Did not love this book. Very unclimactic. The build up was extremely slow. Characters were dull. Just didn’t love it.

“No matter how bad the person, we all cling to the days of innocence we remember from our youth.”

The book begins with a group of kids standing over a grave taking turns shooting a gun into its depths.

“What have we done?” one of the boys asks.

This is an action-packed thrill ride as the kids from that grave site are now adults and find themselves being hunted down.

I read this book in two days! It’s very suspenseful and reads fast. It does have some violence but it’s not too descriptive.

I don’t know if the characters are really that likable but I was reading it for the suspense and mystery- what did they do when they were younger, who is hunting them now, and why?

And to that effect, I was highly satisfied.

The Characters and Plot

Jenna- trained as an assassin as a teen (we don’t get that full story unfortunately) but has left that life behind, trying to build a normal family now

Donnie- member of a once popular band and has problems with drugs, sex, and alcohol

Nico- executive producer for a reality show about mining, has a gambling problem and is indebted to a ruthless Irish mob boss

All three of these people were part of Savior’s House foster care when they were younger. But it was not a safe place to be and girls kept going missing.

“They sit in silence for a while. Like they’re all wondering when life will take a turn for them. When they won’t be the outcasts, when they won’t have to face the indignities of the lunchroom, when they won’t have to go to bed worried about closing their eyes, when they’ll have families again.”

They had to rely on each other— along with Benny, Arty, and others— to get through it until something caused the home to close down. They each grow to find their own success.

Finlay wastes no time getting right to the action.

Jenna is forced to do one more kill in order to protect her new family. But she purposely misses when she realizes the person she is meant to kill was Arty. After she botches the mission, she finds herself on the run.

Donnie is gigging on a cruise ship. One night while he’s particularly drunk, a woman forces him at gunpoint to jump off the ship in the middle of the ocean.

Nico gets a text to meet someone in one of the mines. But it’s not his friend who shows up, it’s a woman who chases him further into the mine then leaves and detonates an explosive to cause the mine to cave in.

All three were supposed to die, but they are still alive, confused, and afraid.

It turns out, the catalyst for these events was the murder of their friend, Benny, who had grown up to become a well-known lawyer and federal judge in D.C.

They are all being hunted by some vicious, sociopathic hired killers who don’t kill for the money, but for the sport.

The friends must connect with each other and revisit their past “on a rainy night twenty-five years ago on a patch of misery” to figure out why they are targets and how they can save themselves and their families before anyone else ends up like Benny.

Comments

As I said earlier, there is a lot of violence. Part of that violence comes at the end of a “penetrating captive bolt” also known as a cowpuncher. It’s a device used to kill cows by punching a steel rod into their brains. This is the weapon of choice for one of the hired killers. She does not use it on brains, but on legs. Whether this is realistic to be used on humans without immediate death is not something I know and I’m not sure I want to Google that.

The hired killers are actually pretty bad at their job. Of course, if they were successful right off the bat we wouldn’t have a book, but they seem a bit like bumbling killers. This may be a slight spoiler here: but they are identical twins, separated at birth, but somehow found each other in college and realized they both enjoy killing people. They have quite the backstory that we never really learn about.

Also the FBI agent hired to investigate the death of the federal judge is not that great at his job considering his demise.

I was really hoping one of the twists would be that Benny wasn’t actually dead and he comes back to save the day like he always did when they were younger. He was probably my favorite character and he wasn’t even there!

PARTIAL SPOILER COMMENT- CONTINUE SCROLLING IF NECESSARY

I’m still confused about one thing… So… this is all because of Nico? He needed money to pay off his debt so he blackmailed his own friends? Which led to the eventual events? How come no one is mad at him? I don’t know if I felt the guilt from him on this part…

SPOILER COMMENT OVER

Recommendation

It appears like this book has gotten some mixed reviews. Many reviewers who have enjoyed Finlay’s previous books found ‘What Have We Done’ to be too much of an adrenaline thriller and not enough character development. I suppose this is true. But if you’re like me, sometimes you just want an intense thriller and you don’t necessarily care how the characters change.

Sure, I didn’t find the characters likable at the beginning or in the end. I didn’t see much redemption to their characters in the epilogue. But what I liked and would recommend this book for was the action/suspense/mystery.

However, if you don’t like violence, you may not like this one. After all, it’s full of assassins.

