Book Talk: What I Read in September

Guess who’s back in school? Me! And guess who’s taking an English class after at least five years? Also me! I’m low-key, extremely excited about this. Which is weird because I don’t expect a lot from foreign language teachers in Turkey. Maybe it’s my face; I’ve been told I have a certain type of dead look. And don’t even get me started on how mean my German language tutor was. 

Seriously, but I think the school I enrolled in may have something to do with that. They tried really hard to get me to sign up for A1 German instead of B1. But enough of that. We’re talking about what I read in September.

And as I already alluded to in my guide on writing murder mysteries (check it out if you haven’t already), I read a lot of those this month. It’s the vibe. Fall’s here; life’s good. Soon it’ll be raining, and I’ll pretend I’m in Sherlock’s London.

September Breakdown: Book Recommendations

So, September was a good month for reading. I was actually struggling with keeping up with the reading list in August but this one was pretty chill. I even took a day off between books, and it really gave me a chance to fully appreciate what I’d rather. In case you can’t tell already, I’m big on mysteries, detective stories and all that. And until recently, I didn’t think I could ever write one. 

I have a plot in mind right now. Not sure if we can pull it off, especially since we’ve been ignoring the manuscript again. But I’ll get there. One day.

Anyway, here’s a list of what I read in September:

1. Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham
2. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
3. The Last Thing She Ever Did by Gregg Olsen
4. None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
5. The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden
6. Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie

As always, you can see my progress on Goodreads here.

Book 1: Forget Me Not

• Author: Stacy Willingham
• Genre: Thriller, Crime Fiction

Why I Picked It Up

I actually had my eyes on this one for a while. In fact, I had plans to read this last month but I couldn’t finish Fahrenheit 451 until August 30th or something so this one carried over to September. And it was a pretty good decision, if I’m being honest. Forget Me Not really set the mood for what I read in September.

Summary

Claire Campbell returns to her South Carolina hometown after years away and decides to finally dig into her sister Natalie’s murder from decades ago. Using her investigative skills and a box of old photos, she starts piecing together memories and secrets that everyone thought were buried for good.

What I Liked

Not sure if you’ve picked it up but I’m a bit snobbish when it comes to modern fiction. And can you blame me when you have people like Colleen Hoover, Darcey Bell and that one (if you know, you know) running around? Seriously. Fantasy and romance have been ruined for me. So, I was serious about protecting my love for mysteries. But Willingham? She’s good.

Her writing is genuinely so, so smooth; it’s like butter. She builds suspense that feels both dangerous and tender. I was surprised by how emotionally grounded this felt compared to what I expected from a standard thriller. The way she weaves past and present together feels urgent. This book genuinely keeps you hooked.

The southern setting isn’t just window dressing here either. I’m not generally a fan of western or southern stories or whatever they’re called (blame the British education curriculum for this) but I might read one now. And it’s all because of Stacy Willingham.

She manages to make even a sunny garden feel ominous and threatening, which is exactly the kind of writing I live for. And Claire is a solid protagonist; she’s not some perfect investigative superhero, just someone trying to piece together a trauma that’s shaped her entire adult life.

Downsides

I don’t mind slow paced stories but I can see this being a downside, especially towards the end. You might also feel a bit off by how methodical the build-up. It felt a bit too much. You can tell that Willingham planned this story well.

Personally, I don’t mind that. But you might. Note that this might not be for you if you’re looking for rapid-fire twists. Also, while the emotional depth is great, sometimes it felt like the thriller aspect took a backseat to the family drama, which isn’t necessarily bad but might disappoint readers expecting more traditional suspense pacing.

The ending, while satisfying, relies on some coincidences that made me raise an eyebrow. Nothing deal-breaking, but the kind of thing that makes you go “really?” for a second before you decide you don’t actually care because you’re invested in the characters.

Final Thoughts & Who Should Read It

Forget Me Not is great for fans of family secrets and small town tension. Skip it if you need your thrillers to move fast or if you’re not in the mood for heavy family trauma. But if you want something that’ll stick with you after you finish, definitely worth it.

Book 2: And Then There Were None

• Author: Agatha Christie
• Genre: Classic Mystery, Thriller

Why I Picked It Up

After Forget Me Not, I just had to go back to the classics. I wasn’t ready to be disappointed by a potential bad read. So, I picked up And Then There Were None. Full disclosure: I read this when I was thirteen. It’s been well over a decade now so this was a good refresh.

Summary

Ten strangers are lured to a remote island off the coast of Devon by a mysterious host who accuses each of them of committing murder in the past. They’re mysteriously killed off, one by one, according to the verses of a dark nursery rhyme. With no way to escape the island and no idea who among them is the killer, paranoia and terror escalate as the body count rises.

What I Liked

This book is diabolically clever. Christie herself described it as the most difficult of her books to write, and you can feel that intricate plotting in every chapter. The nursery rhyme structure is genuinely eerie—it gives the deaths this horrible inevitability that had me on edge the entire time. Even though I’ve already read this book and had an idea of what was happening.

