I usually love Shari’s books but this one was not it for me. The storyline felt all over the place and the characters fell flat. Most parts were very predictable and did not feel like typical Shari twists! While I would recommend many books by this author, this is not one.

I requested to read this book because we read it for a book club I’m a part of. I’m always so excited to read new Shair Lapena’s new thrillers and this one didn’t disappoint.
We follow many different characters from a small town, where everyone knows everyone and front doors are left unlocked. Until a teenage girl is found on a farmers field, dead and naked. You get different perspectives and even one from the murderer. Which you don’t know who it is until the end. There are many twists and turns and many horrible people. Some real life situations happen and I can’t believe how real they were.

this was enjoyable while i was reading but im giving it three stars because it didn’t have the impact to be memorable. i flew through it though!

Shari Lapena's latest release, What Have You Done?, is bingeworthy, thriller-perfection!

When Diana's body is found in a local hayfield in her small town, everyone becomes a suspect! This story has multiple POVs, and we hear from teachers, students, parents, and strangers alike. A little paranormal element made this book absolutely unputdownable, as we get the insight of the victim herself!

The characters:
Diana Brewer, the victim
Cameron, the victim's boyfriend
Joe Prior, the mysterious stranger
Brad Turner, the high school gym teacher/coach
Riley and Evan, close friends of the victim

We also meet the school's guidance counsellor, the principal, Diana's parents, Cameron's parents... the list really does go on and on.
Because there are so many characters, I highly recommend picking up the audio for this. It has a full cast, and the different voices helps to distinguish one character from another.

Ultimately, I think Shari Lapena's books get better and better with time, and she is at the top of her game in 2024.

I always look forward to picking up new Shari Lapena books, mostly because I have been reading her books for as long as she has been putting them out, but I think I finally have to stop picking them up. Maybe it's because I've become more critical of what constitutes a good book as I've read more and more in the last few years, but Lapena's books have become more disappointing in the last few years. Her characters are so one-dimensional they might as well be cardboard cutouts. Her prose is so rudimentary it's almost childish, but with occasional swearing. The plot would have been interesting in the right hands, but with the characters all feeling so flat I found that I really didn't care what happened to any of them. I guessed all of the plot twists as well, which could be because I read a lot of thrillers, but it would be nice to have a genuinely unforseen plot twist every now and then.

Roy Ressler is driving his tractor along his property when he spots vultures circling something in the middle of his field. Expecting to find an animal, Roy is horrified when he instead finds a female body.

Nothing everything happens in sleepy Fairhill, Vermont. Until it does.

Three suspects are being investigated;
Cameron - her possessive boyfriend who lied about what time he came home
Brad - her teacher who has been implicated in some inappropriate behaviour and
Joe - a local contractor who harassed the victim at her part time job

So many people are keeping secrets and telling lies - including the victim.

This is a very fast paced thriller with a constant change in narrator. Keeps your heart rate up and on your toes the whole time. I did find that the ending fell a little flat for me, but overall if you are looking for a fast paced, enjoyable thriller, this is a great read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for my advanced copy.
(I unfortunately couldn’t read this in advance of the pub date as the pdf file wasn’t opening properly on my kobo)

This gave a completely different vibe than Lapena’s usual, and I’m not mad about it! It was neat to read a story from her that was so different in terms of place setting and writing style format! I liked that she did something different creatively, it was a treat.

In this book we get a mix of POV, which she always does so well, and this time it includes a ghost POV and a journal entry POV.

At first I was a little concerned with the sheer amount of characters involved. After a few chapters in we already were introduced to over 10 characters, however, I feared not as Shari Lapena shows her expertise and ensured to pop in a subtle reminder of whose who along the way to keep us readers on track!

She does just such an excellent job in putting the emotional turmoil into her characters and this book is no exception. I really felt for the characters, especially the mother - I could feel her anguish. It was well done.

