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The Forgotten Boy
Going back home can be deadly.
Mina would have been perfectly happy never setting foot in her childhood home ever again. But it’s part of her parents' will - if she wants her inheritance, she has to return home and clean out the house.
But it’s not just dust and antiques waiting for her in Black Tar, North Carolina. The home is full of memories and secrets. And unlike Mina, who can’t remember why her parents hated her, the town is full of people who never forgot.
They know the truth, and they’re coming for her.
If she’s going to survive returning home one last time, she’s going to have to remember what terrible thing happened when she was a little girl.
She’ll have to to outsmart the people who want to hurt her.
And she’ll have to hope a stranger can help her.
But no matter what Mina tries, there’s always someone one step ahead.
Mina would have been perfectly happy never setting foot in her childhood home ever again. But it’s part of her parents' will - if she wants her inheritance, she has to return home and clean out the house.
But it’s not just dust and antiques waiting for her in Black Tar, North Carolina. The home is full of memories and secrets. And unlike Mina, who can’t remember why her parents hated her, the town is full of people who never forgot.
They know the truth, and they’re coming for her.
If she’s going to survive returning home one last time, she’s going to have to remember what terrible thing happened when she was a little girl.
She’ll have to to outsmart the people who want to hurt her.
And she’ll have to hope a stranger can help her.
But no matter what Mina tries, there’s always someone one step ahead.
187 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2023
56 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
Emily Shiner
32 books934 followersEmily lives in the mountains of North Carolina and loves hiking with her dogs--only when she's not thinking up twisted tales, that is. She loves books that keep you up long after you should be in bed.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 4, 2025
3.5 stars. This wasn't bad. Not Emily Shiner's strongest work, but it was still a valiant effort. Lots of intrigue and suspicious people and happenings. Not necessarily enough to keep you on the edge of your seat, but plenty to keep you wanting to read through. The shifting POVs between Mina and Rebecca worked well, giving you a good depth to both of our leads. And the ending caught me off guard, completely shifting my opinion of all the involved characters. My biggest critiques focused on the pacing and flow of how everything happened. The introductions of each character, aside from Mina, most notably Aaron, seemed really random. They all had purpose, but the introductions just felt tossed together with no organic origin within the immediate portions of the story. Not sure if maybe extending the story or having more adequate intros for each person would have worked better, but they all needed some retooling. On a side note, cleaning out my deceased parent's house several years ago, this all brought me back to that time. Very uncomfortable, traumatizing, and lots of random happenings that kept me completely anxiety-ridden throughout. The general atmosphere that Emily Shiner created was spot on, which I can vouch for.
January 13, 2023
She knew once the parents were dead the daughter would come back to the house and she would have her all to herself. I really enjoyed this over the top revenge story, it’s quite the page turner.
February 19, 2023
Emily Shiner returns following I'm Following You (5 stars) with THE BOY FORGOTTEN —a heart-pounding, locked-room, domestic suspense thriller of memory, revenge, and obsession.
I have titles for my authors, and Emily has earned the "queen of revenge/obsession." A pro at writing the juiciest revenge plots.
Readers will be swept away in this twisty psychological thriller of families, revenge, and secrets.
Firstly, we know there is a little boy by this adorable cover. Readers discover in the Prologue (which hooks you instantly) that someone saw the little boy go under in a pool.
He never came back up. We learned there was a pool party and lots of wine and booze.
Fast forward years later, Mina's parents have died, and she is coming home to clean out and sell the house she grew up in. She is not looking forward to it— from New York back to Tennessee.
Mina does not have a lot of memories from her childhood, except her parents were very mean to her and made her clean the baseboards with a toothbrush. Why were they so mean to her? She was not allowed to play outside with other kids. There was always punishment. They seem to hate her.
She arrives and discovers an alarm company with contracts still on the house. So she guesses she will keep everything in place until she sells the home. But first, she must tackle cleaning it out and preparing it for sale.
She plans on being there one week and one week only in the small town of Black Tar, Tennessee, and dying to return to New York City and her life as a designer.