I read Finlay’s book, The Night Shift, and I liked that one too. I critiqued that one for having ‘a lot’ of swearing but it actually had less f-words than this one. The more I read, the more I realize my perspective on ‘a lot’ has somewhat shifted. There is definitely a difference between books with 60+ f-words and ones with 30.

I prefer clean novels, but for some reason the swearing in this book didn’t seem as distracting as it often does.

I feel like even if you don’t like swearing, this book may still be worth your time because of the edge-of-your-seat action.

Overall, I really liked this book but would understand if it’s not your cup of tea!

[Content Advisory: 33 f-words, 27 s-words; no sexual content other than implied abuse]

**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

This action-packed thrill ride kept me up way past my bedtime and was totally worth having a less-than-stellar attitude the following day! This was one of my most anticipated reads and it didn’t disappoint! Seriously though, I know it’s said a lot but it was difficult to put this one down!

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ:

- Short chapters. The quickness of each chapter keeps the suspense on high!

- Multiple points of view. Each character has such a different personality which is enhanced for the reader by providing a view into their inner monologue.

- Dual timelines. A look into the MCs lives from 25 years ago and the present, alternating throughout. I love how well this transition is written! It provides a unique view into the reasoning behind their decision making.

- The entire plot is fast paced and packed with suspense!

- The conclusion truly shocked me and the epilogue was perfection!

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of edge-of-your-seat tension, Jason Bourne movies, and badass female MCs!

Alex Finlay is one of my favorite writers, the way he weaves a story together with multiple characters, periods of time and location is nothing short of genius. I was patiently waiting for the release of 'What Have We Done' and it was absolutely worth the wait!!! The storyline felt so fresh and relevant yet it was at times very dark. Living in the DC area I loved the references to locations in the area and while reading through the acknowledgements I could absolutely see where the inspiration for many of the characters came from.

I was so excited and grateful to receive and ARC of this book. Unfortunately, it just didn't do it for me. I loved the author's last book so much and this is very, very different from that book. This one reminded me more of a Harlan Coben or Linwood Barclay type thriller. The problem that I had with this book was that there were too many characters and the story was just too convoluted. I lost interest often and I never really grew to care much about the characters because the POV changed quickly with each chapter. I think if you like this kind of thriller, you will probably love this book. It just wasn't my fave.

I truly enjoyed this book. Alex Finlay has created a great, fast paced thriller. Five former friends all connected to one unthinkable incident from their young teenage years that comes back to haunt, and try to kill, them. The friends haven’t seen each other since the incident, and when events start happening to each of them, they all begin the trek back to the ill fated town where all their bad memories, and even worse secrets, are kept.

This novel was a quick read and I really enjoyed it. I didn’t expect who the culprit was until the end and it had many twists and turns that had you doubting your suspicions until everything is revealed at the end.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for this ARC!

WHAT HAVE WE DONE by Alex Finlay is a fast-paced thriller. There is a killer on the loose trying to eliminate the main characters.
Five teenagers live in the Savior House, a home for orphans. Savior House was closed because it was a house of horrors with bullying and inappropriate adults in charge. Many teenage female occupants disappear from Savior House. Despite their sad upbringings and circumstances, the five teenagers grow into successful adults. Jenna, is a paid assassin, wife and mother; Donnie, is a Rockstar with poor judgement; Nico, a TV producer with a gambling problem; Ben, a renowned judge who is found murdered and Artemis, an extremely wealthy tech geek.

The story keeps you engaged. The characters are diverse and you are bound to find one you like. Jenna was my favorite, I liked how honest she was with her husband and step-daughters about her past life.
Read this book, especially if you are an Alex Finlay fan.

Alex Finlay does it again!! Total page-turning mystery with lots of layers and well executed movement through two timelines and different perspectives.. The kids of the group home Savior House are grown up and surprisingly successful, but each have their struggles and they all share one major secret. The way Finlay unfolds this story-- that at surface is focused on someone trying to kill each of these old friends, is full of twists and surprises. Sharing multiple POVs - as a reader I was most locked in on the character of Jenna, who maybe had the most outrageous exit from the group home and years to follow.. Fun story, q1uick pacing, very enjoyable.

Alex Finlay is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. What Have We Done by Alex Finlay was cinematic and unputdownable. The exquisite storytelling and pacing are painfully perfect. Told from multiple POVs but the POVs added depth to the plot points and did not distract from the story. I absolutely love the writing, it was compulsively readable. Great story, with well-developed characters and twists and turns for days. You'll love this book!

