Forget You Saw Her

Ask for Andrea #0.5

by Noelle W. Ihli

Inspired by true events, Forget You Saw Her is the pulse-pounding standalone prequel to the international bestselling, BookTok sensation Ask for Andrea.

She lost her daughter once. Now, she’ll go to hell and back to find her.

Seventeen years ago, Sabina made the most difficult decision of her giving her newborn daughter, Andrea, up for adoption. She’s lived with the guilt ever since, clinging to the hope that Andrea was safe, happy, and loved.

Then the letter from the police arrives.

Andrea Beaumont is a missing person.

Desperate for answers, Sabina dives headlong into a frantic search for the daughter she never knew. But the deeper she digs, the more certain she becomes that Andrea isn’t coming home.

And yet … as Sabina follows the disturbing trail of evidence, she swears she can feel her daughter reaching through her dreams, warning her—and guiding her toward the truth.

But someone else is watching—and keeping close tabs on Sabina’s search. And they’ll do whatever it takes to make sure the truth stays buried.

*****

Praise for Noelle W.

‘Hands down one of my favourite reads of the year’ – Freida McFadden, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Housemaid

'As pulse-pounding as it is poignant. Do yourself a favour - clear your schedule and crack open this novel!' – Lisa Gardner, Sunday Times bestselling author of Before She Disappeared

‘Ihli’s voice is magical and absorbing’ – Kiersten Modglin, bestselling author of The Arrangement

'A true classic in the genre' – TM Logan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Mother

‘An immersive, spine-tingling, deeply visceral experience. I recommend reading it with the lights blazing’ – Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest

‘Riveting and heart-wrenching’ – Deborah J. Ledford, award-winning author of Redemption

'Noelle has mastered the art of keeping readers on the edge of their seats' – John Marrs, bestselling author of The One

‘A full throttle thriller that'll demand to be read in one sitting’ – Steph Nelson, author of The Final Scene

'Utterly gripping . . . I couldn't put it down' – Nicola Sanders, author of Don't Let Her Stay

‘Will grip you from the first sentence and won't let you go until the last’ – Faith Gardner, author of The Slaying Game

‘Left me equal parts terrified and haunted' – Ellery Kane, author of The Good Wife

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Paranormal, Horror

334 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2025

About the author

Noelle’s two great passions are murder and horses (separately, never together).

She lives in Idaho with her husband, two sons, and two cats. When she's not plotting her next thriller, she's scaring herself with true-crime documentaries or going for a trail ride in the foothills (with her trusty pepper spray).

Reviews

[Sydney Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was SO sad I cried about 50 times 💀 I thought this was a beautifully unique, intense, and heartbreaking story of resilience and grief. You can read this before or after Ask for Andrea but don’t think you can go wrong either way! Both give nods to each other without spoiling anything and fully stand on their own. What a ride 😓

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

CRACK, THAT'S A GRAND SLAM OUT OF THIS BALLPARK FROM NOELLE W. IHLI!!!!!!! Forget You Saw Her written by Noelle Ihli was emotional, soul crushing, heart breaking, powerful, gut wrenching, life changing, heart shattering sad, mentally destroying, and deeply disturbing. After learning that this book was inspired by real life events, it made the story that more real and absolutely heart breaking, I don't think my heart can ever be repaired because the pain I felt while reading this book was just unreal. After finishing Forget You Saw Her, I was left completely speechless and staring at the ceiling for hours on end while tears were just streaming down my face. I honestly can't really explain my emotions, I'm sad, I'm devastated, I'm pissed off, I'm heart broken, I'm angry, when will the pain stop? DON'T EVER UNDERESTIMATE BADASS WOMEN!!!!!!! When I first saw that gorgeous cover, I knew I had to get my hands on this book immediately, but if I'm being honest with y'all, I did not expect to be so heart broken over the words inside of this book, my soul is crushed, I'm left speechless, I just don't know what to say other than that everyone needs to read this book right now. I have no words to say what I loved about this book because I was left with my jaw on the floor completely dumbfounded. When my good friend Jayme told me I was going to bawl my eyes out, I didn't expect to be left so emotionally unstable. The tears were flowing and the snot bubbles were bubbling.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND DYNAMITE BOOKS FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!

TRIGGER WARNING'S
Domestic Abuse
Death of a Child
Sexual Assault
Mentions of Overdosing
Mentions of Illegal Substances
Mentions of Suicide
Pedophilia
Violence

"Dear Heavenly Father, please protect me".

"Every woman I had ever met had learned how to grin with her heart bleeding out into her chest".

"They see as they are seen".