I was entertained. This isn’t as “bingeable” as some of her other books in terms of pacing but I enjoyed every minute of it nonetheless. While I predicted what the main twist was before it happened, I was still invested in the story and there were other aspects I didn’t see coming! It was a great read and I look forward to the next story from my favourite Canadian thriller author!

To me it felt like this book is a mix of The Middle of the Night, The Fury, and The Soulmate! So if you enjoyed any of those books, you will likely enjoy this read too!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada (Doubleday Canada) and Netgalley for an eARC copy! Book is OUT NOW!

I loved the way this book began and I loved how it ended. Then there was the part in between. Brilliant! Shari Lapena is the queen of the page turner, making you want to read faster to find out whodunit, but forcing yourself to slow down to savour every scene.

A safe small town in a rural setting where nothing ever happens. Ha! Until the unthinkable happens. The shocking discovery of a body in a farmer’s field leads everyone to question who can be trusted. Everyone has secrets and as they are exposed one by one, several motives and suspects come to light. Additional information is held back with each revelation, building suspense with every chapter.

By alternating multiple POVs, Lapena allows the reader into the minds of friends and family of the victim, creating a tableau of interconnected people affected by the young girl’s murder. Lapena quickly immerses the reader into the story with her straightforward style of writing in the present tense. A mix of first person narration along with close third puts the reader directly into the scenes, with flashes of the past through memories filling in details about the characters and their relationships.

An engaging thriller that will keep you up late reading until you reach the killer ending, it will leave you wanting more.

I always enjoy Shari Lapena’s books! They make for quick reads and I swear every time, I flip flop back and forth so much guessing who did the thing! That being said, the twist in this book wasn’t as shocking or impactful as previous books — felt like a bit too quickly wrapped up.

This is my third Lapena book but not my favourite. I didn't find the storyline to be all that compelling. I can't say much more without spoilers but I don't really recommend this one.

2.5 Stars⭐️⭐️💫
Though this was a fast-paced read, I found the writing to be choppy. The story had mystery and a creepy feel, but lacked suspense. I easily identified Diana's killer well before the reveal.

The characters all lacked depth and were pretty flat. While there were numerous suspects, and the author gave reason to believe a couple of them were the perpetrators, they were too obvious. However, I may have preferred that over who the true killer turned out to be. The true killer's motive was weak, and when everything was revealed and tied up, it was uneventful and lacked that satisfying feel I crave when a thriller comes to an end.

Overall, what Have You Done was a lackluster read for me.

___
TW/CW: murder; SA; mention of bullying

*Complimentary copy for review provided by Penguin Random House Canada. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.

3.5 stars. Was it good? Yes. Was it great? Not as great as the author's previous novels which I really enjoyed.

Right away, we are hit with the plot. Diana, a 17 year old student, has been found murdered in a field. From the get go, we are introduced to A LOT of characters and it took my poor brain quite a while to figure out who was who. There are a lot of suspects and we follow around everyone in several POV's. Normally I am huge fan of short chapters but I found in this particular novel, it was tough to keep track of everything.

Because of the many characters, I did not particularly bond with any of them. The supernatrual aspect throw in the book was a little strange. It had a purpose yet still leaves me with unanswered questions about it.

Overall, it was okay. The storyline is easy to grasp, the plot is nothing original but can keep you guessing. The ending wasn't a shock for me but could be for others.

3.5 stars, look forward to the next book by Shari Lepena.

"Nothing Ever Happens in Sleepy Little Fairhill, Vermont" is a gripping dive into a seemingly idyllic small town turned sinister. The novel masterfully captures the essence of a tight-knit community where trust is taken for granted, only to be shattered by a single shocking event. The author excels in creating a vivid atmosphere, painting Fairhill as a place where everyone knows each other and life is predictably serene—until the discovery of Diana Brewer's body turns it upside down.

