I really liked the pace of this one (short chapters and very edge-of your seat). It started with a bang and kept the reader interested the whole way through. The multiple POVs was also very good, and I found myself intrigued by each character and even rooting for them. The plot was a bit unbelievable and I felt like I had to suspend reality a couple of times in order to keep reading, but the twists and turns were good and it was worth reading for them. It is definitely a book that is very binge worthy and would make for a great action movie, if the film rights were ever picked up. I would recommend this one as long as the reader is able to suspend reality a little bit.

Do you like twisty suspense reads? Yes? Then you need to pick up Alex Finlay's latest book - What Have We Done.

The book opens with a prologue from the past that sets the tone for the rest of the book. Five teen residents of a group home commit a crime that will link them together forever. Twenty five years on, they've all done well for themselves, but don't really keep in touch. Until.....it looks like someone else knows about that night. And they want retribution.

There are multiple points of view in the book. We hear from not just the five, but the ones hunting them down as well. As readers we become privy to information from both sides. The timeline switches from past to present and back again. I enjoy this style of story telling.

Finlay expertly leads the reader down the garden path and provides lots of red herrings along the way. He also ends many chapters on a suspenseful note, ensuring I needed to just read 'one more chapter' before turning out the lights. Now, about figuring out the whodunit - Finlay is a master of the 'twist'. He caught me off guard many times and with each twist the narrative changed. I love being kept on my toes.

The action starts in the first chapters and the pace never really eases off. Over the top in places? Absolutely, but it's a heckuva fun read. I could see this tale as an action movie. See for yourself - read an excerpt of What Have We Done.

( Gentle readers, there are some triggers.)

Unique! Definitely a new thriller “plot” that I haven’t seen before. Super fast read despite being 350 pages, which I love. You will fly through it once you start it. My only qualm is that there are so many characters, that when the “big reveal” happened it took me a min to sort out who-was-who and who-did-what. Otherwise, I really liked it!

I sat down to start reading this and before I knew it I was almost halfway through. I hated having to put it down. This was a page-turner for me and even better I had no idea who the bad guy was until the very end.

Twenty-five years ago a group of kids formed a friendship after ending up in a group home. Life there was not easy, some kids were severely bullied, and some went missing.

One night the group decide to take matters into their own hands and get rid of someone directly involved in their neglect. After the home closed, they were separated into new living situations and eventually lost touch.

Now someone is trying to eliminate everyone that was present the night that deadly night. Each returning to the one place they never thought they would. The group home is now abandoned but the son of the corrupt family that ran the group home is still around and maybe he's the one targeting them.

They'll work together to find out who is targeting them and who's responsible for the death of one of their own.

Thank you so much to the author and Minotaur for this ARC to review.

This may be the most fast-paced book I’ve ever read 🖤! The nonstop twists and turns in this gripping thriller made it unputdownable. This is my first Finlay book and I’m hooked!
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Jenna is a former hit-woman turned suburban stepmom. Donnie is a washed up rockstar with a substance abuse problem. And Nico is a Hollywood producer with a gambling addiction. All three depended on each other for survival against sinister forces in their group home for parentless teens, and they must come together again to figure out who is trying to kill off their friend group and why. Will the dark secrets of their past finally catch up to them? Or will they stop the person who’s hunting them before it’s too late?
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This book is told through alternating perspectives and timelines. I read and listened to this one. The narration was phenomenal and it cemented James Cronin as one of my favorite narrators. I loved how all of the characters are flawed and imperfect. (Donnie was my favorite 🫶.) Thank you to @netgalley @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for these digital ARCs in exchange for an honest review.
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What Have We Done - Alex Finlay
4.5/5⭐️
🎉Pub Date: 3/7/23🎉

Can Anyone Ever Be Free From The Past

The novel opens 25 years in the past. Five teenagers are standing at the edge of a shallow grave. A boy points a gun into the grave but can’t shoot. A girl takes the gun and says that they all agreed that we must do it. She shoots into the grave. Each shoot into the grave until the gun is passed to the last boy. He is crying but eventually shoots into the grave. The timeline shifts to present and to a very domestic scene, where Jenna, her husband, and two daughters are starting their day. Just after noon, Jenna finds herself being pulled back into her old job of professional assassin. She recognizes her target, then she realizes that she also is a target. From here, the main storyline takes off in high gear.

The main storyline consists of three very interrelated threads covering threads based upon three of the teenagers that were around the grave. In the first chapter in which each main character is introduced, an assassination attempt is made upon her. Tension goes to the maximum very early. The chases, especially with Jenna, are major contributors to the tension, thus the suspense also is high right from the start. The suspense is complemented with the twists and turns. Much of the interaction between these three and other children occurs in many flashbacks while they were staying at a group home. My interest was quickly captured in Chapter One.

The B-storyline also is very rich as there are B-storylines for each of the main characters. Much of it occurs in flashbacks when they were living in a group foster home. Much information is provided on how their personalities mature through their actions and relationships at that group home. I felt that these characters were well developed.

As for the aspects of a novel that will cause some readers to stop reading, there is a one sentence intimate scene. Vulgar and rude language is present, but not in my opinion even near to an objectionable level. There is a fair amount of violence and described in the more edgy manner as it occurs. These three categories considered are present at a noticeable level but did not come anywhere near a red flag level for me.

This is an action mystery thriller that was achieved quite well. As I read the novel, I wrote down what to me could be a loose end, but each one was satisfactory resolved before the end of the novel. On the other side for me, the novel was a little too choppy as it jumped between the three main character and back and forth from the present to the past at the group school. I have read the author’s two previous novels and have labeled this author as a Must-Read category. For me this novel wasn’t quite to the same level, but I still am looking forward to reading further books by this author. I rate this novel with four stars.

I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Minotaur Press. My review is based only on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Minotaur Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

this is a book I could’ve sat with and read in a day easily.

it was extremely action packed and fast paced from the beginning which is my favourite type of book.

I enjoyed the flashbacks throughout the story but did have a hard time deciphering when it was a flashback I was reading about or the present.

this story followed three main povs but there are also other characters mentioned throughout the story that could make it confusing at times because of how many there were.

this was my first book by alex finlay and overall I enjoyed it.

*my review on instagram will be posted shortly

This latest nail biter from Alex Finlay centers around a group of kids that find themselves living together in a group home. The conditions at the home are are terrible and they forge a strong bond, protecting each other. As adults they have all grown apart and have very different lives. The one thing that they have in common is that all of them share a secret that they have kept for all of these years. Someone is trying to kill each of them and they must reunite in order to find out why?

This was another action packed thriller by Finlay. Told from multiple perspectives this was a wild ride. Lots of action, lots of twists and turns. You can always count on Finlay to deliver an over the top thriller that is a fun read. Unrealistic at times but enjoyable just the same.

4 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

What an INSANE ride from Alex Finlay! Absolutely devoured this book, which is like nothing I’ve ever read before. Loved loved loved the plot. I thought the character development was perfection. Twists & turns throughout “What Have We Done” kept me turning the pages late into the night. Enjoyed the West Virginia references/setting as well. Grab this book if you’re a thriller lover like myself, you won’t regret it!

Book: What Have We Done by Alex Finlay

Did I just devour this book in one sitting? You bet your ass I did! If I’m being transparent, I went in excited and expecting your average run of the mill thriller. I can admit when I am wrong. This isn’t your average thriller. This book is an EXPERIENCE!
A freaking adrenaline-pumping experience!

It is currently 9:24pm here and I need to be winding down to go to sleep but I can’t because my dopamine levels are through the roof right now from reading this book! 😂🤣

Maybe it’s my ADD but I LOVE me some multiple POVS. This book had me gasping, anxiously picking at my cuticles, and physically cheering for the characters.

Like I said, this book is a freaking experience! 🎢

Oh- and it also has evil twins and assassins in it. 👹👹 So, you thriller lovers are gonna eat this one up!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another exciting and fast paced read from Alex Finlay!!

I've read and enjoyed a couple of this author's previous novels so I was looking forward to reading "What Have We Done".

Jenna is a stay-at-home mom, Donnie is a former rock star, and Nico is a reality TV producer. They have all been keeping a deadly secret for many years.

It seems someone else knows this secret. Now the three are in grave danger. It all seems to lead back to a group home where they lived many years earlier when they were in their teens. The Savior House group home was closed twenty five years ago after several young girls went missing.

Jenna, Nico, and Donnie have tried to move on with their lives. But now someone wants them dead.

Who wants them dead? And why?

I thought this was another good read from Alex Finlay. The story was gripping and it had lots of action. The characters weren't all that likeable, but I was still intrigued and wanted to see how things worked out for them. I had the audiobook as well and I thought all of the narrators were excellent!!

I look forward to reading more from Alex Finlay!

3.5 stars unfortunately I just wasn’t a fan of the storyline; I love Alex Finley and his previous two books were 5 stars but I couldn’t get into this one as much. His writing is still really good it just wasn’t for me, so now I really can’t wait for his next novel to come out!

Thank you #netgalley for giving me an advance copy.

What Have We Done is a wild ride. Jenna, Donnie, Arty and Nico were all in a group home together in their teens. After the mysterious disappearance of their caregiver, all of them move on to different places and move on in life. But, now it seems like someone is trying to kill them.

