Member Reviews
**3.5 Stars**
Thank you NetGalley and Alex Finlay for the advanced reader copy! I recently read The Night Shift and jumped at the opportunity to read and review this book before release. This book was definitely an action-packed thriller, but by the end, I felt that I didn't really know all the characters and wish there was more insight into their backgrounds. The book throws you right in the middle of the action and reveals bits and pieces from the characters' pasts. Alex Finlay's writing style is always enjoyable to read, and as a result, I got through this one very fast.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free arc in exchange for an honest review.
What Have We Done is a thriller following a group of people who are all connected by their shared past. As teenagers, they all lived in Savior House, a foster home for teenagers, where they committed a horrible act they’ve been covering up ever since. Now, decades later, someone knows their secret, and someone is coming for them.
This was a fun, fast paced thriller that I enjoyed. This book is non-stop action and plot twists, with a lot happening. It is a little unrealistic, you’ll definitely need to suspend disbelief to enjoy this one, but it would make a great pool or beach read. Some sections did feel like they could have been a bit more fleshed out then they were, but if you’re just looking for a fun, fast paced book, this is a good one to try.
3.5 stars rounded up. This was my first Alex Finlay, having heard about them first via Mara from bookslikewhoa. It was propulsive and a lot of fun, but also full of trauma and ugliness, so folks should be aware of that balance.
For fans of books like The It Girl and In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, What Have We Done is about a group of people who grew up in a group home where people disappeared and shady shit happened. Now they're grown up and one of their fellow residents has been killed, and attempts have also been made on their lives, so they have to figure out who and why before they become the next victim. The story is told in alternating POVs: Donnie, a dried up rock band dude; Jenna, who was taken and trained as a spy; and Nico, a TV producer. In their group was also Artemis, aka Arty, who grew up to be a tech genius.
I found myself wishing to just be seeing Jenna's point of view. It was like watching a Bourne movie and I love those, bananas as they are. And it was fast paced, but there were some things I didn't love and felt a little hokey. Overall, a pretty middle of the road experience for me but I had a good time while reading it. It's a great airplane book.
cw: sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, trafficking, gun violence, alcoholism, slurs, homophobia
A secret five teenage friends from a group home have kept for twenty- five years.
Now one of the five has been murdered and the other four have had attempts made on their lives. Who would be targeting them and does it have to do with that long kept secret? The surprise is well worth the read.
4 1/2 stars
Five former foster kids are suddenly being targeted for no apparent reason. They were each sent to Savior House as children for different reasons but managed to form a small family once they were there. It was them against the bullies. And now someone is trying to pick them each off one by one. The questions are who and why?
Regardless of their difficult beginnings, they've each made something of themselves. Between the five of them, they boast a tech genius, a judge, a television producer, a former rock star and a former assassin who has become a wife and mother. It appears the group has something to hide and maybe it's worth killing for.
This was such a fun read with great twists. It was one of those books that kept you wanting to flip the pages until the end.
AUDIOBOOK: The narration for the audiobook was great. In my opinion, it was even more enjoyable to follow along than reading it, 5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and the audiobook. I chose to read and listen to them both and write a review. The opinions contained within are my own.
This is my third Alex Finlay novel, and I loved it. What Have We Done? follows the lives of a group of individuals who knew each other during their troubled childhood in a group home. Now grown and each dealing with his/her own demons, they seem to be targeted by an unknown assailant. Who knows their shared secret and is willing to kill them all to keep it hidden?
The story captured my attention right from the beginning and kept me hanging on right until the end. It truly is a thriller! There are a lot of characters in this book, so be prepared to remember who's who and how they are each connected.
I'm always on the lookout for a new thriller by Alex Finlay. I'm so glad this one made its way into my hands. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
"Three disparate lives; One deadly secret."
What Have We Done is a mystery thriller involving a group of teens growing up in an often-abusive group home. They all lost their parents in different ways, some death, some abandonment. The story revolves around their lives when they all lived there together and what happened to each one in the future. The story is told from many different viewpoints, each individual detailing the events that led them to meet up again after many years apart.
