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These Toxic Things

by Rachel Howzell Hall
2021 · 415 pages · Fiction
Critics' pick
≈ 10 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Mickie Lambert makes digital scrapbooks for clients. When her latest, curio shop owner Nadia Denham, dies in an apparent suicide, Mickie begins curating the twelve odd mementos Nadia collected at flea markets across the country.

Why it's worth reading

It was a finalist for the Anthony Award.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's a mystery thriller.

By the numbers

51.5Must-Read Score
  • Readers6 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics18 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller3 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz26 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Anthony Award finalist (2022)

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Rachel Howzell Hall

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Quick answers

Is These Toxic Things worth reading?

Yes. It was a finalist for the Anthony Award. It ranks #3,044 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 51.5 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is These Toxic Things about?

Mickie Lambert makes digital scrapbooks for clients. When her latest, curio shop owner Nadia Denham, dies in an apparent suicide, Mickie begins curating the twelve odd mementos Nadia collected at flea markets across the country.

How long does it take to read These Toxic Things?

About 10 hours (415 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after These Toxic Things?

If you liked it, try And Now She's Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall, The Collective by Alison Gaylin or Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman.