Reviews

Don't Forget the Girl by Rebecca McKanna

porshuhhhh's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

troyalty86's review

4.0

I received an ARC of this audiobook! I really enjoyed the narrator and the story. I felt like it was a little longer than it needed to be, but overall it kept me interested! I would recommend it to others :)

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC!

readwkatie's review

4.0

This was one of the better reads that I've had the pleasure of reading courtesy of NetGalley. Something that I really enjoy in books is when the author breaks up the books by either using different characters or different time periods to tell the story. This author did both and it really helped to keep me invested and alert so that I didn't miss anything. Overall, a great book that wasn't just a mystery but dealt with present day issues of both women, though some of the root causes were due to the past trauma, either way - a great read. Would definitely recommend grabbing it on June 20th!

misha_ali's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It's slowly getting less rare to find a book about a male serial killer who obtains notoriety after murdering multiple young women who are almost completely forgotten and frozen in time while the survivors and loved ones seek answers/justice/closure. Every time I find one of these books, I am sad but also delighted because we deserve more media dedicated to the people harmed, the promising young lives cut short by a brutal murderer who gets fame.

This one is particularly complex because it includes complexities about female friendships and religion as well as the serial killer and true crime podcast plotlines. Bree is an adult with self-esteem issues who is repeating the pattern of her own illicit affair with an adult authority figure in her own life as a photography teacher. Chelsea is now a closeted priest and has closed herself off to any true intimacy due to her own deep pain about her hidden relationship with her best friend and their last, angry words before separating, never to see each other again. Both want to know what happened to Abby Hartmann, whose body was never found and whose disappearance was overshadowed by the flashier murders by her suspected killer shortly after.

There are some great musings about the nature of evil, the cavalier way that true crime is discussed and consumed in media today, and about being your truest self and healing from your trauma despite a terrible loss. 

geo81's review

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

shyannenielson's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

ahomelibrary's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

“Don’t Forget the Girl” by Rebecca McKanna (2023) is a book about a friends group torn apart, true crime, and a mystery unsolved.

Categories — Fiction, Crime, Friendship, LGBTQ, Mystery, True Crime & Podcasts, Cold Cases

Pub Info — June 2023 from Sourcebooks Landmark. Currently has a 3.78 average & 1.7k ratings on Goodreads.

Quick Summary — A friends group is torn apart after the unsolved disappearance of one of its members, alongside a spree of young girls with similar fates. The jailed culprit, who has never confessed to being involved with her fate, is facing the death penalty. The girls, now adults, meet up for the first time in a while to discuss the case on a podcast.

Info & Thoughts (No Spoilers) ⤵️

katie_schabilion's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

lilpoul's review

5.0

Wow. This book exceeded my expectations in every way. The religious imagery and connections, the complex and extremely well-written characters, all the twists and turns, the calling out of how true crime romanticizes the perpetrators and blames women and victims — just amazing. This story was excellent, and I appreciated how the author included real details related to the University of Iowa and Iowa City. McKanna’s attention to detail and making everything fight together was perfect. I’m just blown away. This book was incredible, and I can’t recommend it enough.

xxsh0tgun's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

5.0