A TV producer, a rock star, and a homemaker had one thing in common: they spent some time at a group home when they were teens. Now they have another thing in common… someone is trying to kill all three of them! The beginning immediately grabs the reader’s attention (three attacks by a killer!), but as the book goes on, the story feels somewhat…lacklustre. The story ends with a great conclusion and epilogue, but my level of interest could best be graphed with an inverted bell curve. I found only Jenna’s story held my attention the whole way through, largely because she had the most colourful past but also the sharpest incline in her life’s trajectory. I did this by audiobook, and the narration was excellent (though I find Brittany Pressley’s emphasis on the last sound of a sentence a bit grating). 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my copy of What Have We Done by Alex Finlay

Jenna, Donnie and Nico are long lost friends from The Savior House Group Home for orphans, and their past is coming back to haunt them and this is not the reunion any of them wanted.

I am a big fan of multiple narrators and I think Alex Finlay did a great job with this one! Just when you thought you knew who the bad guy was they turned the tables on you! 4.5 stars from me loved that the chapters where short also, made for a quick listen!

I received the audiobook and digital ARCs through Netgalley, and read this as this month’s pick for an IG Thriller Reads book club.

Perhaps because I listened to the audiobook, I didn’t feel the tension and suspense I think the author was going for. The narrators were good, but the even tones were too calming for a book that wanted to be an action adventure.

It definitely had Jason Bourne vibes, but while it was filled with action and attempted murders, I wasn’t drawn in and felt like the plot was lacking depth. While the entire premise centered around what happened to these missing girls, the story never really got into the girls’ stories.

Overall, the story was fine, but the epilogue really killed it for me, wrapping things up way too nicely for a thriller.

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪs ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ:
🕵️‍♀️ like to know exactly what happens to every character at the end
🕵️‍♀️ are a fan of Bourne Identity-esque assassin organizations
🕵️‍♀️ want a light thriller to start off in the genre

⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝘼 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙪𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧.

📍 Read if you like:
• Action-Packed Thrillers
• Quick Reads
• Twist And Turns
• Friend Group

Out of the three books I’ve read by Alex Finlay, unfortunately, this is my least favorite of his.

Reading the prologue set a suspenseful tone. It had me immediately intrigued and I was so fascinated reading the story. It did continue with the intrigue level, but it eventually fell flat.

We follow a group of people who meet at Savior House, a group home for teens without parents. There’s a lot that goes on in here… from bullying to missing girls.

We immediately are pulled into the story with the teens standing over a hole in the group… questioning “What Have We Done”.

Years later, now adults, these characters are reintroduced with who they’ve become. Secrets are held from the past that haunts them. Suddenly, one of these five original adults is killed and it looks like someone is out to get the rest of them.

I feel like at times you need to suspend your belief with this one. Some plot-line points had me so confused and felt unbelievable. I liked the dual timeline and following these three characters - each being unique and having a secret of their own.

I liked the connection they had with others, but some twists didn’t make sense. I had some questions! Also, that ending was sort of underwhelming and predictable.

I listened to the audiobook while following with the e-galley and I think both were great!

This is my least favorite by this author, but I still enjoyed some parts of the book. I found the characters to be interesting to read about, but not so likable. Overall, I would still recommend this one.

Happy Pub Day to What Have We Done by Alex Finlay! If you’re looking for a crazy thriller about something in the past coming back to haunt a group of childhood friends mixed with a bit of Black Widow origin story, this is the book for you.

Twenty-five years ago, Jenna, Donnie, and Nico forged a bond over the abuse they faced as the Savior House, a group home for kids. Then something terrible happened that will connect them forever, but also tears them apart. Now someone’s trying to kill them, and even though they’re leading completely separate lives, they must work together to find out who’s after them and why, and, in the process, they may uncover some heartbreaking secrets from their past.

I enjoyed this one, but it had a little more of an action adventure vibe than my usual thriller reads. I was absolutely invested and wanted to know where the story was going, but none of the characters passed the threshold of jumping off the page into my heart. It read a little more like a movie or TV show to me than a book, although that distinction is only a feeling. I definitely think this one would be great adapted for the screen.

The audio had a fabulous full cast recording which made it really easy to sink into each of the characters’ separate stories. I think in all there were four POVs—the three people being hunted and chapters from the perspective of the killer. I’d definitely recommend listening to this one if it’s on your list.

I’ve read some other reviews saying that this one takes some suspension of disbelief, and I definitely agree. There’s a lot going on. Hit (wo)men, a secret society, a tech genius, cover-ups, escape plans, long-buried secrets and new ones, as well as a murder of one their friends from Savior House to solve. It’s not my favorite book by Alex Finlay, but it was a fun ride and I’ll definitely read whatever he has coming out next.

