I have a lot of mixed thoughts about this one. I hadn’t read Finlay’s other works before this one, so I went in not really knowing what to expect (although, I have heard some raving reviews about The Night Shift). While I enjoyed the fast pace of the novel, I got a little confused about what was going on at times, especially in the beginning, and didn’t enjoy that there were so many different points of view. This is a personal opinion, though, as I never really like reading books that are told from too many different perspectives. It also took me a while to get used to the transitions between flashbacks and current day, because there often wasn’t any clarification in the text when Finlay would transition to a memory from the present; it was usually more clear when he jumped back to the present, because there would be a comment about the character being drawn from the memory. This made it confusing to understand what was happening in the beginning, but I eventually was able to figure out when he was shifting easier as I learned more about the characters and had more context. I don't have any strong emotions toward any of the characters or their wellbeing and couldn't find ways to connect with them, but I did not find them dislikable.

Ultimately, I think I would give What Have We Done a solid 3.5 stars. Not one of my favorite thrillers that I've read, but I was still enthralled by the fast-paced plot and wanted to know how things would end up.

Thanks so much for this copy!

Jumping back and forth between past and present, What Have We Done tells the story of childhood friends who bonded during their time at an abusive group home. The friends went their separate way as adults, each of them surprisingly successful in their own way - the group includes a rockstar, a judge and a TV producer - and they have all moved on from their traumatic experiences at the group home. They lead separate lives until someone starts trying to kill each of them. They reunite to try and figure out who might be behind it all. The only thing that still connects them is the crime they committed as children - is this why someone wants them dead?

This book sucked me in. I couldn't put it down. It was suspenseful and engaging, and I cared about most of the characters. Alex Finlay did a great job bouncing between past and present, putting all the pieces together. I would have loved more details around Jenna and her past as a contract killer - I found this part to be so interesting and I wanted to know more about her training and how she grew into the role before ultimately getting out of the business. This could be a book all on its own, I would read it!

The ending was a miss for me. Without giving too much away, it felt like one last attempt to add in intensity and suspense. It wasn't needed - there was a very natural ending right before the final twist.

Overall I really enjoyed it, it was a fast paced thriller that made me want to keep reading.

Book Title: What Have We Done
Author: Alex Finlay
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press ~ Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: March 7, 2023
My Rating: 3.3 Stars!

This is only my third novel by author, Alex Finlay. I like "Every Last Fear" but really liked "The Night Shift".
I went into this story with high expectations and really didn’t know anything about the story ~ I often do that when I like the author!

POV of Jenna, Nico, Donnie and later the Twins –
These three knew each other 25 years ago when they lived at ‘Savior House’ a group home for children who lost their parents. These children were all good kids but got bullied by some other kids who have issues. There is also someone hanging around haunting the girls and then they vanish!
Five kids Nico, Donnie, Ben, Art and Jenna decide to team up against the ‘someone’ who is taking the girls - they do something bad and buried their secret on the grounds of “Savior House’.
They have each gone their way~
Ben is now a federal judge;
Nico, a television producer with gambling debts;
Donnie, a fading rock star whose attempts at sobriety are mostly unsuccessful;
Art, a successful tech entrepreneur and
Jenna who is a suburban homemaker.
A bit later in the story Twins Haley and Casey have a voice. They are aware of what the others did all those years ago and they are out to get them.

Hmmm it isn’t that this story isn’t good as I know it will find an audience that will love it ~ however, it didn’t work for me.

But - - - I am looking forward to my next Alex Finlay novel!

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press ~Minotaur Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 7, 2023

Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress and @minotaur_books for the ARC of “What Have We Done” that will be published on March 7, 2023.

“What Have We Done?” starts with a group of kids in a group home and the covering up of the bad things happening there. Then, 25 years later the kids, now adults are being targeted and killed. In trying to save themselves and figure out what is going on they unite in a sort of reunion.

This story was a quick read, and I liked the thrills that came with it. My problem at the end is that I was left confused not being sure what they had done (also in the title). Maybe if I read it again it would become clearer, but after a first read I ended the story confused. And with that my review for this is 2 stars.

Themes: 🤫, 💀, 🔪, 🔀

My thoughts: 🙃😏😕🫡

#readmorebooks
#netgalley
#goodreads
#readersofinstagram
#mybookishlife

This one was a little slower than I am accustomed to with Alex Finlay, but still overall very well done and engaging. While the super secret spy stuff was highly unrealistic in an otherwise VERY realistic setting, it worked for the story, and was well enough written that I could suspend disbelief to enjoy it. I was left with a few loose ends that I would have liked to see tied up, but all in all this was very enjoyable.

25 years ago, five friends living in a group home, buried a secret. As adults, they have gone on to live successful lives. But now, one friend is dead, and the other four have experienced failed murder attempts. The friends must reunite and band together to figure out who wants them dead and why.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this eARC.