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

3.5 I enjoyed this tale of mystery and suspense. There were mostly well-written characters, some likable some less so. If you like the back and forth of now/past storytelling, you'll like the layout of this tale. I figured out one part of the mystery early on, but the last twist came as a surprise until right before it was revealed. A fun way to end the day.

Fast paced thrill ride about a group of former foster kids with a secret. Now adults, they realize someone is coming after them.

The three main characters were Jenna, stepmom to two; Donnie, a washed up musician; and Nico, the producer of a reality show. When attempts are made on all three of their lives, they need to figure out who is behind it and how it relates to their past.

Overall I really enjoyed this one. It was a lot of fun to read and though I usually am not a huge fan of three POV characters AND a past/present storyline, I thought Alex Finlay really pulled it off!

I will forever be a fan of Alex Finlay after devouring his previous two books. This one is just as fast paced as his other work and I think the multiple POV and short chapters really contribute to that. I think his characters were a little more unlikeable in this book and the twists were a bit more predictable. Overall it was a good thriller, perfect to read on vacation and I will definitely continue to read Finlay’s work.

What Have We Done is a thriller told mainly from the viewpoints of Jenna, Donnie, and Nico, three adults haunted by their troubling past at the children's home Savior House. The timeline fluidly moves between the present and the past, artfully unfolding story of where these characters are and how they got there. The writing is engaging from page 1. Finlay captures and conveys the distinct voices of these main characters. I'll have Donnie's voice in my head for a long time!

I'm not usually one for thrillers of this type: contract killers, crime families, government agencies, over-the-top action, and blackmail. However, this one held my attention. There is enough mystery to keep me intrigued, and I truly appreciate the short chapters that switch between viewpoints, keeping me constantly hooked. I definitely cared enough about these flawed characters to see them through to the end.

I will definitely recommend this title to readers interested in fast-paced, action-packed thrillers with heart. We have received our copies at the library, and there is a waitlist!

What a thriller! This one was very well-done. I loved its fast-paced, and the short chapters kept me turning the pages. It had more violence than I am used to reading, so I sometimes had to skim those parts, but otherwise I loved the characters, the plot, and the twists and turns it took! Thank you St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the digital copy in exchange for the honest review!

Alex Finlay's books are usually four-star reads for me - they're not outstanding, but they're fun thrillers. Well, this one was sub-par to me. I think there were some writing choices that ended up making this more disappointing than suspenseful.

Three adults are targeted to be murdered after an event from their past resurfaces. They have to figure out why they're being hunted and by whom. I liked the premise of these people being friends when they were in a foster home together but the story turned out to be pretty predictable. I didn't like the jumping back and forth between time periods (it wasn't done in a clear way at all), and the perspectives felt muddled to me. I think it would have been better to keep it to one POV (Jenna's was the most interesting and clear-cut). This was also heavily violent, which isn't always a huge deal to me but felt overwrought in this book.

This book is making me rethink whether I want to keep checking out books from this author. I might stick to thrillers that actually offer some twists that I don't see coming.

I enjoyed this latest thriller by Alex Finlay. It was a fast paced thriller that kept me guessing. Unfortunately, some of the characters were not fleshed out and I really felt like the ending just wrapped everything with a bow and after everything they had been through it was not believable for me. It was ok but not a favorite.

Twenty-five years ago, five teenagers did something terrible but necessary (in their eyes). After their group home was dissolved, the five were separated and went to successful but troubled lives. Jenna is a stay-at-home mom, Nico is a reality TV producer with a massive gambling debt, Donnie is a rock star, Ben is a respected judge, and Artemis is a billionaire. Their lives are good until suddenly, one day, Ben is killed. Shortly after, Donnie and Nico are injured in accidents that turn out to be hits on their lives.

On the other hand, Jenna is set up for an attempted assassination. With the assassins hot on their trail, the three must go back to where it all began-the group home that they lived in. There, they must face the past and what they did that night. Because all is not what it seems, and the enemy might be closer than they think.

I accepted the publisher’s invitation to read this book because it was a thriller and a mystery. Since I enjoy both, I figured I would like What Have We Done. And I did. But I was captivated by how the author spun Jenna, Nico, Donnie, Ben, and Artemis’s stories. I couldn’t get enough of their backstories.