Rating: 4/5⭐️
Pub day: Today!

This is only my second from Finlay and I thought both were very bingeable books. His writing allows for a fast-paced experience with a lot of twists and turns to keep a reader fully engaged. He also writes without gore or overly graphic details, which is a huge win in my book.

I loved how completely I was engrossed into this story and really appreciated the badass main female character. While I wasn’t shocked by all of the revelations I was quite surprised two times and enjoyed the jolt those revelations sent coursing through my brain. I definitely enjoy his writing and will be reading more from him in the future!

I did a combo of audio and digital and thought both were good!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the #alc and Minotaur Books for the #arc in exchange for an honest review.

𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚 🎭: thriller
𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙚 🏃🏼‍♀️: moderate
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: 🚫
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 🖤: slow burn suspense with multiple POV & timelines
𝙏𝙒 ⚠️: none identified

🤫blackmail
🤫hitwoman
🤫ex-foster kids

I still don’t really know what the point of certain aspects of the plot was - but it was entertaining. There are a lot of characters and storylines to keep track of- and it takes a while for them to connect. Jenna’s POV was the best.

I generally love thrillers that follow a group of friends that committed or witnessed a crime in highschool, separate, and then all come back together as adults to deal with the consequences. There is a little bit of ✨razzle dazzle ✨in the form of a long con (The Corporation), assassins, and general corruption.

The Plot: They did something bad as kids- now as adults someone is coming after them and trying to kill them off. You spend the entire book trying to figure out when and how the different POVs will intersect.

I enjoyed the narrators and would recommend this book to people who enjoy low stress thrillers with a nice tidy ending.

The epilogue was intense 👀

I was excited to get this as an Advanced Listeners Copy from NetGalley. However, this book fell short for me. I was able to keep up with the different timelines at first, but then it became more difficult. I didn’t really care for any of the characters. Parts of the plot were too all over the place for me. I may have enjoyed this more as a read instead of a listen.

2.5 stars

I listened to most of this book on audio, but then finished it up with a physical copy of the book. Let me say that this was a 4 star read for me until the end just got messier and messier with a catastrophic number of, "and then this happened, and then THIS happened" scenarios that cluttered the whole thing.

I enjoyed the story overall, but there were some parts that seemed a little over the top unrealistic. Five friends did something terrible for the sake of survival when they were children. Now, as fairly successful adults all in their own way, someone wants to bury the truth. The story overall was fast paced and engaging.

Jenna - now a retired hit woman for a secret government organization
Nico - now a thriving reality TV producer
Ben - now a federal judge
Donnie - now a famously washed up rockstar
Artemis - now a billionaire tech mogul

First off - how is it that five best friends from the same shady children's group home all grew up to be wildly successful in their own individual ways? It just seems unrealistic to me that all of them went on to essentially find fame or fortune in these one in a million positions.

What happened when they were kids wasn't entirely fleshed out, and there seemed to be too many plot twists when it came to who was involved in it.

I hated the twins - you weren't supposed to like them, but I felt their existence was unnecessary and hated the fact that their characters were even there. They weren't explained or really part of the main story.

When you get to the plot twist of who was behind everything, it was one of those, "yeah I guess if you say so" plot twists. You didn't see it coming, but not in a "not paying close enough attention" way, but more of a, "did you just now make this up on the spot" way that a small child tells a story.

This would have even been a 3 star read for me if it wasn't for Jenna's unnecessary epilogue. Where did that even come from and why was it necessary? Who even just has access to bombs and vats of acid in 2023???

I would recommend this to anyone who wants a fast-paced engaging read, who isn't disappointed by unrealistic plot twists at the end.

I loved The Night Shift last year (it was actually my first NetGalley) so I was super excited for this one. I started with the audiobook and was quickly overwhelmed with the multiple and not always likable POVs. I switched to the e-book and found it was easier to follow that way and in the end I ended up really liking it. It was gritty, fast-paced and full of twists (none of which I predicted); I think you can definitely read it in one sitting. I still prefer The Night Shift but I still think this one is worth checking out.

“Survival favors the cautious.” This one started out on a very exciting note as the three narrators each escape an assassination attempt. But then it just got... Boring? It was OK but I didn't really connect with any of the characters or even care about "whodunit." Also I found it highly unrealistic that all these kids from the same group home would go on to have successful, remarkable lives. It did get more exciting again in the end and I enjoyed the epilogue. I also appreciated the different voices for each narrator, although I didn't like the voice of Donnie's.

