Dear Future Me: A compulsively gripping, slow-burn thriller of long buried secrets just waiting to be revealed . . .

by Deborah O'Connor

'THE PERFECT BOOK GROUP THRILLER' Gillian McAllister
'CAPTIVATING' T.M. Logan

Everyone held their secrets close. Then the letters begin to arrive . . .

Twenty years ago, a group of students each wrote themselves a letter - Dear Future Me - confiding their deepest dreams and their very darkest secrets.

Now the letters, thought long discarded, have begun to drop through letterboxes. For some they will make them re-evaluate the decisions they've made, the person they could have been.

For others, the letters could be deadly . . .

A compulsively gripping thriller of regret, hidden secrets and the deepest betrayal, Dear Future Me is the unmissable new book from the lauded author of The Dangerous Kind and The Captive .

'THIS IS A WINNER' Publishers Weekly

'A PROPER PAGE-TURNER' Emma Rous

'COMPULSIVE' Northern Life

'A TAUTLY EXECUTED NOVEL OF FRIENDSHIP, BETRAYAL AND SECRECY' L.V. Matthews

'THIS THRILLER WILL CAPTIVATE YOU UNTIL THE LAST PAGE' Candis

'DEAR FUTURE READER, THIS BOOK MAY KEEP YOU UP PAST YOUR BEDTIME' Jo Furniss

'A FANTASTIC CONCEPT' Claire McGowan

'I RACED THROUGH THIS BOOK' Lisa Gray

370 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 12, 2025

About the author

Deborah O'Connor is a writer and TV producer. Born and bred in the North-East of England, she lives there with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deborah O’Connor’s Dear Future Me is a compelling dual-timeline thriller that blends adolescent secrets, betrayal, and simmering tension into a slow-burn narrative that ultimately pays off in spades. While the pacing might feel gradual at first, the strength of the character development pulls you in, keeping you emotionally invested and intrigued by the unfolding layers of deceit.

Set between the past and present, the novel expertly contrasts the recklessness and vulnerability of youth with the quiet desperation of adulthood. O’Connor’s talent shines through in her portrayal of how a single moment—or a single lie—can echo for decades. As the story shifts timelines, the puzzle pieces begin to snap into place, and the tension rises with each revelation.

Themes of identity, loyalty, and the revolutionary ideals we abandon or embrace as we age are threaded throughout, giving the thriller depth beyond its twists. O’Connor’s characters are flawed, relatable, and real, making their choices all the more impactful.

Though the story takes its time to gather momentum, the payoff is worth it. For readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with emotional resonance and strong, layered protagonists, Dear Future Me delivers. I’ll definitely be picking up whatever Deborah O’Connor writes next.

[Hasina Begum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Future Me was exactly the kind of book I love stories told through letters always catch my attention, and this one delivered on every front. From the start, I was intrigued by the premise and quickly drawn into the unfolding mystery.

What stood out most was how the book kept me guessing. Every time a new letter was revealed or an event unfolded, it made me rethink everything I thought I knew. It kept me constantly engaged, mentally piecing things together and changing my mind right up to the end.

While there were moments where the pace slowed, they didn’t take away from the overall experience. If anything, they gave me a chance to sit with the characters and really consider their motivations and secrets. The emotional depth and twists made it a truly compelling read.

[Louise Bookmac82 Mackin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, wow, wow! This was such a gripping thriller. It was also a dual timeline book. I love a dual timeline.
The book throws you right into the action and keeps twisting and turning right to the end.
This was a recommendation on Instagram from another author. I've not read anything by Deborah O'connor before, I've already got another lined up now.

I listened to this as an audiobook rather than read it.

[Janelle Cavarra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a dual-timeline mystery. One timeline is set with the characters in high school set with an assignment to write letters to ‘future me’. The other timeline is set 20 years in the future when these letters are delivered. The letters slowly unveil the secrets of two deaths.

I liked this but didn’t love it. It was slow at times. The ending was enjoyable but I’m unsure if it was worth how slow the middle was. The dual timeline was easy to follow and kept you wondering until the end.

[GG · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure if it is but it felt more young adult, but on that basis it was a great read. I was hooked at the start with things happening quickly, and the views from past and present were well balanced. It slowed in the middle a bit but there were a few good twists and the secrets were different from typical psych-thrillers, which was refreshing.