The narrative skillfully weaves tension and paranoia, making each character a potential suspect and each interaction fraught with unease. The transformation of Fairhill from a haven of safety to a crucible of suspicion is both chilling and compelling. The plot unfolds with a relentless pace, keeping readers on edge as they navigate through a maze of secrets and deceit.

This book is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and suspenseful mysteries. It’s a brilliant exploration of how quickly the familiar can become foreign and how one tragic event can unravel the very fabric of a community.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

A small town in the Vermont backcountry where nothing much ever happens, until one day when a farmer finds the body of a murdered girl in his field. Diana Brewer was a popular girl with a boyfriend, Cameron and a future at university. An opportunity to get out of this small town and be something, but the next thing she knows, she is dead. Unfortunately Diana cannot seem to remember who killed her.

As the local police try to solve Diana’s murder they discovered there seems to be a whole cast of suspects. It’s hard to know who to even trust in this small town now a town that commonly didn’t even lock their doors; until now.

The story is told from the point of view of Diana viewing everything from the beyond which I really enjoyed. We also have the viewpoint of Diana’s best friend Riley and her other friend Evan. A pretty good story with some great twists and I really liked the ending. A great summer Beach read.

K I loved this book!! It kept me awake far past my bedtime (currently midnight writing this). I just couldn't put this book down!! So many povs, so many suspects. Some paranormal moments and ouija boards!! I actually fully didn't see the the ending coming whatsoever which I looove. The ending also felt like a bit of a cliffhanger maybe???

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

I have liked two books by this author, but none of the others I have read. I'm not sure why I keep trying. Maybe because she is a popular author and I'm trying to figure out what I'm missing. I was excited when I started this book. It was sending off creepy vibes, which I love. But it quickly turned into the type of writing that just isn"t for me. This book was very predictable, and not believable at all. And I'm not sure what it is about the way this author writes, but I feel like it's better suited for a middle grade novel. But whatever it is, it's definitely not for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-book in exchange for an honest review. I appreciated the opportunity to give this author another chance.

This was an alright book, it was very fast paced with short chapters, not a lot of filler, overall I'd say it was good. Diana Brewer was a seventeen year old high school student, she seemed to have it all, the good looking boyfriend to match her very good looks, strong grades, looking forward to going to college. Until she is found deceased in a farmer's field, the birds having to be chased off, the police attend and quickly determine she had been killed and start investigating. Her boyfriend Cameron, said they had been out that night, and he had dropped her off and everything was fine. Diana's mom is divorced and is devastated, Diana was her only child. The police interview everybody and quickly find out that Diana and Cameron were not quite in a good relationship as they were told. In addition, she had complained to the principal about a teacher who was being inappropriate with her, he claimed it was just touching on her back or shoulder while he was coaching her, it was much more than that. A customer at her part time job was also a suspect after it was revealed he had been trying to flirt with her and it made her very uncomfortable. I will admit that who I thought was the guilty party wasn't and I was taken aback by who was. I would recommend especially if you like high school drama type of stories. Thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada | Doubleday Canada and NetGalley for this ARC.

Shari Lapena is one of my go to authors and I will be recommending this book to others!

The story is told in multiple POVs and is quite fast paced(with short chapters, which I love).. The book kept my attention and I I enjoyed the twists. Quite a few times I thought I knew who the killer was, however I was wrong every time. This was a great thriller mystery summer read!

5 stars from me!

I hadn’t read from this author before so I was excited to try and I was very disappointed. This read like a YA where all the action was with kids in high school. Also, all the action was repeating and repeating and repeating the plot points across characters multiple times. Further, I found the break down of everything into minutia so small I couldn’t believe we were this granular didn’t help keep the story moving and really made me resent the reading experience. Lastly, the format with one character as a journal, and another as a ghost didn’t work in my opinion.

This was so twisty! I read it in an afternoon. There were a few too many characters in this one but I did enjoy it. I really enjoyed the slightly paranormal twist too!