A solid and atmospheric thriller involving a young mother returning to the place that haunts her lost memories. She’s invited to a memorial of her late friend Lanie, at the same remote cabin where tragedy struck ten years ago. Her intoxication that tragic night was speckled with chilling glimpses of truth to Lanie’s demise, but mostly a hazy and unreliable blur that made her friends ridicule or shame her.

The beginning and middle felt a bit superficial, with lots of fluff that could use an edit. The last third picked up in suspense, twists, depth of characters and writing. There were some challenges in distinguishing characters with heavy “he said/she said” hypothetical gossip. I would have loved to have seen edits in this type of dialogue and increases in actual observations. The ending left me confused without a clear answer.

It’s a 3.5 stars rounded up, as it feels rusty but has promise. I would read more from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bonnie Traymore and BooksGoSocial for this advanced readers copy.

📚: The Unforgetting by Bonnie Traymore
⭐️: 4/5

A secluded house in the mountains. A questionable death 10 years ago. A reunion of the remaining college friends. And a fragmented memory of that awful night that’s starting to become clear all these years later.

Reagan and her friends chose to believe that their friend, Lanie’s death was a tragic accident. But what happens if it turns out that it’s anything but that?

This read had me hooked from the prologue. One twist had my jaw on the ground - another was a bit predictable - but with an overall ending I didn’t guess or fully see coming. I appreciated the new mother/motherhood subplot angle and found it gave Reagan the dimension needed as a character.

Big thanks to BooksGoSocial via @netgalley - and @bonnietraymore (!) - for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Unforgetting is out now!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In Bonnie Traymore's "The Unforgetting" Reagan, a young woman in the throws of postpartum depression, Reagan can't forget what happened at a booze-filled party almost a decade ago. Will the mysterious death that occurred in the past threaten her happy marriage to Matt, Reagan's husband?

"The Unforgetting" delves into themes of memory, trauma, and identity. Traymore explores the ways in which the past can shape and haunt the present, as well as the resilience of the human spirit.

Traymore's writing is elegant and suspenseful, a perfect balance for a psychological thriller. Her prose is vivid and evocative, drawing the reader into the shadowy corners of Reagan's world. The pacing is impeccable, with each chapter leaving you eager to uncover the next piece of the puzzle.

"The Unforgetting" is a gripping and emotionally resonant novel. Bonnie Traymore has crafted a story that is as intellectually stimulating as it is thrilling, making it a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.

This book is a testament to the power of the human mind to remember, forget, and ultimately heal.

A postpartum mom, Reagan, starts to regain forgotten memories of a horrible incident that happened in college. When she's invited back to the "scene of the crime", more of those memories start to resurface, bringing to light what actually happened vs what she's been told. Suspenseful with a welcoming plot twist. I went into this book expecting more of a fast paced read based on previous works by the author but this book took it's time and dragged out all of the truths til the end!

This was a good fast thriller that kept me guessing on what is going on and who was the killer. I did guess the twist before it happened. Parts of it was slow moving and didn't contribute to the story but over all I enjoyed this book.

I really enjoyed this one. It was hard to put down. It kept me wanting more. The characters are amazing! And I love the title and the story line. Such an amazing book! I flew threw this book.

I thought I knew what was happening and had guessed the ending. I thought wrong. There were at least 3 times where I thought I had figured it out only to be swept away with what had actually happened.

The only thing I noticed was a light typo where it said Helen's mother instead of Ella's mother on page 86 in Chapter 15. Other than the that, the writing was fanatastic, the plot line twisty and the characters were all so grey instead of straight up good or bad which was like a breath of fresh air.

This book had me completely hooked in the first 5 pages! So many twists and turns, right until the end. At several points I thought maybe I was losing my mind too. And while I had a lot of guesses during reading, I never actually figured out the mystery myself. Such a page turner and highly recommend!

The Unforgetting by Bonnie Traymore is a gripping thriller that explores secrets, guilt and memory. This story also discusses postpartum depression, so if that is triggering to anyone, be aware.
After a wild party at a cabin in the Adirondacks Lanie Martin is discovered at the bottom of a ravine, her neck broken from what looks like a fall. Before the core group of friends call the police, Ella convinces Reagan to not say anything about what she may have seen to the cops. With their stories coordinated Ella and Reagan clean up the evidence of the party and the police deemed the death an accident. Now years later Reagan is struggling with postpartum depression and fragments of that harrowing night are coming to the service. When Ella invites her and the others to a 10-year reunion at the cabin, will Reagan's memories reveal what truly happened at night?
This story was a great read. Perfectly balanced with tension and deceit, I was hooked early on. I liked the dual POV between Ella and Reagan and how it shows that perceptions can change depending on the circumstance.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bonnie Traymore and BooksGoSocial for this ARC. Expected release date is February 11th 2025.

Bonnie Traymore's books always keep me hooked, the twist and turns were shocking and I was kept guessing throughout!

