What Have We Done by Alex Finlay is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Savior House, in the town of Chestertown was a group home for teens without parents.  It was an abusive atmosphere, and eventually shut down, but not before kids went missing, and someone died. 

Twenty-five years later. five of the friends that stuck up for each other at the Home, are in trouble.  Someone knows what they did, and are coming after them.

Donnie's rock-star career may be at an end, and it won't even be the alcohol that does it.

Jenna is a wife and mother.  Her past is coming back to haunt her family.

Nico is a successful television director, but has always had a gambling problem. Now he's in worse trouble.

Arty became a tech wizard.  Someone wants him dead.

Benny ended up being a judge.  That didn't save him.

The group will have to return to the nightmare that was their childhood, and try to figure out who is targeting them before they are all dead.


My Opinions:
The plot was quite good, with a number of twists.

The story is told from the perspectives of Jenna, Nico and Donnie, and in this way we learn the back-story of what happened at Savior House.  This was very  well done, bringing out bits of information as needed.  It really added to the mystery.

Unfortunately, the only character I liked was Jenna, so it was sometimes hard to care about any of the others.  Then there was Casey and Haley, who were a little over-the-top.  They were missing so much back-story that I kept wondering where they came from.

However, as earlier stated the plot was good, there were plenty of twists, it was fast-paced, and there was plenty of action.  Occasionally it got a little wordy.

I think I liked his other books a little more, but this was worth reading, and I will definitely be watching for more by this talented author.

This book was not what I was expecting from an Alex Finlay novel. That said, it wasn't bad - just different. Much like an action movie, WHWD packed an adrenaline punch without the subtle character and plot development of past AF novels. I think WHWD has a different audience than previous AF books, and I sure hope it finds it's audience because it's a fun book.

Published March 6, 2023 - available now! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press/Minotaur Books for the advanced copy.

This was an okay mystery/thriller novel. The premise is what got my attention initially but the book didn’t really draw me in like I thought it would. It was very action-packed so it gave the thrill but it missed the mark everywhere else. The first 30% of the book dragged a bit for me. There were a consistent flow of events with lots of twist but I wasn’t really invested.

The novel is mainly told from the perspective of three MC’s Jenna, Donnie, and Nico. In their early childhood days while living in a group home a crime was committed and they swore never to speak of it again. Now that they’re adults and have gone their separate ways the past has comeback to haunt them all.

Of the three I found Jenna’s character to be the most intriguing. You can tell the author put more thought into Jenna and most of her chapters involved the action. Her past was a little exaggerated gotta read the book to see what I mean. In reality the entire storyline would’ve probably been better had it focused on one single character. I didn’t really care for Donnie or Nico much.

There were also a lot of chapters but they’re very short so the pacing was fairly decent. Not gonna lie I had a feeling the ending would disappoint me a bit. I knew the reasoning behind everything would be something simple. The book just had too much going on. It was entertaining trying to uncover the truth until I actually found out the truth.

Overall, the book was decent nothing I would gush over. I wish the author had given more detail on the character’s backstory then maybe I would’ve enjoyed it more. But if you’re into action-packed thrillers then it may be for you. Special thanks to the author, @minotaurbooks, & @netgalley for my advanced copy!!!

Overall, this book fell flat to me. While the writing was creative and descriptive, it was confusing -- especially via audiobook. There were so many characters with little to no character development. I think it would have been helpful to hear more of their backstory before jumping into the present day drama.

I would recommend to those that enjoy heavy plots and thrillers, but tell those that prefer character-development (me!) to stay away!

What Have We Done was a quick read for me. The beginning started off strong, the pacing was alright, the reveal at the end surprised me somewhat, but didn't knock my socks off exactly. I enjoyed the book (and the characters) enough to finish it, however, I had to consult my notes to remind myself what it was about before writing this review, even though I had finished it only a few days before.
Definitely not Alex Finlay's strongest work, but also not the worst book I have ever read. Pretty "mid" as my teens would say, so 3 stars seems appropriate overall.

One sentence summary:
A group who spent their childhoods in a home for parentless teens are reunited when they realize they’re being hunted down one by one, and they realize the only way to survive is to revisit their shared past and a dark secret they’d hoped to keep buried.