Each character is perfectly crafted to be suspicious, and Agatha Christie manages to make you doubt literally everyone.

The atmosphere is suffocating in the best way. Being trapped on an island with a killer creates this paranoid tension that never lets up. I loved how Christie plays with the reader’s expectations. Just when you think you’ve figured out the pattern, she pulls the rug out from under you. The psychological deterioration of the characters as they realize their situation is masterfully done. And that ending? Perfect.

Downsides

The pacing may feel a bit slow by modern standards, especially in the first third where Christie is setting up all the characters and their backstories. Some of the dialogue can feel dated (it was written in 1939), and a few character motivations feel a bit thin when you really think about them.

The biggest issue is probably that it’s considered one of Christie’s darkest works, so don’t expect cozy English village vibes. This is genuinely unsettling, and if you’re not in the mood for bleakness, it might be tough to get through.

Final Thoughts & Who Should Read It

This is the gold standard of locked-room mysteries for a reason. If you’ve read modern thrillers like Gone Girl or The Silent Patient and want to see where those psychological twists originated, this is essential reading. Fans of atmospheric horror like The Haunting of Hill House will appreciate the claustrophobic dread, even without supernatural elements.

Book 3: The Last Thing She Ever Did

• Author: Gregg Olsen
• Genre: Thriller, Crime Fiction

Why I Picked It Up

I’ll admit that after Forget Me Not and And Then There Were None, I decided to play it safe. A friend recommended this one to me, so I decided to pick it up and give it a go.

Summary

Liz and Owen live in the perfect Oregon community and admire their neighbors Carole and David, who seem to have everything including their adorable son Charlie. When Charlie goes missing, the whole community is devastated—except Liz knows exactly what happened.

What I Liked

This book is genuinely messed up in the best possible way. Olsen doesn’t hold back on showing how guilt can completely destroy someone from the inside out. The psychological torture is relentless; watching Liz try to comfort the grieving parents while knowing what’s actually happened is absolutely brutal and compelling.

The Oregon setting works perfectly as well. You have this cookiecutter perfect community that gets completely shattered by one terrible moment. And the way Liz’s paranoia escalates as she becomes convinced someone is watching her creates this suffocating atmosphere that had me on edge the entire time. 

Downsides

If you’re not in the mood for death and parental grief, this one’s going to wreck you emotionally. Liz becomes increasingly unsympathetic as she digs herself deeper into a hole. You’ll want to shake her and scream “just tell the truth!” Some of the later developments feel a bit over-the-top, especially since the central premise was already strong. But I’m not going to complain too much.

Final Thoughts & Who Should Read It

Full disclosure: there’s a trigger warning for death of a child in this one. So, think about it before you read this. It’s pretty heavy. Other than that, if you’ve read Behind Closed Doors and enjoyed it, this will hit the same buttons. 

Book 4: None of This Is True 

• Author: Lisa Jewell
• Genre: Thriller, Mystery

Why I Picked It Up

I wanted to go towards a lighter read after The Last Thing She Ever Did, and I don’t know why, but for some reason, I feel like I’ve heard this book’s name before. I can’t place it for the life of me. So, instead, I just decided to give it a read and figure it out (spoiler alert: I still haven’t remembered).

Summary

Popular podcaster Alix Summers is celebrating her 45th birthday at the local pub when she meets Josie Fair, who’s also turning 45 that same day. They discover they were even born in the same hospital. Josie has lived under the control of her much older husband for decades and wants Alix to tell her story on the podcast. What starts as an intriguing coincidence becomes increasingly twisted as their lives become dangerously intertwined.

What I Liked

This book was unsettling. Not like The Last Thing She Ever Did but close.  Lisa Jewell knows how to spin that slow-building dread where you can feel something’s very wrong but can’t quite put your finger on it. The premise of two women sharing the same birthday and hospital feels like fate, but Jewell turns it into something much more sinister.

The podcast angle works well…as a framing device. It does add this meta layer where you’re constantly questioning what’s real and what’s performance. Alix’s growing unease as Josie becomes more involved in her life creates this perfect psychological tension. 

The way Jewell explores how someone can manipulate their way into your world through seemingly innocent connections is done really well. The pacing builds methodically, with each revelation making you more uncomfortable than the last.

Downsides

I felt like some plot point could’ve been done better, especially when you consider how easily Josie infiltrates Alix’s life. The middle section of the book does feel like it’s dragged a bit as Jewell sets up all the pieces for the final reveals. If you’re not into unreliable narrators or stories where you’re constantly questioning what’s true, this might feel frustrating rather than intriguing. 

Final Thoughts & Who Should Read It

If you’ve read The Woman in the Window or The Girl on the Train and enjoyed the unreliable narrator aspects, this will hit the same notes. Perfect for anyone who loves stories about podcasts or true crime culture. 

