This was a fairly impressive read for me. I love me an intense thriller! First few chapters were slower to get into, but it picked up pretty well after that. I do very much enjoy a book where I can feel myself getting emotional or worried and stressed along with the MCs.

Overall I appreciated how atmospheric the author's writing was and how vivid the more horrific imagery was. I think what fell flat for me was the thriller plot as the beginning of the book felt like it was setting up a completely different type of character exploration. As a debut novel, I was impressed, but wished that the thriller aspect had more nuisance,

I Know What You Did by KT Nguyen had me hooked from the start—secrets, drama, and a twisty mystery that kept me guessing. If you love thrillers with messy friendships and dark pasts, this one’s a must-read!

You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen is a gripping and emotionally charged debut thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows Annie “Anh Le” Shaw, a first-generation Vietnamese American artist who appears to have everything—success, a beautiful home, and a loving family. However, when her mother, a Vietnam War refugee, dies suddenly, Annie's carefully constructed life begins to fall apart. Her past traumas and obsessive-compulsive disorder resurface, and soon, the line between reality and her terrifying thoughts starts to blur.

As a prominent art patron disappears and the investigation points to her, Annie's mental state deteriorates, and she finds herself in an even darker situation—waking up next to a dead body, with no memory of what happened. Desperate to protect her daughter, Annie becomes caught in a web of lies and confusion, unsure who to trust or what is real.

Nguyen masterfully combines heart-pounding suspense with deep, nuanced explorations of identity, trauma, and family. The story doesn’t just focus on the mystery; it delves into the complexities of being a child of immigrants, dealing with mental health struggles, and confronting the legacies that shape us. With its sharp twists and richly developed characters, You Know What You Did is as much a psychological thriller as it is a moving meditation on motherhood and cultural heritage.

For fans of Lisa Jewell and Celeste Ng, this debut thriller is a must-read—a dark, twisting tale that will have you questioning everything until the very last page.

After her mother’s death, Annie’s seemingly perfect life begins to unravel as her OCD spins out of her control.

I mostly really loved this - complicated mother-daughter relationships, generational trauma, the seedy underbelly of suburbia, morally grey female characters, aaand I don’t typically like the unreliable narrator thing but in this case it worked perfectly. Oh my god and the imagery of the OCD compulsions had my literal skin crawling !!

The only piece i didn’t really like was the ending/reveal. It was kind of predictable but that wasn’t even the real problem. It honestly just felt like a totally different vibe and writing style from the rest of the book. It suddenly got super cheesy and over the top and idk, I just didn’t get it.

How did I manage to finish this? It was a very slow burn. I did like the twists but it did drag most of the time. When Annies mother passes away, her life begins to unravel. Any kind of mental health disorder is very difficult. I can’t imagine how hard it was for Annie to lose her mom and then deal with all the thoughts in her head. I didn’t really feel like it was much of a thriller. It just wasn’t what I thought it was going to be but I’m glad I was able to finish it.

Thank you NetGalley, K.T. And Penguin Group Dutton for the E-ARC!

You Know What You Did by K. T. Nguyen is a slow burn thriller that will leave readers guessing. It had some elements that left me wanting more, but I will look forward to reading more from this author.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Artist Annie "Anh Le" Shaw has a nice suburban life with her husband and daughter on their quiet property with a guest house for her mother, a refugee of the Vietnam War who raised her daughter on her own. When Annie's mother dies under mysterious circumstances, the generational trauma comes to light and Annie's OCD rears its ugly head once again. Is her paranoia resurrected mental illness or based on reality?

I had mixed feelings about this one. The flashbacks to Anh Le's childhood with her traumatized single mother are a compelling look at the reality of living with a person suffering from mental illness. It also sheds light on the difficult transition from a life filled with violence and uncertainty to assimilating into an often unwelcoming foreign culture. Even with those well-done elements I still found Annie an unlikable character whom I had difficulty championing. She seemed ungrateful and selfish, and her motives usually reflected this.

