Ruby is married to Tom, and has recently moved to an area he chose. She watched her mother being abused by her father, who was murdered, and her mother died in jail.
Lily, Ruby's stepdaughter disappeared, and shortly afterwards, Tom disappeared as well.
No one is aware that Ruby was an abused wife.
She is rowing on the lake, when a body literally pops up next to her boat, and is later identified as the body of her husband.
She, of course, is number one suspect for his murder.

This is the first novel I have read by this author, and I am keen to read more.
I was kept guessing for about 70% of the book before I twigged who was responsible for the spate of murders.
However, the book is fast paced, and definitely gripping.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off a little slow, but once I got into it I couldn’t put it down. It had me guessing who the killer was until the moment it is revealed. I’m pretty sure everyone was a suspect to me at one point. Definitely worth reading!

Thank you to NetGalley for this advance copy. Interesting story of an abused woman who's husband shows up dead. Of course she is the primary suspect. But she didn't do it. When her neighbors start to die, who could be the murderer?

Don't forget me was a gripping read. Regularly flipping from then to now, we learnt about the families secrets, with lots of surprises along the way, and a particularly surprising ending.

When a body floats to the surface in an exclusive, gated community, everyone in the community is quick to point fingers as to who did it. But when the body is one of the residents missing husbands, it makes it very easy for everyone to point fingers at the wife. The wife, whose teenage daughter also went missing months prior, casting her mental status into question. As more residents start to be murdered, it becomes clear there's a serial killer that is trying to blame a resident. A twisty, turny murder mystery that doesn't fall too deep into the annoying tropes. Definitely recommend!

Wow! This was a read in one setting kind of book! What a story and how it unraveled will have your head spinning!! You’ll never see the end coming! Buckle up for the ride!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Rea Frey's "Don't Forget Me" introduces readers to an intriguing premise: a woman grappling with the disappearance of her husband and daughter, while also unearthing her own past secrets. Ruby's quest to uncover the truth and find solace amid uncertainty sets the stage for an engaging mystery. The tight-knit community and the murder club's inclusion offer unique dynamics that keep the story intriguing.

The narrative skillfully blends personal struggles with amateur detective work, creating an emotional backdrop for Ruby's journey. Her determination to uncover the reality behind her missing family members is relatable, drawing readers into her perspective. The portrayal of grief and emotional turmoil is palpable and adds depth to Ruby's character.

However, "Don't Forget Me" stumbles in its execution at times. The pacing is uneven, with moments of high tension followed by slower, less engaging passages. The suspense occasionally fizzles due to overwritten internal monologues and repetitive descriptions. This detracts from the story's overall momentum and can make it challenging to maintain engagement.

Characterization, though effective for Ruby, is a mixed bag for other cast members. Some supporting characters lack depth and feel one-dimensional, serving more as plot devices than well-rounded individuals. This weakens the impact of interpersonal relationships and makes it difficult to fully invest in their narratives.

Ruby and her family move to an elite neighborhood and build their dream house. This new area outside of Nashville is suppose to be a fresh start for all of them. But things start to fall apart rather quickly. Both her daughter and husband disappear and the neighbors start looking at her strangely. Then others turn up dead and everything points to Ruby. How can she prove to the police and the neighbors that it isn't her. But everyone has secrets and these secrets don't help her situation at all. Will Ruby be able to keep herself out of prison?
This is a can't put down story. There are more twist and turns than a mountain road.

A solid domestic thriller! With Ruby being an unreliable narrator, I enjoyed the slow revelation of Ruby's past and the Cottage Grove neighbors. The pacing of the story was just right. I feel like I don't know enough about mental health to speak on it. But to be honest, it was the only thing that rubbed me the wrong way. Overall, I really enjoyed this story.

I received this book for free from netgalley. Thanks netgalley and publishers for a chance to read this arc.

I’ve read Rea Frey’s books before and I’ve really enjoyed them, so after reading this description of this book, I knew I had to read this book.