Seventeen years ago, Sabina Turpin voluntarily gave up her six month old baby girl, Andrea for adoption when she was just sixteen years old in hopes of giving her baby girl a happy life where she felt loved and safe, but it was a closed adoption so Sabina had no idea who the parents were going to be nor did she know the life her daughter lived. Sabina has never felt as alone as she did when she held her daughter for the last time in the lobby of the Oregon Department of Health and Welfare Child Services, the last thing Sabina said to her daughter before putting her up for adoption was "I'm sorry I can't be your mama".This poor woman absolutely broke my heart. Andrea was such an emotional baby, she would always be crying or screaming at the top of her lungs, because of that Sabina had always been sure that her baby girl had hated her and rejected her as a mother. Andrea's father had been a senior at a neighboring high school, but he had signed the adoption papers as fast as he could. Sabina's definition of home was the daughter she had amputated from her life like a piece of her heart. Sabina has always yearned to be a mother, but now she couldn't get pregnant for the rest of her life because she was diagnosed with endometriosis in her late twenties. On July 31st, 2015, Sabina received a letter from the Ogden Utah Police Department requesting a DNA sample because they recovered a body of a seventeen year old girl, but due to the condition of the remains it's nearly impossible to identify the body. After receiving this letter, Sabina thinks that it's her daughter Andrea, so Sabina leaves Neskowin, Oregon for Ogden, Utah in hopes of finding her baby girl. Desperate for answers, Sabina dives headfirst into a frantic search for the daughter she never knew, but as Sabina digs deeper and deeper, she becomes more certain that Andrea isn't coming home. As Sabina follows the disturbing trail of evidence, she swears she can feel her daughter guiding her toward the truth. As she searches for her daughter, Sabina has this quilt wrapped feeling and she found a monarch butterfly earring, could Sabina be getting closer to the truth of what happened to her daughter? I know I'm not a mom, but my heart just shattered for Sabina as she just wanted to find the justice for her precious baby girl who deserved the world. Sabina, I will forever hold you in my heart.

Andrea Beaumont was just seventeen years old when she was reported missing three months ago. Andrea was presumed to be a runaway based on what her adoptive parents told the police, but when detectives found this body of a missing girl, the body was so badly mutilated that it couldn't be identified until a DNA sample was completed. Andrea was last seen alive on April 11th, 2015- the day of her seventeenth birthday. Andrea disappeared wearing jeans, a red hoodie, and a black backpack, and she was last seen at school before she ran away with the clothes on her back and two hundred dollars that was believed to be stolen from her adoptive mom's wallet. Bunny and Dennis Beaumont were Andrea's adoptive parents. Andrea knew she was adopted, but the nasty comments from her adoptive parents one hundred percent confirmed that Andrea didn't belong with them, but she was told her birth mother was some junkie, and a nameless and faceless stranger. Bunny has said that things with Andrea had never been quite right, that Andrea was just an ungrateful little shit, and Dennis has said that Andrea had been damaged from the moment she arrived into their home and if she ran away she would return home with her tail between her legs. Andrea had felt like self harm was the only way out of an abusive environment, because the abuse from her adoptive parents started when she was just five years old. Andrea was abused with a leather dog leash that left bruises on her stomach. In elementary school, Andrea's nickname was And-reek-a because she wore the same sweatshirt for three days in a row because she just wanted to cover up the bruises. Dennis Beaumont is a disgusting piece of shit that deserves to rot in hell. The words this rapist said to his victims were "Shh. Don't fuss. The more you fuss, the worse it will be", that's absolutely disgusting and disturbing, so yes I hope you rot Dennis because you are a pig and a sick bastard. Andrea was just a beautiful selfless young woman with the most gorgeous Mona Lisa smile. I just wanted to reach into my kindle and give Andrea the biggest hug and tell her it would be okay, but honestly it was never okay, the way her adoptive parents treated her just made me sick to my stomach, at times I just couldn't read anymore because of the abuse these so called parents brought to Andrea was just so disheartening. Andrea, I love you. I will never forget your name, sweet girl.

[Abbie Konnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOWWWW

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the PREQUEL to Ask for Andrea…
See Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A BOOK WITH AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE!
AVAILABLE NOW!

3.75 ⭐️

Seventeen years ago, at the age of sixteen-Sabina made the difficult decision to put her 6 month old daughter, Andrea, up for adoption, with the hope of offering her a better life.

Then the letter from the police arrives, asking for her DNA so that they can identify a body. Apparently, her daughter, Andrea Beaumont is a missing person.

Overcome with grief and misplaced guilt, Sabina heads to Ogden, Utah to search for the daughter she never knew. But the more she digs, the more convinced she becomes that Andrea didn’t run away and that she won’t be coming home.