Jenna, the main character, is now married and a stepmom to two girls. Donny is a rock singer who has an alcohol problem. Nico is a reality TV director who has a significant gambling issue. Together, along with Arty and Ben, they hold a secret from their time together at the Savior House. This secret, after so many years of being buried, has come back to haunt all of them. They need to solve the mystery of who is blackmailing them and who is trying to kill them all. Add in sociopath twins that are also involved.
This is a very fast paced, action packed novel. You will find yourself flipping the pages quickly to find out what will happen. While there were parts that were easy enough to figure out, there was still a number of surprises. I always love a good Alex Finlay thriller!
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of What Have We Done in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Find a comfortable spot, something to snack on, beverage of choice, because you’re not going to move once you start Alex Finlay’s latest suspense, What Have We Done. I binge read this in a day … along with a bag of popcorn, obscene amount of jellybeans, and maybe a glass (or three) of wine. Plan ahead is what I’m saying friends. You’ve been advised.
One of the Most Anticipated Books of 2023:• BookPage • BookBub • E! News • Go BookMart • Goodreads • PopSugar • The Every Girl • She Reads • Beyond the Bookends
Twenty five years ago five teenage residents of Survivor House stand at a shallow grave. As agreed they all shoot into it.
Survivor House had been residential home for teens whose parents had died or could longer care for them. As girls began to go missing, questions asked, threats made, there was one way out. They fled, moved on, made lives. They thought they were done. Now, they are being targeted…but by who?
Pay attention. Finlay expertly weaves an intricate story of each player, going back in time to fill in. As this is done by each character’s point of view, it’s patchy for much of the book. Like puzzle pieces some look like they fit but don’t. I was guessing until the very end, my four pages of notes a web that did little but confuse me.
I highly recommend for lovers of suspense fiction, fast paced atmospheric mysteries. I think this makes a really great buddy read if you’re not binging. It would be fun to bounce theories with someone at the same spot.
Thank you to Minotaur Books, Alex Finlay, and Netgalley for the advanced copy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. Unfortunately, I did not love it as much as Finlay's debut last year. I was hooked from the first chapter, but it lost the suspense for me even before half way. I was dying to find out why someone was hunting the connected individuals from the past. However, the twist was not that huge in my opinion.
What do a prominent judge, a billionaire technical genius, an aging rock star, a reality show producer and a retired professional assassin have in common? They all once lived in a group home for teens, ironically named Savior House, run by a character straight from a Dickens novel. What they did there one night remains with each of them. Twenty-five years later, they are brought together by an unknown force bent on destroying them. But who is behind this?
In this fast-paced, twisty plot, Alex Finlay weaves a tale ripe with suspense. The characters are well developed; the story is told from multiple points of view; the ending is unexpected.
A good read.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book.
Actioned packed with short chapters and multiple POVs this book was certainly entertaining. However, I struggled with the fact that the whole plot was very circumstantial and highly improbable.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this advanced readers copy.
Alex Finlay is an auto-read author for me and What Have We Done definitely sealed the deal!
As an auto-read author, I didn't even bother to read the synopsis for this one. I was very worried when the book started and it seemed to be about contract killers. Hitmen are not my thing. Action books are not my thing. I was definitely concerned this would be a DNF but decided to stick with it.
I'M SO GLAD I DID!!
First off, there are contract killers but they are women. That shouldn't matter but I did actually like that. OMG I was obsessed with the twins. I know they're terrible people, but what stellar characters!!
Second off, there is action. My heart was racing, I was on the edge of my seat. But it was for pages here and there, it wasn't the entire novel.
Third, there is A LOT more to this book. There are several characters/narrators and it was so exciting and intriguing to see how everything fit together.
The novel follows several kids who were in foster care together. The opening scene is of the group doing a terrible thing that will haunt them forever. As each one becomes the victim to an atrocious crime or seemingly an act of God, it becomes clear that it isn't a coincidence and that they are actually all targets.
