Title: ONLY IF YOU’RE LUCKY
Author: Stacy Willingham
ISBN: 9780008595647
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 408
Source: Private Copy
Margot went to college in South Carolina for a new start. It’s a chance to get away – from her small town, her family and the memories of her dead best friend.
She gets her wish when the enigmatic Lucy invites her to join two other girls in a shared house for their second year. But as Margot gets to know the girls, she begins to realise that something’s off about Lucy, she’s not quite what she seems.
Six months later, Lucy is missing, and a boy from the frat house next door is dead, leaving Margot in the wake of the investigation. But as the police continue to dig, they realise Lucy isn’t the only one with secrets.
Official Summary
12 November 2025
This author has a real gift for creating dark, emotionally charged thrillers, and Only If You’re Lucky is another haunting example of her talent. It’s a slow-burn psychological suspense that perfectly captures the complexities of friendship, grief, and obsession — all set against the charged atmosphere of college life.
The story follows Margot, a young woman desperate for a fresh start after the death of her best friend. When she heads to college in South Carolina, she hopes to finally leave the ghosts of her past behind. That chance seems to arrive when Lucy — magnetic, fearless, and a little dangerous — invites her to move into a shared house with two other girls. But from the start, there’s something unsettling about Lucy. She’s charming and intoxicating, but she also holds everyone in her orbit a little too tightly.
When a boy from the frat house next door turns up dead and Lucy disappears, Margot’s world begins to unravel. The police investigation that follows forces her to confront uncomfortable truths — not just about Lucy, but about herself.
Willingham excels at writing flawed, deeply human characters, and Margot is one of her most complex yet. I found myself torn between sympathy and frustration, which made her feel all the more real. The tension builds beautifully — not through shocking action scenes, but through atmosphere and psychology. You’re constantly questioning what’s true, what’s imagined, and what’s being deliberately concealed.
The book explores how intoxicating and destructive female friendships can be, especially during those intense, formative college years. It’s less about who committed the crime and more about why — and how far people will go to belong, to be seen, or to protect their secrets.
By the end, I was left unsettled, thoughtful, and completely impressed. Willingham continues to prove she’s one of the best at crafting moody, emotionally intelligent thrillers that stay with you long after the final page.
Also by Stacy Willingham
ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS
One year ago, Isabelle Drake’s life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her—literally.
Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year.
Isabelle’s entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster—but his interest in Isabelle’s past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning, paired with her severe insomnia, has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust… including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Stacy Willingham is the New York Times, USA Today and internationally bestselling author of psychological suspense. Her books include A Flicker in the Dark, All the Dangerous Things, Only If You’re Lucky, and Forget Me Not.
Her debut, A Flicker in the Dark, has sold over one million copies in North America alone. It was the winner of Strand Magazine’s Best Debut Award and a finalist for the Book of the Month’s Book of the Year award, Goodreads Choice Best Debut award, Goodreads Choice Best Mystery & Thriller award, and ITW’s Best First Novel award. Her work has been translated into more than thirty languages.
Before turning to fiction, Stacy was a copywriter and brand strategist for various marketing agencies. She earned her B.A. in magazine journalism from the University of Georgia and M.F.A. in writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
She lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, daughter and dog.
Regular visitors will know that Stacy Willingham is one of the authors on my backlist pile, and this was the last Stacy Willingham book – I have now read all of them. I am looking forward to reading more from her. Have you read all her books? Let me know which one was your favourite. Until next time… Happy Reading!
