to 4 because that last 25% or so was absolutely page-turning and definitely made me want to read more by this author.

**I received a review copy from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and comments contained within are my own.**

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead was a quick read and an interesting one. I enjoyed the plot and liked having an unreliable narrator. (The protagonist cannot recall what happened the night in question.) The characters, however, were a bit unbelievable to me: Charlie was cold and hard to get to know while some of her friends just seemed unnecessarily over the top. I enjoyed the book but could only give it 3.5 stars as I had trouble believing the characters.

i was not able to read this book. i just couldn’t really get into it. i have to dnf the book because i was not very interested in the story and i just wasn’t enjoying myself unfortunately.

This book is a new to me author as I have discovered my love for psychological thrillers. This one dives into the complexities of trauma and memory, following Charlie, a woman haunted by a traumatic past, as she deals with the consequences of her actions. While frustrating at times, this was a great one for me! Thanks so much for the copy of this for an honest review.

I liked this one, it reminded me of Luckiest Girl Alive. There was just enough reveals to keep me interested although the beginning was slow and took awhile to get going. Told in two timelines, I preferred the past timeline with the events leading up to the "Scarlet Christmas." The present chapters were more about Charlie working through her trauma. I felt for Charlie a lot although I really didn't get her relationship with Tripp, I felt like that subplot could've been left out altogether. The ending tied up everything and didn't leave any major questions unanswered. 3.5 stars.

Jenny Hollander's Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of trauma and memory. The novel follows Charlie, a woman haunted by a traumatic past, as she grapples with the consequences of her actions. While the protagonist can be frustrating at times, the suspenseful plot and dark atmosphere make this a compelling read.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

I must admit that this took me a while to get into. However, once I got into it I was flying through it. I had moments where I didn't know what to believe, which I love in my thrillers. However, since this was told in a dual timeline, there were moments where I was a bit confused. Although this took me on a wild ride of trying to solve the mystery, I felt it was wrapped up too perfectly. This usually tells me that the ending was rushed, which is something I despise in the books I read. Overall, this was okay, nothing groundbreaking for me.

This book was cliche after cliche, and I could not get into it. I found it hard to keep track of the characters, and although the writing was good, I just didn't care about anyone in the book. There was such an emphasis on Charlie being British that I found weird and pointless. I did think the big reveal was clever, however it was past redemption for me by that point. I only finished it in order to review it. Sadly, I won't be recommending this one.

Solidi writing with an interesting and complex plot but was just a bit to loo long to wrap up and I lost interest. The plot twist bomshell 50% in really got me.

While the book attempts to explore deep emotional themes, it ultimately falls short. The writing is occasionally evocative, but the characters feel underdeveloped, and the plot lacks cohesion. The pacing is uneven, making it difficult to stay engaged. Though it shows promise, it doesn't quite live up to expectations.

"Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead" by Jenny Hollander is a gripping exploration of grief and the search for meaning after loss. The novel follows a young woman as she navigates the tumultuous emotions that arise after the death of a loved one. Hollander's writing is both candid and evocative, immersing readers in the protagonist's internal struggles and the complexities of her relationships.

The character development is a highlight, as we see the protagonist grapple with her feelings of anger, confusion, and longing. Hollander does an excellent job of portraying the various ways people cope with grief, offering a nuanced look at how it can both fracture and forge connections.

The pacing is compelling, with a mix of introspective moments and dramatic events that keep readers engaged. Hollander balances heavy themes with moments of levity, making the reading experience both poignant and accessible.

Overall, "Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead" is a heartfelt and thought-provoking novel that will resonate with anyone who has faced loss. It’s a beautifully crafted story that examines the intricacies of forgiveness and the journey toward healing, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. I read this a while ago and forgot to review it, so I don’t remember too many specifics. I do recall not being a fan of some of the writing devices and how information was withheld from the reader. The premise of this was better than the execution, between the slow pace and uninteresting characters.

What if everything you know about the worst night of your life turns out not to be true?

Thank you Minotaur Books, Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me review copies of this book in exchange for an honest review! I was reading this book and decided to DNF it at 64% because I’m not emotionally invested in this story and also because I don’t like the main character or her friends. The main character and her friends are kind of annoying.

* The prologue sets the bait for the rest of the story. Seven years ago and then first chapter is present day
* We follow Charlie (Charlotte) while she works with a therapist to try and figure out what happened during her colleges most terrifying night (scarlet Christmas) which left two students dead and she cannot remember anything from that night. One of the dead girls sister is now coming out with a documentary on the 10 year anniversary that is making Charlie spiral. Can she figure out what happened during that horrible night or was there nothing new to remember?
* I did not like Charlie as a character in the beginning. She definitely grew on me as time went on.
* This book just gave me the ick. I’ve seen too many college parties of dumb and way to drunk kids take a turn bad and this whole book felt like it was right on the cusp of breaking. But I think that was the point. The author did good giving you that constant feeling of doom - some would say anxiety lol. College kids are just soo messy.
* Wow. This book was honestly way better than I imagined it would be. The twists and turns and the ending. It was so good.

The MC Charlotte "Charlie" Colbert is a witness to a horrible event during college, "Scarlet Christmas". Years later another victim of this event plans to make a movie from that real event. New clues of that night come about and Charlie works with her therapist to recount and remember everything she blackout from that day. In this dual timeline novel, we journey through Charlie's POV of "now" and "then" dealing with a traumatic past and reinventing herself.

Easy read and loved the twists. I will say this felt like one big miscommunication trope which made me a little crazy at the end.