“You’re not afraid of doing bad things. You’re afraid of getting punished for them.”

That’s one powerful opening line, am I right? For most of us, it’s also right on the money.

The premise of this novel is totally my cup of tea. Twenty years before, six strangers move into a house, but only five of them come out. Okay, well, they all come out, but one makes his exit in a body bag. In the present, the survivors reunite, and boy, do things get intense!!

I’m a sucker for storylines like this. I love digging up things that were never quite buried, and I drool at the thought of our characters coming to blows (literally or figuratively) as they face the truth about the past. Also, I adore it when tensions rise to the surface and explode onto the page. Those things are exactly what the author promised, and it’s exactly what she delivered!

I had some minor gripes here and there, but they didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book. I was worried that it would go downhill toward the end, but it did not. The ending was well-done, and I left feeling satisfied. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I will recommend it.

Good murder mystery but a large cast and at times a bit hard to keep everybody straight. Flowed well and I liked the story line and constant questioning it creates for me. Enjoyable and certain good for a take me away from reality read.

Five friends from University arrive at Wolfheather House, a crumbling secluded mansion on the Scottish Isle of Doon, where they are taking a break. Pals, Hollis, Ellie, Oliver, Lorna, Maeve, and Callum shared the same house, 215 Caldwell Street, back in the day, but after their end-of-year party one of them was found dead on the sofa. The death was ruled an accident at the time, however, all of the remaining five roommates know that it wasn't. Now, they have been baited to turn up at the remote Scottish property that has no link with the outside world. Someone wants them to confess their roles in their roommate's death... or die.

They Did Bad Things is told in seamlessly transitioning chapters between past and present, narrated by the five roommates and one other person's diary entries. This style worked very well for me, making unfolding events easy to follow. The characterisation by Lauren A. Forry was very well done and each had plenty of essential unlikable personality. I was invested in all of them and needed to know how the story would pan out. Wolfheather House had its own identity, complete with the secret passages, and hidden rooms, creating a wonderful creepiness, sense of unease, and general ominous vibe. The atmosphere of the old hotel during a terrible storm added further darkness to the story.

They Did Bad Things is an enthralling locked-room thriller that included good dollops of harboured secrets, evil, jealousy, lies, and intrigue. A pretty good all-round, riveting read.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Skyhorse Publishing via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

This book was full of characters I kind of loved to hate. A whodunit with big time Agatha Christie vibes, it takes place in Scotland which is definitely different for me! I struggled at times to stay engaged and found myself confused and re-reading certain parts, but overall I liked this book. I'd give it 3.5 out of 5 stars and I would definitely read more by this author!

I started this book with huge expectations, but unfortunately at the 50% mark I finally had to hang it up. This book is all over the place and I had a really hard time keeping track of who was who. I also didn’t find there to be much in the way of character development. One of the main characters dies, and honestly, I didn’t care. I wasn’t committed to the character, or this story. It just didn’t work for me. Life is too short to stick with a book that doesn’t work for you. Thanks for the opportunity - on to the next read.

I could not put this down! I was completely pulled in by the characters and writing style from the very beginning. The characters were believable and relatable. I love that this kept me guessing until the very end! I absolutely would recommend this book to anyone who wants a good thriller/mystery!

4.5 Stars

I saw mixed reviews for this book but wanted to give the author a chance as I really liked the premise. I am really surprised with all the bad reviews as I enjoyed this book, a lot, and I read it in one sitting. I started last night thinking I'd get a chapter or two in (the chapters are quite long yet didn't feel like it!) but boy did I get sucked into this story!

This is a compelling story with a group of characters who are quite varied and give the reader a good look at their issues, secrets and pasts as well as a bird's eye view of the current disturbing situation. As readers progress through this character-driven read, they'll begin to doubt their initial ideas of the culprit's identity which heightens the tension and makes for a wonderfully twisted murder mystery.

Overall, this was a refreshing and clever whodunit that has a healthy dose of menace, an intriguing ensemble of characters and spattering of murder that puts the characters as well as the reader on the edge of their seats. While this book gives a hearty nod to Dame Christie (an author who knew a thing or two about how to craft a well-written mystery), Ms. Forry provides readers with a compelling, multi-layered old-school mystery with her own personal touches. I did take half a star off because it was a little over the top.

I usually don't read horror/thriller mystery books but this book was very good. The story unfolds in present day and back when the murder happened. The interesting thing about this plot is you don't exactly know why they were murdered and throughout the whole book the suspect is constantly changing. It is a slower read but it is still very good.
I think the author did a wonderful job of showing the monstrous sides of these characters. It was hard to really truly like any of them because of how dark their other side was. I would say this is not only. thriller mystery but also has a psychological aspect to it. I thought I had it figured out, but I was completely wrong. I like being surprised by the ending. Not only that but you can tell the author thought out the plot extensively.
In conclusion, I really think the author did a great job of exploring the darker parts of the human conscious and revealling that each of the characters could be just as guilty as the last.

