Forget What You Know

by Kristine Delano

Two estranged sisters with their careers on the line uncover dangerous secrets that could mean redemption for one and ruin for the other in this riveting Wall Street thriller.

Paige and Vivian Walsh were sisters who could always rely on each other, until the day a tragic accident shattered their family. After high school, Paige left New York and never looked back. Now a single mom and financial journalist in Los Angeles, she has just broken a story of corruption that will bring powerful men to their knees. But her triumph turns to public shame when the LA Times publishes a retraction of her work. Paige's boss offers her a the opportunity to report on a groundbreaking company called Advantrade, if she will move to Manhattan. Paige pushes back, but when her young son receives a terrifying warning, she decides a fresh start might be what they need, even if it means going home.

Vivian Walsh is thriving at Advantrade, the Wall Street firm she cofounded when she was still an undergrad. She's sacrificed everything that once mattered to reach her career aspirations, even her relationship with Paige. But just as Vivian's innovative company is poised to reach new heights, she discovers evidence of sabotage that threatens everything she's achieved.

While Paige risks both her reputation as a reporter and her relationships to investigate the rot within her sister's company, Vivian tries to keep her professional mask in place as her carefully built future begins to collapse around her. But the web of corruption only grows, stretching back into the past and making both sisters question what they once believed to be true—about Advantrade, about their family, and especially about each other.

A standalone high-stakes women's domestic suspense novel Great for fans of Dani Pettrey, Allison Brennan, Colleen Coble, and Shari Lapena A clean, fast-paced family drama about dangerous hidden truths, white collar crime, workplace secrets, sisterhood, and justice that comes at a cost Includes discussion questions for book clubs

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication March 9, 2027

Reviews

[Julianne Harkleroad · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Forget what you know. This.... This is the truth." SO GOOD!!! 

What a clever, fast-paced suspense by Delano! While clean with elements of faith, this tale contains violent elements throughout, making it perfect for readers 15+. The boyfriend scene from 18 years prior was disturbing and vile- what a scumbag! I couldn't *believe* X would date a "man" like that. He absolutely gave me the ick! Thank goodness it was only for a little bit. Definitely check the trigger list below if you want a heads-up!

Paige and Vivian Walsh have never been close sisters. One has a mind for numbers and coding, the other for language and drama. Naturally born opposites, a tragic mistake years ago tore their family apart and completely changed their future trajectories, leaving each on opposite coastlines. We open to Paige humiliated at work, under threat from the company she was investigating for fraud. Amazingly, Paige gets a chance to continue her journalism career with the story of a lifetime but must relocate to NYC. Paige takes her son, Brody, with her, but she can't seem to shake the story that almost cost her career. Will the demons find her across the nation, even if she publishes under a different name? 

Along the way, readers discover the history that led both sisters to where they are today, interspersed throughout the current timeline. Focusing more on Vivian and her choices, readers quickly learn that nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted without verification. Lives are put in danger and a few characters die in this high-stakes thrilling mystery. Who's pulling the strings against Paige? Is Vivian involved or a victim? Will these women reconnect in time or lose any chance at a future relationship?

I loved how both women were flawed, shown in realistic detail and addressed in the story. The subtle, overall theme that we are not in charge, but God is the sovereign Lord was an excellent nod! Delano did a fantastic job weaving faith into this story, allowing the reader to either read it and move on, or see the value it adds to the characters' lives and the significance it lends to the tone and moral of the story. We live in a dark world where people do selfish, sometimes evil things, and yet God can still be trusted. 

Tropes: dual POV, multiple timelines, faith elements, intentional parenting, intellectual focus, family struggles, moral compass, good v. evil, secret shadow society, unreliable narrator, ticking clock
Spice: 1/5   
Gore: 2/5  
Language: 0/5
Triggers: black mail, intimidation, threatening, breaking and entering, car crash, kidnapping, assault and battery against a child, theft/robbery, cancer, death.

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley for this ARC!

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author gives us two very smart women, I wouldn't call them close sisters, but one does the ultimate for the other.
A fictional read, that could come from the headlines, greed, and power. People you don't suspect, and then those you do, but the story has a lot of twists and turns here, that throw the sister's lives back together in ways I didn't see coming.
There is a lot of action here, in fact surprises are dropped right up to the last page.
You will fall i love with young Brody, and again there are surprises about him, and the grandmother.
This is a faith based read, and the power of prayer is shown.
I really enjoyed this read, and will be looking for more by this author!
I received this book through Net Galley and Tyndale House Publishers, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Lisa M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah. Yes. I LOVE when I finally get a thriller that has me to the very end. I really didn't think at ALL who one of the main perpetrator was. And the ending--well let's just say I'm very very glad they added a "one year later" because I needed some SERIOUS closure!!! And then even THAT caught me off guard...TWICE!

Highly recommend for the ones who like the forensic accounting or cyber style books. This one had two POV--Vivian and Paige. And there were flashbacks for Vivian while Paige stayed in the present day. Great arcs and redemptions!

Definitely a 5 star read for me because it kept me going to the very end.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for my ARC of this book. All opinions are 100% my own.

[Cheri Swalwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was not sure what to expect when I started it because I am not really into investing or money or investigative reporting, or I did not think I was but turns out, it was so interesting and kept my interest the entire time. I loved the twists and turns of the storyline. I loved their mother's character much more than I thought I would, be to honest. This book had all the feels, all the emotions, and I am still thinking about it long after turning the last page. I looked forward to picking it up again and continuing reading the storyline. Very excellently written.

I recieved a complimentary copy of this book from netgalley and didn't have to leave a review. All opinons expressed are solely mine.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forget What You Know by Kristine Delano was a well-written thriller with a really unique approach to storytelling. I especially enjoyed the dual timelines, with each sister having her own timeline—one beginning in the present and the other beginning in childhood—and watching each slowly come together. I thought it was a clever way to tell Paige and Vivian’s story while adding to the overall mysteries within the plot.

I also appreciated the journalist aspect and the process of piecing together the mystery. There were lots of layers to uncover, and I liked watching the pieces of the past start to make sense alongside what was happening in the present.

This is definitely a darker and sadder story, so I would go into it prepared. There is little to no romance, with the focus staying on the mystery, corruption, toxic family, and the complicated (toxic) relationship between two sisters. While some of the subject matter was heavy, I appreciated that the story ultimately had a good ending as it gave everything that happened a sense of resolution.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and thought the storytelling was really well done. If you enjoy thrillers within the high-finance world, complicated sister relationships, and a mystery that slowly unfolds, this one is worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 

[Page Escapes by J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forget What You Know is a gripping blend of Wall Street intrigue, family secrets, and sisterly tension. Paige and Vivian Walsh couldn’t be more different, but when Paige returns to New York to investigate corruption surrounding Vivian’s company, their complicated past becomes impossible to ignore.

I really enjoyed how the corporate mystery gradually became something much more personal. The plot kept adding layers, and I liked that the suspense wasn’t just about uncovering who was behind the sabotage—it was also about questioning what Paige and Vivian thought they knew about their family and each other.

The prose is clean and easy to get into, and the pacing kept me turning the pages without feeling unnecessarily rushed. Paige and Vivian both felt flawed and believable, which made their strained relationship one of my favourite parts of the book.

A compelling thriller with plenty of secrets, career stakes, family drama, and twists. If you enjoy character-driven suspense with a corporate edge, this is one to pick up.

[LA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fantastic thriller by Kristine Delano!
This novel is so timely. It’s a story about two sisters – one a software developer/coder and the other, an investigative journalist. Vivian has developed a code that works with AI programs to predict financial trading outcomes. Paige is determined to uncover fraudulent practices by financial firms.
The story moves between each sister’s POV, moving through the past and present. It’s helpful to see their childhood to understand who they are now and why they’re estranged. Both of their present lives will collide in a story of insider trading and the ultimate betrayal. There’s something for every kind of reader – intrigue, suspense, mystery, a light romance thread, rocky family relationships, and faith.
There are enough untrustworthy characters to add some tension to both their professional and personal lives.
Ultimately, it’s a beautiful story of sisterhood and sacrifice.
If you like corporate thrillers, pick up Forget What You Know.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

[jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is messsyyyyyy. This book embraces when you want the character to say the most destructive thing possible and then they actually do and you’re just 😦.

AND IT’S ENTERTAINING EVERY TIME.

The pacing and storylines were handled well throughout but the ending was so rushed, it felt like the author wasn’t sure how to tie everything up so she just rushed through the ending. Which made everything extremely unsatisfying. We could’ve used like three more chapters and actually finished the book.

The sisters were so well developed and felt so real, flaws—I loved it— but when it came to secondary characters they all felt flat and boring.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

[Katie Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I liked this book, but I found the ending to be unsatisfying. I did like the dual storylines of the sisters and the shifting between past and present. While the book was fast paced and had enough suspense to keep me interested, the ending felt anti climatic and not as interesting as the rest of the story. While both flawed, Paige and Vivian were likable characters.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC. Opinions expressed are my own.