★★★

<i>”Secrets are dangerous, and they never die. They live on, as long as the people who harbor them. And sometimes even longer than that.”</i>

A college graduation party in the Adirondack Mountains ends in tragedy when one of the graduates is found dead. Ten years later, the remaining friends reunite at the place that changed their lives forever.

Told from two POVs—Ella’s and Reagan’s—we quickly realize that not everything is as it seems. Lanie, the girl whose life was cut short at the party, had plenty of secrets, some worth killing for.

Ella, whose wealthy family hosted the ill-fated party, appears to have moved on. She’s successful in her family’s real estate business, married, and a mother of two. Then and now, she has a lot to lose—and it seems she may have omitted a few key details when she gave her police interview.

Reagan, on the other hand, overindulged that night and only remembers fragments. She struggled in the aftermath and now suffers from postpartum depression. Her pregnancy and hormonal changes seem to have triggered buried memories, and she is determined to uncover what really happened to Lanie.

History begins to repeat itself when another member of the group disappears in the midst of a storm and is later found dead. Could the killer be one of them?

I love a good locked-room mystery, and the setting was perfect. The mystery itself was well-executed, but I struggled to connect with the characters.

Reagan was clearly grappling with her new role as a mother while still haunted by her friend's death. She often seemed to be putting on a facade, making it difficult to truly understand or empathize with her.

Similarly, although we hear directly from Ella, her narration felt distant—almost as if we were experiencing her story secondhand. Perhaps this was intentional, but to me, the characters could have been developed more deeply.

I did enjoy the epilogue—it left the reader with a lingering sense of uncertainty and tension, proving that not all stories tie up neatly.

Thank you NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and Bonnie Traymore for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Out next week, The Unforgetting is a memory-loss thriller, or rather a memory-regain one! The book is tense and builds a solid feeling of inevitability at each stage of remembering.

So, what is it about? There’s a college graduation party that gets out of hand. The main protagonist, Reagan, gets totally wasted and can barely remember what happened. But what happened was Lanie Martin ended up dead.

The book builds on this by following a reunion of the core group of friends. This is supposedly to pay tribute to Lanie, but there’s a strong undercurrent that there’s an ulterior motive. Reagan has to assemble what she knows about her college group to try and understand who might be a danger to her, and assembling her memory by revisiting the site of the party is crucial to understanding her friends.

I really enjoyed following along with Reagan’s story and the writing style allowed me to care about what was going on. There was definitely a snowballing of tension and action that increased my reading speed along with the desire to discover the ending. There were small details in each chapter that added texture to the scene and helped you feel like you were somehow there in the moment.

One of the best compliments I can give is that when I think back to the occurences in the book, I can really see them. I can picture the woods, the cabin, and the ravine so clearly!

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
The day after a wild college graduation celebration, a group of friends discovered Lanie Martin at the bottom of a ravine, her neck broken from a tragic fall. Before they made the decision to contact the authorities, they cleaned up the aftermath of the party at Ella’s cabin in the Adirondacks. They coordinated their stories, with Ella pleading with Reagan not to reveal what she had witnessed. She maintained it was an accident, and everyone agreed. Reagan had been heavily intoxicated that night, leaving her with significant gaps in her memory. However, now that she’s in a postpartum phase, fragments of that night are resurfacing, and she can’t shake the feeling that they might be linked to the overwhelming depression she’s been facing. Is it guilt, or does she hold more knowledge than she realizes? When Ella invites her to a ten-year reunion at her family camp—a gathering meant for remembrance and healing—Reagan feels compelled to attend. Could the memories she’s trying to piece together be the key to her moving forward?

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
The Unforgetting explores deep-seated secrets, guilt, the tricky nature of memory, and the struggles of postpartum depression (just a heads up for trigger warnings). The story unfolds through the eyes of both Reagan and Ella. Reagan is on a quest to piece together her memories, while Ella is determined to keep any secrets hidden. Throughout the book, I found myself questioning why this group of friends even stuck together, which I think is part of what the author intended. It also shows how perspectives can shift based on different circumstances, leaving you unsure of who to trust. The ending caught me off guard, but I was definitely satisfied with it. Overall, I’d rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Thank You @Netgalley and @BooksGoSocial for allowing me to review this ARC.

The Unforgetting by Bonnie Traymore is a quick-read psychological thriller with some thrilling elements and some hidden secrets.
It was a good book in general, the characters were mysterious and questionable, and the secrets were bold and deep but it felt like a book I already read many times.
This is one of those stories that break your heart, where hopes and dreams are crushed in pieces.

There are secrets Reagan buried in her mind, secrets even she doesn't know about. And it's safe... But they say anything can trigger your brain and unlock hidden memories... they were right... the 10-year anniversary of the tragic death of their friend Lanie is the start of the events that Reagan locked away in her mind...

Thank you, NetGalley for this copy!