What Have We Done is told from several different points of view. The main ones are Jenna, Nico, Donnie, and the psychotic twins. This book also goes between past and present but does it fluidly. There were only a couple of times when I couldn’t immediately figure out what was happening and who the chapter was focused on.

The characters in What Have We Done were well-written and well-fleshed out. But I couldn’t connect with Donnie or Nico. They were just too damaged and a little self-centered (ok, a lot self-centered). Jenna was the one I connected with, and I couldn’t wait to read her chapters. I loved seeing her rely on her former assassin skills to outwit the twins. Plus, when her family was threatened, she didn’t run. Nope, she made her husband run with their daughters while she laid a trail away from them.

I do want to mention the psychopathic twins. I shouldn’t have laughed at them, but they bungled everything. They couldn’t kill their objectives (but had no issues killing other people). They were almost cartoonish in their mannerisms. The scene at the very end of the book with Jenna, her ex-handlers, and the remaining twin was pretty awesome!

Of course, I liked seeing them get their just deserts.

The main plotline with Nico, Donnie, and Jenna investigating Ben’s death and trying to figure out if someone found out about what they did twenty-five years earlier was exciting and action-packed. Donnie was a little useless in this storyline (he was busy telling his story to a ghostwriter). Nico and Jenna were the ones who pieced together everything that was happening. I saw a twist in this storyline coming, but it still surprised me.

The alternating storyline at the group home (with Ben, Nico, Donnie, Jenna, and Artemis) was alarming. I was horrified at what those kids were going through and the rate at which the girls in the home disappeared. Some were explained (like Jenna), but the others weren’t until the end of the book. It wasn’t until a crucial scene towards the end of the book that things were revealed. And let’s say that it made me sick. But, this plotline has a huge twist revealed during the showdown as adults. My mouth dropped when that confession was made. I did not see it coming, which both saddened and disgusted me.

The end of What Have We Done was exciting and a little bloody. I will not get into it, but Donnie, Nico, and Jenna figured everything out. The book’s climax was pretty good, and I liked the confession.

I would recommend What Have We Done to anyone over 21. There is violence, language, and sexual situations. Also, see the trigger warnings at the top of the review.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Alex Finlay for allowing me to read and review What Have We Done. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

As a self-proclaimed thriller hater, I blew through this book in one day. I much preferred Jenna's POV to Nico's or Donnie's, but as the author wove their stories together, I began to be sucked in. The twist isn't that twisty. In general, I go into these books not trusting anyone. Is this the best book to ever be written? No. Did I stay up last night like a teenager? Yes. Am I sorry? No.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

The alternating POVs kept the story moving along. Arty's POV at the end seemed irrelevant and didn't add anything to the story. I wish his and the Broods' characters had been fleshed out more. Jenna and Donnie seemed to have a happy ending, but not Nico. Why was that? Also, the last twin trying for revenge was over the top and unnecessary. It added nothing.

TL;DR

What Have We Done by Alex Finlay is a fun, fast-paced thriller about the past coming back to haunt three friends. Alex Finlay has created a page turner that will have you staying up late, wanting to read just one more chapter to find out what happens next. Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.

Review: What Have We Done by Alex Finlay

When you read a lot of books, variety helps keep you interested. From a philosophical pondering on life to a sapphic romance/cozy mystery, I move on to a fast paced, action packed thriller. The variety in genre helps, but the pacing of each book is different. In What Have We Done by Alex Finlay, readers get a book that grabs their attention and won’t let go. It hits all the right notes for a thriller and a coming of age story at the same time. Though the pace and plotting are different the three books, all three also contain everything that makes good fiction: good characters, a good mystery, and plenty of tension. What Have We Done brings the past alive for three friends, and it explores their lives now and bit in the past. Reading this book was like binge-watching a high quality drama from HBO or Netflix. In fact, it’d do either network well to adapt this into a series. What Have We Done by Alex Finlay is solid entertainment.