This thriller would actually make a great action movie, something with Gerard Butler in it, or a great season of Big Sky! Its a little over the top, but its very entertaining. It has so many twists and turns and just when you think that you have it figured out, there is a new twist.

The story is told mainly in alternating points of view between Jenna, Donnie and Nico. Each point of view was equally interesting. Jenna's story was probably the most over the top but also the most intriguing.

If you like an action packed thriller you'll love this story!

This was my first Alex Finlay book and I enjoyed it!

This book was super fast-paced and action packed for sure. It definitely kept me guessing what the heck was going on until the end.

It’s told from three different POV’s which took a little time to get used to and also it went back and forth between now and 25 years ago within the same chapter. I did have to re-read a couple paragraphs because the time jumps were not easily identifiable.

But really, I enjoyed Alex’s writing, loved the shorter chapters and I’m super excited to read his other work as I’ve been told it’s incredible!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!!

This book is out March 7th!!

What Have We Done by Alex Finlay – PUB DAY!

Jenna, Donnie, and Nico were all in the same group home at a young age. They all share a horrible secret on the things they’ve done before splitting their own ways in life. Now, twenty five years ago, someone is attempting to kill them one by one. They have to make their way to each other and the group home to figure out who is behind this mess.

The plot of this book is very interesting and unique. I would’ve loved to see this play out in an action movie. While it was really fast paced, I wish I connected more with the three main characters. I will say I really liked Jenna’s arc and would love to potentially see more of her story in a sequel.

Thank you to @netgalley for this ARC.

4.5 ⭐️

If you are looking for a bingeable thriller then look no farther. I seriously read this one in a day as I didn’t want to put it down.

Told from three ‘targets’ perspectives we meet Jenna, Donnie and Nico. All are being hunted for something they believe happened in their past - but by who? And why now?

Get your popcorn ready as this is a fast paced read and while I had some idea of the who behind it all, there were still a lot of twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting and really enjoyed!

After reading The Night Shift and now What Have We Done, Finlay has become a definite auto-buy author for me.

This was my first Alex Finlay book and will certainly not be my last! Full of faced paced scenes, this was a page turner thriller that kept me guessing with every page to come. It reads like a bit of an action movie with nice short chapters which I always appreciate!

This was my third Alex Finlay book and it did not disappoint! I really enjoy his writing. I read this one fast and it kept me interested from page 1.

There was five friends that grew up in a group home called The Savior. When Ben (a judge) is murdered and the other four find themselves running from a hit on their heads they are confused on why.
Jenna was in a group called The Corporation as she was recruited at 15. She spent over a decade as a hit woman tracking targets and taking care of business, but now she has a family. She gets a note that tells her to take care of a Target or else her family is in danger. She’s been out for over five years and doesn’t understand who would want her to start up again. Her target is her old group home friend Art. He’s now a tech billionaire.
Donnie a rockstar that has had issues with drugs and alcohol for most of his life is pushed over the cruise ship he’s performing on. He miraculously survives.
Nico a tv producer with a gambling problem is caught in a mining explosion on the tv set he works on. When they finally dig him out he goes to track down an old friend to figure out who is trying to kill him.
Why are these people that haven’t seen each other in decades being targeted. Will they figure out who the killer is and why?

Three vastly different people are targeted in separate murder attempts- a used-to-be rockstar, a reality tv producer, and a hit woman turned stay at home mom. So what do these people have in common? They all spent time at Savior House at the harrowing Savior House many years ago. Savior House served as a home for orphaned teenagers, but dark things happened behind those doors. In their quest to survive, a group of teens did something terrible and carry that secret with them. When they realize their assassination attempts are no coincidence, they make their way back to the long closed Savoir House to figure out, and stop, whoever wants them dead. Their return brings up unwanted memories from their past and reminds them that people really aren't to be trusted.

I loved the variety of characters in this book. Each one brought their own unique story and perspective that all collided at the foresaken Savoir House. Finlay delivers plenty of twists and turns throughout this fast paced story. While some scenarios are fetched, it is worth it for the action and outcome that Finlay delivers. I'd recommend for my fellow thriller lovers!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my eARC in exchange for my honest review. What Have We Done is available March 7th!

What Have We Done hits the ground running with adrenaline. It is a great high paced thriller that keeps you wondering what will happen next.

The story focuses on the three main character. The chapters are short and rotate between Jenna, Donnie and Nico.

Jenna, Donnie and Nico almost all got murdered. None of them could figure out why or who they pissed off. They start to realize that all three had a hit on them. The only thing they all have in common is they were in a foster home together 25 years ago. A foster home that wasn’t a safe place for any kid. They come together to try and figure out what is going on and how to stay alive.

This book will keep you guessing until the very end and it will have you on the edge of your seat.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.