Friends from years past come together in a mystery thriller. Someone is trying to kill them all, but why? Is it something they did? Is it tied to the foster house they all grew up in? A good thriller! 4.5 stars!!

If I had to describe What Have We Done in one sentence or less, it would be: a bizarre book with an even odder ending. Maybe that seems up your alley, but it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for.

Finlay’s last two books have been 50/50 for me. I disliked Every Last Fear but The Night Shift was a solid thriller, so I was excited to learn he was releasing a new novel in 2023 and was thrilled to be granted an ARC. What Have We Done seemed like a huge departure from his previous two works. Twenty-five years ago, five teenagers shared a group home and a huge secret that has tied them together ever since. When one of the friends ends up dead and the others are targeted one by one, it appears someone is trying to take them all out as punishment for their involvement in this mysterious act.

Told from the perspective of three of the teenagers involved in the mystery from back then – Donnie, Jenna, Nico – both in the present day and 25 years ago, the reader finds out what exactly they were involved in and slowly, we put together who is out to get the survivors. The storyline was unnecessarily complicated and instead of mystery/suspense/detective fiction, this was more of an espionage action thriller with not one, not two, but THREE contract killers. It was honestly just too much for me. I had some huge issues with the epilogue; instead of wrapping up the story, it rolled back the story and made the ending feel pointless.

I am sure there will be many people who enjoy this read – probably people who enjoy action and spy thrillers – but this was a miss for me. I hope Finlay has plans to bring back FBI agent Sarah Keller; I would be willing to read another book with Keller in it but I think I will be a little more discerning when picking up Finlay’s books in the future. 2.5 stars, rounded up

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A thriller that you. Annie put down - you are thrown into action when a woman is thrown into her last and must commit a hit for The Corporation - a man is trapped in a mine - another is thrown overboard - are they all being punished and hunted for a past misdeed they performed together? Lots of twists - loved the bad ass main woman - loved the killers - loved it all

In this character driven book by Alex Finlay we learn about 3 characters all with different lives that only have their childhood secret in common. 25 years ago Jenna, Donnie, Nico, and Ben were all friends who lived at the Savior house which as a group home for children without parents. The timelines and transitions felt off for me a bit in this one as the chapters went from present day to the past for each character with no transition piece. I didn't feel the urge to keep picking this one up again and I think primarily it was due to not being connected with the characters. This plot seems to be one that keeps coming back so it may have just been a little too over the top for me. A miss for me on this one, but will definitely read more of his books. thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Personally my favorite Alex Finlay book is The Night Shift but this one did incorporate a very unique storyline for a thriller and I enjoyed that. I would classify this book as a "palate cleanser" as it was easy and quick to read.

4.5 Stars

I thoroughly enjoyed reading What Have We Done, the second book by Alex Finlay I've read for review (Every Last Fear, 5 Stars). I wish I hadn't missed out on his 2022 release Night Shift, because this author has become one to watch for me. What Have We Done is action and adventure, mystery and thriller rolled into one exciting read. It's similar to Gregg Hurwitz's Orphan X titles--one of my favorite must-read, never-to-be-missed series. I especially liked Finlay's protagonists Jenna and Donnie, and rooted for them throughout this multi-layered, deeply emotional story. The book is unputdownable, and I raced through the pages to find out what would happen next.

This novel would have been a 5-Star read for me, since it has most of the elements I love in a thriller, including a happy marriage (yay!). The single disruption was the frequent POV switches among the many characters, including the antagonists, that slowed the pacing and caused me to occasionally backtrack and reorient in order to move forward. The story would have worked better for me with less frequent shifts, but other readers will feel differently. What Have We Done is still a solid read and an enjoyable, entertaining novel. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing an ARC to read and review. This review will appear on Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
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This book followed three characters 25 years after living in a group home together where their past comes back to haunt them. I loved The Night Shift and was so excited for this ARC, but it fell extremely flat. The characters were messy, the storyline was rushed, the plot was lame and the twist was anticlimactic. I hope others pick this one up and love it, but it’s a no from me dawg.

I received this as an eARC from NetGalley and St. Martins Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you both for this opportunity! <b>There are no ending spoilers in this review.</b>

I gave this 4.5⭐'s. Rounded up to 5 on Goodreads since they do not allow partial stars like Storygraph does. This was a fast paced excellent mystery.

<b>+1⭐ Writing:</b>
I found the chapters and writing both to flow together well. There's a lot to take in here and the author did a good job of weaving the story without being repetitive or infodumping. Language reads real and current.

<b>+1⭐ World Building:</b>
Excellent job of modern world building and showing not telling. Easy to place myself in the middle of this. Accurately describes the DMV area. lol.

<b>+1⭐ Plot:</b>
Excellent mystery with a very unique and intriguing story.

