Annie just lost her mother and the grief and stress has caused her OCD to intensify. As she tries to work through her past and understand what is most triggering to her. she finds herself waking up next to a dead body in a hotel and she's not entirely sure how she got there. Annie wants to improve her relationship with her daughter and get back to feeling more in control, but it Annie is losing grasp on what is happening. Overall an intense and confusing read with Annie spiraling and constantly seeming to misstep, While her actions seem incomprehensible and unreliable, the flashbacks to her relationship with her own mother and the twist towards the end help explain it. Readers who like unreliable narrators will like this one.

I found "I Know What You Did," the debut book by K. T. Nguyen to be a suspenseful and enjoyable read. When we meet Anh Le (Annie), Shaw, the protagonist, she is enjoying her career and family. When her mother, a war refuge with mental health issues passes, Annie is thrust into her own increasingly alarming symptoms of OCD. Nguyen takes the reader into Annie's head as her mental health problems escalate, she questions her own sanity and finds her life in shambles. The story delves into the story of Annie's mother and the impact of her death on her daughter. The many twists and turns and high level suspense kept the pages turning to and ending I didn't see coming. I am looking forward to the next book by this author. Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

You Know What You Did
K.T. Nguyen

The splashes of horror! gah, wincing and bracing myself bc of my own fears..

Annie just lost her mom which activates her previously dormant contamination based OCD tendencies.

The story is told within flashbacks between a dysfunctional mother/daughter relationship shaped by their cultural gap, generational trauma, and refugee experience. Annie attempts to manage losing her mom, maintaining normalcy with her husband and daughter, and her resurfacing fears.

It feels like it didn’t really pick up until a third in, some parts felt predictable and often repetitive situations? the pacing felt slow and ramped up in the last 30%

This mystery thriller with horror elements feels very different from what I’ve read before. Having read it with the audiobook definitely helped me get through it. Overall the book left me feeling the effects of the slower pace and that the ending that didn’t feel like it matched the rest of the story.

I feel that the author had some great ideas that could have been better executed with the support of a better editor. Perhaps the intention was to have the reader experience the exhaustion, confusion, and the desire for something completely different because that’s what Annie experiences throughout the (too long) novel? The ending was rather abrupt and discombobulating… but again maybe that’s to mimic the characters’ experience? I don’t know 🤷🏻‍♀️ I do know that I don’t enjoy a book if I keep asking “are we there yet”?

You Know What You Did will leave you breathless! From the first page until the thrilling unexpected ending, this psychological thriller will grab you in an unimaginable, yet completely satisfying way. The story, which is told in different pieces throughout the character's life, will have the reader surprised by the twists and turns the narrative takes.

Annie (Anh Le) Shaw had a very difficult childhood, we will learn. The daughter of a single mother (Me) with mental illness who abused her in so many heartbreaking ways. But even after all that when Annie married and had her own daughter, she had her mother live with them in a house on their property where her mother continued the emotional abuse.

But, when her mother dies, it throws Annie into a tailspin. She knows her husband who adores her and understands her and whom she relies on loves her, but she feels her daughter who is fifteen now seems to hate her. Of course, Annie does not want to repeat the pattern of abuse she endured, but her daughter seems to be distancing herself from Annie and will not tell her why. And Annie is jealous of her husband's relationship with their daughter which seems so special.

Annie's career as an artist was one bone of contention with her mother. She felt Annie was doing nothing with her life, even though she had a good career. So, when Me dies, she takes on a large project first to take her mind off Me's death, but also to prove to herself she is worthy of her career.

But she soon begins to notice differences in herself almost immediately. She reverts back to her old ways, with her anxiety and severe OCD. She also thinks she is hallucinating and begins to not remember events. She sees the bond with her daughter deteriorate further.

Then the benefactor whom she has been working for disappears and Annie thinks she may have done something wrong. But the worst happens when Annie wakes up one morning in a bed in a hotel next to an injured man who is not her husband. Her life begins to explode.

She then starts to relive experiences she had while living in Japan with her then boyfriend, now husband. Those odd memories make her realize, perhaps she did do these other things. And when the police get involved, and her husband is away on assignment, things go from bad to worse.

Why can't she remember? All the while she begins to alienate her daughter as she starts to feel as if she is now beginning to act just like her mother. Did she do something back in Japan and now? How does she reconcile her life, with her daughter and without her mother? What did she do?

You Know What You Did is a sharp, twisty story about complicated relationships, love, fear and death. It will mesmerize and shock and you will love every horrifying minute!

Thank you #NetGalley #Dutton #YouKnowWhatYouDid #K.T.Nguyen for the advanced copy.