Sabina senses that she can feel her daughter as she follows the evidence and that Andrea is leading her towards the truth-desperately seeking justice for both herself and Isabel, who was an earlier Victim of the same depraved man-the man who ADOPTED little Andrea.

Because this is a PREQUEL it can most definitely be read as a stand-alone.

🆘 I loved learning about how the ACTUAL “Ask for Angela” code phrase adopted by many bars began-a phrase that women can use to anonymously ask for HELP when they fear that they are in danger from a date, or a stranger in the bar. (Ask for Andrea in this book) and I hope that more bars will become familiar with the phrase.

But, although this crime is different, and the ghosts (Victims) are different, the book (while still HAUNTING and HEARTBREAKING) is very similar to “Ask for Andrea” in execution so it didn’t have quite the same emotional gut punch for me, the second time around. I think that whichever one you read first will probably be the book that you find MOST disturbing.

Per the Author’s Note, this book was inspired by the very real story of Cathy Terkanian and her daughter, Alexis (whose name was changed to Aundria Bowman when she adopted by Dennis and Brenda Bowman.) The documentary, “Into the Fire” was also based on that true crime and second Victim, Kathleen Doyle.

A buddy read with DeAnn and MarilynW. Be sure to watch for their thoughts on this one too!

Thank you to the Publisher and Author for providing a gifted ARC through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.

[Francesca (pavisfrancesca) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 I didn't think a prequel could possibly compare with Ask For Andrea and here I was proven wrong! What a WONDERFUL book. This really adds something different to the genre in the best way. 100% recommend x

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 ★

After LOVING Ask for Andrea, I’m sad this one largely didn’t work for me.

In Forget You Saw Her, Sabina learns that Andrea, the teenage daughter she placed for adoption years earlier, has vanished, prompting her to search for answers that everyone else seems determined to keep buried.

This is a standalone prequel to Ask for Andrea, so you don’t need to read the first book beforehand.

I was so excited for this one after loving Ask for Andrea, and even more excited after seeing all the praise it was getting.

Sadly, almost everything I loved about the first book didn’t work for me here, and I had an extremely difficult time getting through it.

I won’t spoil either book, but if you’ve read Ask for Andrea, the setup feels very similar. The biggest difference is that readers know almost everything by around chapter five.

Since we know so much while Sabina knows so little, the entire story becomes a waiting game where you’re mentally screaming the answers at her while waiting for her to catch up. Even though the chapters are short, that storytelling style made the book feel much slower than it actually was.

With so much revealed so early, the story relies heavily on readers connecting with the characters and caring about what they’ve been through. Maybe I read this at the wrong time, or maybe this particular story just didn’t resonate with me, but I never formed that emotional connection.

I completely understood what these characters had endured, and their experiences were described vividly, but I never felt them the way I did in Ask for Andrea. That book made me cry and genuinely changed the way I think about victims in thrillers. Knowing this author was capable of making me feel that deeply made it even more disappointing that I felt so disconnected here.

Since readers already know so much, it became very obvious which clues or conversations were being introduced simply to move Sabina one step closer to the truth. That made much of the middle of the book feel repetitive.

I still think Ihli is an incredibly talented writer. My issues weren’t with the writing itself, but with the story’s structure and the fact that I never became emotionally invested in the characters. I also still loved the ghost elements, even though usually they aren’t my kind of thing.

I really just didn’t get much from this one. I seem to be in the minority, though, as I’ve seen almost exclusively positive reviews. If the premise sounds good to you, I would still recommend giving it a try because there’s a good chance you’ll connect with it much more than I did.

—

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[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

When the fragile balance of a quiet suburban life is shattered by a single, horrifying moment, three women find themselves bound by secrets, grief, and an unbreakable maternal instinct.

Forget You Saw Her is an atmospheric, emotionally charged thriller that explores the fierce protective love of motherhood and the devastating cost of hidden truths.

This story was incredible! I was locked in and fully gripped by the story.

Short chapters with a plot that moves. Each chapter honestly felt more propulsive than the last. I found myself picking up my kindle at every opportunity possible

The story isn’t just thrilling but it’s emotionally gripping. Especially as a woman, as a mother - as a mother of a daughter. The whole nightmare that each one of these women go through is enough to haunt you. Ihili delivers emotional blow after emotional blow.

The writing is sharp and smart. Several times I said to myself- “wow damn when’s the last time I gave a thriller 5 stars?” So close.

I wasn’t a big fan of the near end or end. It felt a little rushed to me after such an emotional and nail biting ride.

I definitely very highly recommend, my one complaint is just a personal preference.