Also, she was never allowed in her parent's bedroom. She is dying to see what they have been hiding. Another door to another room is locked in the parent's bedroom, and she must find a key.
It is still locked? Is it a storage room or what? What is hidden in there?
Mina would love to hire someone to take care of all this, but one of the stipulations in her mom's will was that she must be the one to do the work if she wanted any of the inheritance. She must be the one to empty it and put it on the market. But why?
All her student loans will be paid off, and she can get a nicer place in NY, so she will get it done.
She also senses something sinister happened in this house, but she cannot remember. There is a mysterious box she finds under their bed. A locked room. And finds something written in the back of her closet that gives her the chills. The words are strange and she has no memory of writing these words.
Told from Mina and Rebecca's POV.
Rebecca Wilder has stalked Mina for the last eight years on her social media. Rebecca runs a security company. She has complete control over Mina's parent's house. She can lock all doors and windows with an app. She pretends to befriend Mina and offers to help her clean out the house.
Then Mina's phone is dead and then goes missing with the charger. Then her tires are slashed. What is going on?
Throughout the clean-up, Mina drinks a lot of wine and stays buzzed most of the time. She has yet to learn what Rebecca is capable of and what she wants.
Between the booze, her fuzzy memory, the mysterious box, the locked room, the two mysterious flower deliveries with no name on the cards with strange messages, and all the weird things happening in the house, Mina feels like she is losing her mind.
One of the cards on the flowers says, "I'm watching you." Twice the floral guy delivers flowers. It feels like a threat. Who is watching?
Then Rebecca will not seem to leave. She is always there and gives her the creeps.
Mina must pay.
Then another woman shows up, Wanda Skyler. She says she was a family friend and came over for her parents' parties. A piece of jewelry that her mom had of hers. There are two women in this house, and they are hovering around. Mina does not remember either. Wanda says she has come for something that is hers.
Rebecca and Wanda are not getting along? What is going on between these two? Then Mina finds herself trapped in her parent's home, and all windows and doors are locked. What do these two women want from her?
The author keeps you in suspense with a locked-room claustrophobic, suffocating vibe with no escape. Then the unspeakable happens, and another signature plot twist at the end (the author is known for), which is wickedly evil and one you will not anticipate.
There is more than one killer on the loose. Who will remain alive? A dangerous game of cat and mouse. The secrets of the parents and families rise to the surface. If she is saved, she will be living another nightmare. Someone else is watching. Will she ever escape Black Tar?
Taut with foreboding, THE BOY FORGOTTEN is a quick, fun, and suspenseful read that is addictive and can be read in one sitting. Complex, chilling, and deliciously wicked! I am enjoying the author's writing style.
Fast-paced, unsettling, and terrifying—for fans of authors Freida McFadden, Kimberly Belle, and Daniel Hurst.
I am still trying to figure out how Author Emily Shiner cranks out all these thrillers —she is a writing machine and I am undoubtedly enjoying her talents. Trying to read her backlist between all my new ARCs.
If you have not read Emily Shiner, I highly recommend her books. This book would be a fun audiobook and would be a great movie.
Also, check out her upcoming book, You Can't Hide (Feb 19, 2023). I finished the ARC last evening and it is another 5 STAR thriller that will blow you away.
Blog review posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Jan 10, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars
Jan 2023 Must-Read Books
I have titles for my authors, and Emily has earned the "queen of revenge/obsession." A pro at writing the juiciest revenge plots.
Readers will be swept away in this twisty psychological thriller of families, revenge, and secrets.
Firstly, we know there is a little boy by this adorable cover. Readers discover in the Prologue (which hooks you instantly) that someone saw the little boy go under in a pool.
He never came back up. We learned there was a pool party and lots of wine and booze.
Fast forward years later, Mina's parents have died, and she is coming home to clean out and sell the house she grew up in. She is not looking forward to it— from New York back to Tennessee.