Unfolding who was behind the attacks, what the kids did all those years ago, what took place in foster care, and who each individual became into adulthood was a wild and entertaining ride.
The chapters were short which made this book totally bingeable. Whether you read it or do the audio, it's a must read if you've enjoyed Finlay's other works!
Thank you to MacMillan Audio, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the copy.
The Night Shift was a favorite of mine last year and I was so excited to receive Finlay's newest book. With that said, this is not like The Night Shift at all. This is a much faster paced, high adrenaline & unrealistic story compared to Finlay's other books but I liked it either way! This moved so quickly that I didn't have time to try to guess plot twists and surprising which was a good thing. I would love a prequel about Jenna from her time in between Savior House and the events of this book - I always love an assassin! If you're looking for a book to help you escape your day-to-day than this is the one for you!
Wow, what a ride! I thoroughly enjoyed this book much more than The Night Shift. In this book we follow 3 main POVs, with a mingled history of living in a group home called Saviour House. A deadly secret from 25 years ago has come back to haunt them.
This book is fast paced, with short chapters and twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. My favorite character was Jenna, a stay at home mom with some very specialized skills. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a page turner.
There is not a tremendous amount of character development and it can be over the top at times but I had a great time reading this book!
A fast paced book with multiple points of view, including the assasins. The main characters continue to be haunted by their Savior House past and are being hunted at the same time, what a mix!
I liked the pace if this book since it got crazy and kept me reading. Due to jumping around a bunch, I had to place a lot more focus since this isn't a book for occasional leisure reading.
I liked the characters, especially Jenna. She is just plain tough. What I did want is more of the past details and explanations. I think that would have added even more to the characters. Enjoyable overall.
Thank you to MacMillan and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
Alex has done it again. Another edge of your seat thriller to keep the pages turning. I couldn't read this one fast enough!
A group of friends has done something bad. A long time ago. Has it come back to haunt them?
Who is trying to kill them all?
You will race through this tale trying to figure out who is trying to kill this group of friends and what a murder from their childhood has to do with it.
I liked seeing the story from each characters perspective. The main characters are relatable and I found myself rooting for Janie and Donnie.
I was surprised by the ending. I didn't see that coming. What a twist!! Pick up your copy today
Thanks to netgalley and St martins press for this ARC
What Have We Done had a super promising beginning; it hooked me right away! As everything unfolded, it felt chaotic and I didn’t feel invested in the story.
A stay at home, had been rock star, reality show producer and a tech billionaire have to join forces to figure out conspiracy brewing around them. They have to revisit dark secrets from twenty five years ago. Thrown into mix are psychopath assassins and contract killers. I got the feeling I am watching a die hard kind of movie.
This is well written book. The characters are well developed and plot well flushed out which are a requirements to enjoy thriller books. This is my first Alex Finley book and I am a fan. I loved how connected the characters were after 25 years.
I also loved that he thanked booksta community!!
What a great twist from what we are used to from Alex Finlay! This book starts off so strong and fast paced and never lets up! It reads like an action packed movie and I couldn’t get enough of it! I loved the story and the the characters, mainly Jenna, who protects her family at all costs. All of the characters were so unique and brought something special to the book. I enjoyed learning about the past of the characters and what made them who they were in present day in the book. The ending was done so well. I think this book will be a huge success!
What Have We Done by Alex Finlay
Pub Date: 3/7/23
This is my second book by Alex Finlay and it definitely did not disappoint! This is also the first book in months that I fully read with zero audio and it kept me so engaged!
We start with a very ominous flashback prologue that leaves you wondering what the kids of Savior House group home have done you are thrown into the chaos of their present day timeline.
I really enjoyed getting to know all these characters in the present and this novel had a LOT of heart for a thriller. I was fully invested in their stories & I absolutely did not see a twist or two ahead of time.
If you are a fan of high stakes thrillers and found families, definitely check this book out! Thank you to @stmartinspress @minotaur_books & NetGalley for the arc!
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