I loved the pacing of this thriller. It begins like a lowbrun and you have time to get to know the character and dive inte her problems. The last third picked up the pace and ended nicely with a good twist. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Unforgetting: A Psychological Thriller" by Bonnie Traymore is an intriguing book that blends mystery with psychological insight. The book overall has its highs and lows, and it kept me interested most of the time. I generally couldn't wait to read it everyday and see what was going to happen. All of the characters were well developed and I felt like I knew them and their stories. While the investigative elements were engaging, some sections felt a bit slow or overly detailed. I really enjoyed the form of writing, it was easy to read and follow - sometimes giving the feeling of sitting with a friend telling me a story. Sometimes I did feel like too much fluff was added and unnecessary . I found myself skimming through parts because I didn't need the information. Elements that may trigger some readers include murder, drinking/drugs, and suicide.
A solid read for those interested in crime-solving and suspense, I give this book 3/5 stars..

Bonnie Traymore has a unique writing style that I really enjoy. This is my second book of hers and enjoyed it very much. I look forward to more of her books. The way she makes you think you have it figured out, then twists the story in another direction only to twist it again!! I definitely didn’t see this ending coming no matter how much I thought I did!
Thank you NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and especially Bonnie Traymore for this eARC.

Book Review: The Unforgetting by Bonnie Traymore

Bonnie Traymore’s The Unforgetting is a psychological thriller that delves into long-buried secrets, guilt, and the unreliability of memory. The story follows Reagan, a new mother struggling with postpartum depression, who begins to recall fragments of a tragic night from her past—the night her friend Lanie died. Though ruled an accident at the time, the events leading up to Lanie’s fall were quickly covered up by Reagan and her friends, leaving questions unanswered. When she’s invited back to the scene of the tragedy for a ten-year reunion, Reagan can’t shake the feeling that the past isn’t finished with her.

The novel effectively captures the claustrophobic nature of guilt, especially when combined with the overwhelming exhaustion and emotional turmoil of new motherhood. Reagan’s unreliable memory adds a layer of suspense, making it unclear whether she’s uncovering the truth or succumbing to paranoia. While the pacing slows at times, particularly in the middle, the final stretch delivers satisfying twists that bring the mystery full circle.

Fans of thrillers with a slow-burning tension and complex emotional undercurrents will appreciate The Unforgetting. Though some reveals may feel familiar to seasoned readers of the genre, Traymore crafts a gripping atmosphere that keeps you engaged until the end.

Reagan is struggling with postpartum depression. A few weeks ago, she had what she calls an “incident,” where she mixed stuff she shouldn’t have and nearly died. While she has a strong support system in her mom and husband, her fragile mental state makes her incredibly vulnerable. Her struggles, however, are nothing new—she’s always been prone to mental illness (though she refuses to use that term). As a college student, she used alcohol and drugs to drown her anxiety. Ten years ago, one of her friends died in what was ruled an accident. Since Reagan was, in her words, “high as a kite,” she doesn’t remember much of that night, but she knows she saw things. When her friend Ella invites her to commemorate their old friend’s death with the surviving members of the group, Reagan says yes.

The gathering is a typical case of “why are these people even friends to begin with?”—because honestly, they aren’t good friends to each other. And it’s not a “we’ve changed too much over the years” thing; they were already pretty terrible friends even ten years ago. I really enjoyed getting inside the minds of Ella and Reagan, one of them afraid the truth will come out, while the other battles with her mind, trying to find out what’s true and what’s not. As is often the case in thrillers written by women, the men are awful (I swear, some authors must use these books as therapy! 😅), and I do wish we’d learned more about Matt, Reagan’s husband.

I can’t give away the ending because it would spoil things, but the resolution is both satisfying and frustrating—because yes, it *can* be both.

Reagan is invited back to her friend Ella’s cabin a decade after their big blowout party that ended with the death of their best friend, Lanie. Ella’s asked their whole gang to return for a small memorial for Lanie and so everyone can catch up. Most of that night was a blur for Reagan, who was drunk and high and only remembers bits and pieces ever since. But more has started to come back for her since giving birth to her son and she feels that returning to the cabin may help her remember what happened and quelch any lingering suspicions. Because she thinks there was more to Lanie’s death than an accidental fall. But the question is, will she be able to handle the truth of what happened that night?

The narrative is from the point of view of both Reagan and Ella, although there’s not too much revealed to the reader that Reagan isn’t aware of. Just vague snippets of dialogue from Ella to others that make you suspicious of her intentions and how much she knows. Reagan is the typical unreliable narrator due to her state of mind that night and how she constantly doubts herself about whether she really saw that, heard that, etc. It gets a bit repetitive. Plus, she suffered from postpartum depression, and everyone treats her like she has serious mental issues that make her unreliable. You’d think she had schizophrenia rather than anxiety and depression. The characters never really apologize for their treatment of her mental health, either. It's not a big surprise, they are all liars and terrible people anyway.

Some of the twists are good but you may see them coming. And there’s a big unanswered question which isn’t terrible, but was just odd, like the author couldn’t decide how to resolve it. But the story flowed easily and kept me interested and engaged. Based on this book, I’d read more by this author.