Mina does not have a lot of memories from her childhood, except her parents were very mean to her and made her clean the baseboards with a toothbrush. Why were they so mean to her? She was not allowed to play outside with other kids. There was always punishment. They seem to hate her.
She arrives and discovers an alarm company with contracts still on the house. So she guesses she will keep everything in place until she sells the home. But first, she must tackle cleaning it out and preparing it for sale.
She plans on being there one week and one week only in the small town of Black Tar, Tennessee, and dying to return to New York City and her life as a designer.
Also, she was never allowed in her parent's bedroom. She is dying to see what they have been hiding. Another door to another room is locked in the parent's bedroom, and she must find a key.
It is still locked? Is it a storage room or what? What is hidden in there?
Mina would love to hire someone to take care of all this, but one of the stipulations in her mom's will was that she must be the one to do the work if she wanted any of the inheritance. She must be the one to empty it and put it on the market. But why?
All her student loans will be paid off, and she can get a nicer place in NY, so she will get it done.
She also senses something sinister happened in this house, but she cannot remember. There is a mysterious box she finds under their bed. A locked room. And finds something written in the back of her closet that gives her the chills. The words are strange and she has no memory of writing these words.
Told from Mina and Rebecca's POV.
Rebecca Wilder has stalked Mina for the last eight years on her social media. Rebecca runs a security company. She has complete control over Mina's parent's house. She can lock all doors and windows with an app. She pretends to befriend Mina and offers to help her clean out the house.
Then Mina's phone is dead and then goes missing with the charger. Then her tires are slashed. What is going on?
Throughout the clean-up, Mina drinks a lot of wine and stays buzzed most of the time. She has yet to learn what Rebecca is capable of and what she wants.
Between the booze, her fuzzy memory, the mysterious box, the locked room, the two mysterious flower deliveries with no name on the cards with strange messages, and all the weird things happening in the house, Mina feels like she is losing her mind.
One of the cards on the flowers says, "I'm watching you." Twice the floral guy delivers flowers. It feels like a threat. Who is watching?
Then Rebecca will not seem to leave. She is always there and gives her the creeps.
Mina must pay.
Then another woman shows up, Wanda Skyler. She says she was a family friend and came over for her parents' parties. A piece of jewelry that her mom had of hers. There are two women in this house, and they are hovering around. Mina does not remember either. Wanda says she has come for something that is hers.
Rebecca and Wanda are not getting along? What is going on between these two? Then Mina finds herself trapped in her parent's home, and all windows and doors are locked. What do these two women want from her?
The author keeps you in suspense with a locked-room claustrophobic, suffocating vibe with no escape. Then the unspeakable happens, and another signature plot twist at the end (the author is known for), which is wickedly evil and one you will not anticipate.
There is more than one killer on the loose. Who will remain alive? A dangerous game of cat and mouse. The secrets of the parents and families rise to the surface. If she is saved, she will be living another nightmare. Someone else is watching. Will she ever escape Black Tar?
Taut with foreboding, THE BOY FORGOTTEN is a quick, fun, and suspenseful read that is addictive and can be read in one sitting. Complex, chilling, and deliciously wicked! I am enjoying the author's writing style.
Fast-paced, unsettling, and terrifying—for fans of authors Freida McFadden, Kimberly Belle, and Daniel Hurst.
I am still trying to figure out how Author Emily Shiner cranks out all these thrillers —she is a writing machine and I am undoubtedly enjoying her talents. Trying to read her backlist between all my new ARCs.
If you have not read Emily Shiner, I highly recommend her books. This book would be a fun audiobook and would be a great movie.
Also, check out her upcoming book, You Can't Hide (Feb 19, 2023). I finished the ARC last evening and it is another 5 STAR thriller that will blow you away.
Blog review posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Jan 10, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars
Jan 2023 Must-Read Books
January 11, 2023
I received a gifted copy and am writing a review.
