When a farmer finds the body of one of the most popular girls in school in his field, it sets their small Vermont town on fire. Everyone's a suspect, and there are LOTS of creepy characters to choose from. A quick, satisfying mystery, but not my favorite Shari Lapena. Ghost Diana definitely felt extraneous, but I flopped back and forth on who did it just as (I'm sure) Lapena wanted me to.

Diana lived in the small town of Fairhill, Vermont. That is, until she was murdered and her body was dumped in a cornfield, and everyone and their mother becomes a suspect. This book was propulsive, I'll give the author that, but there were way too many characters to keep track of, and it became too much in the end. I loved Lapena's last one, Everyone Here Is Lying, but this one just didn't do it for me. I am a Lapena completist, though, so I will read anything she writes.

This is an old fashioned who-done-it with a plethora of viable suspects in a modern small town in Vermont.

A popular high school student's body is found in a local field, and the town residents hold each other under suspicion. There is a supernatural element in the story. I'm usually not a fan of this, but it was not overdone and it fit well. The book kept me guessing, and was a true "one more chapter before I go to bed" page turner.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t know how she does it, but I swear every book she writes is better than the last one. I know when I start a SL book it’s going to be a five star read, and this one was no exception. Perfect mix of family and thriller for me!

I've read all of this author's books and she has done it again. She has written another great twisty suspense thriller. This one kept me going right to the end. I didn't even mind that I figured out who the killer was amongst all the options. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a little while to really get invested in the book. The plethora of characters introduced in the beginning was overwhelming at first, but once I figured out who everyone was, it was easier to enjoy. I really had no idea who was the killer until the very end, which I like, but the ending still left me a little unsatisfied since I feel like there was no real reason given for the killing. The reveal still surprised me though so I always like when I can’t guess the ending.

Fast paced and easy to read BUT I hated the perspective from the ghost and I didn't like the "whodunit" in the end.

Not my favorite Shari Lapena but but not a bad book. Short and very fast read. Would be good to read any season of the year. Would encourage anyone to read when looking for a quick read. Has a good twist at the end but I did Predict it.

When a teen girl is found murdered in a field in small-town Vermont, the community becomes suspicious of one another and multiple suspects emerge. I had a few theories in the beginning, and I enjoyed the journey of seeing how things shook out. I felt the killer’s motivation to be a little lacking, but still found the book enjoyable. I like Shari Lapena, and this was another solid read from her. If you enjoy fast-paced thrillers for an escape, this one is definitely for you.

Thank you to Shari Lapena, Penguin Group Viking and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of the book for an honest review.

Shari Lapena has done it again! I think this might be her best novel yet. From the very beginning of the novel I thought I had the killer pegged but I was wrong. There were so many suspects, but not too many. Who murdered Diana Brewer? Was it her boyfriend she just broke up with? The teacher she filed a complaint about because he gave her the creeps? Maybe it was the stalker from the store she worked at. Or maybe, just maybe it was a supposed friend. No one knows but the police are desperate to find out. I couldn’t put this one down and Lapena has secured her spot as one of the best dark and twisted novelists of our time!

This is such a quick-read murder mystery, I finished it in one night. I enjoyed the straight-forward writing and urgent search for the killer of a young innocent girl, but several discrepancies bothered me.
1. How did so many shady suspects go unnoticed in such a safe small town?
2. There were too many characters and voices and none stood out as the protagonist (I guess Riley was.) The ghost of the murdered girl was especially out of place, this dated trend has been done better before.
3. The 'ghost' story aspect was misplaced in this mystery genre, and underdeveloped.
I do like that the story commented extensively on sexual predators and how witnesses fail the victim.
Thank you Penguin Group Viking and Netgalley for the digital review copy of this exciting mystery by a talented author.

TLDR: Lapena is a reliable thriller author, and her 2023 book, EVERYONE HERE IS LYING, was actually one of my favorite thrillers of last year. Her latest is a VERY solid, a small town murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. I ripped thru it in record time, and definitely think it’s perfect for anyone looking for a slumpbuster or palette cleanser.

Another great book from Shari Lapena! While this isn’t my favorite book of hers, it was definitely still good with interesting twists and turns. I didn’t see the final twists or anticipate the way the story would go so I would say it’s a great thriller!

Another great thriller from one of my favorite authors! I've read three of her books so far and this one sits right behind my top favorite. Although I didn't love this one quite as much as last year's release, it was still really good. I was totally hooked and invested in what was happening. As usual, there are multiple POVs, which I love. The short chapters will have you furiously turning the pages. I love the suburban drama and scandals, with a little social commentary. In her usual fashion, it's twisty, fast-paced, easy to devour in one sitting. I'll forever read everything she writes. Definitely recommend!