✴︎a˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew! Gripping, heartbreaking, thought provoking and hard to put down! Forget You Saw Her is a prequel to Ask for Andrea, although both books work very well as stand-alone novels. In the author's note, Noelle W. Ihli informs readers that her inspiration for this book came from the documentary . “Into the Fire” . Forget You Saw Her grabbed my attention from the very first page and never let go.

This riveting book will pull you in, break your heart, break it once again, and leave you feeling all kinds of emotions. The writing is achingly beautiful, and the plot is well thought out. Sabina gave her daughter up for adoption seventeen years ago when she was a teenager, hoping and prayer that her daughter, Andrea found a good and loving home. She has felt Andrea's loss and has been consumed with guilt ever since. When a letter from the police arrives informing her that her daughter is now a missing person. Sabine sets out to find her daughter. She can't help but feel that her daughter is guiding her along as she searches for the truth!

Isabelle is another young teen who went missing years before Andrea went missing. She was considered a runaway. Her story will break your heart as well.

WOWZA! This book put me and the characters through the ringer. This book is told through multiple POV's, and each had me feeling all kinds of emotions. I was drawn into the world of the characters and enjoyed the supernatural elements. If you read Ask for Andrea, this is a MUST read as it gives theebackground information on Andrea.

The tension is jumping off the pages in this book as is the raw emotion of the characters. As the book progresses so does the sense of dread and mounting suspense. Plus, the emotions! Man, this was a roller coaster die of feelings. I thought the author did a great job showing Sabina's anxiety, concern, guilt, suspicion, and determination during the course of this book.

Beautifully written, heartbreaking, powerful, and hard to put down.

Highly Recommend.

Thank you to Dynamite Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖

[Laura Lovesreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY HEART HURTS

Forget You Saw Her is a heartbreaking novel about Sabina, a mother searching for the daughter she gave up for adoption 17 years ago, who is reported missing after police find a body. As she is trying to solve the mystery she uncovers a lot of dark, sinister things along the way.

Noella has done it again. Written a book loosely imagined from real life events and took my emotions on a rollercoaster journey.
I finish the book feeling like i was mourning for characters that are not even real, but the book read that way so I'm justified right?

The hatred i had for Dennis is inexplainable and i just spent the whole time wanting him to ROT!
The love Sabina had for Andrea was so beautiful and heartbreaking to read and i was rooting for her throughout.

I can honestly say when it comes to Noelle, there is not one book of hers i wouldn't read. She creates characters and fleshes them out so well and makes sure to leave you in a daze with her storytelling EVERYTIME!



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
pre read
I love this authors work so much
The reviews on this book is soo good
Excited for this prequel
🩷🤍🩷🤍

[Sarah • ia for a while · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seventeen years ago, Sabina gave her baby girl up for adoption. A teenager at the time, she thought she was giving her daughter a chance for a better, stable life, but as the years went on, she felt guilty about giving her up. Especially when a letter from the Ogden Police arrives. Andrea Beumont is a missing person, and Sabina rushes to Utah to find the daughter she never knew.

But when she arrives and meets the people who adopted Andrea, Sabina begins to realize that Andrea might not ever be coming back. Desperate to find her and bring those who hurt her little girl to justice, Sabina investigates around the city of Ogden, feeling a comforting presence with her. Andrea is gone, but why does she still feel like she is with her, helping her, and guiding her to the truth of what really happened? Because little does Sabina know that the culprit is lurking in the shadows, ready to strike if she gets too close to uncovering the truth.

Hello? Yes, I’d like to make an appointment for a therapy session after reading this gut-wrenching and heartbreaking book that is based on true events, which makes the pain in my heart even worse. 😭💔

Oh 👏🏼 my 👏🏼 gosh 👏🏼, it has been a good minute since I’ve been this engrossed in a story. I could not put it down! Chapter after chapter, I was desperate to know what was going to happen with Sabina’s search for Andrea. I was angry, sad, furious, concerned, and every other emotion you can think of. If you can name it, I was feeling it. 😭 I knew it was going to be good since I loved Such Quiet Girls, but I did not expect my heart to be crushed time and time again. I don’t even think I have words to say what I loved about this book, except that the writing was exceptional, the plot kept me on the edge of my seat long after I finished it, and the characters felt real, and I rooted for the good ones all the way to the end. Don't mess with or underestimate women. That's all I have to say.

I guess what made this hit so close to home was that I lived in Utah for my entire childhood and teenage years. I loved it, and even though I love the state I am currently living in, Utah is still my home and has been for many years. So hearing all the names of the freeways, temples, and cities and picturing them in my head made this all the more real and devastating because things like this could and probably have happened on the streets I used to know, which makes me so sad and heartbroken. 💔

Ugh, although this was so sad and made me cry, I recommend this book, but check out the content warnings at the bottom of this review to see if it’s right for you. ☺🩷

Thank you to Dynamite Books and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.