This tale is told in two voices, those of Mina and Rebecca. Mina has returned to Black Tar, Tennessee, to clean out her parents’ home. The stipulation in her mom’s will is that Mina do this on her own or she doesn’t get her inheritance. To say Mina is less than thrilled to be back home is an understatement. There’s a knock on the door. It’s Rebecca of Secure Solutions checking in with Mina to be sure everything’s okay and she still wants to maintain the services her parents setup regarding the alarm system. At least, that’s the story Rebecca tells Mina.
To say this tale is twisted is putting it mildly. Rebecca has her own reasons for befriending Mina. Mina has her reasons for not wanting to be back home, but she also wants to uncover some memories that have been clouded by her drinking. Wanda just wants her jewelry back.
While this story has minimal characters, it kept my attention without being overloaded with characters. It doesn’t have to be. I look forward to more books from Ms. Shiner … especially if they are this twisted with an ending that makes you go hmmmm … I didn’t see that coming.
This tale is told in two voices, those of Mina and Rebecca. Mina has returned to Black Tar, Tennessee, to clean out her parents’ home. The stipulation in her mom’s will is that Mina do this on her own or she doesn’t get her inheritance. To say Mina is less than thrilled to be back home is an understatement. There’s a knock on the door. It’s Rebecca of Secure Solutions checking in with Mina to be sure everything’s okay and she still wants to maintain the services her parents setup regarding the alarm system. At least, that’s the story Rebecca tells Mina.
To say this tale is twisted is putting it mildly. Rebecca has her own reasons for befriending Mina. Mina has her reasons for not wanting to be back home, but she also wants to uncover some memories that have been clouded by her drinking. Wanda just wants her jewelry back.
While this story has minimal characters, it kept my attention without being overloaded with characters. It doesn’t have to be. I look forward to more books from Ms. Shiner … especially if they are this twisted with an ending that makes you go hmmmm … I didn’t see that coming.
February 6, 2023
Strange read
This was a truly bizarre plot. All I saw was a couple of completely insane people with an agenda that really didn't ring true. Just way to far out there.
This was a truly bizarre plot. All I saw was a couple of completely insane people with an agenda that really didn't ring true. Just way to far out there.
April 29, 2024
5 stars. This is simply a perfect masterfully crafted suspense novel that truly keeps you riveted on every page. I'll definitely read everything this author writes.
I know I wasn't as wild about the last one I read, but that had simply been because of the characters; even then I recognized the writing and pacing was extremely well done.
I'm sure I've read other books by this author too in the past. She's prolific and I read a lot in this genre, too many to always keep track of or remember what I've read, but whatever books by her I haven't read... I will be reading them soon!🙂
If you enjoy fast-paced well-written suspense novels, Emily Shiner is a writer you NEED to check out!!
I know I wasn't as wild about the last one I read, but that had simply been because of the characters; even then I recognized the writing and pacing was extremely well done.
I'm sure I've read other books by this author too in the past. She's prolific and I read a lot in this genre, too many to always keep track of or remember what I've read, but whatever books by her I haven't read... I will be reading them soon!🙂
If you enjoy fast-paced well-written suspense novels, Emily Shiner is a writer you NEED to check out!!
January 12, 2023
What a story! It’s told between two perspectives, Mina & Rebecca. Mina has come back to close a chapter of her life and Rebecca wants revenge for something Mina has done. This fast paced thriller has a well written plot. The mix of characters flows really nicely and doesn’t get muddy. I would absolutely love a sequel to this because the ending is a huge shocker and I want more! Definitely add this to your TBR!
January 15, 2023
This is certainly an edge of your seat, gripping, psychology thriller.
It sucks you right in, from the very beginning and has you captured to the very end.
A gripping, well written storyline and plot, with great characters, plenty of twists, turns and revelations. Leading to that twisting conclusion.
I absolutely thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
My thanks to the Author for the copy. This is my honest unbiased review.
It sucks you right in, from the very beginning and has you captured to the very end.
A gripping, well written storyline and plot, with great characters, plenty of twists, turns and revelations. Leading to that twisting conclusion.
I absolutely thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
My thanks to the Author for the copy. This is my honest unbiased review.