This one was okay overall. The flashback storylines make it worth a read, but I couldn't get invested in the main character's fate which took away from the suspense aspect of the novel.

THE TWISTS! WOW. It is a slow read but it definitely is worth it. The OCD aspect really drew me in and once things picked up, I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of You Know What You Did by K. T. Nguyen!

I received an ARC of You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen through NetGalley. This was my first time reading this author, and while the book had some intriguing elements, it didn't fully meet my expectations. SThe story follows Annie "Anh Le" Shaw, a first-generation Vietnamese American artist who seems to have it all—a dream career, a beautiful home, and a loving family. However, her life begins to unravel after the sudden death of her mother, a Vietnam War refugee. This traumatic event triggers the resurgence of Annie's obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which she thought she had overcome. As her mental health deteriorates, Annie starts experiencing disturbing fixations that might actually be coming true.
Annie's carefully curated life spirals out of control as she becomes the prime suspect in the disappearance of a prominent art patron. Her obsessive thoughts and compulsions intensify, leading her to question her own sanity. The narrative takes a darker turn when Annie wakes up in a hotel room next to a lifeless body, with no memory of how she got there. As the police investigation closes in, Annie must confront her past traumas and unravel the truth behind the mysterious events. While You Know What You Did offers a compelling premise and explores important themes such as mental health and the refugee experience, some plot twists felt predictable, and the pacing could have been tighter. Annie's character is well-developed, and her struggle with OCD is portrayed with sensitivity and depth. However, the story's reliance on familiar thriller tropes and a somewhat rushed conclusion detracted from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the book's strong character dynamics and emotional intensity kept me engaged. Fans of psychological thrillers and stories about personal resilience might find this book an interesting read, even if it doesn't fully deliver on all fronts. I would consider reading more from K.T. Nguyen in the future. #netgalley #youknowwhatyoudid

Thank you #Netgally for the arc.

So for me, if I could be honest, I would give this a 3.25 almost 3.5 rating. Its only that because I felt the book was TOO LONG. There were parts that just seemed to drag. I appreciate all the character development, but there needs to be a middle ground for it.

Ok so that being said, yes this is a thriller/suspense etc, but there was also a lot more in the book. There were topics in here that dealt with mental health issues (and they were represented so well in this book) . There was a tough mother and daughter relationship, which was almost a little too cliche (and don't get me started on Annie's daughter.) The ending was a little on the predictable side and the book could have been a couple hundred pages or so shorter BUT K.T can write and I think his words are what made it that much more better.

You Know What You Did is written by K. T. Nguyen . This was an enjoyable read that I was drawn into right way. This is a psychological thriller that takes readers on a journey of twists, turns, suspense and will leave you shocked.

Anh Le, who goes by Annie has a great life. It has not always been that way. However, when her mom dies she starts to unravel. One minute she is married with a teenage daughter, and the next she feels her OCD come raging back. She starts to distance herself from friends and family.

Annie is an artist, when one of her wealthy patron's go missing - she is on the list of suspects. Annie cannot make sense of any of it. When her husband travels for work and her daughter goes to camp - Annie hits rock bottom. She awakens in a hotel room, with a lifeless body next to her and no recollection to what happened. The police don't buy h er story - and she needs to clear her name

This book is packed full of action, suspense, and thrilling descriptions. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.

This book is about a woman who finds her mother dead one day and then her life pretty much begins to spiral out of control. I did like the beginning of the book as it gave a little background on the main character, which I found intriguing. I felt that there were so many different side stories that were unnecessary jumbled all together in the story. There were some twists that felt forced and just didn't seem realistic. The characters were not very likeable people, especially the daughter, she was unbearable. Overall, I felt it started off pretty strong but then it got repetitive and ended up falling flat.

Amazed that i finished this one. Was a struggle for sure.

Very random writing with italicized statements that keep referencing You know what you did but when it finally gets around to the BIG REVEAL………….meh.

Not much happens and even when things do happen they are mixed in with oodles of extra fluff information or the main characters random thoughts.

Not for me. Do not recommend.

Triggers: affairs, dog dies with dismemberment of paw mentioned later.

Thanks to netgalley for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I had no idea going into this book was in store for me, and it was a wild twisty road. I was in deep with the family drama and really thought the main character Annie was a stone cold killer. The author does a lovely job of laying out a complex story of betrayal,family drama, lies, and murder.
Annie hasn't had the best life growing up with a mother who can't provide for them physically or emotionally. She looks to escape any way she can and finds herself with child from a man she doesn't even know if she loves. Her painting and her daughter are her first loves and she wants to be the best woman she can but her OCD and compulsions constantly get in the way. It prevents her from having guests over and even from being intimate with her husband Duncan. With the death of her mother tragically Annie is under a lot of stress and seems to be blacking out. Things are happening that she can't explain and when it comes to a near death and the cops are looking at her, she knows something terrible is going on. Is she committing terrible acts and not realizing she's doing them? Could she have the power to hurt someone and never remember? Or is someone else to blame?

In K.T. Nguyen’s debut novel, “Annie “Anh Le” Shaw,” the protagonist grapples with profound guilt and a series of unsettling events that disrupt her seemingly perfect life. The sudden death of her mother triggers a downward spiral, causing her obsessive-compulsive disorder to resurface and causing her to confront the painful legacy of her mother’s struggles.

Amidst her personal turmoil, Annie awakens one morning in a hotel room, naked and beside the lifeless body of a man. This harrowing discovery plunges her into a state of confusion and disorientation, as she grapples with the unraveling of her seemingly idyllic existence. The complexities of her past are revealed as the narrative unfolds, shedding light on her upbringing in a challenging environment marked by poverty and her mother’s mental disability, which manifested in physical and emotional abuse.

Despite these hardships, Annie emerges resilient, achieving a life that appears idyllic—a beautiful home, a fulfilling marriage, and a typical teenage daughter. However, the loss of her mother shatters this facade, and Annie’s life spirals into a rapid descent. Her unraveling mirrors the unfolding of the novel, as the reader witnesses the gradual erosion of her carefully constructed reality.

A deeper examination of Annie’s life reveals strained relationships, particularly with her daughter, who enjoys a harmonious partnership with her husband. This disparity increases Annie emotional distress, which she struggles to acknowledge. As the narrative shifts its focus back to her relationship with her mother, it becomes evident that Annie harbored deep unhappiness. The loss of her mother serves as a catalyst for her realization that the idyllic bubble she had constructed was destined to burst.

Nguyen’s novel offers a diverse perspective, highlighting the stark contrast between Annie’s memories of growing up in Japan and her current experiences in America. Memories play a pivotal role in the narrative, particularly after Annie’s memory loss in the hotel room. The novel’s tense atmosphere compels the reader to contemplate Annie’s disturbing childhood and the unfolding events that shape her future.

Many thanks to Dutton and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Annie “Anh Le” came from humble beginnings, but she’s made a great life for herself—a job she loves, a beautiful home, and a happy family with her husband and daughter. But after the sudden death of her mother, Annie’s carefully constructed world starts to come apart.

This book surprised me! It starts off as a slow-burn drama, focusing on Annie’s past and her struggles with OCD. But as the story progresses, it shifts gears and becomes more of a thriller. While I found the twist a bit predictable and not as impactful as I’d hoped, I still enjoyed the read and would recommend it to anyone who likes a good slow-burn story.

Not my favorite book, but the story was interesting. My mind was all over the place, but eventually it all fell into place.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and author for the chance to read this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! The unfolding of Annie's story and character development was fascinating to read through and though it was a bit of a slow burn, I found myself looking forward to finding out how it all wrapped up.