Many thanks to Dutton Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. You Know What You Did is a well-crafted suspense novel that was a bit creepier than my usual thriller picks, but once I was about 1/3 through the book, I had trouble putting it down. There are short flashbacks at the end of some of the chapters, many of which ended with, “You know what you did.” And I had to keep reading to find out what the unreliable narrator did!
More than just a suspense novel, You Know What You Did covers familial relationships, including the complexities of mother-daughter relationships and intergenerational trauma, including its connection to mental illness. The depiction of hoarding and OCD seemed realistic, and readers with sensitivities to these topics may find this a difficult book to read.
I didn’t realize this was a debut novel until I finished reading it, and I am super impressed by the author’s work. I think suspense fans of Simone St. James would enjoy this read. I did a mix of reading the ebook and listening to the audio, and both were engaging. I appreciated listening to the audiobook to hear the proper pronunciation of some of the Vietnamese words, but their meaning is clear, so readers will understand how they are used even if they don’t know how to pronounce them. The narration, however, was excellent - I loved listening to this one!

Thank you to Dutton for letting me read this one early. This book is out now.

This book was too long and felt like such a slog and a chore to get through. I really didn't enjoy it and found it a chore to read. I don't recommend this one.

good mystery and i loved the friends too. I really enjoyed the romance and how it solved . I also loved reading this author. Really enjoyed her friends. Great book.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton publishing!
4 stars 🌟 this book was so wild. You have an unreliable narrator, and a lot of mother daughter relationship toxic themes throughout the book.
There's representation for OCD and a very specific type, I can't remember the name rn. However Annie the FMC is triggered back into her old OCD habits after her mother dies.
There's multiple flashbacks to events Annie has memories of and they always end with You Know What You Did. So the whole time I'm reading this I'm thinking about what the hell did she do?! Haha.
I started feeling like wow this woman is really mentally unstable to the point she can't remember what even happened.
The ending threw me for a loop! I seriously didn't see it coming and that made this book so good. It's got a lot of triggers especially for immigrant parental relationship with their kid. There was some stuff that Annie went through with her mom that sadly I've seen so often in my own family with how women are perceived and should act especially in Asian culture. Please keep that in mind when going into this book.

"BONES SNAP. STEEL CRUNCHES. THE SICK THUD OF A SKULL AGAINST A DASHBOARD. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID."

YKWYD is a gripping, psychological journey into one woman's emotional decline that masterfully addresses themes of mental health, the unbreakable bonds between mother and daughter, & the refugee experience.

While a slow burn initially, the latter half is a blazing inferno of twists and thrills, occasionally transversing the genre line of horror. I generally love an unreliable narrator and Anh was no exception. Her panic is visceral, and you'll feel yourself anxiously spiraling into disarray alongside her. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this one, despite my newfound fear of ladybugs. 😅

All of my thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC!

Anh Le AKA Annie is struggling with contamination OCD and generational trauma that has been simmering for a long time. When Annie's mom passes away, everything starts to unravel. It keeps getting worse for Annie as she wakes up next to a body in a hotel, the police want answers.

You Know What You Did was an unexpected surprise! A psychological mystery that takes you through twists and turns you won't expect. I didn't mind the story being told with a confusing tone in terms of the structure of the chapters, we love an unreliable narrator! It represented Anh Le (Annie) very well as if we were looking into her thoughts and how her mind works.

As soon as I started reading, I was hooked by the storyline from the beginning! I also enjoyed switching to the audiobook on my walks, which also was very good considering I'm pretty picky with narrators when it comes to audiobooks. A great debut that you won't want to miss! I will definitely be on the look out for KT Nguyen's next book.

Yikes. I was really looking forward to this one, but unfortunately it did not work for me. I’ll start off my saying I did really like the mental health rep, the horror elements, the generational trauma theme, and just the overall vibe of uneasiness. I think each of these aspects was very well done. However, the entire plot and all of the twists were extremely flat and the reveals felt so anticlimactic. All of the characters outside of the MC just absolutely sucked and lacked any real depth. I also felt as though the book was 100 pages too long. If I hadn’t had an 11hr flight to bore me, I’m not sure if I would have been able to trek through this one.

With that, I will add that there are a ton of of their fantastic reviews on this one out there, so if this is on your list still give it a try.

When reality blurs with obsession, can you trust your own mind......…..

Book Information

You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen is a 384-page mystery/thriller with a publication date of April 16, 2024. Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy for review.