Jenna, Donnie, and Nico were friends as kids who lived in a group home together. Savior House took the three in when their parents died or left. It saved them, but it was also a place of great torment. The headmaster’s son was the biggest bully in the place, and girls disappeared from time-to-time. The administration said they were placed with families, but no one saw the families come get them. They survived the house through friendship. There were five of them, Jenna, Donnie, Nico, Ben, and Artemis. They survived by doing what they needed to. Years later, assassins stalk them. Ben, who grew up to be a federal judge, was murdered. Now, it seems like the rest are being targeted, too. Artemis grew up to be a programmer and billionaire creator of a social media platform. Donnie joined a band, made it big, and faded into the cruise circuit. Except he kept the drinking and drug habits that destroyed his musical career. Nico grew up to produce a hit reality show, The Miners. He even hosted an after show that made him famous in his own way. Yet even that sweet gig couldn’t cover the gambling debts he owes to a Philadelphia crime boss. Jenna opens the book as a stay at home mom and a retired assassin. She used to work for the Corporation. Now, she’s trying to live a quiet life with the love of her life and her two step-daughters. Soon the friends connect the dots that they’re being targeted, and they all know why. No matter how far and wide we travel, no matter how much our lives change, some secrets still follow us.

What Have We Done is a third person point of view (POV) thriller. A different character narrates each chapter, but the three main POVs are Jenna, Donnie, and Nico. This book moved fast; I didn’t want to put it down. It’s 368 pages long, but I finished it in three days. (Would have been two, but I had to be an adult for a while.) This was a fun, entertaining, and engrossing novel. The mystery wasn’t especially mysterious, but I didn’t really care. I knew who was behind the thing, but what I wanted was to see them figure it out for themselves.

Pacing

The more that I read, the more that I understand pacing has to match the genre of the book. Thrillers will read faster than long fantasy novels. (Yes, this is a generalization. I’m sure there’s edge cases that are different.) But pacing also has to vary. A fast, constant high paced book runs the risk of tiring readers. A slow, ponderous book has the risk of readers tuning out. All action all the time sounds like fun, but readers need breaks. So, as I find authors that really understand pacing, I try to pay attention to what they’re doing. Finlay has done an excellent job of keeping a thriller’s pace while allowing pauses for the reader to recover and get ready for the next action sequence. This book moves, and yet the characters find time for reflection and to feel human. They have regrets; they have hopes; they have disappoints. Finlay builds each character while zipping along at race speeds.

Fast paced books don’t have much room to explore and to flesh out characters. Yet, Finlay finds a way to do it without skipping a beat. We see the three in their lives now, and we see them at Savior House being bullied by Derek. We see moments that cement their friendship despite knowing that in the future they drift apart.

Stock Characters Given Depth

Jenna, Donnie, and Nico begin the novel as stock characters. The housewife with a dangerous past, the aging rocker trying to capture one last moment of glory in the bottle or up his nose, the gambling addict in way over his head come straight from central casting. Good fiction comes from the character’s choices, and from their past choices, it’s easy to see where Jenna, Donnie, and Nico ended up. But Finlay doesn’t let them remain stock characters. He fleshes them out into well-rounded people. For Jenna, we don’t see her past as an assassin coming back to play because we see how her past is ruining her present happiness. She’s married to the love of her life, and she’s trying to be a good step-mom to two grieving daughters. For Donnie and Nico, it’s the past that keeps haunting them. Donnie plays the rock star as it suits him off stage. On stage, whether it’s a cruise or stadium, he gives it everything he’s got. The moment in the concert is the high he chases offstage. Nico’s gambling addiction cost him the love of his life. It’s got him mixed up with dangerous people in the criminal underground; yet, he can’t stop himself. Throughout the book, he’s still making bets despite someone trying to kill him. Finlay gives his characters enough depth to move them out of the stock character category.

The Past is Never Past

What Have We Done is very much about the past. It’s right there in the title. For these characters, their past was assumed to be dead and buried, but it never is. Their past comes back to haunt them in many ways. Nico believes that he’s being targeted because of his gambling debts. Donnie lives with one foot in the past, trying to rock out to the glory days. Jennna’s past as an assassin means that she has to prepare her family in the event someone comes looking for her. Their past at Savior House is why they’re being hunted. The fact that they ended up at Savior House set them all on the path to where they ended up. Had they never gone to Savior House, would they have ended up with different lives? For Jenna, the answer is a definitive yes. For Donnie and Nico, I think the answer is maybe. They might have ended up in the same place but maybe in a healthier way, Donnie not drinking or snorting his way through life and Nico not chasing the high of beating the odds. But who can say because the past happened, and it lives with us. It follows us, and it can rear its ugly head at any moment.

Conclusion

Alex Finlay’s What Have We Done was a blast to read. It hit all the right notes that make thrillers so fun, and Finlay went further in giving us likeable characters to root for. Finlay delivered everything I was hoping for and more. What Have We Done convinced me that I need to read more thrillers, especially from Alex Finlay. Highly recommended.