<b>-.25⭐Plot Hole</b> I was just slightly bothered by the lack of explanation surrounding the disappearance of the person killed in the past and also the whereabouts of the person nextdoor. It didn't ring n the story for me, just felt like that piece was missing.

<b>Plot Twists:</b>
I feel like I saw it coming, however there was enough to make me wonder if the twist would happen so I was still surprised.

<b>+1⭐ Character Development:</b>
Told from multiple POV's and I was here for every one of them. I wanted to put the pieces together so bad. Every chapter the characters' back and current story get even deeper. The character with the writer following him was a clever way to tell the backstory.
I enjoyed getting to know each of them.

<b>-.25⭐ Representation:</b>
A good bit of representation here across several groups. I really could have done without the slurs though. They were unnecessary and lost star points because of that.

<b>+.5⭐Pace:</b>
Full speed ahead this was a rapidly moving story I could not stop. It was so good I finished it the day I started it.

<b>Ending:</b>
Great and tidy but not annoying ending. I liked it.

<b>Overall:</b>
This could be adapted into an excellent mini series. I would watch it for sure. I would recommend reading and buying this. I would be interested in other works by this author.

<i>(As always to be fair: I am extremely picky about purchasing books for my limited shelf space and choose 4-5 stars from my personal ratings and only if I love it, want my children to read some day, or want to re-read.) </i>

<b>Trigger Warnings:</b>
LGBTQIA+ Slurs
Human Trafficking
Rape
Child Abuse
Torture/Violence

<b>EDITING FEEDBACK:</b> <i> Does not affect my rating as this is an eARC that clearly states it is still in the copyedit process.</i>

Let me start by saying I absolutely loved Finlay's last two books.
This book starts out with a bang and is immediately action packed. What Have We Done seemed to be more of an action packed/suspenseful thriller. I am sad to say I did not love this story. I could not connect with any of the characters. The chapters jumped between multiple POVs which I usually love, but this didn't allow me to attach to anyone. Each chapter was go go go but I felt like I had no idea what was going on. I feel like the ending could have been more flushed out or have the chapters go from past and present rather than split in some of the chapters. Its just felt all over the place for me.

What Have We Done is a solid, action-packed mystery with elements of childhood torture, revenge, romance, and betrayal mixed together for a fast-paced read. There are several surprising twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

3.75
I was skeptical when requesting this ARC because unfortunately unlike many that praised The Night Shift , I was completely underwhelmed by it. I was pleasantly surprised with this one I was expecting
more of a psychological thriller however this story was more of an action packed thriller. The book sets an atmosphere similar to the likes of Bourne Identity , Nikita and also a blend of the movie Sleepers.

A stay at home mother, an alcoholic rock star, and a reality TV producer all have a secret that they thought was buried long ago but that deadly secret has resurface
and has come with the vengeance to haunt them. Now after 25 years have since past they will reunite again and be force to relive their childhood past to uncover who is
out to kill them.
Customarily, I am not a fan of action thrillers but Alex Finlay executes this one flawlessly. He cleverly intertwines all three of the characters narratives into a harmonious storyline that even though the main
characters are an overdone cliched they are still rather enthralling.

This book will appeal to lovers of action packed thrillers

Many thanks to NetGalley , Macmillan, and St. Martin's Press for allowing be to read this advance readers copy.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my gifted digital advance review copy!

Over two decades ago, five friends buried a secret on the grounds of the group home where they all lived. As adults, they have gone on to live successful lives out of the shadow of Savior House and the personal traumas they have endured. But now, one friend is dead, and the other four have near-death experiences that are too contrived to be accidental. The friends struggle to figure out who is after them, and why their past is catching up with them after all this time.

This was my second book by Finlay (the first being THE NIGHT SHIFT). It’s definitely different in that it is more of an action thriller/suspense read, but I still really enjoyed it, which says a lot because I’m not usually a fan of action thrillers.

I really fell in love with Jenna, Donny, and Nico. Their friendship reminded me somewhat of Stephen King’s Losers (IT), and I loved the amount of detail that went into each character’s backstory. Donny is especially enjoyable to read and is endearing despite his bad behavior and struggles.

I will say that this will probably not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially if you are looking for a realistic crime fiction (a la TNS). If you’re willing to suspend your disbelief and go along for the ride, you may be surprised like I was at how much you enjoy this one.

This book was like taking a ride on a rocket. Even with multiple povs, the reader gets a full characterization of each.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to revive an ARC copy to review*

Three lives. Three lives with past trauma all connected to one group home; a group home that bares an ugly past.

When these children disappear under circumstances unknown, the three foster sibling get split up only to return 25 years later to solve the mystery.

Through reliving their traumas; Jenna, Nico and Donnie must figure out together what really happened to the rest of their friends and why they now are being targeted and hunted down as prey.