Book 5: The Boyfriend

• Author: Freida McFadden
• Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense

Why I Picked It Up

I might’ve run into an ex over the summer, and I’ve been looking for stories where your ex is essentially the bad guy and all your doubts about him are proven to be true. Call me petty but I really struggled with finding something of that sort. And that’s actually how I came across The Boyfriend. I initially didn’t think this one would be like a “real suspense” story, but boy was I wrong. You’ll see why in a moment.

Summary

Sydney Shaw is trying to navigate modern dating through the Cynch app when she meets Tom, a charming doctor who seems absolutely perfect. But when a string of brutal murders occurs across the coast, with victims all being women who dated their killer before they died, Sydney starts to suspect that her perfect boyfriend might not be what he seems.

What I Liked

This is Freida McFadden at her most devious, and I truly mean that. The multiple timelines work brilliantly. Switching between Sydney’s growing paranoia in the present and Tom’s disturbing backstory keeps the tension up throughout the story. McFadden has this talent for making you question everything, and she uses it really well here.

The way she explores modern dating culture through the lens of a psychological thriller is really clever. The Cynch dating app subplot adds this contemporary edge that makes the whole thing feel very relevant. 

Sydney’s growing unease as she pieces together inconsistencies in Tom’s story creates this perfect slow-burn paranoia that had me turning pages way too late at night. The red herrings are expertly planted; just when you think you’ve figured out who the killer is, McFadden pulls the rug out from under you.

Downsides

The way certain characters connect to each other strains believability at times. If you’re not into stories that constantly shift your assumptions, this might feel more frustrating than engaging. Also, the violence can be quite graphic—it’s not gratuitous, but it’s definitely not for everyone.

The pacing occasionally feels uneven; some sections drag while others rush through major revelations. McFadden sometimes writes her twists a bit too obviously, though she usually has another surprise waiting behind the obvious one.

Final Thoughts & Who Should Read It

If you’ve read The Housemaid or Never Lie and enjoyed McFadden’s twisted plotting, this delivers more of what makes her so addictive. Perfect for anyone who loves psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators and multiple timeline reveals.

Book 6: Evil Under the Sun

• Author: Agatha Christie
• Genre: Classic Mystery, Detective Fiction

Why I Picked It Up

I got done with my reading list of the month early, and I’ve also been watching a lot of murder mysteries. The one that convinced me to go back to Agatha Christie again was this movie called Glass Onion. And that’s how we got here. I’d never read Evil Under the Sun before either, so this was a first for me

Summary

Hercule Poirot is vacationing at an exclusive island resort when the beautiful but scandalous actress Arlena Stuart is found strangled. Ever since Arlena’s arrival, the air had been thick with tension and jealousy among the other guests. Each person at the resort had a motive to kill her, but Poirot suspects this apparent crime of passion conceals something much more calculating and evil.

What I Liked

This is classic Agatha Christie; the island setting creates this perfect claustrophobic environment where everyone’s secrets are on full display. The way she builds the tension and jealousy around Arlena before the murder is masterfully done. You can practically feel the heat and resentment simmering among all the guests. The red herrings are expertly planted throughout, and I love how Christie makes you feel like literally everyone has both motive and opportunity.

The locked-room mystery aspect works brilliantly here. The beach setting and the timing constraints create this seemingly impossible puzzle that showcases Poirot’s deductive skills perfectly. Christie’s plotting is intricate but never feels overly convoluted. 

The way she reveals the solution in layers, each revelation more shocking than the last, is why she’s the undisputed queen of the genre. The psychology behind the murder is genuinely twisted and shows Christie’s understanding of human nature at its darkest.

Downsides

Some of the characters feel a bit archetypal rather than fully developed; you’ve got the jealous husband, the naive young woman, the predatory older man. If you’re looking for deep character development, this isn’t really Christie’s forte anyway. 

Note that Arlena herself is more plot device than actual person, which makes it harder to feel invested in her fate beyond the mystery.

Final Thoughts & Who Should Read It

If you’ve read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd or Cards on the Table and enjoyed Christie’s more psychologically complex mysteries, this delivers that same level of intricacy. Perfect for anyone who wants to see master-level mystery writing in action.

What I Read in September: Summary & Favourite (and Least Favorite) Book

September turned into this tight mix of contemporary thrillers and classic detective work that I wasn’t expecting but absolutely needed. Between starting school again and dealing with the usual life chaos, I somehow managed to get through some genuinely twisty reads that kept me guessing.

The variety this month was all over the place in the best way. I went from modern psychological manipulation to classic island murder mysteries, with some truly unhinged dating app horror thrown in the middle. Each book brought something different to the table, and honestly, none of them disappointed me enough to want to throw them across the room (which has definitely happened before).

If I had to pick a favorite, Evil Under the Sun takes it. There’s something about Christie’s plotting that just hits different; she makes it look effortless when it’s anything but. 

As for least favorite, probably None of This Is True. Don’t get me wrong; it wasn’t bad, just felt like it was trying a bit too hard to be clever with the podcast. Sometimes the simplest approach works better than all the meta layers. And that’s it for this month!

What did you think of my picks? Let me know in the comments!