❗Content Warnings❗
Death, murder, child abuse, violence, blood, use of illegal substances, mentions pedophilia, & sexual assault (alludes to what the sick bastard did. Sorry! Pardon my French! I’m still upset. 😅)
Swearing: Yes

#ForgetYouSawHer #NetGalley

[Jonetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

the setup…
Sabina Turpin made the gut wrenching decision seventeen years ago to give up her newborn daughter Andrea for adoption. She was only sixteen years old and thought she was making the best decision for her child at the time. Now she’s been notified that Andrea Beaumont is missing and Sabina leaves the comfort of her home in Oregon to travel to Ogden, Utah in search for answers and her daughter. Andrea’s adoptive parents, Bunny and Dennis Beaumont, give her cause for alarm, making her question if she’s really missing or met a worse outcome.

the heart of the story…
Sabina trusted her instincts and they served her well. She can sense her daughter’s presence and was guided in all the right directions. The tension was often unbearable as Sabina took a lot of risks and was being stalked by someone really dangerous. It put her on parallel paths with another young missing teen named Isabel whose path may have crossed with the same brutal man Sabina suspects is behind Andrea’s disappearance.

the narration…
I’m so happy multiple narrators were used as it made a significant difference. Andi Arndt, Carlotta Brentan and Brittany Pressley provided distinctive voices for Sabina, Andrea and Isabel, respectively. All delivered outstanding performances.

the bottom line…
I had a hard time putting this prequel down from the onset. I loved Ask for Andrea and this was even more compelling. Be forewarned that some of the scenes are hard and heartbreaking but completely in the context of the story. And, unfortunately it’s based on true events. It far surpassed my expectations and will haunt me for a long time.

Posted on Blue Mood Café

(Thanks to Libro.fm and Simon Maverick for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)

[Norma ~ The Sisters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw emotion, haunting tension, & a mother’s fierce determination!

From the very first minutes of Forget You Saw Her by Noelle W. Ihli, I knew I was in for a good one. Listening to the audiobook pulled me straight into Sabina’s world and I felt that urgency and heartbreak settle in almost immediately. It is an emotional and atmospheric suspense story that kept me invested from start to finish and I loved how the performance made everything feel even more personal and intimate.

I also really felt the heaviness woven through this story. Sabina’s guilt, love, and simmering hope carried so much weight that I found myself needing little breaks from listening, just to breathe for a moment. It affected me in a way I honestly was not expecting and made her journey feel even more powerful.

✨ Key Thoughts

📖 The pacing grabbed me right away and the tension tightened in a steady, unsettling way that kept me fully immersed.
🧡 Sabina was a standout character and I connected deeply with her determination and vulnerability.
💭 The emotional depth was incredibly strong and the dreamlike moments where she feels Andrea reaching through added a haunting layer I loved.
🌫️ The atmosphere blended real world fear with an eerie and almost spiritual undercurrent that lingered.
🧩 A moving and gripping listen with a haunting emotional pull that stayed with me long after each session.

🎧 Thank you to Libro.fm for the ALC.

[Renata Annese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well… I was not expecting this one to hit me in the feels. 💔🥺

I came for a thriller. I stayed for a mother’s heartbreaking search for her daughter… and ended up reaching for tissues more than once. 😭📚

At 24% I already had tears in my eyes. By 41% I was completely invested in Sabina’s search, and by the end I didn’t want the story to let me go.

The mystery kept me glued to my headphones, but it was the grief, hope, love, and healing that made this one unforgettable. The paranormal element could have felt gimmicky, but instead it gave the victims a voice in such a beautiful, emotional way. 👻✨

And that man… 😳🤢 Every time he showed up, my skin crawled. It was so unsettling watching everyone overlook what felt painfully obvious as a reader.

This story is inspired by a true crime case, which made everything even more heartbreaking. Yet somehow, through all the darkness, there was still hope. 🤍

If you’re expecting a fast-paced slasher thriller, this isn’t it. But if you enjoy emotional thrillers with heart, unforgettable characters, and a paranormal twist that actually enhances the story, I can’t recommend this enough. 🎧📖

Noelle W. Ihli has officially earned a spot on my auto-buy list. ❤️

[Katherine (now only socially active on Instagram at Katie_Lou_Book_Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just wow. 5 easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a prequel to “Ask for Andrea”, but can be read as a standalone novel, which I agree with, as I’ve not read Ask For Andrea yet (am fully intending to though!).