A dead man is found floating in a lake. A neighborhood full of secrets. A few other people get murdered and we are left guessing who’s doing it all while the neighborhood is playing “murder guessing games” for fun.


I couldn’t put it down but mainly because I had to know who was behind all the murders.

This book didn’t blow me away but it did keep me interested and guessing.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Excellent book with interesting characters, and a story full of suspense and twists and turns. The murder club was a great plot device. My favourite character was Daisy. The final twist caught me unawares. Highly recommended.

CRAZY!
Ruby is starting over in a beautiful lake area neighborhood. She is hoping to put her retirement behind her and make new friends. But first her daughter disappears and then her husband. When a body appears in the lake, all the neighbors identify it as her husband Tom. Ruby is resolute, however, that it's not him! What is going on?

Really mind blowing thriller! Will surprise you every step of the way
#Thomas&Mercer #ThomasandMercer #Dontforgetaboutme #ReaFrey

OH MY GOODNESS!
A psychological thriller that had timelines of "Then" and "Now" to truly keep me in suspense while I was anxiously trying to solve the death of a man found in the lake!
Could the killer be as all the neighborhood gossipers believe? The town "thread" on the internet says it is his wife who killed him!
Ironically- guess who actually found the body while out for a calming row? Ruby, his wife.
Really?
Although,that seems to be a simple solution as to the murder, I assure you it certainly is not.
There are twists and turn everywhere and I was genuinely caught in this book!
Rea Frey did a wonderful job at the details of this thriller! I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
Thank you to #NetGalley and to #Thomas and Mercer for this ARC and allowing me to provide my own review.
Well done!

My first from this author, from NetGalley, A very fine easy to read who done it. Three stars. Recommend

Absolutely my type of book here! Ruby was the one of kind character here, without spoilers; I would have done the same as she did. So worth the read.

This was my first novel by the author and it was such an enjoyable one!
Ruby has moved to the country for an early retirement from being an ER nurse, with her husband Tom and daughter Lily. But her troubled daughter disappears, followed soon after by her husband. Deserted by them both, Ruby remains in the tight knit community and even joins a murder club with the neighbours, where they try to solve cold cases. She has a peaceful life, until one day she is out rowing and finds a body in the lake. One that all of her neighbours say is her husband. Everyone except Ruby. 
This one pulled me in from the beginning and the secrets and discoveries along the way kept me turning the pages. The now and then timelines worked so well in this novel and it was another enjoyable one. 4.5*

This was a good book. It kinda seemed to slow down and then everything happened at once at the end. But great story!

Domestic thrillers have become my favorite types of books to read lately and this one hit the mark! I was pulled in from the first page and couldn't read fast enough. I just had to know what was going on & oh my goodness did I LOVE IT!

Ruby is out rowing early one morning and comes across a dead body floating in the like, like anyone would she called the police immediately, and then ends up as the main suspect for a murder. The rest oft he book is written in "then" and "now" while we try to get down to what really happened. There were lots of interesting aspects that were added, like being able to see the neighborhood chat messaging board, and even one of the neighbors having a murder mystery club called "the murderlings" where they try to solve cold cases!

What I liked:
- multiple timelines
- neighborhood messaging board aspect
- murder mystery club

& that twist will have you MIND BLOWN.

Overall this was such a good read & I can't wait to hear more from Rea!

Thank you Netgalley & Thomas & Mercer for an Advanced Reader's Copy!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! The publication date is the 9th January 2024. This is the first book I’ve read from this author and it won’t be the last!

The characters were very well written my favourite character was Ruby as I would always wonder what was going to happen next. I raced through this book it was gripping from the start and everything that a psychological thriller should be don’t take my word for it...read it ! You wont be disappointed. The plot had me constantly guessing, about what would happen next it was definitely a page turner! I enjoyed the twists and turns this book presented. I would definitely read another book by this author as I like her writing style all things domestic suspense.