Whodunits in the vein of “And then there were none” are catnip to me, and this one did not disappoint. These characters are not strangers though, they knew each other in college and they all know why they’ve all been tricked into this unwanted reunion. One of their friends died. It was ruled an accident, but the friends know it wasn’t, so we get two mysteries: what happened in the past and who’s trapped them in a creepy bed and breakfast on an island in the middle of a storm. A few plot twists were a little too implausible, but the rest of the novel kept me turning the pages. The characters are complex. They were selfish and despicable in college. Some of them haven’t changed much, but others have matured. When things go sideways, we see who has truly evolved and who’s gotten even worse. I was surprised at how much I cared about the characters, like I say, they are not the nicest bunch. The plot offers some creepy details, including the house’s strange décor, a blackout and a disturbing picture. Original and suspenseful with a well-crafted plot, mystery lovers will enjoy this novel.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Skyhorse Publishing/Arcade Crimewise!

Five people lured to a weekend stay at a mansion. Sounds great right?

They're all happy to get away until upon arrival where they realize they all know one another. They use to live together while going to college on 215 Caldwell street. They have not kept in touch and immediately want to leave but suddenly realize they can't. Their vehicles have all been vandalized. They receive a note that states no one leaves until someone confesses to killing on of their roommates back in 1995.

Story starts out strong. I was ready to finish it in one sitting. However, with the constant changing back and forth it made it hard to focus. The chapters are really long as well. When I look and see 53 minutes left in this chapter I get discouraged.

The entire story is a blame game of course with bodies being found throughout the book. Nobody wants to confess what really happened to Callum that last night he was alive. He was completely drunk. The cops did not mention homicide. It was a done deal wasn't it? Then who has them here and who has been holding this grudge?

Thank you Netgalley and Skyhorse publishing in exchange for my honest opinion.

The title caught my attention and the story sucked me in and didn't let go. Twisty and taunt. It had me guessing from beginning to end because I just couldn't figure it out. My favorite kind of story. You will love it. Happy reading!

A fast-paced read I found it hard to put down. This is similar to Christie’s And Then There Were None, with people forced together under false pretenses to pay for old sins. Reversals and misdirections come quickly and often, keeping the reader on edge. Good for anyone who likes their thrillers ultimately on the bloody side.

Thank you to Netgalley, Skyhorse Publishing and the Author Lauren A Forry for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found this book a little hard to get into, but once I got all the characters straight it was unputdownable!
A total Agatha Christie like "And then there were none" Whodunnit!
With an I didn't see that coming ending!
My first read from this Author and I will definitely be following her and reading more of her books.

- too many characters & too much back and forth; I found so much of this incredibly difficult and confusing to follow
- so many plot holes?? how did the "villain" know everything they knew? who the killer was in 1995, full conversations between other people when they were not there.. etc etc. why did someone in the group originally kill in 1995 over something SO SMALL & INSIGNIFICANT? *******spoiler******* stealing answers to a test?? I also don't believe someone could assume someone's identity so well that 4 people that lived with them for over a year not realize..I get it was years earlier but still. nobody looks that similarly, not to mention voice/mannerisms/etc.
idk just super unbelievable & convoluted with plot holes galore.

This one sounded so promising. A creepy house, 5 roommates who hadn't seen each other in 20 years and a mysterious death. It was interesting how the author introduced the characters by way of an invitation to a weekend away. But the book went downhill from there. It was slow and hard to follow. The characters were all unlikable, underdeveloped and boring. Unfortunately, I can not recommend this book to anyone.

3 Stars

This is a fun, dark, and twisty adventure that hops perspectives and time lines between 1995 and the present. Six college roommates rented a house and one of them died. Fast forward twenty years and the remaining five are all called to a remote mansion for the weekend to determine who was at fault for their roommate's death.

I really enjoyed the time hopping and only getting nuggets of the story. There are lots of gory details and twists and turns to keep you on your toes! It was also entertaining to see that they're as messed up as adults as they were as teenagers. None of them were able to overcome Callum's death and become successful in their pursuits.

I look forward to checking out Lauren Forry's other book!

A special thank you to NetGalley, Skyhorse Publishing, and Lauren Forry for providing me with an ARC.

This is just a fun read which totally lives up to the title. It was exactly what I was hoping for. You don't have to feel bad for these people, they are just rotters. And they get what's coming to them. Hooray!

When you (or your publisher) compares your book to a masterpiece such as Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, you either a) have the guts to do so or b) really think your book is that mystery. I, myself, am a HUGE fan of ATTWN, and after I read it in the description that’s all that was in my mind as I was reading this novel.