Sabrina was 17 years old when she gave birth to her daughter and not long after gave her up for adoption, after months of pressure from her parents. She always regretted it. Many years later Sabrina gets a letter which informs her that her daughter is missing. She is compelled to find out what happened and uncovers a truly tragic story, it’s not only Andrea that has gone missing, but another girl called Isabelle years before. Written with multiple POVs, I found it easy to keep track of each character .

This story had me tearing up, and that’s something that happens rarely for me. It’s unbelievably heartbreaking but beautifully written. It grabbed me right from the get go and didn’t let me go until the last page, it’s fast paced, relentless and completely engrossing. I’ve not read anything by this author before, but I’ll be reading the next book shortly and then looking out for more from Noelle.

This story is inspired on the true story of Cathy Terkanian and her daughter Alexis (whose name was changed to Aundria Bowman when she was adopted by Dennis and Brenda Bowman), which makes it even more heartbreaking. 💔

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good one!

Content warning from the author: this book includes descriptions of domestic abuse, death of a child and nonexplicit references to sexual assault.


Series notes:
I went with reading Ask for Andrea first and I don't feel like there were any spoilers with reading #1 before #0.

Pre-reading question:
Help, I've got FOMO. Do I need to read this before Ask for Andrea even though it came out after?

[Erica⭐ · Rating 5 out of 5]

When seventeen year old Sabina gave up her six month old baby daughter in a closed adoption, she did so after months of pressure by her father and thinking that her daughter would be going to a loving couple who could give her everything that Sabina couldn't give to her. Now, Sabina finds out that the daughter she brought into the world all those years ago has been missing and she is compelled to find her daughter and what it was that led to this distressing news. In hindsight, Sabina is faced with the guilt of having made the wrong decision for her daughter, misplaced guilt but guilt she cannot shed knowing her daughter is not living the "better" life she thought she was being given all those years ago.

We get to meet Andrea, the daughter Sabina gave up for adoption, and we get to meet her adoptive parents who are nothing like the parents Sabina had envisioned for her daughter. Andrea's life of fear for her own safety may be on shaky ground but she still has lessons to learn and battles to be fought in a different way than in the past. Having always felt like no one wanted her, no one loved her, and that she wasn't even good enough for her real mother, Andrea is going to find out a mother will give her life for her child, and that Andrea means everything to the mother she always wished she had known.

[STEPH · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This book is phenomenal. OMG!

I’m not sure how many times I cried over what happened to Andrea and Isabel. I could feel their pain and suffering through all those years. These characters were written with such emotional awareness that I was able to grieve, cry, and hurt with them.

I’ve never liked paranormal elements in a book, but Noelle is a different story. She can write ghost stories that scare you out of your wits but, at the same time, make you feel more human.

The villain—utterly disgusting, vile, and a worthless POS. I would’ve wanted him to be tortured for life and haunted by the souls he ruined. He’s probably one of the most odious characters ever. I’m squirming just imagining him in the flesh. Ew.

Overall, this is a must-read. Pick it up right now! If you haven’t read Ask for Andrea or even this prequel, what’s stopping you?

[Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confession: Just when I thought I might be leaving my thriller era behind, along comes Noelle W. Ihli, and hot dang, I guess I’m sticking around a bit longer.

Forget You Saw Her is the prequel to Ask for Andrea, and here we find out what happened to Andrea, who became the code for others in danger.

I’m a total sucker for the “dead girl” trope, and the author absolutely nails it, turning a haunting into a story of justice and sisterhood.

Both books can stand on their own, but honestly… why would you stop at one? They’re that good. You can even choose your poison:

Start with Forget You Saw Her if you want to know the haunting story of Andrea first.
Start with Ask for Andrea if you want the suspense and tension of not knowing what triggered the code.

Either way, both stories deliver their own brand of justice and females bonding.

Now, if you’re asking which one I liked best? I’d say Forget You Saw Her, but warning, it’s darker, more unsettling, and digs deeper under your skin.

What Lit My Mood
This isn’t your typical “dead girl seeking revenge” tale. The author gives us something fresh with Sabina’s quest for justice after realizing the heartbreaking mistake she made giving Andrea up to people she believed would offer a better life, only to discover the monsters they truly were.

The bond that grows between Sabina and Andrea is both haunting and heartwarming, adding a new emotional layer to the story’s theme of motherhood.

The author weaves suspense, sorrow, and solidarity so beautifully that the emotional damage will break you… then piece you back together before the end.

Where My Mood Flickered
It’s a heartbreaking and unsettling read, and even though I needed to know how it ended, I had to take a few breathers along the way.

Magic Level
High Emotional Hexing — A chilling mix of darkness, love, and redemption that seeps under your skin and lingers long after.