April 1, 2024
I liked this book. I did. It had more potential. The ending left much more to be desired, hence the 3 star review…
What happens when you had a bad childhood? Your parents were mean and borderline abusive? But you don’t know why. Turns out you don’t remember why. There might be a reason lurking in the depths of your mind. Hidden beneath your self awareness. Will it ever surface?
I’d say the book is worth the read to find out for yourself!
What happens when you had a bad childhood? Your parents were mean and borderline abusive? But you don’t know why. Turns out you don’t remember why. There might be a reason lurking in the depths of your mind. Hidden beneath your self awareness. Will it ever surface?
I’d say the book is worth the read to find out for yourself!
September 26, 2024
Dangerous Water Play
One of the best thrillers I have read with two unexpected endings. It all starts with two children,,a boy and a girl,
playing in a pool and mother not paying attention. Fast forward years later and that same mother seeking revenge for the tragedy that happened that day.
One of the best thrillers I have read with two unexpected endings. It all starts with two children,,a boy and a girl,
playing in a pool and mother not paying attention. Fast forward years later and that same mother seeking revenge for the tragedy that happened that day.
November 13, 2024
worst book I’ve read all year
This book has SO MANY errors it felt like it was wrote by a teenager for English class. It drags out the dumbest things and has zero “wow didnt see that coming” moments. Extremely disappointing and a total waste of time. I do NOT recommend reading this unless u enjoy boring books with no surprises and wasting your time.
This book has SO MANY errors it felt like it was wrote by a teenager for English class. It drags out the dumbest things and has zero “wow didnt see that coming” moments. Extremely disappointing and a total waste of time. I do NOT recommend reading this unless u enjoy boring books with no surprises and wasting your time.
January 13, 2023
I don’t know how Emily Shiner does it. Each book she writes has so many twists it can make you dizzy! I loved this book. It is a dual POV book so get get to see inside the characters heads. The ending just blew me away. I didn’t see it coming and I loved it!
January 20, 2023
The Forgotten Boy by @authoremilyshiner was a good read. I loved the concept and the idea of the book and was very excited to be a part of her arc team and receive this book.
Although I have only given it 3.5 stars, I am not saying that the book isn't good. I really did enjoy it, and I thought that it was well written. However, I did find it was a little slow at times and certain scenes I could have done without. Having Rebecca constantly mulling over the fact that Mina didn't understand what she had done, and being inside her head wanting her dead all the time, did become a little monotonous. I enjoyed the ending and there was a good twist that I wasn't expecting. I am a fan of Emily Shiner and am currently reading another of her books: Not Her Baby - which is highly addictive.
Although I have only given it 3.5 stars, I am not saying that the book isn't good. I really did enjoy it, and I thought that it was well written. However, I did find it was a little slow at times and certain scenes I could have done without. Having Rebecca constantly mulling over the fact that Mina didn't understand what she had done, and being inside her head wanting her dead all the time, did become a little monotonous. I enjoyed the ending and there was a good twist that I wasn't expecting. I am a fan of Emily Shiner and am currently reading another of her books: Not Her Baby - which is highly addictive.
May 14, 2025
Forgotten
Mina has to clean out her decreased parent s house to get her inheritance. Its the last thing she wants to do. Rebecca shows up from her past and only wants one thing....to make Mins remember her past and her son and what Mina did to him. Fast paced thriller!
Mina has to clean out her decreased parent s house to get her inheritance. Its the last thing she wants to do. Rebecca shows up from her past and only wants one thing....to make Mins remember her past and her son and what Mina did to him. Fast paced thriller!
January 15, 2023
Loved it!!! Excellent read and couldn’t put it down. It was told by two different perspective and how they felt. Can’t wait to read the next one. Left on a cliffhanger!
May 6, 2023
Good book first one by this author. A surprise ending
July 5, 2023
3.5 stars.
March 2, 2024
The part where the second lady comes to the house was a poor addition to the story
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2024
The book started off well. But then just dragged on. I thought the ending was just ridiculous. Just 2 stars from me.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews