These Toxic Things

A Thriller

By: Rachel Howzell Hall

Narrated by: Susan Dalian

A dead woman’s cherished trinkets become pieces to a terrifying puzzle.

Mickie Lambert creates “digital scrapbooks” for clients, ensuring that precious souvenirs aren’t forgotten or lost. When her latest client, Nadia Denham, a curio shop owner, dies from an apparent suicide, Mickie honors the old woman’s last wish and begins curating her peculiar objets d’art. A music box, a hair clip, a key chain - twelve mementos in all that must have meant so much to Nadia, who collected them on her flea market scavenges across the country.

But these tokens mean a lot to someone else, too. Mickie has been receiving threatening messages to leave Nadia’s past alone.

It’s becoming a mystery Mickie is driven to solve. Who once owned these odd treasures? How did Nadia really come to possess them? Discovering the truth means crossing paths with a long-dormant serial killer and navigating the secrets of a sinister past. One that might, Mickie fears, be inescapably entwined with her own.

©2021 by Rachel Howzell Hall. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Susan Dalian's narration keeps the tension building in this thriller through her spot-on timing.... Dalian creates believable characters, including the spoiled and petulant Mickie, along with her caring parents and convincingly voiced men. The result is a thrilling mystery.” (AudioFile Magazine)

“Deeply moving, Villa’s debut fills a longstanding need in LGBTQ+ literature for more Latinx characters and a love story between two BIPOC characters. A lovely, important book that deserves a wide readership.” (Booklist, starred review)

“This cleverly plotted, surprise-filled novel offers well-drawn and original characters, lively dialogue, and a refreshing take on the serial killer theme. Hall continues to impress.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

Very Good

Okay, so I knew from about the 3rd chapter that there was a serial killer. The ins and outs were what kept me on the edge of my seat. Once I got into it I couldn't stop. The book is really good and I recommend it.

I liked it

I personally enjoyed this book. It was descriptive and just fun to read. I enjoyed living the main characters life with her and trying to solve the mystery. The narration was good as well.

Well, narrated, but story is shallow

It’s hard to tell where this story is going even in the first two hours. The narration is good, but I’m not sure that there is any power in the dialogue behind it.

Engaging

I loved every moment of this book. I enjoyed the main character and liked that she had such supportive friends and family in her life as the story unfolded.

Emotional Thriller

It has such a variety of emotions and struggles several twenty-somethings go through. Plus a mystery only a curious cat would dare to find herself involved in. Enjoyed the different subplots going on throughout the main story and seeing how they all came around to the ending. I loved Susan Dalian reading and will look for more of her narrations. PS I want a Memory Bank