Witchy Mood Meter
Mood Met: Witchfully Satisfied – The tension, grief, and ghostly whispers aligned just right.

Verdict
Don’t just add it to your altar, summon it immediately. This one’s a must for dark thriller lovers craving a story that haunts, hurts, and refuses to let go.

Audiobook vs. Reading
I mostly listened to this one, and while I think it hits harder than reading, I preferred hearing the “dead girls” tell their stories. It made their voices feel hauntingly real.

I received a copy from the publisher through NEtGalley

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omgggg I am broken! There’s not enough stars for this book! I thought Ask for Andrea broke my heart, but this one takes the cake. Going back to hear Andrea’s story was quite an experience and this was definitely an emotional & difficult read! Everytime I think I’ve read about the worse MMC that I’ve ever read about, there’s a Dennis that pops in the picture.

Sabina & Isabel’s POVs added significant value, as all 3 unique perspectives were coming from complete different angles of the chaos. Those hard palpitating moments made me feel as though I was seeing the scenes unfold.

It was amazing to see how impactful the phrase “Ask for Andrea” was born and what it truly means. I had no idea that this story could get any deeper, as it did it book one, but this one shook me. To find out this was based on actual events magnified my feelings towards the story & I will definitely be watching the Into the Fire documentary about the real Aundria Bowman. Overall, despite the heaviness & sadness, I loved this book so much & continue to be in awe at Noelle’s writing style. Thank you Dynamite Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

Publication 🗓️ : 11.04.25

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This actually sucked.

The reader knows exactly what happened to Andrea by chapter five, and then we spend the rest of the book watching Sabina slowly try to solve a mystery that is not even a mystery to her - Sabina (Andrea’s birth mum) pretty much knows what happened from the moment she walks out of the house her daughter grew up in.

There was ZERO suspense or tension except the build up I created in my own head. I was waiting for a big twist or reveal in the epilogue, but instead the author neatly ties everything up with a bow, right after delivering some of the most rushed and underwhelming final chapters I’ve ever read in a thriller.

Andrea and Isabel’s stories were incredibly dark and upsetting so given there was no mystery or twist, I was at least hoping for some justice or retribution (dying in a car crash fleeing a crime is neither justice or retribution )

So much trauma (check the trigger warnings before reading) for so little pay off.

[Sherri Thacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noelle W. Ihli knocks it out of the park with another fabulous, gripping thriller Forget You Saw Her. This has supernatural elements in it which is different than anything I’ve read before. Lots of disturbing triggers and she mentions it in the beginning of the book. I could not put this down and it kept me up reading late into the night. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest opinions. Sure to race to #1 in the thriller category. To be published November 4, 2025.

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Forget You Saw Her” (a prequel to “Ask for Andrea”, by Noelle W. Ihli

4 brilliant stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW: domestic abuse, emotional abuse, death of a child, sexual assault (non-explicit)

Notes from author: “While this book is a prequel to “Ask for Andrea”, it’s also inspired by the very real story of Cathy Terkanian and her daughter Alexis (whose name was changed to Aundria Bowman when she was adopted by Dennis and Brenda Bowman).

I’d always intended for Ask for Andrea to be a standalone novel, but something kept pinging at the back of my mind, insisting that there was more to be written. When I watched the documentary Into the Fire, in which Cathy Terkanian described the feeling of her daughter “haunting her,” leading her on a journey to solve her murder, I knew I’d found the spark for this story. Cathy’s story is distinct, and Forget You Saw Her is only loosely inspired by it….”

Another heartbreaking and chilling story, by this author, free of silly twists, but with a wonderful touch of ghost power.

Yes, this book involves ghosts. And the story and its development are brilliant! Such a great imagination and superb storytelling!

The love that bond mother and daughter was extraordinarily!

This was a propulsive, pulse-pounding and emotional read, for sure.

I was enthralled from beginning to end.

But it was a hard read. So much pain and grief, but also packed with love.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I am definitely, for sure, absolutely a Noelle Ihli fan!! This is an absolutely great ghost story, with lots of thrilling twists and turns. It is the perfect prequel to Ask for Andrea, but I think it could be read both ways. I definitely recommend!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Dynamite Books for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Ten Cats Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐.5

Pre-Read Notes:

It's Noelle Ihli, so I'm reading it.

Thank you so much to the author and publisher for including trigger warnings in the front matter.

Final Review

(thoughts & recs) This book isn't my favorite from author Noelle W. Ihli, but that's like saying this isn't my favorite in a pickle contest. I think this plot will speak to a lot of thriller readers, but I found it a little hard to follow because of the experimental timeline. Small incontinuities like the burger that turns into a chicken sandwich. I'd like to give this one and ASK FOR ANDREA another read once the series is complete.

My 3 Favorite Things:

✔️ Ihli's voice is just perfect for thrillers, and the narrator of this audiobook, Andi Arndt, performs it perfectly.

✔️ I'm finding a complicated timeline and alternating POVs is a difficult form to manage, both for Ihli and the reader.

✔️ Eek, orders of protection have to be given in person. Here we see an officer (maybe?) serving one to the main character over the phone.

Content Notes:
*Thank you to the author and publishers for providing trigger warnings*
adoption, missing person, cadaver, stalking, ghosts, cat fishing,

I found an audiobook copy of FORGET YOU SAW HER by Noelle W. Ihli in Libby

[thebookwasbetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my word 😭 this was equally gripping and gut wrenching. I absolutely loved Ask For Andrea and I think this prequel did it SO much justice. I want more of these books please please please!!!!

[Caz (Underlined) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ This is a dark and gut wrenching book that will keep you fully engaged. As the story develops you will feel all kinds of emotions,as you experience the lengths a mother will go through for the love of her child.

[The Hateful Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flawless.

I spent most of this book feeling like my heart was caught in a vice. Yes, Noelle Ihli writes incredible thrillers, but to label her just a thriller author is a disservice. The way she weaves her characters together, her imagination, the thought and care she pours into each backstory, each haunting, each fragile thread of love… it all reflects an author with remarkable emotional depth.

Ask for Andrea has always been my favorite Ihli book (and I’ve read them all), so I came into this prequel both wildly excited and fully prepared for disappointment. Surely nothing could live up to that!

But it did. The crossover... the chills.
The way these characters existed within the same universe yet felt wholly their own. Authentic, layered, and heartbreakingly human. The entire time, I felt this strange sense of recognition, like I already knew this story somewhere deep in my chest. When I reached the author’s note and saw that her inspiration came from Cathy Terkanian and her daughter Alexis (from the documentary Into the Fire), I got tears in my eyes. It’s such a beautiful, haunting, and deeply respectful tribute to real-life tragedy.

If I were a bestselling author, I can only imagine hoping that readers might say about me what I can honestly say about Noelle Ihli: she writes with heart. Her work is moving, vivid, and gut-wrenching and she uses her talent to shed light on real stories of loss and resilience.

And even though I proudly call myself The Hateful Reader, I’ll keep being her loudest fan. Noelle’s storytelling, her imagination, and her compassion have earned my full, ungrudging admiration.

There’s a line in this book that says, “Every woman I’d ever met had learned how to grin with her heart bleeding out of her chest.” That stayed with me because it captures exactly how this story feels: raw, resilient, and unforgettable.
This one will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I loved it!

[Jess ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW 📖🖤
Forget You Saw Her — Noelle W. Ihli
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Forget You Saw Her is a tense, emotionally charged thriller that proves you don’t need nonstop twists to create dread - sometimes all it takes is the terrifying idea of what could be hiding in plain sight. 👀

The story centers on Andrea’s disappearance and her mother Sabina’s refusal to accept the easy answer. Watching her dig for the truth was heartbreaking… and nerve-wracking. 🖤

What really worked for me was the atmosphere. There’s a constant sense of being watched, of danger lurking just off page. Knowing the predator is close - and paying attention - adds a chilling layer of suspense that never fully lets you relax. 😬

This is a slower, more methodical thriller, but the payoff is worth it. While I wished for a bit more intensity in certain moments, the emotional weight and creeping tension absolutely carried the story.

If you enjoy:
🔪 Missing person cases
🕯️ Quiet, unsettling dread
🖤 Strong emotional stakes
👀 Predators hiding in plain sight

…this is one you should definitely pick up - especially if you’ve read Ask for Andrea.

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

~This was a heartbreaking read but it was so good. I absolutely loved this on audio. The narrators really brought each character's personalities to life. This is the prequel to ASK FOR ANDREA. I read that one and it was also five stars, and so is this one…..if not even better. 

Sabina gave her baby daughter, Andrea, up for adoption because she was only 16 when she had her. 17 years later, Andrea goes missing and the police say she ran away. But Sabina wants answers and sets out to find Andrea. She feels like her daughter is trying to lead her in a certain direction….so she can find out the truth. There also happens to be another girl, Isabelle, who went missing years before Andrea. Are these two cases connected?! I'll just say that this story was really emotional and so sad to read, but I was seriously on the edge of my seat. This author is such an amazing writer to pull you in the way this book does. What a fantastic book. 

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Loved it. The writing is incredible, the story is gripping. Thriller perfection, imo.