They Did Bad Things is a creepy--if not outright scary at times--mystery that brings five adults to face the things they did twenty years prior. This big incident revolves around their university flat and one of their flatmates, Callum, whose death was ruled an accident.

But the characters know otherwise.

As we begin the story, we are introduced to the character’s we’ll see suffer for the next 288 pages. There’s the newly promoted detective Hollis, the ever “people-hating” Lorna, princess Ellie, absolute bastard Olliver, and little miss Maeve. We’re introduced to them through a series of montages of them arriving at the Wolfheather house, which was a really creative way to let us get to know all of them without being confusing.

The characters were all unique in their own ways but the dynamic between them all was subpar. When together, they all seemed to merge into this one swearing, panicking monster and all that fleshed out characterisation that we had just been introduced to disappeared. This made the characters not so enjoyable to read about, and I honestly felt nothing toward them. At least, nothing to make me root for them. In a way I suppose that was the point, considering the book’s name is They Did Bad Things. Either way, the quality of the characters dragged down the quality of the overall book for me, which is why I took away a star.

The plot, however...the plot was absolutely spectacular. Being a mystery, I don’t think I can say much without ruining the book for others, so I’ll try to keep it vague. This is where I saw the most parallels with And Then There Were None. And no, it’s not just because of the whole being-trapped-with-other-people-who-did-bad-things-in-a-house situation, but in the way Forry brings us through the story. In between all the exploration and death and red-herrings is a very well thought out scheme and motive that I hate to admit I didn’t see coming. Least to say I fell for quite a few of those red-herrings...

The writing drags back and forth between present day and twenty years prior with many shifts between POVs. While I didn’t mind the time shifting, I felt the POV changes to be unnecessary, and that the whole novel would’ve been better just written in third person (omniscient or limited, either works). It wasn’t annoying per se, more of a formatting issue that hindered the flow of the text.

Lorry’s conclusion to the novel surpassed most of my mystery expectations. She didn’t just start revealing random information at the very end in order to draw shock factor, but dropped hints throughout the whole novel and at the very end brought them together to make sense. Unlike many other far-fetched mystery endings I’ve read, the ending to They Did Bad Things felt wholly deserved and left me satisfied.

As a self-proclaimed And Then There Were None fan, I can safely say that They Did Bad Things rightly deserves that comparison. While I still find myself longing for the characterisation of characters such as Vera Claythorne and Justice Wargrave, the plot is just too good to pass out on.

If you’re a fan of mysteries, thrillers, and very cleverly thought out schemes, They Did Bad Things is worth a shot.

TW: Mentions of rape, lots of violence, somewhat vivid descriptions of blood.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

(2.5 stars)
Pros:
- the characters were all unlikable (besides Hollis, who we didn't see much of) which made the story more interesting to read about. I got engaged because I was frustrated with their choices/behavior, which added a layer to the reading experience.
- the atmosphere of the story was perfect. I liked the classic clue-like set up of "who done it" with the constant rainstorm, mysterious thuds/footsteps, and mystery of why they've been brought together.

Cons:
- I wish that there had been more clues to who was responsible. It felt completely out of left field to have this supposed twin sister, who was never brought up before as a character, be the instigator for the whole event. To have the perpetrator not even included as an option felt cheap, and kinda like I was cheated out of being able to try and solve through the puzzle of their situation on my own.
--- Also, if she knew it was a murder cover-up, I don't understand why she didn't just report them to the police. I don't see her motivation for straight-up killing five people.
- I wish that we were informed about why Callum was dead earlier in the book. The duel mysteries felt too dragged out, and I was confused about motivations more than I was intrigued by what was happening. I wanted to understand why they were in this hotel in the first place so I could start trying to puzzle through who brought them all together
- The reveal for the reason why Callum was murdered didn't make sense. I know it was explained why the characters thought it (with stealing exam answers) was worth it, but I didn't see that reflected in their actions throughout the story and had a hard time buying that it was something worth murdering over. I honestly believed that his death was instead going to be linked to the Oliver/Ellie situation, which was brought up near the end. But maybe that was supposed to be the point. All this death over something so trivial

Overall it was an interesting read that I flew through. I just ultimately wish the structure of reveals was different (i.e. find out about Callum's death sooner so we weren't so completely in the dark the whole time) and that the perpetrator wasn't so out of left field/unguessable. I wanted more hints and at least an introduction throughout the story.

Rating: 2.5

This book started off good, but I stopped caring at around 70% through it. All of the characters were terrible people (because that's the point) but a couple of them were tolerable. The problem was that the ones who were the most tolerable, got the least amount of time in the book. It switches perspectives and time a lot. Mostly from the events leading up to Callum's death to 20 years later. I stopped caring about Callum very quickly. The author just continues to tell you how much of a good person he is and how terrible everyone else is. I need more than that to care about his death, it just felt too detached to me.