
Member Reviews

This is the first book I've read by Alex Finlay. I know Alex has a loyal following, and I understand it! This book is twisty and action-packed, with three different points of view, unanswered questions from the get-go, and short chapters that make it sooooooo easy to just "one more chapter" for hours. The prologue happens 25 years before the main action of the book, but it's clear that the teenagers in the prologue have been through some serious sh*t together, and the book is about them coming back together as adults to deal with the fallout.
This is a personal thing for me, but when I can't connect to any of the characters (or find them unlikeable), I can't love the book. This is true for me for What Have We Done. The character development was lacking, most likely to make room for all the action in the plot. I rate this a 3.5, rounded up.
I think that this novel would be an incredible movie or limited series.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I didn’t love Every Last Fear, but Night Shift was really good. Based on those two, Finlay showed enough promise to make me download the ARC of his latest without even getting into the plot description. I mean, those are mostly similar anyway, aren’t they?
There are only so many scenarios that popular thrillers take on and this is a standard one: a group of friends did something terrible in the past and 25 years later it comes back to haunt them. But…what have they done?
Well, from the prologue, it looks like they murdered someone.
And now, someone is trying to kill them.
Though most of them have drifted out of each other’s lives, now that must ban together once more to figure out what’s going on. To survive.
So, if the basic premise isn’t all that original, it’s all about execution. And Finlay executes this one just right, weaving all the separate narratives cleverly both as separate strands and as a cohesive sum total, creating ever-so-slightly clichéd but compelling characters, staying with the dynamic pace throughout. The entire novel kind of reads like one long exciting chase scene, in a good way. Plus, there are some very good plot twists in the end. Done just right, meaning not telegraphed early one or tricked out into implausibility.
Overall, lots of fun. A genuinely exciting thriller. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, quite a few crazy killers, and a bit of a who done it! The storyline was very interesting and a little crazy! It had me glued to my Kindle! I will definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

This is the first book I have read by Alex Finlay and it did not disappoint. Twenty five years ago five best friends in foster care did something bad. When the group home is closed, they all go separate ways. Now their past choice come back to haunt them and they are reunited for a single reason, someone is trying to kill them. This book is written in the POV of 3 characters. The short chapters and plot development kept me wanting more with each page turn, I didn’t want to put the book down!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy.

Can there be a 'hit-man with a heart of gold' trope? Like, it's not hyper serious, but is fun without being silly, exciting without being stressful. I don't know if that's a thing, but if it's going to come into being Alex Finlay gets my nomination to lead the movement.

Bravo to Alex Finlay who has done it again! This book is suspenseful, it’s thrilling, it’s mysterious and it’s written in short chapter form, which I feel works best with thrillers. It starts off a little slow and gathers speed the rest of the way. In true Finlay form, this book will entertain you and keep you turning pages until you fall asleep with the book in your hand.
This is my 4-star review. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this fantastic book.

This book grabs you from the first page and gets even better from there. "what have we done?" I could not wait to find out!!
Told in 3 POV (Jenna, Donnie and Nico), it's a story of how things you think you've left behind can come back to haunt you. I loved how fast-paced this book was, sometimes when there are multiple POV it seems like it takes forever for the story to progress but this one was fantastic.
If this book was a movie I would definitely watch it!
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book, I almost wish I could read it again for the first time!!

Wow! This is the second novel I've read from Alex Finlay and he is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
What Have We Done is a fast paced mystery/thriller told from three POVs: Jenna (a stay-at-home mom with a past), Donnie (A has-been rock star with a habit), and Nico (A reality TV producer with a debt). These three characters spent time together as children in an abusive group home and now their paths cross 25 years later in a chilling way.
This book kept me absolutely hooked the entire time. The prologue instantly grabs the readers attention and leaves you wanting to devour the entire novel the get the full story of what major event happened all those years ago and then putting the pieces together of how the present day will play out.
I would highly recommend all lovers of mystery/thrillers to give this book a shot and to check out Alex Finlay's other novels as well!
Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Alex Finlay for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was lucky enough to read this book in advance of it's release!
This was a solid 3.5 stars for me. The book starts with a bang and there is tons of action throughout. It is a fast-paced thriller for sure. Each chapter ended with enough of a cliffhanger to keep me hooked and invested, I seriously could not put it down!

Yes! So much yes! I read this book in one day because I literally could not put it down. I LOVED how this book turned around conventional stereotypes of characters and made the men the most flawed with addiction problems and the female the badass. I felt like I was watching an action movie the entire time, and I was on the edge of my seat.

