These Toxic Things

Digital curator Mickie Lambert creates "digital scrapbooks" for clients by photographing and documenting their personal mementos. She takes on a project for curio shop owner Nadia Denham, who dies by suicide shortly after their first meeting. While working through Nadia's collection of objects, Mickie begins receiving threatening messages warning her to stop the project. Her investigation into the items' histories leads her to discover connections between Nadia and several missing persons cases. As Mickie digs deeper into Nadia's past and the stories behind the objects, she puts herself at risk from someone who wants the truth to stay buried. The dangers of her present situation begin to overlap with unresolved trauma from her own history. The novel explores themes of memory, loss, and how physical objects can anchor both healing and harm. Through its examination of preserved memories and forgotten histories, it raises questions about which parts of the past we choose to keep and which we try to erase.

Readers describe the book as a slow-burning thriller that picks up momentum in the second half. Many appreciate the unique digital scrapbooking premise and the protagonist's complex family dynamics. Readers liked: - Well-developed side characters and relationships - Details about memory boxes and curating personal items - Writing style that builds tension gradually - Cultural representation and Los Angeles setting Readers disliked: - Pacing in first third of book feels too slow - Some plot threads left unresolved - Main character makes decisions that frustrated readers - Multiple timelines can be confusing to follow Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (3,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (2,800+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (240+ ratings) "The ending caught me completely off guard" appears in multiple reviews. Several readers note they "had to push through the first 100 pages" but found the payoff worthwhile.

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🔍 Author Rachel Howzell Hall worked for 15 years at City of Hope, a cancer research and treatment center, which influenced her perspective on memory and legacy in the novel 📱 The digital memory boxes central to the plot were inspired by real-life "digital legacy" services that manage deceased people's online presence 🏆 The book was selected as an Amazon Best Mystery/Thriller of the Month when it was released in September 2021 🎭 The protagonist Mickie Lambert's profession as a digital archaeologist reflects a real emerging career field focused on preserving digital artifacts and memories 🗺️ The novel is set in Southern California, where the author was born and raised, and she incorporates authentic details of the region's diverse communities and culture