—------

This is a high-octane page-turner that does not let up! I finished it in 48 hours ONLY because stupid adulting errands got in the way. Hate it when that happens…

Fans of Finlay’s last two – Every Last Fear and The Night Shift – will see this as a departure, but only of sorts. You can still rely on a story told from multiple POVs that contains lots of threads – if the standard thriller is a 500 piece puzzle, his are more like a 10,000 piece puzzles. The difference here is that instead of being a slow burn, the pacing is Red Bull fast, the plotting more Action Jackson. In fact, the book has more of a James Patterson feel to it, with a dash of Orphan X.

I love flawed, tormented characters, so the backstory of these once-parentless teens spending their formative years in a dysfunctional home for orphans appealed to me. I especially liked that each of them has gone to be very successful in their own way while still grappling with the demons of a traumatic past.

This came out March 7 (yes, I’m behind on my reviews, y’all).

I highly recommend it for any thriller fans, but especially those who love James Patterson, Harlan Coben or Gregg Hurwitz.

Three adults reunite in this Stephen King-esq novel about childhood secrets and the lives they’ve lived leading up to this point. Jenna, Donny and Nico grew up together in a group home that was disbanded when girls started going missing. Now, as adults, someone is coming after them.

This book was borderline boring. The tag reads “edge of your seat thriller” and “gut wrenching coming of age story”. Neither of these I found to be true. I found the characters to be one-dimensional and immature at times and their development was suppressed. I was not gripping the pages waiting for the shoe to drop. I was not thrilled to move on to the next chapter. I was not shocked at the very vanilla twist. I gave this 3 stars because it was a fast paced read with a well written dialogue and structure. This was a very tame (almost YA) psychological thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book

Such a fun and captivating plot, but a bit unrealistic. However, I loved all the twists and turns and was surprised by the ending! An entertaining read for sure.

Twenty-five years ago a group of teenagers buried a secret and bought themselves a new lease on life. All orphaned or abandoned by their parents, they found themselves at Saviour House. The reality of life at the house held none of the safe haven promised by its name. Pushed to the limits by the horrible conditions they shared there, Nico, Ben, Donnie, Jenna, and Arty took their future into their own hands and then disappeared into new lives.

Now, Nico is a hot-shot reality TV producer, Ben is a federal judge, Donnie is a washed-up rockstar, Jenna is a stay-at-home mom with a particular set of skills, and Arty is a tech billionaire. The kids from Saviour House have virtually nothing in common, and haven't seen each other in two decades, but find themselves drawn back together in the wake of Ben's death and failed assassination attempts on the rest of their lives.

This fast-paced thriller, told in flashbacks and in the present POVs of Donnie, Jenna, and Nico will have readers on the edge of their seats as the three race against the clock not only to discover who has been digging into secrets they'd rather keep buried, but also to determine who is willing to kill them over what's been found.

One of Finlay's best, "What Have We Done" is very different from his novels featuring Sarah Keller, but I personally loved the fast pace of this novel. All three of our main characters were compelling, the storylines will have readers amazed at not only the trauma they've overcome but the monsters they're still facing. A coming-of-age story as much as it is a high-octane thriller, this novel is perfect for fans of Sally Hepworth and Alex North. Special thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for providing an Advanced Reader's Copy of "What Have We Done" in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Netgalley and the author for an ARC copy in exchange for my review.

Well, this one did nothing for me.
I have read other books by this author and could not tear my eyes away
This one was a little meh.
I did love how it started, I read the first few chapters so fast the pages caught fire. But it all kinda leveled out after that, even though there were quite a few intense scenes.
All the characters in this one have a connection to a past event that could destroy their lives if it comes to light.
When someone starts targeting them, they have to figure out who wants them dead, and fast.
I have to say, I did enjoy some parts of this. The psycho twins were a nice touch and the action scenes were very much appreciated.
All in all, a 3-star read for me, needed a little sauce

I give this book 4.5 stars.
I have previously enjoyed reading Alex Finlay’a books in the past and this book did not disappoint. I enjoyed the dual povs/timelines and how it kept the story flowing. The books twists and turn kept me guessing until the very end. The book captivated me and I ended up reading it in one sitting so I would know how it ended. I can’t wait to read his next book. Thanks NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Maybe Finlay and I aren't a good fit. At first, this really managed to capture my interest. The multiple points of view following adults that grew up together in Savior House - essentially a group home/foster care situation. Someone is out to get these adults. Strange when as children, they also dealt with someone picking off their group.