Summary

Annie “Anh Le” Shaw seems to have it all: a dream career, a stunning home, and a devoted family. However, her life unravels after her mother, a Vietnam War refugee, dies suddenly, triggering the return of Annie's obsessive-compulsive disorder. When a prominent art patron disappears and Annie becomes a suspect, she spirals into self-doubt, distancing herself from loved ones. She wakes up in a hotel room next to a lifeless body, and as the police investigate, Annie's fractured mind struggles for answers, knowing she'll do anything to protect her daughter—even at the cost of herself.

My Thoughts

K.T. Nguyen's "You Know What You Did" is a thriller that blends suspense with a touch of horror, presenting thought-provoking themes through a unique writing style. The novel tackles heavy issues such as the plight of refugees and the complexities of mental health, which adds depth to the narrative.

The main character, Annie, struggles with significant Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), depicted intensely in the first half of the book. While this portrayal successfully conveys the relentless nature of OCD, it can feel overwhelming and almost repetitive, making the beginning of the story a slow burn that feels longer than necessary.

As the story progresses, the suspense ramps up with numerous red herrings intended to keep readers guessing. However, the major twist becomes predictable midway through, which may disappoint those seeking an unexpected climax. The morally grey characters add complexity, though some might find it challenging to connect with them.

Readers should be aware of triggering topics such as OCD and emotional parental abuse. Despite these issues, "You Know What You Did" offers a unique take on the thriller genre. It's a gripping read that demands patience to fully appreciate its depth, earning it a solid three stars.

Recommendation

"You Know What You Did" is a suspenseful thriller that tackles heavy themes like mental health and the refugee experience. While the slow start and repetitive depiction of OCD can be challenging, the unique perspective and morally grey characters make it a thought-provoking read. If you enjoy intricate thrillers with depth, this book is worth exploring.

Rating

3 OCD Stars

A slow burn but worthwhile suspense novel about a woman who begins to unravel after the death of her mother. I love that the author gave us a thriller with depth- the portrayal of OCD felt legitimate and the second half was even stronger than the first. If you can be patient with the build up, you’ll be rewarded.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for this book. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

In this book we are following Annie Shaw, a mother and artist who has just discovered her dead mother. Annie and her mom have a very interesting relationship. Annie's mother clung to her from the moment she was born after leaving Vietnam and having mental health problems. The mental health representation is excellent in this book. For much of this novel Annie is seemed to be an unreliable narrator but that is not the case towards the end of the novel. There is more than one toxic relationship in the novel but luckily Annie is able to let go of what happened in her childhood and in her marriage and able to renew her relationship with her daughter. Annie is believed to be going insane when in reality her husband is making it seem that she is going crazy in order to rebuild his life and save face with his daughter. Annie ends up having to save her own daughter from the husband when he takes her to the same place he killed Annie's mother. Duncan confesses to killing Annie's mother, dog, mentor, and almost killing her one night stand. Luckily Duncan is stopped and Annie and her daughter Tabby are able to have a healthier relationship then the one she had with her own mother. This book was hard to put down and I enjoyed it immensely.

I can appreciate what this book did and the story was engaging and compelling-but ultimately I did not enjoy my reading experience. I became too frustrated with the MC's decisions, and the daughter and husband also got on my nerves. Overall, I think many readers will enjoy this story but I found myself too annoyed throughout.

Wow what a wild ride. This book was truly so thrilling.

It touched on generational trauma, childhood trauma and mental illness and how all three can affect people long term. Truly such an interesting look into how OCD presents and how debilitating it can be.

The complex mother daughter relationships were so well done. If you’re a fan of Everything Everywhere All At Once, LadyBird, any mommy trauma things, this is a great book for you.

I was so satisfied with this book up until the end. There was too much doubt on every single character to tie up nearly and the ending felt a bit rushed because of it.

I really loved the unreliable narrator in this, it’s one of my favorite tropes.

I am just coming into my thriller era and this is one of the books that was at the top of my list. I was hooked from the first 10 pages and I finished this book in one sitting. If you like gone girl and other Books in that vibe, you’re gonna like this one.

Annie Shaw, dealing with her mother's sudden death and her own OCD diagnosis, faces a series of mysterious deaths around her. As suspicion falls on her, Annie grapples with unsettling questions about her own mind. Despite a slow pace, the story delivers unexpected twists, especially towards the end. Exploring themes of culture, family dynamics, mental health, and deception, the book creates an eerie atmosphere and delves into complex relationships. While the plot could benefit from a faster tempo, the chilling tension and surprises make it a compelling read.

Gratitude to Penguin Group, Dutton, and NetGalley for the review copy.

I REALLY wanted to love this book but I really found it to be a bit disjointed. Overall I'd still recommend it but I can see it not being for everyone.