Love a story about a small town rocked by something shocking and Lapena did the trope justice in this latest. Tense and twisty!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ecopy of this title. This is a tightly written mystery. A small town is rocked to the core when a popular teenage girl is found murdered in a farmer's field. Everyone is a suspect, but only one is the killer. The ending was a satisfying twist. Highly recommend.

Shari Lapena’s latest novel is a sensitive and moving account of how the murder of a teenage girl throws an entire small town into turmoil. Told from multiple points of view, it shows how a violent death can expose festering secrets and weaknesses, but also how people can find the strength to do the right thing even when it’s hard.

Diana Brewer is in her senior year of high school when she’s brutally assaulted. Pretty, responsible and popular, she worked a part-time job to help her single mom out with saving up for college, all while worrying how to break the news to her football star boyfriend Cameron Farrell that she doesn’t want to go to the same school as him after they graduate. Now something terrible has happened to her, leaving her disoriented and floating over the Vermont town of Fairhill as she tries to figure out what’s going on:

QUOTE
There’s something in this field, and I want to know what it is. I move closer. I’m above them, looking down. I see what they’re looking at, and I don’t understand at all. The girl on the ground is naked, and I’m embarrassed for her, with these three men staring at her and not a stitch on. I notice with detachment that her stomach is torn open, and her intestines are spilling out, glistening. She’s not in pain, because she’s clearly dead. I see where her eyes used to be and feel a muted mix of revulsion and pity. But I’m drawn closer, because despite the mutilation, I definitely recognize her face.

It’s me.

But a dead and desecrated me. These men all seem very concerned.

This is a very strange dream. I want to wake up now.
END QUOTE

But it’s not a dream, as she soon realizes. Worse, she doesn’t remember what happened to bring her to this state. The only thing she can do is try to comfort her mother Brenda, whose grief once the news is broken to her is unfathomable.

Brenda isn’t the only one grieving Diana’s loss, though her pain is likely the most acute. Diana’s best friends Riley and Evan are also reeling, as is Cameron. But Cameron is also behaving in ways that scare his own parents, who are slowly beginning to learn what a liar their only child is. All teenagers lie to their parents, they rationalize, it’s a normal part of growing up. But what if Cameron is lying about things far more serious than breaking curfew or who he was really hanging out with and where?

QUOTE
It’s getting harder and harder to know what to do. Everything has become so blurred in Edward’s mind. He doesn’t know truth from lies, or right from wrong. Edward remembers his whispered conversation with his wife earlier that day. They want to help their son if they can, no matter what he might have done. Diana is dead, and nothing can change that now. What is to be served by their son spending the rest of his life in jail? If Cameron is to blame, he must have lost control. Surely he would never do something like that intentionally?

But how can they be certain that he would never do it again? How would they ever live with themselves if he did?
END QUOTE

Cameron’s conflicted parents aren’t the only people trying to figure out the truth behind Diana’s death. Aside from the police, Riley and Evan are determined to help out Brenda, even as a high school teacher concerned for her own teenage daughter’s safety pushes her co-workers to come forward about what really happened during Diana’s last days of school.

The anguish of all the people affected by Diana’s death is brilliantly explored by Ms Lapena, as the police investigations into her death turn up unexpected sins and malfeasances behind the small town’s sleepy, peaceful facade. Ms Lapena deftly depicts the sadness and guilt and coping mechanisms of a large cross-section of people connected to Diana, from the regular customer at the Home Depot who paid too much unwanted attention to her, to the school staff who failed her when she made a complaint about one of their own, to the young woman who doesn’t want to believe that her fiance could possibly be a bad man. What Have You Done? is a masterpiece of human emotion, that compassionately engages with all its subjects even as it makes no excuses for terrible behavior. It’s understandable to be weak and imperfect and to doubt yourself, as this book tells us, but what’s ultimately important is to stand up for the truth and for what’s right.

What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena is a fast-paced mystery thriller that I read in 24 hours! The storyline was so engaging and I couldn't wait to find out who the killer was. I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Thank you Viking, #partner for the advanced e-galley of What Have You Done in exchange for my honest reviews.

I loved how this story puts you right into the meat of the story…this totally hooked me immediately and had me listening to it in just one go! Even with a lot of characters, I felt each one was so well-crafted that I was never confused by who was who. Each one had their secrets, making them all potential suspects. The small-town setting was so atmospheric and the ghost stories just added that little extra to make this story stand out. This whodunit was so clever and kept me guessing all the way through…I loved it!

When a teen girl is found murdered in a rural Vermont town multiple suspects emerge from within the community - all of whom could have been guilty! My suspicion about #whodunit from the very beginning turned out to be correct but there were several secrets and lies revealed along the way that had me (briefly) considering other culprits. The motivation of the killer was a little lacking for me but I still found this to be an enjoyable read. If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller that you won’t want to put down definitely add this one to your summer reading list!