As we entered the back half of this book, I spent more time waiting for this to end so I could move on than excitedly turning the pages to get to the end.

This was a big ole fast paced disappointment. I have read two other books by the author and one was a five star and the other four star. This one though was no where as interesting as those. In what Have We Done we are following wayyyy to many POVS on a high octane incomprehensible mess. The one person that I did enjoy reading about was Jenna who is a thirty something, married, stepmom of two living in the greater Washington DC area. At the very beginning we realize that she is not what she seems and used to be an assassin and has now been called back into that world. We also get snippets of the past where Jenna and others did a very bad thing. How is this all and all of the POVS connected? Well, that is the book but when it come to learning what is the truth is it got to the point where I was not caring nor able to follow what was happening. This was a pass for me and I am not sure if I will be continuing on with this author. The taste was that bad in my mouth
I received a copy of the book from NetGalley.. The opinions expressed are my own

The book is perfect for fans of an action thriller. 25 years ago, a group of teens needed to fight to survive an abusive group home. What they have done haunts them to this day.

The beginning starts with children meeting and forming a strong bond at the children’s home. There was an incident that may or may not break their bond.
Moving on to the future, the story focuses on three main characters, Jenna, Donnie, and Nico. The chapters alternate between the main characters, past and present. They are being targeted by unknown hitman. They are on the run as they try to figure out who’s after them and the motives. It started out really strong but then getting towards the ending, I felt it was starting to fall apart and there were few unanswered things which were not completely resolved leaving me confused at the end of the story. Lots of twists and turns will keep you entertained.
I’m giving it a three and half stars based on too many characters, the way it felt going towards the ending and the way it ended.
Thank you Minotaur Books and Netgalley for loaning me an eBook to read. As usual, all of my reviews are purely my own opinions without any influence from any publishers.

Alex Finlay has once again nailed a thriller that will have you biting your nails and your heart beating through your chest. I love when someones past comes to surface and leaves the reader questioning everything happening in the story .

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur books for granting my digital ARC request. Wow! This was everything a suspense thriller should be and more. The heart racing nature of the danger at every corner, the heartbreaking and unpredictable story arcs of the main characters and the revelation of were the lines between good and evil blur. What Have We Done is SUPERB! I can’t wait to read more for Alex Finlay,

I cant decide how I feel about this one lol. It felt long and I was confused a fair bit as to who was who but then that ending!! The ending made it all worth it, it was page turning and anxiety inducing. I almost want to read this again to pick up little tidbits I may have missed.

Thank you netgalley and St Martin's Press for the Arc in exchange for an honest review

What Have We Done
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Author: Alex Finlay
GR: 3.60

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: I was fortunate enough to have the audio and kindle version of the book. Finlay is one of my favorite thriller authors. We follow the lives of what appears to be three different people, but we find how their lives intertwined. The premise is very interesting, a crime that occurs from the past puts a contract killer on the hunt in a very dangerous cat and mouse game.

The story is narrated by Jenna, Donnie, and Nico, from their POV. The three characters were very easy to follow. Jenna is a stepmom of two daughters, happily married. Donnie is a ‘has been’ rock star, holding on to his fame. Finally, Nico produces various things on TV. The characters were not who they seem to be, mysterious, and were creatively woven throughout the novel. The characters could have been expanded just a bit more. The author’s writing style was suspenseful, twisty, creative, and brilliant. Things that happen in the book don’t seem possible, however, this is fiction, so you do have to suspend your belief, but it is worth it. Finlay does a great job with detail and creating the tension in the novel. The flow and pace are fantastic, I could not put down the book.

Finlay knows how to write thrillers. He weaves suspense with mystery and keeps you on the edge of your seat, with a book that is impossible to put down. The book is gripping, action packed, and very enjoyable. The only thing I would have like to see if more development of the Savior House. I highly recommend picking up the audiobook!

What Have We Done? A question asked several times by a group of kids that were all residents in a group home during their teenage years. Girls are going missing from the group home and Jenna, Artie, Nico, Benny and Donny think they know who is behind the disappearances... when the cops don't help, they take matters into their own hands. This event is the catalyst to everything else that takes place in this book.

I really really enjoyed this title! I love mystery/thriller type books with multiple POVs. This one definitely had me guessing until the VERY end. Once you think you have something figured out, the rug gets ripped right out from under you!

Thank you, Alex Finaly, NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.