I'm a fan of Alex Finlay's writing especially Night Shift, so I was excited to pick this one up. There is a very powerful prologue which really drew me in and I had to keep reading. The beginning of the book was fast paced and exciting as we get introduced to the characters, but I found that when we got into the midst of the story the excitement started to fade for me. I think the story is action packed, exciting and quick to read with a good ending, but the middle didn't hold my attention as much as I would hope. I think the problem was I was more interested in a few of the characters so looked forward to their POVs while other characters were less intriguing to me. I think lots of people will enjoy this though and the cast of narrators did a fantastic job.

Who is an author that you've heard of but never read? In addition to reading many books each year, I spend a fair amount of time reading other readers' reviews. After all, how will I find my next great read if I don't check out what others are reading? Alex Finlay is an author whose work has come to my attention in recent years. Despite hearing great things about his standalone thrillers, I've never made it a point to read them for myself. When his publisher invited me to read his latest book What Have We Done, I jumped at the chance to see what this author is all about.

It happened nearly twenty-five years ago. They were all residents at a home for troubled teens. They thought that the past was behind them, but then one of them, a judge, was murdered. Another of the group, a troubled reality show producer narrowly escaped a similar fate. The remaining, a newly married stepmother and an aging rock star know that they must be next on the list. The three former friends will have to come together to escape the sins of their past.

To attempt to fully summarize the plot of What Have We Done would deny potential readers the thrill of this narrative unwrapping. With each new chapter, Alex Finlay meticulously peels back the layers of his mystery. He employs shifting perspectives and time jumps to lay the breadcrumbs to his twisty conclusion. As I read, I could easily see why so many readers enjoyed this author's work. He writes with a quick pace, never letting the tension cease. The deeper into the web of this mystery I fell, however, the more over the top I found it to become. This is sheer pulpy action fun, the kind that I rolled my eyes at a few times, but I couldn't stop reading. The characters serve the plot fine, but don't expect any deeper revelations into their emotions. They are here to drive the story, and they do that well. I'm left with mixed feelings about my first outing with Finlay. On the one hand, I couldn't stop reading. On the other, the action got a bit too unbelievable for my tastes. If you're the kind of reader who has trouble looking past outrageous plot points, this one may not be the book for you. If you are able, though, to suspend disbelief, you'll really enjoy the ride this book takes you on.

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🎉

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 audiobook in exchange for an honest review, The multiple narrators definitely made the story better! They were great.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced audiobook! I love the premise of this storyline…. Friends with a troubled and dark past reunite to solve the mysteries of their youth. The story was fast paced and action packed. It kept me intrigued, but the multiple POVs made it hard to follow, and the ending was confusing. Due to the multiple POVs, it was hard to connect with any of the characters. The narration of the audiobook was excellent!

Okay this had so much potential. When I started it, I didn’t really know what to expect. I basically went in blind and had no clue it would go in the direction it did. Was a synopsis a little misleading now that I took a glance? Yeah, a bit.

I loved Jenna storyline but didn’t realize this was basically going to be a female Jason Bourne. her narration was great. But damn I was like “did I pick up an action book by mistake?”

And here’s what sad. I know there was Donnie and one other guy in the story and I already forgot his name. Kind of shows how unmemorable this book was. It wasn’t just that, there were too many character names and timelines going with zero clarification. I’d be listening and suddenly get lost and I’m like cool I missed one simple line that implied it was in the past.

Midway through I was like what the hell is going to happen? And I officially lost interest. I listen to the last bit of it completely zoned out. I had no connection to the characters and their outcome.

This one was a lot in the best way possible! I would love to see this one as a tv series, it would be perfect for a Netflix miniseries. It was action packed with lots of winding twists and turns weaving the characters and story together. I listened to the audio version and loved all the different narrators, the full cast was awesome. Highly recommend!

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!

WHAT HAVE WE DONE by Alex Finlay and narrated by a cast.

The audio was a really fun way to take in this story. Multiple narrators bring the POV's alive and keep them distinct while adding all the tension of the story.

Jenna, Donnie & Nico are in a group home that leaves them vulnerable. One night they take matters into their own hands. 25 years later they all find themselves doing fairly well until it is clear someone who is quite trained is after them, bringing the group back to the place they all want to forget.

This felt like a TV miniseries. One where there were so many crazy things all stirred in that felt a bit unnecessary, but kinda fun for the outrageousness! There were some potentially deeper areas to consider, but this never really went there. This has a bit of "Kill Bill" vibes which made a somewhat campy thriller. I expected something different, but when I gave in and let it be what it was, I had a good time with it!

The audio was definitely the way to go for me with this one. I could let go and let the narrators take me a ride. ⭐⭐⭐💫

I would recommend this book for those who want to jump into a fast-paced, light (campy😉) thriller. Not much reality here, but that can be what makes fiction fun when you are in the mood for it.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @macmillan.audio for the ALC. I had fun listening, and if this sounds like fun for you, this will be available March 7th!