This book was so good! It kept me reading all day to get to the end. Big thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy.
The story begins with five teenagers making a life altering decision. The story then jumps forward 25 years as that decision catches up with them. I loved the main female character, Jenna. She was a such a well developed character. Jenna’s story, revealing her intelligence, competence, and humanity was the storyline I enjoyed the most. It is RARE that the strongest character in a book filled with men turns out to be a woman.
The story moves forward with chapters told through the narrative of each of the now-adult teenagers still alive when the story begins. The past is revealed through memories within the current story. I so appreciated this storytelling as opposed to the all too common present-past chapter jumping that’s so popular right now. Adults looking back on the past is a different lens than having the past narrated by the kids.
I was kept guessing until the end. The final chapters revealed that the secrets went much deeper than the secret started 25 years ago. This book would be a GREAT beach read! Any lover of books by Ruth Ware, Liane Moriarty, BA Paris, Jennifer Hillier and the like will love this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Alex Finlay. It was perfectly written with a very suspenseful storyline. The plot was interesting and I also liked the characters. I was able to read this book in two nights. It’s definitely a binge worthy book. This is a must read book! Alex is an auto read/buy author for me. I have zero complaints about this book and would highly recommend it to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Jenna, Donnie, Nico, Ben and Arty spent a few years together as foster kids at Savior House 25 years ago. And they did something bad. Now, an assassin is trying to take them out. But, who's behind it? And why?
This was my least favorite Alex Finlay novel, It has a lot of action in it, and reads like a spy/action movie. I didn't care for the ending.
I did like the short chapters and the multiple POVs. The action did draw me in at first, but after that, I wanted more mystery/suspense. It was just not what I was expecting.

Alex done it again! I loved The Night Shift and this one was even more twisty and darker and gritty. Murder suspense fast paced chapters . Even though the chapters are long on the netgalley version they were fast paced and intriguing. Addictive qnd have you engaged . Jenna was a favorite character. There's a secrn with the truck driver that might alarm some. It's pretty graphic sexually. . Alex is a brilliant Thriller author and one that's on my top favorite list. I highly recommend ! Great book and characters and plot . Can't wait to read more from Alex.

This story is told in 3 different POV's. We have Jenna, Nico and Donnie who all spent time as teenagers in Foster Care at a place called Savior House. 25 years later they all have led successful lives but now someone is trying to kill them. They finally figure out that the common denominator is Savior House. The 3 of them come together to finally put their past and what happened there so long ago to rest.
This book feels different from the other Alex Finlay books I've read before. It's more of a fast paced thriller that goes non stop. I did enjoy it and I look forward to reading anything he writes.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book for an honest review

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What Have We Done by Alex Finlay is a terrifying story about a small group of kids who haven’t caught a break in their lives, and things get even worse when they are assigned to a group home for orphans. Let’s agree that hell might have been a better option than this stinking home run by horrible people. All these kids have in life is each other, but sometimes that is not enough. But there is a core of kids who will escape and remove the main person who has made them suffer. Flash forward 25 plus years, and they are all now thriving in their professional lives, and most of them are even successful in their personal lives except that someone is trying to kill them one by one. There are so many twists and turns and shocking plot twists that it will keep you alert and reading fervently to the very last page. A genuinely shocking thriller/whodunit that will find you rooting for the kids all over again. Sometimes it is hard to outrun your past. Can these kids do it? You’ll have to read this yummy book. #thriller #WhatHaveWeDone @alexfinlayauthor @minotaur_books @netgalley #assassins #childabuse #murderforhire #secrets #family #friends #loyalty
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and the author for the opportunity to read this book. Pub Date: March 2023.
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Gripping and thrilling and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. What a page turner!
We follow three main characters: Jenna, Nico and Donnie. Each of them have their own lives, but they also used to live together at a foster home called Saviour House when they were teens. Something 25 years ago happened between them that is now causing problems in the present. They must figure out who is trying to kill them before it’s too late.
I really enjoyed this book from the first chapter. All the action was great too. I didn’t find anything to be too superfluous. I did kind of see the twist coming, but it was still a surprise. I wanted to know what had happened to them that caused this reaping. Even the last chapter was gripping. I definitely recommend!
Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the copy of What Have We Done by Alex Finlay. I love Finlay’s writing and it grabbed me from the beginning and never let go! I actually had no idea where the story was headed at first and I’m glad I trusted the author and allowed it to unfold at its own pace. I liked how Jenna, Donnie, and Nico each had their own storylines until they all merged together. Jenna is a great character and her exploits completely overshadowed Donnie and Nico, though. If you’re looking for an action-packed book, this is for you!
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
This is definitely my least favourite of the three Alex Finlay novels I have read. It is told from the perspectives of three of the survivors of Savior House children's home, Jenna, Donnie, and Nico, and focusses on retribution seemingly being sought for something they, together with Ben and Artemis, did while at the home. I enjoyed the chapters from Jenna's perspective, (although her backstory seemed unlikely to me,) since she was totally kick-ass, but Nico and Donnie's chapters just slowed things down every time. The novel seemed to take a very long time to get to the point, and then the last few chapters were full of twists and surprises. The final twist was, in my opinion, completely unnecessary and I wish it had been omitted.

This is my first-time reading Alex Finlay’s work; I am very impressed. This book was non-stop action and thrills the entire way through. I devoured this book and this has truly encouraged me to read more from him. I liked all the characters, I loved that it was a dual timeline (past and present) and multiple POVs. I love it when you get multiple sides of the story from other people’s perspectives. The plot was incredible and there were some twists and turns that I did not see coming which is a breath of fresh air because normally those are easy to catch on to. The story as a whole was written very well. I have never been a big thriller reader but this book has opened my eyes. I loved Jenna from the very beginning and I loved Donnie from the very beginning it took me a while to warm up to Nico just simply because I don’t think we got as much about him in this book which is fine because of the way the author handled every part of writing this book was incredible, that I don’t feel like we needed it or missed out on anything. I was genuinely captivated by this story the entire time and I could not put it down. I audibly gasped at some moments and cursed at others. This book was AMAZING!! Highly recommend!