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.

The pace of this book is what drew me in from the first page -- it's quick! We know something very bad happened 20 years ago at the group home, and we know that there are very real ramifications in the present day for the four main characters. Who is trying to kill them, and what are they being punished for?

I would have enjoyed more depth and back story on all of the characters -- I didn't attach to them the way I do normally, but that was made up for by the thrill of the read. The one exception is Donnie, the Rock Star -- I was rooting for him the whole way and enjoyed his character arc quite a bit.

Would certainly recommend this book and this author to anyone looking for a thrilling read! 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This is was so good. It was a thriller and a coming of age story. I enjoyed Alex Finaly’s past books and knew this one wouldn’t be any different.

Five kids from foster care sure can go far, and in different directions. This book was wildly implausible but that’s part of the fun. The different POVs really keep the story moving along. So chock full of psychos, you’ll have a hard time guessing who’s the real baddie… or baddies.

I’ve read all of Alex Finlay’s novels and this was just okay. I liked the alternating perspectives. I didn’t really feel any thing was surprising in the story. The epilogue for Jenna felt super rushed and random. There were also a handful of punctuation/grammar/plot errors (referring to one character when it was clear it was supposed to be another) towards the end of the book which felt a little sloppy. The first had was definitely more interesting so maybe the whole story was rushed at the end?

I think this book was a great idea, but the execution could have been slightly better. I really enjoyed that we got to see the dynamic of Jenna, Nico and Donnie from their early years, and how even though they weren’t a close group of friends, that experience alone bonded them for life.

Watching how they all developed differently from that shared experience was really fascinating. I love that Donnie was a true rockstar stereotype with the alcohol and I think he was maybe the most relatable of all the characters. I found both Jenna and Nico difficult to relate to purely for the fact that I don’t think we got to see a lot of their personality shine through.

The twins were absolutely terrifying and I really appreciated that they both had different and specialised weapons that lined up with their personalities (gun, knife, etc.). I wish we had gotten more backstory on Casey and Haley and why they were separated, why they were both so violent, more on their reuniting in college, etc.. Again, I think they were both fantastic characters that needed to be flushed out a little more.

Overall, I wish there was more conversation throughout the entire book. I felt like at times I was reading a long essay rather than a story and it would take me out of the world that was being created. I appreciated the addition of Reeves to get Donnie to open up and speak more, but again in total the first ⅔ of the book was lacking in dialogue with me. I also wish that the flashbacks had been more clear as sometimes it would be paragraph to paragraph and it would take me a few beats to realize I was reading about a memory of one of the characters rather than the present day.

Finally, the epilogue left me wanting for more. I feel like Nico deserved a sad ending and he got one, but I think at the same time, it would have been nice to show that people are redeemable even from their addictions and bad decisions. I was so glad Donnie was able to get back out there and draw a huge crowd again. As for Jenna, I was very unsatisfied with how short her portion of the epilogue was considering it had the most action involved. I wish that had been a chapter of its own before the epilogue and we got something else for her ending.

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.*

This was an action packed, fantastic story. It kept me reading non stop, from beginning to end. Very entertaining.

Alex Finlay has quickly become one of my favorite writers and What Have We Done did not disappoint. I love me a good who done it and this one kept my guessing.

I also really love an underdog, wrong side of the tracks character with a redemption story. This book had that and had me cheering until the very end.

Savior House definitely didn’t live up to its name. What was supposed to be a safe haven for these homeless children, turned out to be more of a nightmare. Jenna, Donnie, and Nico all knew first hand what Savior House was like and while the once were all best friends, when they were all split up all the shared was the secret they left behind at the abusive home.

They all went their separate ways in life, but when their pasts come back to haunt them in the form of someone trying to kill them, it’s time for a reunion.

This book was intriguing, and the way these characters are written pulled you into the story, having you searching for answers to what has happened. I didn’t love these characters, but I do have to say I particularly enjoyed Jenna’s chapters.

This is definitely an action thriller and action books or movies aren’t really my style, but I can’t deny this was still a fun read.

It did get a bit confusing sometimes with the switches between the past and the present, but overall I did enjoy Alex’s writing.

While this wasn’t a favorite for me, I can definitely see this being a favorite for those who gravitate to this type of action packed thriller.

3.5⭐️

Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.